At the beginning of the meeting, a very powerful message was delivered in citizens comments by a former Mt. Lebanon Soccer/Basketball mom. She started out by saying that there is a definite need for more fields in Mt. Lebanon. Turfing an existing field with toxic turf does not solve any problems. I guess this woman is a research scientist and analyzed the existing data out there concerning the toxicity of artificially turfed fields, both organic infill and synthetic infill, as well as the blades of grass and backing. Her conclusions were that artificial turf was marketed and studied for adult, professional use only. Many other factors were not considered, including the size and metabolism of children, which she identified in her comments. She spoke for about 20 minutes and there were 10 minutes of Q and A's.
The day after the SAB meeting, on April 4, 2014, a comment was posted on Four more documents from the mother of all RTKs at 1:29 PM, which I found very disturbing.
Referring to the previous video posted on Lebo Citizens (http://vimeo.com/49518944) regarding the hazards of synthetic turf and featuring two scientists including Kathleen Michels, Ph.D.:
Dr. Michels has been nominated to be the "Mom on a Mission 2014" by HealthyChild, Healthy World.
http://healthychild.org/mom-on-a-mission-finalist/kathleen-michaels/
Some of the mothers in Mt Lebanon who have advocated for healthy playing fields have been threatened, mocked, and intimidated by members of the Sports Advisory Board. One elected mother received such a threatening email from a Mt Lebanon coach that it was turned over to the police.
Ask yourself, Mothers, if artificial turf were good for Mt Lebanon, why would Dr. Michels be nominated for this honor by Healthy Child, Healthy World, and at the very same time, why would mothers who feel the same way in Mt Lebanon be treated with such aggression, hostility, disparagement, and unfairness?
OK, back to the meeting. Core samples were done and indicate no rock. Plans include a portable pitchers mound on Middle and a permanent clay mound for Wildcat. David Donnellan promised to get the concept plan of the layout online within a couple of days of the Sports Advisory Board meeting. Tuesday's Discussion Session Agenda reveals that this will be discussed.
The good news is that The Mt. Lebanon Community Endowment website, Field Improvement Project Fund is up and running. Dave Franklin sent 200-300 emails during its roll out and raised $2500 in 48 hours. That comes to an average of $7.58 per signature from his petition. The amount raised so far is around $115,000 to $120,000. Field hockey contributed $500 which will give them a small spot to play, under the trees - all said in jest. No mention of the amount of the soccer donation, which John Bendel was uncomfortable sharing with me.
Under Potential Capital Projects, a couple of ideas came up. One was an indoor multipurpose athletic facility. Dave Franklin shared his wife's plan. She said that an elementary school can be closed, move the administrative offices from the high school, and use the fields, auditorium, etc., as a community center.
Finally, a public meeting is planned for all affected neighbors on April 24, 2014 at 6:00 PM. The meeting will be at Middle and Wildcat Fields.
40 comments:
They threatened her? Are you serious? Who did it?
I don't want my tax dollars being spent on the projects for people who threaten others to get what they want!
I don't know who was threatened, or if it was related to the citizen's comments. I certainly don't want anyone threatened. I am just reprinting a previous comment that was made on the blog the day after the SAB meeting.
Elaine
I also highlighted Mrs. Franklin's plan. In the name of sports, we can close an elementary school. Anything for the kids, right?
Elaine
This is to confirm that the woman who spoke at the SAB was not threatened in any way. She was treated respectfully before, during, and after the meeting.
Elaine
Mr. David P. Franklin, Esq. hid behind the visor of his ball cap.
John Bendel was the calculator and reporter of added time slots to be provided by the turf, I believe. How about a new time slots number, John, based on the field not being able to be used for simultaneous play ? Just how does the reduced number justify the life cycle costs ? Please give us a full explanation of this.
As a former Minor League pitcher that portable mound is NOT safe. Which kids are going to be placed in danger of knee injuries? Better not be one of my kids!
Elaine I had to work (My mean boss...) the Saturday you had a meeting out at the Village Square Giant Eagle. Are you having another meeting and how did that meeting go?
How safe is the "real" pitcher's mound to soccer players? This is such a stupid idea! Seems that a few certain adults want pretty fields and screw it if a few kids get hurt. Right Franklins....
5:27 PM, name the time and the place and I will be there. Phooey on your mean boss.
You want safe, 5:25 and 5:30 PM? As I have been trying to say for quite some time now, this isn't about kids' safety. Now do you believe me?
Elaine
My big fat foot Dave Franklin's wife had a plan of her own. Not that she can't think of one herself but to think she is anything more than a front to Dave himself would be crazy.
But, from the SAB it looks like:
-The field isn't as big as they thought for regulation games.
-The area to be covered by turf is quite a lot larger than originally estimated.
-The time slots originally estimated by Bendel no longer hold true
-Sports nuts are threatening people who speak out against this turf plan.
There is only one way to stop this and that is to get people to the meetings. Even then it will be tough to stop.
Where is Silverman? Is he listening to the parents? Or is he bought and sold by the sports guys already?
It was always about MORE fields until there was a proposal for more fields at Robb Hollow. Then they said, nope, nevermind, it was about keeping up with USC and Peter's. If that means keeping up with respiratory issues due to carbon black and 80lbs of shredded tires per square foot of turf, that's something I'd like to have them take the lead in.
Keep up the good work, Elain.
6:58 PM, thanks. About Silverman. Remember, this is the guy who was working to raise non-municipal funds with Dick's Sporting Goods before he was sworn in as commissioner. That was discovered through my Right To Know. The determination date for my appeal is the first week of May. I hope it won't be too late.
Elaine
I wonder how many under assessed newcomers bought property in the attendance area of Stacy Franklin's closed elementary school.
This comment from the Mount Lebanon Endowment website:
"To date, the various youth sports associations in Mt. Lebanon have contributed over $100,000 towards this goal."
The website forgot to note the Community Endowment will collect $14,000 for themselves.
Why didn't David and Stacy Franklin set up a tax-free organization that would have captured that $14,000 for their turf project?
Mrs Franklin says an elementary school can be closed. Dr. Steinhauer said a central elementary school can be closed. Is a committee of parents meeting to discuss this idea? Is Mrs Franklin part of the committee? Are there minutes available of these meetings?
If there is talk of closing an elementary school, why do we need more fields again?
Elaine
Who are these Franklins? What is their pedigree, experience, or basis for driving these issues? I don't recall electing them - how is it that they have such considerable influence on things with both the school district and the municipality?
Brumfield's kids are out of Howe School so it will most likely be the one closed. But I doubt that our Teachers Union would allow a school to close as that would reduce teacher positions. They would demand that a school remain open if for only a handful of kids. We pay property taxes only to provide them jobs. Elaine can we take up a collection to move the Franklins to Peters or Cranberry? That would be much cheaper!
Because the Daves travel east for tournaments and see all their turfed fields and they want them too. They don't want to pay for them... They want YOU to. Seems that all this money is being spent on a very small minority of kids. Most don't play football, soccer or lacrosse. Most never get wet in the High School pool. What about all the rest? Aren't they worth any extras Brumfield? Franklins?
Not just sq footage, landscaping is going up Elaine.
I knew something was up when they gave Gateway the go ahead to start at Morgan Drive.
Elaine
The deal was that the non-municipal share was 25%. Now, we are starting to see what they really wanted, but according to the Mt. Lebanon Community Endowment link, their obligation is locked in at $250,000. As usual, Gateway estimates low for the projects they support and high for the projects they don't want. It is unfortunate there wasn't any fundraising for Brafferton.
Elaine
There is a school board meeting tonight and a commission meeting tomorrow night. If you don't like what you are seeing, step away from your keyboard and attend these meetings.
Elaine
Weather report says thunderstorms possible this afternoon with some severe T-storms early this evening. Kids wouldn't be able to play on artificially turfed fields, unless the toxic tire infill provides enough protection from lightning strikes. Watch out, flood victims. Have your slickers and car keys by the door. I did say that rainwater does come down Morgan Drive. Maybe that is part of the reason for the additional landscaping improvements for the Toxic Turf Project. We want it to look good for the Realtors' Tour. Lebo Citizens, are you seeing how absurd this plan is yet? Now they want to close an elementary school. Are YOU going to let the Daves continue to get away with this ludicrous dream?
Elaine
I think if they close one it will be Hoover. Howe is too far from any other school for the kids at that age to walk. Hoover is "reasonably" close to Jefferson. (I'm not saying I support this...but if they close one this is what I think they will do.)
I am really cranky today. Instead of speculating which elementary school will close, how about nipping it in the bud?
Elaine
9:33 PM, you asked how is it that the Franklins have such considerable influence on things. Here is a classic example. The Franklins suggest converting an elementary school into an indoor multipurpose athletic facility and the question becomes which elementary school. Does that answer your question, 9:33 PM?
Elaine
Don't rule out Markham as being the one. Students can be more easily absorbed due to the central location. Many of us hope it is not the one.
OMG. See what I mean? 9:34 PM, how about starting that collection for me to move? Obviously, the Franklins aren't the ones who need to move.
Elaine
I am not approving any more comments concerning which elementary school should close just because Stacey Franklin wants to close an elementary school. Are you high? Why do you let the sports cabal control this community? Just because Franklin says jump, you ask how high? I see why the newcomers are so organized. They haven't bought into the bull shit.
Elaine
Really, it is only this group that is suggesting schools!
Pretty sure they werent serious about the school idea. They claim there are so many kids doing so much the turf is a necessity. So they'd close one of the schools? Well, isnt that admitting they know the population in Lebo has shrunk? And if so, and somehow kids could play all sports all the time with existing space, they would also be admitting--finally--the turf idea is nothing but a want instead of a need.
Further, how does the teachers' union feel about this? Pretty sure loss of jobs wouldnt be supported. This whole thing is silly.
At the risk of being vilified on this site, Mrs. Franklin's idea is actually an interesting one in theory and closing an elementary school is actually something that the School Board should be thinking about. Enrollments are declining and at some point the question has to be asked whether it makes sense to have an elementary school operating with almost 100 less students then five of the other elementary schools. Could the space be used for other purposes? What would the costs be? Would citizens be willing to pay for such a facility? Would the parents of the "closed" elementary school raise enough of a fuss that the school board would never close a school?
My guess is the majority would oppose it, and you could never build consensus for this type of facility, but it is a very interesting idea.
On an unrelated note, with regard to the temporary mounds, MLBA has used one at Jefferson - since they converted that field into the varsity softball field. It's not ideal and the kids generally do not like to pitch off of it, but in the years I have watched games there, I've never seen an injury as a result. Not that one could not occur, but if it's properly placed and there is available dirt/fill to place around it, a temporary mound can be serviceable.
Because YOU haven't seen an injury occur does it mean it does not happen? There are enough studies now that if a child is injured the parents can file a lawsuit. Ready for those tax increases?
Elaine Since tax payers are being forced to pay the majority of the costs to do these fields does that mean the rest of us None-Soccer and other non-field sports residents will be able to use these fields? Or is my family being forced to pay for something that I'll be arrested if I dare to look at it? I'm sure my kids who are into music would love to practice outdoors on green turf in the evenings and weekends.
6:38 PM, maybe this paragraph from the latest eblast from Mt. Lebanon Soccer will answer your question.
"Third, while the organizations may cancel practices or games, this does not close the field. We utilize public spaces and therefore must share with the public. We have heard reports of soccer games being played this weekend on J. Doctor Filed at Bird Park. The MLSA knows that there are outside groups, some well organized, that utilize the fields - we cannot control groups like this.
What can you do? 1) Please respect the collective decisions for cancellations. Please do not decide on your own to go have a practice or kick around. 2) Call or email your commissioners and/or school board members with your concerns - these folks always tell us they need to hear more support for improving our fields. "
The initial turf presentation indicated that slots will increase by 60%. However, it was revealed at the last SAB meeting that soccer and varsity games will be using double slots. They would not be able to share the fields with other grops.
The short answer is no. We pay for it so that others can use it.
Elaine
The Lebo athletic fields are essentially fully booked and reserved for the field sports associations and some Muni Rec field sports programs during the fall and spring/early summer athletic seasons. This means the general public cannot just go and have a pick-up game of baseball, softball, soccer, etc. at Wildcat or Middle, etc. when you feel like it if it is reserved or a scheduled use for a group or association you are not a member of. In essence, the fields are reserved for private use, not for the general public during athletic seasons. This makes the tax deductibility of donations to the turf project questionable because private use disqualifies the general public use requirement for federal tax deductability. All of the alleged added time slots attributed to turf will be reserved for sports groups usage.
You can play tennis, golf, swim or skate during open hours almost any time you want +/-, perhaps with a waiting list of an hour or less and pay a fee. Not so with athletic fields, but there is no field fee either, but what good does that do ?
We should move to Collier Township where 40% of their land is undeveloped and they haven't had a millage increase in 25 years (according to a published report in The Almanac.)
How is that a PUBLIC use?
Tonight, there was something on the Discussion Session Agenda about "closing municipal athletic fields." The municipality will close fields if field conditions are bad due to heavy rain. So no pick up games. It wasn't clear to me if little kids will be cited for playing on closed fields. Can Mt. Lebanon close ball fields?
Elaine
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