The School Board meeting agenda for Monday, September 11, 2017 has been posted. Ironically, two agenda items that eat up our tax dollars with zero dollars going to education will be discussed.
renovation project and successfully kept the practice field option (as well as other amenities) out of the renovation to trick the taxpayers.
And then there is the Capital Campaign. Nick Meduho wrote to the school board with the following questions:
Can someone please explain the following:
From http://www.mtlsd.org/uploaded/District/MLFE/Images/CURRENT_one-pager_0217.pdf, it states:
As of July 31, 2017 a grand total of $621,473 was raised as shown here:
If $6 million is the goal and 25% has been raised, like it states, where’s the rest of the money?
25% of 6 million is 1.5 million but only $621, 473 has been raised. I’d like to add too, the document was last modified in February 2017 so the $621,473 is high, around $21,000 higher.
Thank you,
Nicholas Meduho
Mt. Lebanon, PA
Here is the response by President Mary Birks, under investigation by the PA Ethics Commission, and also running for re-election.
From: Mary Birks <mbirks@mtlsd.net>
Date: Thursday, September 7, 2017 at 4:05 PM
Subject: Re: capital campaign
To: Bill Cooper <wcooper@mtlsd.net>, Bill Moorhead <wmoorhead@mtlsd.net>, Dan Remely <dremely@mtlsd.net>, Hugh Beal <hbeal@mtlsd.net>, Larry Lebowitz <llebowitz@mtlsd.net>, Mike Riemer <mriemer@mtlsd.net>, Nicholas Meduho Jr, Sarah Olbrich <solbrich@mtlsd.net>, Stephen Strotmeyer <sstrotmeyer@mtlsd.net>
Cc: Tim Steinhauer <tsteinhauer@mtlsd.net>
3. Capital Campaign Disbursement - As part of our Capital Campaign, we evaluated the needs of the District and considered the wishes of our donors to identify a number of uses for campaign funds. The equipment list to be funded has been reviewed and approved by the committee overseeing Campaign allocations. The Board is being asked to approve the Capital Campaign disbursement of $25,000 for Middle School Auditorium and Music Classrooms Sound Equipment. Once the budget is approved, we will proceed with purchasing the equipment in accordance with any applicable bidding requirements, State Law and Board Policy.
4. Options for High School Practice Field Playing Surface– The Board will review options for the playing field surface at the high school practice field. (And there it is. Turf for the practice field.)Dan Remely and Elaine Cappucci, both running for re-election were co-chairs of the high school
renovation project and successfully kept the practice field option (as well as other amenities) out of the renovation to trick the taxpayers.
And then there is the Capital Campaign. Nick Meduho wrote to the school board with the following questions:
Can someone please explain the following:
From http://www.mtlsd.org/uploaded/District/MLFE/Images/CURRENT_one-pager_0217.pdf, it states:
If $6 million is the goal and 25% has been raised, like it states, where’s the rest of the money?
25% of 6 million is 1.5 million but only $621, 473 has been raised. I’d like to add too, the document was last modified in February 2017 so the $621,473 is high, around $21,000 higher.
Thank you,
Nicholas Meduho
Mt. Lebanon, PA
Here is the response by President Mary Birks, under investigation by the PA Ethics Commission, and also running for re-election.
From: Mary Birks <mbirks@mtlsd.net>
Date: Thursday, September 7, 2017 at 4:05 PM
Subject: Re: capital campaign
To: Bill Cooper <wcooper@mtlsd.net>, Bill Moorhead <wmoorhead@mtlsd.net>, Dan Remely <dremely@mtlsd.net>, Hugh Beal <hbeal@mtlsd.net>, Larry Lebowitz <llebowitz@mtlsd.net>, Mike Riemer <mriemer@mtlsd.net>, Nicholas Meduho Jr, Sarah Olbrich <solbrich@mtlsd.net>, Stephen Strotmeyer <sstrotmeyer@mtlsd.net>
Cc: Tim Steinhauer <tsteinhauer@mtlsd.net>
Dear Mr. Meduho,
The Capital Campaign will be discussed at length at our next board discussion meeting, September 11th.
For the Board,
Mary D. Birks
Katie Caste, candidate running on the Timmy Ticket, claims that $1.2 million dollars has been raised. Wow! She hasn't been elected yet and she is giving us false numbers. Double wow!Bottom line is that Monday's meeting at 7:30 PM should be attended by every member of the media. It will be interesting how these candidates spin this $6 million capital campaign where zero dollars have been spent on education.