Remember this exchange between Charlotte Stephenson and Dave Brumfield?
From: David Brumfield <dbrumfield@mtlebanon.org>
Date: May 3, 2014 5:06:53 PM EDT
To: Charlotte Stephenson
Cc: Commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>
Subject: Re: Studies
Date: May 3, 2014 5:06:53 PM EDT
To: Charlotte Stephenson
Cc: Commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>
Subject: Re: Studies
Ms. Stephenson,
Please find attached links to the studies I have mentioned to a few residents.
There are of course others, but I believe these are the only studies I referenced to residents or at meetings.
Additionally, though I do not believe I referenced them there are a number of studies that show turf is equal to or better than natural grass as to likelihood of athletic injury.
Dave Brumfield
Please find attached links to the studies I have mentioned to a few residents.
http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Newsroom/News-Releases/2008/CPSC-Staff-Finds-Synthetic-Turf-Fields-OK-to-Install-OK-to-Play-On/
http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.syntheticturfcouncil.org/resource/resmgr/docs/nysdec_study_on_leaching_off.pdf
http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.syntheticturfcouncil.org/resource/resmgr/docs/dr._johns-bainbridge_island_.pdf
Additionally, though I do not believe I referenced them there are a number of studies that show turf is equal to or better than natural grass as to likelihood of athletic injury.
Dave Brumfield
*********
I forwarded Dave Brumfield's links to Dr. Phil Johnson, one of the speakers from the April 30 Educational Forum on Turf, from which John Bendel left early.
Here is Dr. Johnson's response:
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>; dbrumfield <dbrumfield@mtlebanon.org>; stephensoncs ; commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>
Sent: Tue, Jun 3, 2014 10:10 AM
Subject: RE: Studies
I have reviewed each link provided below.
(The Manex Consulting study did not include direct access, however, only a press release.)
My main area of focus is limited to possible human exposures and health risk.
Regarding the EPA study, please note that EPA recently retracted its 2009 press release from the agency’s study.
Below are my summarized findings.
Sincerely,
Phil Johnson, PhD, MPH, MESc
Mt. Lebanon
Summarized findings:
(1) The studies collectively indicate (e.g., in their methods and limitations sections) that sampled fields and materials cannot be extrapolated. Findings cannot be extended beyond the particular study sites and used to reach broad conclusions with respect to other fields because these studies are not representative.
A variety of reasons contribute to this outcome, including:
a. Wide diversity of materials and ingredients in fields (studies are only specific to areas studied);
b. Diversity of construction;
c. Diversity and variability of real-world factors including ambient weatherizing (e.g., solar radiation) and wear conditions (e.g., physical activity patterns); and
d. Variation with respect to components monitored, sites sampled and samples taken.
In order to determine whether the proposed fields in Mt. Lebanon may pose a health risk to humans – and especially to our susceptible populations – decision makers and the community require (a) full and complete lists of ingredients and materials in the artificial fields (including fill and synthetic grass blades) and (b) full and complete lists of ingredients and materials to be used to maintain the artificial fields, including for example any pesticides, biocides or cleaning agents.
With this information in hand, the community and its leadership can begin a process to ascertain potential exposures and the possibility of associated adverse health effects to humans on and using the fields toward a deliberative decision-making process about whether to undertake an activity with the potential to harm public health.
Without this information, there is no way to characterize public health risk and make an informed decision because information will be incomplete, limited and subject to excess uncertainty.
Given this uncertainty, the health and well-being of our populations – including pregnant persons, infants, children, those with respiratory disease including asthma, those with allergies, those with neurodisabilities or disorders; those with cancer or surviving cancer; and those at risk of developing cancer – may be at risk.
(2) Overall, with respect to human exposures and ability to develop risk analysis, the studies collectively either report or do not mention significant methodological limitations, including:
a. As noted above, cannot extrapolate findings to other fields: the studies are acknowledged as non-representative.
b. Do not adequately quantify the potential for exposures to some susceptible human populations such as neonatal populations, persons with neurodevelopmental disorders and diseased populations;
c. Do not adequately simulate real-world exposure conditions – including sustained and diverse physical activity, as well as field disturbance (e.g., compression and degradation) under a range of conditions (e.g., field age, solar radiation) that may affect release of chemicals into the environment;
d. Do not consider multiple possible chemical exposures that field users would experience from the many possible chemical ingredients in the fields or used to maintain the fields;
e. Provide inadequate simulation of typical field use and condition factors in both core field and ambient air;
f. Do not adequately sample for worst-case exposures from newly installed fields;
g. Do not adequately address potential for chemical exposure synergies and interactive effects;
h. Do not adequately focus on possible chemicals (such as lead) in synthetic turf fibers/blades;
i. Focus only on one component of the field (such as infill crumbs), and within this subset are unable to consider diversity of such components among other fields;
j. Do not adequately consider chemicals and other materials used to maintain fields;
k. Use averaged threshold values to screen out reported measured chemical concentrations rather than full distributions including peaks – and therefore eliminate relevant data from further evaluation;
l. Have limited or no VOC and SVOC sampling;
m. Rely on air sampling techniques limited by variability of monitors, short duration sampling and staff activity interference; and
n. Recommend further study given limitations and inadequacies.
*********
I am trying a new way to share the podcast of the June 5, 2014 Sports Advisory Board Meeting.
I have also uploaded the podcast to Lebo Citizens and is available here. The SAB threw residents to the wolves during Citizen Comments. There were three residents who spoke. The first resident was told that there will be no more super secret Turf Project Task Force meetings. Their work is done. Dave Franklin said that they are at $245,000. The second resident had shared her followup research with the Parks Advisory Board, which the PAB liaison Dave Franklin chose not to share with the SAB. She tried to share her research with the SAB. She instead was met with hostility. What a group. The third resident was able to get the breakdown from Franklin. The $245,000 is made up of $125,000 pledged by the Sports Associations, $93,000 in cash, and $27,000 in corporate commitments with $5,000 of that $27,000 will be paid in December.
It was announced that there will be only Dr. Andrew McNitt with no mention of a toxicologist at the June 12 meeting. This is the PIO Press Release. Do you see the words "artificial turf" ANYWHERE in the press release or on the municipal website? Nope. Not there.
35 comments:
Pledges and a promised check are NOT money in the bank! Which was the promise made before this project would progress.
Another Bend It With Bendel. Just like how he promised to have a toxicologist speak about the health aspects of artificial turf. I guess Bendel couldn't find one who would say it was safe. Evidently, there are no toxicologists who have partnerships with FieldTurf. The good news is that the $11,000 infomercial will cost less without a toxicologist on the panel of "unbiased" experts. The bad news is that nobody on the panel will speak to the health aspects of artificial turf since they aren't experts in that area. Makes for a shorter Q&A, doesn't it?
I hope that Lebo Citizens readers listen to the resident comments at the beginning of the meeting. The municipality may edit the video and censor the third resident's "This scares the shit out of me." Note how the boys were very quiet for the man, but the women were treated with disrespect again. Seems to me that the Home Rule Charter isn't what needs to be gender neutral.
Elaine
False statement!
One of the SAB members responds to Pam Scott that "we have collected $245,000".
This isn't quite accurate. They have to date- promises of $245,000!
We have seen these promises of money appear before, but somehow they never quite materialize.
I thought the responses to Ms. Scott's question about donor names interesting.
How long has this blog been bashed for anonymous comments? One of the SAB tried to infer in my opinion that Ms. Scott had some nefarious intentions should she get hold of the donors list.
Might we ask the same question when someone ask for commenters to identify themselves?
Why do you want to know?
Thank you Dr. Johnson. How fortunate is Mt Lebanon to have, at least at this moment, a Yale PhD resident who is also an expert in risk management and environmental health provide a free analysis of the current research literature on synthetic turf?
His analysis is priceless.
But it doesn't mean much because it's free.
The only infomation the commissioners find noteworthy comes from hired guns like Gateway or McNitt.
The SAB has significant plans for Mt Lebanon that will be quite costly and if their current behavior is predictive of the future, they will go forth with their plans with little regard to impact on residents. The meeting illustrates the plan for much more little through Middle/Wildcat combined with some sort of indoor facility within the next 4 years.
If you aren't in support of those ideas, you can talk till you are blue in the face to the commission about it. Instead, consider examining whether the SAB should exist given their failure to adhere to any of the tenets of the Home Rule Charter.
The funny thing is that Donnellen comments during the meeting that when residents use a field in Mt Lebanon during an unscheduled time period, they are considered "rogue".
@ 11:42 Correction. The meeting illustrates the plan for much more LIGHTING through Middle/Wildcat
I'm not against the turfing of the fields because it is unsafe, I am against it because I don't think that it is necessary and expensive. That being said, I don't believe that turf ever killed anyone.
Listening to the SAB meeting recording, I believe I heard Mr. Franklin tell one of the citizen commenters that there is $125,000 pledged and IT WILL BE RELEASED ONCE THE BID IS ACCEPTED.
Seems we have a bit of a conundrum here. I distinctly remember Bendel stating in a Commission meeting that this project WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT PROGRESS UNTIL THE PRIVATELY RAISED $250,000 IS IN HAND.
I may be crazy, but how can the commissioners enter into a contract with the low bidder if they don't have the money in the bank?
Mr. Franklin states the pledges won't pay up until they see the bids accepted!
So if Bendel won't proceed without the private money and Franklin's not releasing the money until the bid is approved we're at a standstill or someone has lied.
You'd think a highly intelligent businessman and a lawyer would get their stories straight wouldn't you?
Franklin will say whatever he can get away with, but this was clarified in my mother of RTKs here. Leboleaks Funding
Here is the actual email exchange.
Elaine
"The municipality has pledged $750,000 and said no contracts would be awarded until the sports groups have their share in hand, but Commissioner John Bendel noted that the cost of Gateway's preliminary designs will come out of the municipality's share of the project."
The above is reported by Matthew Santoni of Trib Total Media. http://triblive.com/mobile/5660228-96/fields-turf-artificial
Now there is some shady wording there that could be up for debate. Is cash in the hands of sports groups or the municipality before the contracts could be awarded???
This we know for sure, which ever it is. $5,000 won't be in hand until December and $125,000 won't in the municipality's hands until the contract is awarded, according to Franklin.
Anyone feel deceived yet?
Elaine, you wrote: "In Franklin's note, he stated that the municipality will send a request for funds AFTER awarding the project. Donnellan clarified Franklin's statement by saying that the funds are needed PRIOR to awarding the project. John Bendel confirmed it. So there it is in writing, Folks."
So what happens when the bids come in. The project stops?!!! All the time and money spent up to that point is wasted because the cash isn't there or that the sports groups won't pay up until the contracts are awarded.
Are the SAB and Commission comprised of clowns or what?
Ahhh, I get it, we've arrived at the "Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies." system of governIng.
3:00 PM check the revised schedule - there is a planned time interval between bid opening and contract award....like around 14 days...during which it will be "fish or cut bait" for the required cash to be in the Muni coffers. Unless of course the Gang of 4 commissioners change the rules once again so they can win like the cheaters they really are !
Elaine - why didnt Bendel or Donellan correct Franklin?
Sigh. I don't know.
I was looking at another RTK and found this: RTK 041114
On page 32 of 45, is the plan of Middle and Wildcat as of March. They have replaced the parking with the Plaza, it looks to me. Somewhere along the way, they decided to add the plaza and monument.
Elaine
3:19- I'll have to listen to the recording again to confirm, but I believe I heard someone whom I think is Franklin tell the 3rd resident during citizen comments that the $125,000 pledged by the sports associations would be handed over once the contract was awarded.
Even if there is a revised schedule as your suggest, Franklin claimed $5,000 of the $27,000 won't be delivered until December. Well outside your 'fish or cut bait" window of 14 days.
Elaine: So why would you expect an "informed decision" from the commission on this issue when they have never made one before. They specialize in bias, predetermination, and politics. They have never shown any desire or ability to deal with "facts" -- they know what they want and they know how to tax you to get it, period. Dr. Johnson appears to be an honest man, he will last about 3 days in Leboland.
Mr. Bendel should concede publicly that his own expert fails to support the blithe presumption made by the commission that artificial turf is safe for the children and other "vulnerable populations" of Mt. Lebanon. Will he do that? My bet is no, he won't. Imagine, this was such an important, and expensive an exposition that Bendel leaves early. Maybe he was embarrassed by the neutrality and integrity of Dr. Johnson.
4:02 -- we all know the answer to your question: in Lebo we admit nothing that detracts from our mission, and we are not constrained by fact, reality, or scruple -- this is Lebo, everyone knows what to think and who is right, it is just we "runners" who can't be trusted to stay under control
What makes anyone sure that Franklin is not right about the actual back-room deal he has with the commission? It wouldn't be the first time we would hear "What possible difference could that make now?"
5:05 PM, I cannot publish your harmless comment because you refer to Brumfield's ___. I know there was nothing bad or threatening, but I am dealing with a personal injury lawyer who likes to sue over anything. Could you please revise your comment and resubmit?
Elaine
4:52 PM, that is about right. He is moving out of Mt. Lebanon.
Elaine
Hey! I guess that would make him unbiased, according to Brumfield. According to Dave, you can't trust those guys who live in Mt. Lebanon evidently.
Elaine
http://plantscience.psu.edu/research/centers/ssrc/documents/temperature-irrigation.pdf
From McNitt's paper above:"Researchers have found that the surface temperatures of synthetic turf playing surfaces
are significantly higher than natural turfgrass surfaces when exposed to sunlight. (Buskirk
et al., 1971; Koon et al., 1971; and Kandelin et al. 1976). Buskirk et al. (1971) found that
the surface temperatures of traditional synthetic turf were as much as 35-60 °C higher
than natural turfgrass surface temperatures. Buskirk et al. (1971) placed thermocouples
on the inner soles of cleated shoes and had individuals walk on the synthetic surface to
determine the amount of heat transferred directly from the surface to the individual's foot.
Any heat gain to the foot must be dissipated by blood flow. Buskirk et al. (1971)
concluded that the heat transfer from the surface to the sole of an athlete's foot was
significant enough to contribute to greater physiological stress that may result in serious
heat related health problems regardless of similar air temperatures one meter above the
surface.
CATCH THAT -- "Heat transfer from the surface was significant enough to contribute to greater physiological stress that may result in serious heat related health problems regardless of similar air temperatures one meter above the surface." SERIOUS HEAT RELATED HEALTH PROBLEMS!!!!!
He wrote: "researchers have concluded that the heat transfer from from the surface [of artificial turf] is enough to contribute to greater physiological stress that may result in heat related health problems."
Then added on the effects of watering the turf to cool it down: "these low temperatures could not be maintained for periods of time equal to the length of standard sporting events."
AGAIN McNITT WRITES: "HEAT RELATED HEALTH PROBLEMS."
So are Bendel and the SAB going to stick to their story that there is no evidence of health issues with artificial turf? Their own Penn State expert suggest otherwise.
Latest LeboALERT
From: LeboALERT
To: EGillen476
Subject: LeboALERT: A panel will discuss...
Date: Fri, Jun 6, 2014 5:27 pm
This is an important notice from LeboALERT.
A panel will discuss the Wildcat/Middle fields enhancement project at a public
meeting, Thurs., June 12, 7 to 8:30 pm, Mellon auditorium.
Does anyone see the word ARTIFICIAL TURF?
Elaine
So we have the same $125,000 pledge that we had from the Soccer Association for McNeilly field, then again for Twin Hills field.
Need I remind you Mr. Franklin that the first two $125,000 pledges earned you and your friends the nickname of the Deadbeat Athletic Supporters.
Sorry, David, a pledge is not money in the hands of the Mt' Lebanon Treasurer and until the money is PAID I will continue to have a low opinion of you, your sports friends, your politics, and wonder how you and your friends conduct other parts of your lives.
I will also wonder if the alleged $245,000 you claim has a haircut of 14% for the Mount Lebanon Endowment making the net number closer to $210,700?
I think the SAB, the Daves, John Bendel, and Kristen Linfante have a lot off explaining to do before this is another public mess by the Deadbeat Athletic Supporters.
Regards,
John Ewing
Regarding that super secret donor list--- could it possibly that money has been siphoned off school district associated sports groups like the various Blue Devil Clubs or even the PK Capital Campaign?
I'm not saying they are, but the secrecy is intriguing.
The health and safety issues as well as the mystery surrounding the donors of turf field money remind me of the questions my relatives are asking about genetically modified foods.
Dear Pro and Anti Turf Mt Lebanon People,
We all have an opinion on this turf that we are entitled to but marketing turf to children by saying "Proven Safe" and "Let our Kids Play" is really, really not OK. Seriously. Can't everyone, please keep the kids out of this? This battle has really made me question the presence of ethics and morality In Mt Lebanon. If one side wins, let the battle be won fair without harming children.
From,
Another PhD on the way out of Mt Lebanon
Did anon who saw Lincoln kids carrying turf signs home from school call the police to see if that was acceptable to the school or did she/he just notify this blog?
7:30 I don't think they were Lincoln kids. It was Lincoln area. And, for real, who calls the police on sign carrying kids? Well, I guess I do know people who would... this is Mt Lebanon after all.
Why are you all putting out $750,000 when the real figure is closer to 2 MILLION? And many see that as too low.
Like Saddam Hussein, Linfante, Brumfield and Bendel march "THE CHILDREN" in front of their forces like a human shield. Well, it is time to call them out for their low tactics. That is aside from the point that their proposal will HURT THE CHILDREN who we, the opponents of ARTIFICIAL "turf" are trying to protect. The commission has the shoe on the wrong foot, as usual.
According to Mr. Bendel, the number has always been one million dollars, and still is. "Just saying" doesn't make it so, Mr. Bendel. Do you spend any time on your official duties? Or do you spend your "official" time making things up to get what you want? Really rather childish, Mr. Bendel, and not very "civil" to your neighbors and constituents. What kind of a performance rating would you get on your day job if you conducted yourself there as you do in your capacity as a commissioner.
And, ALL of the others are silent about the lying, the misrepresentation, and the condescension to the public. They are indistinguishable on from another on the ethical level -- they are all there just for the glory (if any there be). Egotistical, uncivil, and harmful to the public interest is the only way to describe the officeholders we currently have. Time for a clean sweep.
Does this prove and show what a piss pour attorney Franklin and Brumfield are? They are opening the door for many lawsuits from injuries to property damage. I saw the medical camera filming temps. They are already setting up their case. And who will pay in the end? Us! Guess Brumfield is in the 49% that pays NO taxes!
3:19 So, cart before the horse. Let's go through the certain expense of putting out a bid, and then let's decide if we have the money to award a contract? This is yet another example of the ineptitude and wastefulness of our municipal administration.
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