I have not had time to listen to the podcasts which I uploaded on
www.lebocitizens.com, but I did get a quick recap of the meeting.
Construction update included a visit from Tom Celli. Scott Goldman questioned Tom Berkabile about the contingency fund and how it seems like we will run out of money.
During the school board meeting, Ms. Deluca requested that we spend $30,000 and hire a firm to reduce the large list of alumni (2,500?) to the top 100 contacts. Wasn't PK supposed to do that with the feasibility study? I would be willing to do that for $25,000. In listening to the meeting, at 23:20 Timmy requests to hire Richard A Kettle (sp?), a "freelance prospect research professional," at $30/hour not to exceed $6,000.
A resident asked why the railing in the pool spectator area has not been fixed. I believe that was reported last October. He never got a response from the school board.
17 comments:
You're kidding right?
Another $30,000 into the till for raising $6 million!
We have PK doing a feasibility study for $42,000.
Then we hired DeLuca for $85,000/year plus nenefits.
PK gets an 8-10% of any money raised and now they need to hire another firm to particiipate in this "fund raising" campaign.
Could this be the first MTLSD fundraiser to lose money?
Ok, I did the math. If Ms. Deluca started making phone calls on January 1, 2014 (and that is AFTER her start date and if she made 10 calls each working day since then, she could make all 2,500 contacts by December 30, 2014 (assuming 250 working days in 2014) So, she would have time to make the calls/contacts and still schedule time to meet with prospects since calls are quick.
So why the hell does she need more help? Once again, the taxpayers are getting stiffed.
Fear not, 1:37 AM, it has been said that we are close to coming out of the quiet phase. Just in time to bail us out of our change order blues.
Elaine
The Capital Campaign has become one more "cottage industry" with multiple layers of management. If the Superintendent is the one to whom the campaign chief reports, then obviously the Superintendent "deserves" a higher salary. This system is analogous to a large ball of twine which is directionless and obscure.
What am I missing here?
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/south/2014/05/15/Mt-Lebanon-school-budget-could-raise-taxes-0-54-mills/stories/201405150165
"■ Four district policies recommended for revision were the topic of a board discussion. The policies pertain to “development of alternate sources of funding for the district’s educational programs and facilities,” including a capital campaign to raise money through donations from private sources.
The revisions for the most part would add language to make it the administration’s responsibility to develop and maintain guidelines for advertising, sponsorships, naming rights and other revenue-generating activities.
One of the policies calls for establishment of a gift acceptance committee, to be appointed by the superintendent. The committee would review potential donations for their appropriateness, said Alyssa DeLuca, director of the capital campaign and executive director of the Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education."
Development of alternate sources of funding for the district's educational programs and facilities, includin a capital campaign....?????
Didn't we hire PK to do that almost two years ago and Ms. DeLuca over a year ago to do just that?
Plus, only now they a going to form a gift acceptance committee!
Are they telling us there haven't been any gifts to date?!
This capital campaign is so quiet... no one is sure yet how to accept any donations should they come in.
Hey gang, lets form another committee!!!!!!!
I would urge everyone to listen, and listen carefully, to the construction update Podcast on the Lebo Citizens website. Although Mr. Berkabile tried to paint a rosy picture and assured everyone that the project would end on time and on budget, he threw in a number of "qualifications" that, if you don't listen carefully, you might miss. You may wish to stop the recording at various points to let some of the information sink in. Here are some numbers, through the end of May:
1. 80% of the contingency fund has been exhausted
2. $69,362,000 of taxpayer money has been spent on construction costs, which represents 76% of the construction budget
3. Including "soft costs," $82,909,231 of taxpayer money has been exhausted
4. The project is 29 months along a 41 month schedule
We have twelve months left in the schedule and some major jobs are left to be done. In fact, Mr. Berkabile said the project will probably run an additional 18 months due to demolition and abatement. Dr. Steinhauer then said, and Mr. Berkabile agreed, that the extra six months "won't cost the district anything" (I can't imagine any contractor, working past the 41 month schedule and running into problems, accepting "sorry, pal, you've been paid" as a response to a change order); although he did say that if the district does exhaust the contingency they could go to the capital projects fund for relief, predicated on what the district solicitor has to say on the subject.
I hope they do bring the project in "on budget," but if I were a betting man I'd wager against it.
Perhaps the superintendent should, instead of holding monthly pizza lunches with kids, invite the top ten or twenty potential donors. Then next month hold another one with the next ten or twenty.
Month after month that'll whittle down the potential donor list quite a bit, and it won't cost $6,000. See according to Cooper a couple of large pizzas only cost $50.
While he's poor mouthing and hitting them up for donations he can give them a tour of his new office and private bathroom.
"Mt. Lebanon High School renovation struggles to stay on budget" - theAlmanac.net
Still no mention of the missing tennis courts or what discoveries will be made when bldg C is torn down.
You can bet your bottom dollar there will be loads of landscapping COs and capital improvements coming in that space occupied by bldg C.
Is the freelancer - Richard A. Kepple mentioned in the following link? http://www.afpwpa.org/shared/afpwpa/files/newsletters/January%202011.pdf
An old asdociate of DeLuca's at the Carnegie, perhaps.
If so why didn't we hire him rather than DeLuca... he has 20 years experience.
At $30/hr x 40 hours/wk = $1,200/wk. 52 weeks x $1,200 = $62,400.
A savings of $22,600 over DeLuca's $85,000/year salary and that doesn't include employer payroll taxes, health benefits and vacation time.
I just want to put it out there, that I am willing to make the sacrifice and contact Joe Manganiello personally. No charge.
Elaine
Anon 2:01 PM wrote:
"One of the policies calls for establishment of a gift acceptance committee, to be appointed by the superintendent. The committee would review potential donations for their appropriateness, said Alyssa DeLuca, director of the capital campaign and executive director of the Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education."
Are you telling me this school board has spent 1-2 years without deciding what the goals of the fund raising is going to be? I'm sorry but I don't believe our school board and superintendent are silly enough to not have goals set by now.
As to the gift acceptance committee, who ever heard of a charity turning down a gift for a goal oriented fund raising? We do have goals don't we Mrs. Cappucci and Dr Steinhauer? If not, why not?
Another question that arises is will the union president be deciding who gives for what and why?
Or, does our administration and school board have the courage to stand up and do what is right for the education of children?
I would go to the school board and ask these questions but I choose not to sit for two hours before questions are heard and then hear the board's flippant lip on this matter, especially on something this stupid.
Turning down gifts is a really dumb idea and Mrs. Deluca and Pursuant should know that. If a gift is to be declined that should be a private conversation between Mrs. Deluca or Dr. Steinhauer and the donor, not the subject of discussion by a committee who will blab that information all over the community. Another objection to this policy is anonymous donors don't want their name circulated to a committee if they want to give privately.
As to calling on just 100 people to give gifts, why not set up an Annual Fund - with predetermined goals - and let all alumni, friends, parents and staff have the opportunity to contribute by credit card?
Don't we have adequate staff or consultants to set that up?
Calling on 100 donors at $100,000 a year in salary and benefits is $1,000 per donor call.
5:03, for the sake of accuracy the paragraph you attribute to 2:01 was written by a columnist with the Post-Gazette.
Elaine at 4:25 P.M. - Thanks for providing my LOL moment of the day!
The roof leaks in the new science building and big trash cans collect the drips...Is that "value engineering"?
You don't get it 10:56— nothing says affluence like indoor waterfalls in our public buildings!
You'll know we've really reached the top when the fancy indoor water gardens and Koi arrive.
http://leadershipforliberty.org/index.php/videos/86-videos/psbc-video/204-reforming-your-school-district-part1
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