Allegheny County Council Meeting - December 17, 2024

The Allegheny County Council met on December 17, 2024, at 10:15 AM. The meeting included proclamations, public testimony on proposed air permit fee increases, unanimous approval of several appointments and resolutions, and the referral of two key bills back to committee due to insufficient votes. The council also heard public comments on correctional officer mental health and pension concerns.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes of the November 6, 2024, regular meeting (13342-24) and the November 19, 2024, regular meeting (13343-24) unanimously.

Proclamations

• A proclamation commending Eliza Davis for receiving the Girl Scouts Gold Award was presented by Councilmember Pritzio. Only 5.4% of eligible Girl Scouts earn this award. Davis’s project focused on harm reduction and opiate overdose response.
• Four additional proclamations recognizing John Kearns, Judy Ferguson, Maureen Hennekamp, and Rhoda Wharf for their service to the Riverview Community Action Corporation were read into the record.

Public Comments & Testimony

Air Permit Fee Increases (Ordinance 13228-24 and Resolution 13229-24)

• Tom Bailey (Penn Hills resident) urged council to increase permit fees for the Health Department, citing his wife’s severe asthma and pollution from the Clairton Coke Works. He criticized Councilmembers Macy, Palmieri, and DeMarco for expected no votes, accusing them of opposing clean air protections.
• Karen Burns Hertigliano (Plum resident, Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network) called for a yes vote, noting the Health Department has been understaffed and backlogged for seven years.
• Art Thomas (Clairton resident, Valley Clean Air Now) described the Mon Valley as the “arm pit of the universe” and highlighted high cancer rates and asthma among children. He stated that his wife has neurosarcoidosis, linked to coal byproducts.
• Jay Ting Walker (Clean Air Council outreach coordinator) supported the fee increases, noting that 248 Allegheny County residents contacted council. He stated that the permit fees are minuscule compared to polluter profits.
• Angelo Taranto (Allegheny County Clean Air Now) urged a yes vote, describing residents near industrial sites who must wear respirators inside their homes.
• Edward Wren submitted written testimony and argued the bill is a public health and crime bill, not anti-business, and that poor air quality deters investment.
• Matt Mahalick (Breathe Project executive director) cited a report showing soot pollution kills between 640 and 1,300 people annually in Allegheny County, with disproportionate impacts on low-income communities (33% higher) and communities of color (18% higher). He noted U.S. Steel’s $12.3 billion trailing revenue and argued that a $53,000 permit every five years is negligible.
• Dilla Mustangelo (Bloomfield resident) urged a yes vote, stating that air quality equates to quality of life.
• Thaddeus Popovich (Ohio Township resident, multiple clean air organizations) shared his personal story of needing quintuple bypass surgery due to air pollution from the Shenango Coke plant. He referenced a friend in Clairton with asthma, lupus, and neurosarcoidosis.
• Patrick Campbell (executive director, Group Against Smog and Pollution) emphasized that the proposal is required by the Clean Air Act and would empower Health Department staff.
• Kelly Ann Ferkeddock (Elizabeth Township resident) urged a yes vote, stating that U.S. Steel spends $1.65 million on lobbying and pays board members $175,000 annually, while the proposed fee increases are a fraction of their profits.
• Soria Lee (District 11 resident) urged a yes vote, noting her work with impacted residents.
• Phoebe Reese (O’Hara Township resident, Climate Reality Project) described the fee increase as a “gift” for future generations and argued that children cannot choose to stop breathing.
• Joe Callahan (Southwest PA Grassroots Town Halls) presented 324 petition signatures urging a yes vote.
• Natisha Washington (Breathe Project communications manager, Wilkinsburg council member) emphasized the 640 premature deaths per year and asked, “Is 640 lives worth $10,000 a year for the people causing them to die?”
• Ilias Kahn (Swiss Home Park resident, Carnegie Mellon student) shared his personal asthma hospitalizations during holidays. He framed the fee increase as fiscally conservative, reducing the county deficit while protecting public health.
• Joshua Ash (University of Pittsburgh Environmental Law and Policy Clinic director) reframed the issue as a win-win opportunity for clean industry and government collaboration.
• Dana Siler (Squirrel Hill resident, mother, Citizens Climate Lobby volunteer) described smelling rotten eggs and poor air quality, and noted that her mother avoids visiting due to bad air.
• Wanda Wilson (Penn Environment Research and Policy Center) testified that U.S. Steel’s Clairton plant currently pays $8,000 annually for a Title V permit and releases 1.1 million pounds of toxic emissions. The proposed increase to $55,000 is just three-thousandths of a percent of U.S. Steel’s 2023 earnings of $2.14 billion.

General Public Comments

• John Kensowitz discussed mental health needs of correctional officers, citing high suicide rates, PTSD, and low life expectancy. He urged council to prioritize mental health services and suggested partnering with universities.
• Brian Englert (Correction Officers Union president) highlighted the pension fund’s projected depletion in 15 years, noting that correction officers, sheriff’s deputies, and police contributed $11 million of the $45 billion in contributions. He also raised concerns about wasteful overtime and staffing at the jail.

Discussion Items

Appointments to the Board of Health

• Councilmember Nakaretti Chapkis moved approval of multiple appointments to the Board of Health (terms through January 13, 2029).
• Councilmember DeMarco expressed concern that the administration had replaced nearly the entire board, losing institutional knowledge. He noted no members with food safety or restaurant experience, despite the Health Department’s oversight of food service permits.
• Councilmember Filiaggi echoed concerns, stating that the board lacks representation from the restaurant industry. He highlighted permitting backlogs delaying restaurant openings, especially for non-English speakers.
• Councilmember Hallum clarified that permitting is done by the Health Department, not the Board of Health, but acknowledged the need for food safety perspective.
• Councilmember Klein noted that the new board brings strong expertise in air quality and public health, which was previously lacking.
• Councilmember Walton criticized the lack of African American representation on the county council staff, calling it “repugnant.”
• The group of appointments (excluding Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew) passed on a voice vote. Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew’s appointment passed on a roll call vote (14-1 or 15-0? The record is unclear, but it passed).

Referral of Air Permit Fee Increase Back to Committee

• Councilmember Klein, chair of Health and Human Services, stated that while eight votes existed, ten were needed for passage (a supermajority required for this regulation). To avoid a defeat and restart of the process, he requested President Katina refer the ordinance (13228-24) and resolution (13229-24) back to the Health and Human Services Committee for reconsideration in January. The referral was made.

Referral of Human Relations Commission Ordinance Back to Committee

• Councilmember Nakaretti Chapkis attempted to pull the bill back to a vote, but President Katina referred it to the Housing and Homelessness Committee. Councilmember Hallum disputed the president’s authority to re-refer, but the referral stood. The ordinance would have amended the Human Relations Commission to enforce housing discrimination laws; Hallum expressed frustration that potential funding was being lost by not passing it before year-end.

Other Business

• Appointments to the Housing Advisory Committee (13322-24 through 13328-24, and 13334-24) were approved en bloc on a voice vote, except for one objection from Councilmember DeMarco regarding the Conservation District appointee? Actually the Conservation District appointment was handled separately and passed.
• Appointment of James R. Byrne Jr. to the Accountability, Conduct and Ethics Commission (13269-24) was approved.
• Two TIF-related resolutions: Summerset at Frick Park (13284-24) and dissolution of the Westport TIF district (13308-24) passed unanimously.
• Ordinance 13214-24, establishing a transparent database of seats on authorities, boards, and commissions, passed unanimously.
• Notification of contracts for November 2024 (13345-24) was received and filed.

Key Outcomes

• All proclamations were read and recognized.
• Minutes of previous meetings were approved.
• Appointments to the Housing Advisory Committee, Conservation District, Accountability Conduct and Ethics Commission, and Board of Health (except one) were approved.
• The air permit fee increase (Ordinance 13228-24 and Resolution 13229-24) was referred back to the Health and Human Services Committee due to lack of ten votes required for passage. It will be reconsidered in January 2025.
• The Human Relations Commission ordinance (13317-24) was referred back to the Housing and Homelessness Committee.
• Two TIF resolutions and the database ordinance passed unanimously.
• The council received the November 2024 contract notification.