Standing Committee Meeting - December 10, 2025

The Standing Committee of the Pittsburgh City Council convened on December 10, 2025, with six members present to address public comments, finance resolutions, infrastructure contracts, land designations, and innovation pilots. The meeting featured significant public discourse regarding community safety, historical preservation, and municipal spending efficiency, followed by detailed deliberations on bridge projects, a controversial salt storage facility, and street vacations.

Consent Calendar

• Bill 2566: Approved by voice vote to issue a warrant of up to $2,950 to Joya Petty for vehicle damage.
• Bill 2567: Approved by voice vote to convey city-owned property at 5472 Broad Street to Charles McKinney Jr. and Shirley Simmons McKinney.
• Bill 2568: Approved by voice vote to issue a warrant of up to $499,999 to Bloomfield Garfall Corporation for litigation settlement.
• Bill 2569: Approved by voice vote to amend the 2025 Capital Budget, shifting funds for bridge preservation (decreasing total), increasing the 28th Street Bridge TIP by $145,000, and increasing the Charles Anderson Bridge TIP by $5,429,382 (reimbursable).
• Bill 2570: Approved by voice vote to add six professional service agreements with three vendors to the existing open services agreements.
• Bill 2571: Approved by voice vote to increase the authorized amount for the City of Pittsburgh Equipment Leasing Authority by $150,000 for a new total of $13,262,081.
• Bill 2573: Approved by voice vote to extend a legal services agreement with Dickey, McCaymie, and Chilcoat with an additional $50,000 for a new total of $80,000.
• Invoices, Interdepartmental Transfers, and P cards: All approved by voice vote.
• Bill 2526: Held for one week to allow further review of technical assistance services for nonprofits.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Yvonne (Mercer Street): Expressed full support and deep gratitude for Carmen Brown's legacy. She recounted a specific instance where Carmen Brown successfully intervened to stop a scheme by "Burgess" involving a $1-2 million church fund that was intended to fix a personal building rather than the community, arguing that the money was returned to the homewood neighborhood only after Carmen's advocacy.
• Anonymous Speaker (Male): Expressed extreme opposition toward specific council members (referring to LaVale as the "main person that wants me dead") and individuals he accused of stealing from him. He utilized religious rhetoric to assert his own innocence and potential for "incredible potential," while expressing a belief that his adversaries would face destruction and a "domino effect" due to their perceived evil.
• Chief Ekahana Almakina (Anishinabe Confederacy): Expressed full support for Carmen Brown and speakers who defend truth, stating that they are rarely celebrated. He characterized Carmen as a "truth teller" who bore a cross of unpopularity and praised her for not being "well behaved," hoping her legacy produces similar figures.

Discussion Items

• RCO Standards Reform (Bill 2109): Councilmember Warwick reported feedback from a virtual meeting with Registered Community Organizations (RCOs). Speakers noted concerns regarding complex changes to board structures, submission timelines, the "dam waiver," and the requirement for resident votes. There was division among attendees regarding Historic District "dam" meetings, with some viewing them as bureaucratic burdens and others seeing them as necessary for community consultation on facade changes. Position: Councilmember Warwick recommended holding the bill for four weeks (or one week) to allow RCOs more time to review details, noting the bill would die if not reintroduced next year.
• Contract Terminations (Bills 2482 & 2483): Council President Lavelle discussed meetings with Dr. Bay and his team (SASACE) and HRNA Advisors.
  • Position: The Council agreed to hold both bills for one week to allow for further discussion and a potential second meeting with the contractors.
• Trolley Trail Easements (Bill 2625): Councilwoman Cale Smith provided historical context, noting the project was initiated 22 years ago and has faced political hurdles.
  • Position: Councilwoman Smith and Councilman Coghew expressed strong support for the project's advancement, specifically praising the connections to the West End, North Side, and potential future ties to the Fort Pitt tunnels. Councilman Coghew also inquired about the feasibility of connecting the trail over the Parkway via abandoned rail lines owned by PennDOT, expressing willingness to assist in pursuing that connection.
• Bridge Projects (Bills 2576, 2577, 2578, 2579, 2580, 2581):
  • 28th Street Bridge (Bill 2576 & 2578): Councilman Gross and Director Settle confirmed the project involves rehabilitation, a new deck, widened sidewalks, and roadway reconstruction. Councilman Gross expressed support for making bridges safe.
  • Larmor Avenue Bridge (Bill 2577): Approved with no discussion.
  • Charles Anderson Bridge (Bill 2579): Approved; Councilman Coghew highlighted the project's importance to the "Esquina" (Esplanade) neighborhood, noting local advocacy and excitement.
  • West Carson Street Bridge (Bill 2580): Approved with no further discussion.
  • Elizabeth Street Bridge (Bill 2581): Councilman Coghew expressed a position favoring future community engagement to address neighbor concerns regarding the construction timeline and impact.
• Street Vacation - Arts Landing (Bill 2583): Councilwoman Gross and Councilman Charland expressed strong opposition to vacating public right-of-way for the Cultural Trust's Arts Landing Park.
  • Position: Councilwoman Gross argued that vacationing public property sets a dangerous precedent that could lead to future hidden costs (utility relocation) or loss of pedestrian access, citing the "Peter Busa" (Peter Busa) sewer debacle and the "Produce Terminal" precedent. She argued that streets should remain public or retain easements for public access rather than being transferred to private ownership. Councilman Charland expressed concern about the loss of public access, citing the PPG Fountain precedent where public play was phased out. Councilman Wilson and others noted the need for more information and support holding the bill.
  • Outcome: The Council voted to hold the bill for one week.
• Salt Storage Facility (Bill 2574): Councilwoman Cale Smith and Councilman Gross questioned the $6.9 million cost and the justification for a full rebuild versus repair or alternative storage (e.g., under tarps).
  • Position: DPW Director Goss and Public Works personnel explained that the dome is structurally unsafe (delaminating concrete, failing ventilation) and that alternative sites would cost significantly more due to site work, stormwater requirements near Sawmill Run, and the inability to use parkland. Councilwoman Smith maintained a position that the cost was unjustified given the budget constraints and suggested tarp storage as a viable interim solution. Councilman Coghew expressed trust in DPW's engineering judgment but noted the high site-work costs were a relief from the perception of "gouging." The Council voted to hold the bill for one week.
• Historic Site Designation (Bill 2296):
  • Position: Councilman Mosley and Councilwoman Kelsman expressed full support, citing the site's significance to George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla. Councilperson Charlotte expressed skepticism about "freezing" city-owned parks in amber and limiting future modernization (e.g., ADA compliance), but was won over by Councilwoman Kelsman's assurance that guidelines allow for non-contributing structure changes. Councilperson Charlotte ultimately moved to support the bill based on the council member's district representation.
  • Outcome: The bill passed with an affirmative recommendation.
• B3 Solutions Contract (Bill 2559): Councilwoman Gross raised concerns about the long-term contract history with B3 Solutions.
  • Position: B3 Solutions was acknowledged as the creator of the legacy tax collection system. The extension was explained as necessary for 18 months to allow for data migration and testing of the new system (CSS) for the single annual billing cycle. Councilwoman Gross and others expressed a position that while the extension is cost-free, the city needs to eventually transition away from reliance on B3 for critical data access.
• PGH Lab Pilot Program (Bill 2560): Senior Manager Andrew Hayhurst presented the program's 10-year history and the shift to a "customer-first" model paying startups $25,000 per pilot.
  • Position: Councilmembers expressed enthusiastic support for the program's low-risk innovation, specifically noting the underwater drone technology for Search and Rescue (River Rescue) and the digital twin project. Councilwoman Cale Smith noted a position of caution regarding public data governance and AI policies but acknowledged the need for public education to build trust.

Key Outcomes

• Hold Bills: Bill 2109 (Held 4 weeks), Bill 2482 (Held 1 week), Bill 2483 (Held 1 week), Bill 2526 (Held 1 week), Bill 2574 (Held 1 week), and Bill 2583 (Held 1 week).
• Approved by Voice Vote/Affirmative Recommendation: Bills 2566, 2567, 2568, 2569, 2570, 2571, 2573, 2575, 2576, 2577, 2578, 2579, 2580, 2581, 2582, 2584, 2585, 2588, 2558, 2563, 2561, and Invoices/Transfers/P-cards.
• Approved with No Opposition: Bill 2296 (Westinghouse Park Historic Site) and Bills 2565, 2583 (Vacation of 8th Street) were initially brought forward, but Bill 2583 was held; Bill 2296 passed.
• Public Safety: Councilmember Warwick and Councilman Cogham called for additional professional training for city employees to prevent the use of slurs and maintain public trust, urging HR to increase awareness and de-escalation training.
• Next Steps: Budget Line Item Vote scheduled for Thursday, December 18; next Council meeting Tuesday, December 16; next Standing Committee meeting Wednesday, December 17.