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Record of Proceedings

Allegheny County Council Meeting – July 8, 2025: Proclamations, Term Limits Debate, and Legislation

County Council — Tuesday, July 8, 2025
BodyAllegheny County, Pennsylvania
SessionCounty Council
DateTuesday, July 8, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 46:02

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:02

We have an unknown participant is now joining.

0:06

I plead allegiance to the five of the United States of America and individual liberty and justice problems.

0:17

Please remain standing for a moment of silent prayer or reflection.

0:24

Thank you.

0:25

Please be seated, Jared.

0:26

Please take roll.

0:28

Mr.

0:29

Bekkowski here.

0:30

Mr.

0:30

Botta here.

0:31

Mr.

0:31

Embrasia.

0:32

Ms.

0:32

Viliagi.

0:33

Mr.

0:33

Fitulis.

0:35

Mr.

0:35

Grisbeck.

0:36

Here.

0:36

Ms.

0:36

Hallum.

0:37

Mr.

0:37

Klein.

0:38

Here.

0:39

Mr.

0:40

Macy.

0:40

Here.

0:41

Ms.

0:41

Nakarati Chapkis.

0:45

Here.

0:46

Mr.

0:46

Palmery.

0:47

Here.

0:47

Mr.

0:47

Palmasina.

0:48

Here.

0:49

Ms.

0:49

Pritzio.

0:51

Here.

0:53

Mr.

0:53

Walton.

0:54

Here.

0:58

And President Katina.

0:59

Here.

1:00

We have 15 members present.

1:01

We'll begin with proclamation slash certificates 13598-25.

1:06

A proclamation celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and honoring the work of community living and support services, sponsored by Councilmember Klein and all of your members of Council.

1:46

You want to say a few words after Well, this evening we mark effectively the 35th anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

2:04

So a couple of things about this law.

2:18

And that was the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which applied to uh entities, organizations that received federal funds.

2:28

But at some point we realized that that was not enough.

2:32

And so, um, 17 years later, in 1990, after you know some deliberation for two or three or five years, the law was finally uh the law is finally passed.

2:44

So this evening we we recognize that here we are 35 years later.

2:50

Um the belief is that you know progress has been made.

2:55

Um but a couple of things that I would say about the law is this.

2:58

So this is a law that opened doors of opportunity to a very large number of people in this country for whom opportunity was always met with a closed door.

3:11

The stigma of disability has a long history in this country.

3:16

We've written people off owing to a disability.

3:18

We've consistently underestimated their abilities.

3:21

We've cast them into the shadows and assigned them a second rate status in our society.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Disability Rights█████████████████████████25%
Procedural███████████████████████23%
Election Reforms██████████████14%
Youth Programs█████████████13%
Government Reform████████8%
Environmental Protection████████8%
Correctional Services███████7%
Public Comment██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Allegheny County Council Meeting – July 8, 2025

The Allegheny County Council held a regular meeting on July 8, 2025, with 15 members present. The meeting included proclamations honoring the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and a local Odyssey of the Mind world champion team, public comments on term limits, jail use of force, and clean air, and legislative action on several ordinances and resolutions. A motion to pull a term limits referendum from committee failed.

Proclamations & Recognitions

  • Proclamation 13598-25: Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and honoring the work of Community Living and Support Services (CLAS). Councilmember Klein read the proclamation and presented it to CLAS CEO Melba.
  • Proclamation 13599-25: Recognizing the Keystone Oaks Middle School Odyssey of the Mind team "Precisely Cut Potatoes" for achieving the 2025 World Champions title. Councilmember Grisbeck read the proclamation; team members and coach Jennifer Rogers spoke.
  • Six additional proclamations were read into the record: recognizing Fire Chief Dave Dindak (50 years of service), proclaiming July 17, 2025 as Good Trouble Day (honoring John Lewis), honoring the 60th anniversary of Medicare, recognizing the Lawrenceville Farmers Market's 15th anniversary, recognizing Ritchie's Italian Sausage for 80 years of service, recognizing Jimmy Greg for decades of coaching, and congratulating the Solidarity Strikers anti-capitalist bowling league champions.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Corey Roma (Crafton Borough, District 12) advocated for passing Councilmember Grisbeck's term limit referendum resolution, arguing it would benefit the democratic process and create turnover.
  • Kellyanne Ferketic (District 9) supported term limits, noting that voter turnout in her district was under 25% in the last election and that term limits would give residents a reason to vote.
  • Tanisha Long spoke against continuing discussions about a voter-passed referendum on tools at the jail, citing graphic lawsuit evidence and the risk of additional lawsuits. She rejected claims that voters were uneducated.
  • Natisha Washington (Breathe Project communications manager, Wilkinsburg Borough Councilwoman) advocated for a permit fee for clean air, sharing the story of Mr. Johnny Perryman, a Clairton resident who died from pollution-related illness. She read a poem he left.
  • Edward Wren urged establishing common ground between jail officers and the Jail Oversight Board's use of force committee regarding situations requiring intervention, such as K2 drug incidents.
  • John Kisenowitz signed up but did not speak; Heather Pope and Joseph Agulia were not present.

Discussion Items

  • Term Limits Referendum Pull Motion (Bill 13470-25): Councilmember Grisbeck moved to pull the bill from committee for an immediate final vote, arguing that July 8 was the last day to do so in order for the referendum to appear on the November 2025 general election ballot. Councilmember Fatulis, chair of the committee, opposed pulling, stating it had been discussed in committee and there was no urgency. After debate, a roll call vote resulted in 5 ayes (Grisbeck, Hallum, Klein, Pritzio, Bitkowski) and 10 nays. The motion failed; the bill remains in committee.
  • Jail Oversight Board Liaison Report (Councilmember Macy): Reported that a motion by the Employee Welfare Committee to transfer jail transport duties from corrections officers to the sheriff passed overwhelmingly, and that a copy of the language was sent to council members.

Key Outcomes

  • Resolution 13593-25 (allowing Lazarus S1 LLC to use county-owned property for filming the TV series "Parallacts" on Apple TV+): Passed unanimously (15-0).
  • Resolution 13579-25 (expressing intent to assist volunteer fire departments with staffing and budgetary challenges): Passed unanimously (15-0).
  • Resolution 13578-25 (amending the countywide cleanup day resolution to expand the concept): Passed unanimously (15-0).
  • Appointments to the Government Reform Commission (6 initial appointments) were referred to the Committee on Appointment Review.
  • Appointments to the Juvenile Detention Board of Advisors (5 members): Approved unanimously after a committee recommendation.
  • New business ordinance 13613-25 (local economic revitalization assistance tax exemption) was referred to the Committee on Economic Development and Job Creation.
  • The meeting adjourned on a motion.

Meeting Transcript

We have an unknown participant is now joining. I plead allegiance to the five of the United States of America and individual liberty and justice problems. Please remain standing for a moment of silent prayer or reflection. Thank you. Please be seated, Jared. Please take roll. Mr. Bekkowski here. Mr. Botta here. Mr. Embrasia. Ms. Viliagi. Mr. Fitulis. Mr. Grisbeck. Here. Ms. Hallum. Mr. Klein. Here. Mr. Macy. Here. Ms. Nakarati Chapkis. Here. Mr. Palmery. Here. Mr. Palmasina. Here. Ms. Pritzio. Here. Mr. Walton. Here. And President Katina. Here. We have 15 members present. We'll begin with proclamation slash certificates 13598-25. A proclamation celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and honoring the work of community living and support services, sponsored by Councilmember Klein and all of your members of Council. You want to say a few words after Well, this evening we mark effectively the 35th anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act. So a couple of things about this law. And that was the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which applied to uh entities, organizations that received federal funds.

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