Allegheny County Council Meeting - July 5, 2023

The Allegheny County Council held a regular meeting on July 5, 2023 with 13 members present. The meeting opened with a pledge of allegiance, a moment of silence, and roll call. The agenda included proclamations, appointment approvals, a bill regarding campaign signs, and public comment regarding homelessness.

Proclamations

• Children's Museum of Pittsburgh (40th Anniversary): Council recognized and celebrated the museum's 40th anniversary. The proclamation noted that the museum welcomed over 307,000 visitors in fiscal year 2019 and is a certified green building. Councilmember Liv Bennett, a former employee, spoke about her experience. Executive Director Jane Werner accepted, highlighting community support and the addition of kindness to the mission. The proclamation was dated June 20, 2023, though the meeting occurred on July 5.
• Kennywood Park (125 Years): A proclamation recognizing Kennywood's 125 years, sponsored by Councilmember Macy, was presented but not read in detail.
• Bethel Park Contributions: Three proclamations recognizing Dr. Timothy Campbell, Mark O'Brien, and Timothy Mowray for their contributions to Bethel Park, sponsored by Councilmember Dewar, were presented.

Councilmember Comment – Diversity Hiring Concerns

• A council member (unidentified in transcript) expressed concerns about the lack of minority employees on council staff, specifically noting that no African American had been hired in at least seven and a half years. The member stated that the council had failed to address the issue despite prior discussions and called for corrective action. President Katina (or another member) responded that there had been minority employees in the past, but the member disputed this. No immediate action was taken.

Appointments – Committee on Appointment Review

• Mark Stephen Bybro to the Independent Police Review Board (Bill 12711-23): The committee recommended approval on June 28, 2023. Motion passed by voice vote.
• Jane Nicole Rhodes to the Human Relations Commission (Bill 12722-23): The committee recommended approval. Councilmember Hallum voted no, citing concerns about binding the next county executive's term. Roll call vote: 12 yes, 1 no, with 2 members absent. Motion passed.
• Daniel R. Dalton to the Agricultural Land Preservation Board (Bill 12723-23): The committee recommended approval. Motion passed by voice vote.

Discussion Items

• Campaign Signs Ordinance (Bill 12536-23): Sponsored by Councilmembers Dewar and Macy, the bill aimed to establish regulations for campaign signs on county land to reduce clutter. The Public Works Committee recommended it favorably on June 27. During discussion, Councilmember Palmery raised concerns that existing state property law already provides mechanisms and that the ordinance specifically targets political speech, raising First Amendment issues. The sponsor, Councilmember Bikowski, acknowledged the concern and offered to hold the bill for further legal review and possible friendly amendment. The motion and second were withdrawn, and the bill was postponed to the next meeting.

New Business – Bills Introduced

• Bill 12741-23: Ordinance creating a new chapter on "Right of Choice" in Health and Sanitation, sponsored by Councilmember Dewar.
• Bill 12742-23: Ordinance amending the Administrative Code regarding property assessment appeal windows for 2022-2023, sponsored by Councilmembers Katina and DeMarco.
• Motion 12743-23: Motion urging enactment of the DERAILL Act and Railway Safety Act of 2023, sponsored by Councilmember Dewar.

Councilmember Dewar requested these items be held for consideration until the next meeting to allow colleagues time to review. No vote was taken.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Elizabeth Shanger spoke about the closure of Smithfield Shelter. She reported that about 85 people were appearing nightly at church steps because shelter placements could not be found, citing full shelters across the county. She referenced reports from Allegheny County Department of Human Services and noted concerns about potential tent encampment clearances by the city. Councilmember Walton responded, acknowledging the issue and promising to address it after the council's hiatus.

Key Outcomes

• Appointments: Bybro, Rhodes, and Dalton were approved. Rhodes' appointment passed 12-1-2.
• Campaign signs bill was postponed for further legal review and amendment.
• New business items (12741, 12742, 12743) were held for next meeting.
• Council committed to following up on homelessness concerns raised in public comment.
• Meeting adjourned.

Note: The transcript indicates the meeting occurred on July 5, 2023, but one proclamation was dated June 20, 2023. This discrepancy may reflect the date the proclamation was signed rather than the meeting date.