Allegheny County Council Meeting - June 9, 2026

The Allegheny County Council met on June 9, 2026, with 14 members present. The meeting opened with a moment of silence and roll call. Council adopted an agenda amendment, honored two youth civic engagement competition winners, approved several appointments and financial ordinances, and heard public comment on poll worker treatment, trans rights, and infrastructure issues. Key votes included unanimous approval of a $335 million bond ordinance and a motion to hold two public hearings on property reassessment.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes of the May 12, 2026 regular meeting were approved by voice vote with no opposition.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Leslie Perchett (Toronto Borough): Recounted a dispute with a judge of elections at her polling place on May 19, 2026, alleging the judge wrongly told her and her son they could not work due to arriving late, creating a hostile environment, and refusing to rotate duties. She urged consistent policy enforcement and fair treatment of poll workers.
• Catherine Dickey (Wilkins Township): Spoke about paid parental leave advocacy, describing a “smog of hopelessness” among young people caused by unaffordable housing and inability to start families. She stressed that current legislation does not adequately address these gaps and urged council to sustain hope through policy improvements.
• Kevin Horn (Public Defender’s Office): Reported that the air conditioning in the renovated office space has never worked since 2022, with temperatures reaching 86-87°F. Despite hundreds of complaints and facilities inspections, the system has not been replaced. He requested a firm commitment and timeline for replacement, stating that 30 employees and numerous constituents are affected.
• Bethany Cameron (InformUp.org): Presented survey results on two issues. 47% of 52 respondents prioritized “constituent concerns over party politics” for the next council president. On contract thresholds, only 8% supported $500,000+; 26% preferred $100,000+; 21% supported the proposed $30,000; and 18% were unsure. She noted a reader suggested $50,000 as a compromise.
• Samantha Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh): Called for the release of the autopsy of Daffy Michel, a Haitian immigrant who died after ICE custody. She also reiterated calls for Councilmember Pat Catena to resign over transphobic remarks, stating that federal policies harm trans youth and that local actions must go beyond performative support.
• Jill Ratliff (Act Up): Urged council to remove Councilmember Catena and take concrete actions to protect transgender residents at the county level. She cited federal pressures on healthcare institutions to stop gender-affirming care, including a recent settlement by the Cleveland Clinic. She demanded that council members meet with trans advocates, engage with recommendations, and provide public accountability timelines.

Discussion Items

• Agenda Amendment: Councilmember Rose moved to add a proclamation for Ziad Rahman, runner-up in the inaugural Civic Engagement Competition. The motion passed by voice vote.
• Proclamations: Two proclamations were read honoring Anya Sundorara John and Ziad Rahman for their civic engagement work. Anya organized a mock election at South Fayette High School achieving 73% voter turnout (838 of 1,145 students). Ziad served on the Recast Study Steering Committee at the University of Pittsburgh, contributing to community violence research. He noted that Pittsburgh’s homicide rate among young Black men is 36 times the national average, and Recast has trained nearly 99,000 stakeholders in trauma-informed practices while connecting over 90,000 young people to mental health services. Remaining proclamations (Pride Month, Teacher Appreciation, etc.) were entered into the record.
• Appointments:
  • Kendra Whitlock Ingram, Senator Devlin Robinson, and Jim Spencer to the Allegheny County Airport Authority (terms through 2030) were referred to the Committee on Appointment Review.
  • Damien Wiles to the Independent Police Review Board: Approved by roll call, 14-1 (Councilmember Hallam voted no).
  • Ed Bigley to the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority: Approved 15-0.
• Ordinance 13970-26: Authorized up to $335 million in general obligation bonds for refunding, capital improvements, and equipment. The Budget & Finance Committee recommended approval; passed 15-0.
• Resolution 13957-26: Amended the 2025 Capital Budget (submission 01-26). Passed 15-0.
• Ordinance 1395-26: Granted permission to purchase the building housing the County Medical Examiner’s office from the Buncher Company. Passed 15-0.
• New Business:
  • Resolution 13983-26 (urging expansion of Allegheny Connect) was referred to the Committee on Information Technology and Process Improvement.
  • Resolution 13984-26 (amending grants budget) was referred to Budget and Finance.
  • Motion 13986-26 (public hearings on reassessment): Councilmember Walton moved to approve, then Councilmember Botta offered an amendment to add a second hearing on August 12, 2026, at the Community College of Allegheny County’s allegheny campus. After waiving the 48-hour rule (voice vote, approved), the amendment passed 14-0. The main motion as amended passed 14-0. Hearings scheduled for July 29, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Wilkinsburg Borough Building, and August 12, 2026, at 5:30 PM at CCAC Allegheny.
• Communication 13985-26: A summary of approved executive actions for May 2026 was received and filed by voice vote.

Key Outcomes

• Approved appointment of Damien Wiles to the Independent Police Review Board (14-1).
• Approved appointment of Ed Bigley to the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (15-0).
• Passed Ordinance 13970-26 authorizing $335 million in bonds (15-0).
• Passed Resolution 13957-26 amending the capital budget (15-0).
• Passed Ordinance 1395-26 for the Medical Examiner building purchase (15-0).
• Adopted Motion 13986-26 as amended, scheduling two public hearings on reassessment (14-0).
• Received and filed executive action summary for May 2026.
• Council committed to following up on public comment issues: poll worker policy, paid parental leave, public defender AC repair, and transgender protections. No formal directives were issued during the meeting.