Board approves 'Coffee with Community Leaders' series, forms exploratory team to study Mount Lebanon Day revival

Board members approved a new outreach series, to be called "Coffee with Community Leaders," designed to rotate local leaders (principals, department heads, finance staff and others) through informal meet-and-greets with residents. A board member described the idea as less intimidating than previous formats and said the series should rotate leaders so different constituencies feel welcome.

"This new idea is 'coffee with a community leader' where we may be, like, can try it, and if it gets off the ground, sort of rotate who the community leader is," a committee member said as the group discussed timing, rotation and outreach. Staff agreed to draft a memo detailing proposed frequency and potential guests and circulate it to the board and commission.

The board also discussed restoring a larger Mount Lebanon community festival (historically called 'Ultra Party'), noting past success but also financial and logistical barriers — street closures, additional public-works staffing, restroom rentals, and volunteer shortfalls. Members proposed an exploratory subcommittee to assess whether the festival can be revived in a financially feasible way and to identify potential partners such as the Mount Lebanon Partnership.

Motion and outcomes: The board voted by voice to proceed with the 'Coffee with Community Leaders' series and to create an exploratory subcommittee to study Mount Lebanon Day/Ultra Party options. Members also suggested using the board's DEI subcommittee to reach historically underrepresented groups and to coordinate with local partners if events move forward.

Next steps: Staff will produce a memo for the board with proposed dates, potential leaders to invite, outreach strategies and suggested advertising options; the exploratory subcommittee will report back with a feasibility recommendation.