Friends of the Zeiss
Public Statements

2003 October 20
Statement of Friends of the Zeiss Project Director Glenn A. Walsh
at Annual Public Hearing before the Board of Directors
of the Allegheny Regional Asset District
Regarding faulty business plan for expansion of the Pittsburgh Children's Museum.

2003 October 1, Wednesday Evening
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss
Before the Regular Meeting of the
Board of Directors of the Allegheny Regional Asset District
Regarding Children's Museum of Pittsburgh's justification for four years of operating deficits, based on an atypical business plan.
Business plan includes statement that personnel costs are "soft costs easily cut."

2003 August 27, Wednesday Evening
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss
Before the Regulat Meeting of the
Board of Directors of the Allegheny Regional Asset District
Regarding Children's Museum of Pittsburgh running half-million dollar deficits in the last two fiscal years.

2003 July 29, Tuesday Morning
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss
Before the Legislative Session of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh
Regarding imminent sale of Buhl Planetarium property to Children's Museum of Pittsburgh for only one dollar.

2003 July 22, Tuesday Morning
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss
Before the Legislative Session of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh
Opposing proposed sale of Buhl Planetarium property to Children's Museum of Pittsburgh for only one dollar.

2003 June 10, Tuesday Morning
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss
Before the Legislative Session of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh

Regarding Historic Review Commission final approval of "Certificate of Appropriateness" for proposed Children's Museum expansion project, while Commission lacked a quorum.

2003 June 4, Wednesday Afternoon
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss
Before the Historic Review Commission of Pittsburgh

Opposing final approval, for granting "Certificate of Appropriateness" for Children's Museum expansion project, without changes assuring preservation of important Buhl Planetarium history.
Special Note: Commission approved "Certificate of Appropriateness" despite Point-of-Order, declared by Mr. Walsh, that a quorum of Commission members was not present for the vote.

2003 June 3, Tuesday Morning
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss
Before the Legislative Session of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh
Announcing that the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh had, already, GUTTED Buhl Planetarium's Theater of the Stars and Astronomical Observatory, despite the fact that groundbreaking for the proposed expansion project has not occurred.

2003 June 2, Monday Evening
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss
Before the Regular Meeting of the
Board of Directors of the Allegheny Regional Asset District
Regarding Children's Museum of Pittsburgh's GUTTING of Buhl Planetarium's Theater of the Stars and Astronomical Observatory, prior to proposed expansion project groundbreaking and termination of proposed expansion plan of The Carnegie Science Center.

Legislative Session of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh
2003 May 19, Monday Morning
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh
Before the Council of The City of Pittsburgh - 2003 May 19:

Regarding ending of current Science Center expansion project, possible elimination of State funding of Children's Museum expansion project, and risk of continued storage of historic Buhl Planetarium equipment and artifacts in a warehouse in a flood plain.

Legislative Session of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh
Tuesday Morning, February 11, 2003
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh
Before the Council of The City of Pittsburgh - 2003 February 11:
Announcement of letter to Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, from Friends of the Zeiss, asking that $8 million State capital grant, for Pittsburgh Children's Museum expansion project, be contingent on four conditions, to allow for future reinstallation of historic Buhl Planetarium equipment and artifacts. It was also suggested that cable television viewers, who support the aims of this letter, could send a brief letter of support to the Governor by going to a special Internet web page:

< https://buhlplanetarium4.tripod.com/friendsofthezeiss/ContactGovernor.html >.

Legislative Session of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh
Tuesday Morning, February 4, 2003
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh
Before the Council of The City of Pittsburgh - 2003 February 4:
Second request, just prior to final passage by Pittsburgh City Council, that Bill 1337, which would authorize the Urban Redevelopment Authority [URA] to apply to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for eight million dollars as a Redevelopment Assistance grant for the Pittsbuargh Children's Museum, be approved by this Council, and the Redevelopment Assistance grant be provided to the Children's Museum, on four reasonable conditions.

Legislative Session of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh
Tuesday Morning, January 28, 2003
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh
Before the Council of The City of Pittsburgh - 2003 January 28:
Request that Bill 1337, which would authorize the Urban Redevelopment Authority [URA] to apply to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for eight million dollars as a Redevelopment Assistance grant for the Pittsbuargh Children's Museum, be approved by this Council, and the Redevelopment Assistance grant be provided to the Children's Museum, on four reasonable conditions.

Legislative Session of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh
Tuesday Morning, January 14, 2003
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh
Before the Council of The City of Pittsburgh - 2003 January 14:
Highlighted are the dismantling and removal of Buhl Planetarium artifacts, PRIOR to official documents of lease or loan being executed. Friends of the Zeiss asks Pittsburgh City Council to investigate recent actions of the City of Pittsburgh Department of General Services, regarding violations of the Request-for-Proposals (RFP) process during the RFP regarding historic artifacts in Buhl Planetarium. A legal opinion by the City Solicitor, regarding the legality of the Department's actions, is also requested.

Legislative Session of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh
Tuesday Morning, January 7, 2003
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh
Before the Council of The City of Pittsburgh - 2003 January 7:
Friends of the Zeiss asks Pittsburgh City Council to investigate recent actions of the City of Pittsburgh Department of General Services, regarding violations of the Request-for-Proposals (RFP) process during the RFP regarding historic artifacts in Buhl Planetarium. A legal opinion by the City Solicitor, regarding the legality of the Department's actions, is also requested.