Fw: 4 events. Municipal savings, governance, and business bottom line

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From: "Sustainable Pittsburgh" <info@sustainablepittsburgh.org>

Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:00:38 -0500

To: <undisclosed-recipients>

Subject: 4 events not to miss! Municipal savings, governance, and business bottom line

Upcoming Events (Please scroll down to view each one.)

 

1. December 1 - On the Road: Sustainable Roads Maintenance, Operations & Technologies

2. December 2 - Issues in Local Government: Community and Legislative Perspectives

3. December 7 - Business Leadership in Managing Energy Usage

4. December 8 - Energy Saving Opportunities in Municipal Buildings & Facilities

 

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EVENT 1

 

On the Road: Sustainable Roads Maintenance, Operations & Technologies

A program of the Sustainable Development Academy

In partnership with the Local Government Academy and Sustainable Pittsburgh in cooperation with the Washington County Commissioners and the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Washington

Wednesday, December 1
9:00 am - Noon
Alpine Room at Alpine Club Lanes, 735 Jefferson Avenue, Washington 15301
Cost: $10. Representatives from Washington County municipalities can attend for free.
More information

Sustainability is an important quality of today’s public works departments. Everything your public works’ directors, foremen and building maintenance personnel do should be done with practices that conserve resources, comply with state and federal regulations, and protect the quality of life in your community. Implementing and enforcing sustainable practices will save your local government money on materials and equipment. You can’t afford to not be sustainable.

Instructors for this program will provide participants with the most up-to-date information on sustainable practices that can be easily implemented in your public works department. Consideration will also be given to state and federal mandates that currently or will soon affect fleet management, street maintenance and other public works functions.

Other topics that will be covered include:
• Fleet Management Practices, including fuel efficiency, emissions regulations and more ways to green your fleet
• Street & Road Operations, such as alternatives for street lights and coordination of traffic signals as a way to save energy

Speakers Include:
• Next Generation Oil
• Fossil Free Fuels
• G.A. Wozniak & Associates
• City of Pittsburgh, Lindsay Baxter

More speakers to be added.

Both the private and public sectors have a responsibility to the communities they serve to ensure that public works departments are implementing sustainable practices that, over time, will save money and protect valuable resources.

 

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EVENT 2

 

Issues in Local Government: Community and Legislative Perspectives

Thursday, December 2
7:30 am - Noon (continental breakfast included)
August Wilson Center for African American Culture, 980 Liberty Avenue, downtown Pittsburgh
Free and open to the public; advance registration required
Register here
Invitation letter, signed by Dan Frankel, Grant Oliphant, and Fred Thieman
Draft Agenda
Questions? Contact the Institute of Politics at (412) 624-1837        

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Monday, November 29

 

Federal, state and local governments are in the midst of an extraordinary financial crisis. Local governments in the Commonwealth will undoubtedly be forced to make difficult decisions on topics such as government reform, consolidated services, expenditure cuts, unfunded mandates, and the constant struggle to maintain revenues. This second forum in a series is designed to facilitate thoughtful and comprehensive discussion of local government challenges and possible methods of confronting them. The program will begin with an overview of findings produced by the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics' Fiscal Policy and Governance Committee's report, "Key Challenges for Local Government," as well as a presentation of the civic engagement work being done through The Pittsburgh Foundation's Allegheny Forum website. State and local elected officials will have the opportunity to comment on the observations and suggestions of both reports.

The following State officials have confirmed that they will be participating: State Senator Dominic Pileggi, State Senator Jay Costa, State Representative Frank Dermody, and State Representative Mike Turzai. Local officials who have confirmed are Beaver County Commissioner Charlie Camp, Perry Township Supervisor A.J. Boni, and Mr. Lebanon Commissioner D. Raja.

 

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EVENT 3

 

Business Leadership in Managing Energy Usage

Presented by: Champions for Sustainability (C4S), a program of Sustainable Pittsburgh, the Business Climate Coalition, and the Pittsburgh Climate Initiative

Tuesday, December 7
8:30 am – 11:30 am
Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, One Schenley Place, Oakland 15213
Cost: $25 for C4S/Sustainable Pittsburgh Members; $35 Nonmembers; Students: Special Rate
Breakfast provided
Registration and agenda
For questions and student registration information, please contact: Jake Baechle, BCC Coordinator at (412) 258-6652 or jbaechle@sustainablepittsburgh.org

 

This event, designed to inspire businesses in Southwestern Pennsylvania, features leading firms that are being proactive in managing how they use energy. Participants will have a chance to interact with a range of internationally-recognized businesses that have demonstrated cost savings and innovative practices in energy measurement and savings. After the interactive panel discussion, participants will gain resources and make connections to enable them to track their energy profiles and cost savings.

Attend this event and learn how to gain a competitive edge through energy efficiency. Everyone is invited to intend. Those who stand to particularly benefit include sustainability professionals; facilities and operations managers/directors; corporate management; partners of the Pittsburgh Climate Initiative, and members of the region’s business and nonprofit leadership.

 

Panelists include:

Renee Cowell
Regional Environmental Manager
Del Monte Foods

 

Lowell Cisowski
Coca Cola

 

Tom Dingo
Director
Bayer Business and Technology Services
Bayer Corporation  

 

George Hoguet
Native Energy

 

Daniel Kreeger
Executive Director
Association of Climate Change Officers

 

Evolve Architecture

 

Apple White
Environmental Sustainability
BNY Mellon

 

Businesses that track and report their energy usage:
· Demonstrate their commitment to sustainability
· Save money by saving energy
· Improve transparency
· Qualify for incentive programs
· Are enabled to set well defined goals
· Reduce legal risk due to a changing regulatory environment
· Build market share
· Take action that illustrate their commitment to best management practice

 

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EVENT 4

 

Energy Saving Opportunities in Municipal Buildings & Facilities

A program of the Sustainable Development Academy
In partnership with the Local Government Academy and Sustainable Pittsburgh in cooperation with the Washington County Commissioners and the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Washington

Wednesday, December 8
9:00 am - Noon
Alpine Room at Alpine Club Lanes, 735 Jefferson Avenue, Washington 15301
Cost: $10. Representatives from Washington County municipalities can attend for free.
More information

 

An energy audit is the first step in the process of improving the energy efficiency of your municipal buildings. This program will provide you with information on conducting an audit, including developing specifications and a Request for Proposals. Additionally, speakers will also discuss what to expect from the auditing process and how findings can be incorporated.

The program will also demonstrate opportunities to save money through the way power agreements can be constructed as well as funding opportunities available through the power grid supplier and utilities.

A portion of the program will also focus on funding incentives, including those provided for in Act 129, low-interest loans that are available for small businesses to help purchase energy efficient equipment.

Speakers include:
• Bridgeway Capital
• G.A. Wozniak & Associates
• Clear Choice Energy
• Premiere

Please feel free to share this program information with others in your municipality, including public works and building maintenance personnel and finance officers. Additionally, please invite your community’s library staff, as they often face the concept of how to incorporate energy savings practices in older buildings.

 

 

Sustainable Pittsburgh

425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1335

(412) 258-6646

fax (412) 258-6645

info@sustainablepittsburgh.org

www.sustainablepittsburgh.org

 

Does your municipality have a handle on these and other essentials? 

Safe Streets – Clean Air – Diversity – Green Space – Housing Choices – Transit Options – Balanced Budget – Recent Energy Audit

Participate in a Sustainable Community Rapid Assessment to rate your community!

 

Sustainable Pittsburgh affects decision-making in the Pittsburgh region to integrate economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental quality bringing sustainable solutions to communities and businesses.

Become a Sustainable Pittsburgh member and simultaneously become a member of Champions for Sustainability (C4S) and the Sustainable Community Development Network (SCDN). These networks build capacity around the region for sustainable business and community solutions. Visit www.sustainablepittsburgh.org  for more information.

 Stay abreast of sustainable development news and events by subscribing to 3E Links, Sustainable Pittsburgh's weekly e-news. To subscribe, reply to info@sustainablepittsburgh.org.

Looking for something to do outside? Visit www.wallsarebad.com for a resource on outdoor recreation in southwestern PA.

 

Fw: Lawyers are the problem..not the solution

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

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From: "Bob Logue" <ucblogue@verizon.net>

Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:29:57 -0500

To: <Undisclosed-Recipient>

Subject: Lawyers are the problem..not the solution

You know, Bob, I've been thinking. We, as a country, need to stop electing attorneys to govern us. Think about it, every bill proposed is 2000 pages or more. Why? Because they are written by attorneys. Lawyers only know legal speak, so just like the religious hierarchy 1000 years ago told every one that only they could interpret the Holy Scriptures, politicians today tell us only they can understand the law, so we must have them or we would be lost. The convoluted property tax laws play totally into the hands of our politician attorneys in that,  every facet  of these laws involves an attorney of one type or another. Attorneys are like doctors: they support one another, they protect one another, and they get as many of their own involved in a case so that as many of them as possible  make money or increase power.

     We can never hope to break this strangle hold on the public until we stop putting lawyers in charge. We need to start electing plumbers, truck drivers, bank tellers, firemen, Wal-Mart associates, farmers, janitors; in short, normal everyday people who have had to live day to day, keep on a strict budget, maybe get to go on a vacation once every ten years, you know, Common People. Successful business people who have met a payroll, kept up with technology, kept good employees happy, and produced a product or service people want, could guide the country in the direction it needs to go.

     If we are to solve this issue of property taxes, we must first have politicians who are sympathetic to the everyday problems of the common people. Obviously, the current ruling class does not care that the poor and elderly are being dispossessed, as long as they can hold onto their power and they hold the purse strings. Attorneys live in their own little bubble, making more than enough income to cover their needs. They have no feel for the rest of the world. Until "we, the people" realize how this affects us, we cannot win our point about the unfairness of property taxes. I hope you will share this viewpoint, if not this message, with all who read about STOP. Bob, I must applaud your personal efforts against this heinous tax. You are our leader and mentor, God bless you and yours. Hope to see you soon somewhere, Ray Fallon, Punxsutawney, PA

New People article on Sports Reform for PPS

School reform’s next chapter: Sports

by Mark Rauterkus, water polo coach and member of the PPS Athletic Reform Task Force, Mark@Rauterkus.com

Serious changes to the scholastic sports landscape in Pittsburgh are brewing. The City League may try to fold its teams into the ranks of the WPIAL. The City League, also known as PIAA’s Division VIII, includes all the high schools of Pittsburgh Public Schools: Allderdice, Brashear, Perry, Schenley, Peabody, Westinghouse, Langley, Oliver, Pgh Obama, Sci-Tech, U-Prep and CAPA. The WPIAL (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic League, see WPIAL.org) is PIAA (see PIAA.org.) District VII. 

With the exception of the private schools (Central, Oakland, Winchester Thurston, Ellis) the WPIAL circles the city’s borders.

If the city teams join the WPIAL, city and suburban athletes get to compete on a daily and weekly basis, not just at exhibition games and state playoffs.

Some might say the City League is to the WPIAL as a doughnut hole is to the doughnut, both in terms of geography and overall sporting opportunities and programs. The city teams have a few outstanding programs and athletes, but all in all, the city needs an overhaul to match the competitive standards of the WPIAL programs.

Some are elated with the realization of a possible move to the WPIAL for city student-athletes. Allow PPS schools a chance to play and compete on a daily basis with suburban schools. The idea has been promoted for more than a decade, and with the closing of Schenley, Peabody, South Vo Tech, and other schools throughout the decades, the move is necessary as so few teams exist and school spirit has never been worse. The City League’s termination has been platform planks from a few candidates too. 

Ken Miller wrote in an email, in part, after this news hit the Post-Gazette on Oct 6, 2010, “This will be a difficult issue for Pittsburgh's African American community. There will be some who speak out in opposition.  I think a joining of the City League and WPIAL will be GREAT for race relations in Western PA and provide greater opportunities for PPS students.  I urge B-PEP to be a strong voice in support of merging the City League and WPIAL and to do so soon.  It hits on the key issues of integration and residential segregation.  It forces white people to deal with their perceptions and the reality of inner city youth.  

“Every season when Pittsburgh City School athletes, and bands and cheerleaders are not traveling through out Western PA to participate in sporting events is a step backwards.  We should be part of demanding that our merger into WPIAL happen immediately and that the details be worked out/adjustments made within the context of a full merger.  

The decision about a full merger with WPIAL rests solely with the PPS Board - they could force this to happen immediately by returning their PIAA Charter.  Everything about negotiating with PIAA or the WPIAL leadership is bogus and missing the point.  The PPS Board is empowered to make this happen and they should do so assertively. 

Competitive balance has been a top problem within the City League. The disparity with big schools playing many games against small schools is troublesome. The AAAA (quad A) schools don’t match up well with A (single A) schools. Neither side wins as that happens.

None win when the competitive balance is wrong. In-house comfort and geographical competitors are not keys to long-term sports success. Having big PPS schools (Allderdice and Brashear) playing small schools (Langley, Westinghouse, Sci-Tech, U-Prep) is rotten competitive balance. Thankfully, that chapter in Pittsburgh’s sports scene can come to a close.

When conditions are not fair, people “tune out” and “vote with their feet.” PPS enrollment and PPS sports participation plummeted. A measure of fairness needs to exist in sports or else it isn’t fun, challenging, nor worthy.

One benefit of the merger with the WPIAL is membership size. There are plenty of tiny, small, medium and mega schools within the WPIAL. With rivals of similar size, the play is more fun because of competitive balance.

To illustrate, consider the NCAA and its balance with Division I programs, such as Pitt and Penn State, Division II programs such as Slippery Rock and IUP, and Division III programs such as CMU, Chatham and Carlow. It would be ridiculous if Pitt’s schedule was filled with games against CMU, Chatam and Carlow. Pitt’s sports teams are not in the same league as Carlow. On athletic fields, Pitt and Carlow are far apart, yet the schools are neighbors in physical geography. Likewise, the Perry High School Commodores should not schedule games with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Closeness provides nothing regarding promising athletic competitors.

Departing the City League and landing within the WPIAL could backfire if the city implements an extensive plan of “Co-op Teams.” The newer 6-12 grade PPS school devoted to IB academics, Pgh Obama, an outbirth of the death of Schenley, is a small school. Sports teams form Pgh Obama could rock up and down the WPIAL seasons across many sports if it ges placed into its proper classification. Meanwhile, the prospects of Pgh Obama amount to a misery with the sustained coop where the athletes from three schools play under one banner: Pgh Obama + Sci-Tech + U-Prep. When the three schools are pressed together into co-op teams, they enter the WPIAL and must play giant schools such as Seneca Valley, Woodland Hills and North Allegheny every match. That’s a train wreck that can’t be allowed.

PPS schools could have five girl teams with five starters per team so that 25 kids around the city can claim to be first team varsity basketball players. Or, PPS schools could be fortunate to have 11 teams with 55 student athletes making the same claim. Should we have 25 or 55? We win by addition in sports. Every school should have its own sports opportunities without making coops.

Coops have been in place at two junctures within the PPS. Since the formation of U-Prep and Sci-Tech, the athletes there who want to play varsity sports have been shifted to the teams of Schenley/Pgh Obama. Problem is, the shifting didn’t happen. Students don’t want to play. Participation is terrible. Research has proven that the coops that exist have been a failure for the students -- so that should not be repeated. But some are pushing the crazy options to make every Pittsburgh school enter into coops for their sports teams. School spirit, common sense and competitive balance demand otherwise.

See chart:

Insert one chart from this posting.

http://rauterkus.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-if-city-league-sports-teams-merged.html

In some sports, such as soccer, there are three classifications. In other sports, such as basketball, there are presently four. The smallest schools are Single A. The largest are Quad A. The smallest schools are listed at the top of the list. The largest schools at the bottom. 

Pittsburgh Allderdice and Pittsburgh Brashear are big schools. No matter what, those teams from those schools would play in the bigger classification against the other giant schools in Western PA: Norwin, North Hills, Mt. Lebo.

But Pittsburgh has a number of smaller schools. Unlike the present city league, the teams at Langley, Oliver, Westinghouse would NOT need to play against the soccer powerhouse Allderdice and the over-reaching Schenley. Unless, of course, the ugly plan of coops is put into place. Then the kids at Langley would play with Brashear and face off with the big schools. And if Westinghouse joins with Allderdice, as one of the plans option reads, they would be playing against the bigger schools as well.

Kids from Pgh Westinghouse and Pgh Langley don't want to play all their soccer games against teams from Hempfield and Seneca Valley. The WPIAL kids play soccer year round. Those kids play with their soccer mates for years as they grow and develop in their respective soccer programs and reach varsity status in their high school teams. Programs are not as developed in the city.

Smaller city schools have some talented players. But, the smaller schools don't have a full bench of year-round players. Often, varsity athletes at smaller schools get to play two or three sports per year where the players at the larger schools are often more devoted to a single sport and play year-round in that sport with camps, club programs and specific conditioning.

If Pgh Obama is forced to hook up in a coop with Pgh Sci-Tech and Pgh U-Prep. Then the side goes against Plum, Penn Hills and North Allegheny in every match. Getting a single win might be impossible.

Example of a merger for Boys Basketball Classifications (4 classes)

Single A

Trinity Christian, 38

Eden Christian, 49

Geibel Catholic, 67

Quigley Catholic, 68

Mapletown, 69

Saint Joseph, 72

Avella, 80

Vincentian, 84

Elderton, 91

North Catholic, 98

Western Beaver, 98

Cornell, 99

Winchester Thurston, 102

Jefferson Morgan, 104

Monessen, 106

Sewickley Academy, 108

Union, 112

West Greene, 112

Lincoln Park Charter, 113

OLSH, 115

Leechburg, 116

Clairton, 124

Carmichaels, 125

Rochester, 125

Serra Catholic, 128

Pgh CAPA boys, 128

Bentworth, 136

Double AA

California, 140

Springdale, 141

Aliquippa, 148

Chartiers Houston, 148

Bethlehem Center, 149

Avonworth, 150

Neshannock, 150

Pgh Sci Tech, 150

Wilkinsburg, 155

Frazier, 157

Jeannette, 158

Sto-Rox, 160

Brentwood, 162

Fort Cherry, 162

Riverview, 165

South Side, 171

Pgh Westinghouse, 171

Bishop Canevin, 175

Carlynton, 176

Northgate, 176

Shenango, 177

Pgh Oliver, 183

Burgettstown, 188

Pgh Langley, 188

Laurel, 189

Greensburg Central Catholic, 190

Pgh U-Prep, 190

Seton LaSalle, 199

Apollo Ridge, 202

Mohawk, 207

Shady Side Academy, 213

West Shamokin, 218

Riverside, 219

Brownsville, 222

Freedom, 225

Pgh Obama, 225

South Allegheny, 230

Charleroi, 233

Steel Valley, 241

Ellwood City, 245

Ford City, 245

Quaker Valley, 246

Beaver Falls, 247

Summit Academy, 248

Freeport, 250

New Brighton, 252

Triple A

Burrell, 254

Southmoreland, 261

Washington, 263

South Fayette, 266

Deer Lakes, 267

Waynesburg Central, 267

Beaver, 279

East Allegheny, 282

Mount Pleasant, 285

Pgh CAPA girls, 285

Keystone Oaks, 296

Yough, 309

McGuffey, 317

Valley, 318

Blackhawk, 321

Derry, 321

South Park, 321

Highlands, 325

Kittanning, 325

Pgh Perry, 333

Indiana, 336

Central Valley, 339

Pgh U-Prep + Pgh Sci-Tech, 340

Belle Vernon, 346

Elizabeth Forward, 353

Pgh CAPA boys + Pgh Obama, 353

Hopewell, 356

Thomas Jefferson, 358

New Castle, 360

Ambridge, 366

Uniontown, 375

Mars, 378

Knoch, 380

Greensburg Salem, 387

West Allegheny, 389

Pgh Carrick, 392

Pgh Obama + Pgh Westinghouse, 396

Hampton, 399

Montour, 403

West Mifflin, 406

Ringgold, 418

Trinity, 429

Quad A Classification

Chartiers Valley, 447

Moon, 465

Laurel Highlands, 481

Albert Gallatin, 482

Franklin Regional, 498

Pgh Perry + Pgh Oliver, 516

Peters Township, 541

Pgh Brashear, 558

Greater Latrobe Senior, 560

Upper Saint Clair, 560

Kiski, 565

Woodland Hills, 565

Pgh Obama + Pgh Sci-Tech + Pgh U-Prep, 565

Plum, 568

Canon McMillan, 577

McKeesport, 578

Pine-Richland, 595

Gateway, 606

Fox Chapel, 610

Penn Trafford, 610

North Hills, 619

Pgh Allderdice, 625

Baldwin, 641

Connellsville, 643

Mount Lebanon, 658

Bethel Park, 665

Norwin, 666

Central Catholic, 670

Shaler, 677

Penn Hills, 686

Pgh Langley + Pgh Brashear, 746

Hempfield, 792

Pgh Allderdice + Pgh Westinghouse, 796

Seneca Valley, 899

North Allegheny, 984

Butler, 1107

Erik presented his LTP (long term project) from last year at Duquesne Univ today for other PPS students in CAS

Here are the slides from Erik's presentation:

LTP of Erik Rauterkus, then in 9th grade:

View more presentations from Mark Rauterkus.

Had a great day with the students. I got to see five presentations. Erik gave his in the first period.