Good morning.

Welcome and happy new year, everyone.

This being the day and hour fixed by the Act of Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter for the organization of the Council of the City of Pittsburgh.

The one hundred and forty-fourth council will be in order.

They are the grandchildren of our newest member, Councilwoman elect Kim Salonetro.

Leah is in the third grade, and John is in kindergarten.

They both attend the Nishanick Towns Township School District.

Leah and John.

Thank you, Leah and John.

We had a vocalist change at the last minute, but this morning we have with us Miss Marie Hurd, who will now lead us in the singing of the national anthem.

Oh say any by the dawn.

What so proe at the twigs less gleaming whose brought to rice and brife stars through the pace fight or the rest we soundly streaming and the gives the balms bursting in gay peruse through the night that I fled to them.

Oh say that stared way for the land of the free and the home of the invocation will be offered by Pastor Mike Gestrich of the Log Church.

So I am uh I am Kim's pastor, and she has confessed all her sins to me.

Now Pastor Sam and I are here and great support of Kim.

And we've crossed all lines just so you know.

So we've been advocating for her all the way, and we are just so proud to see somebody of such moral and great integrity is taking this position.

And uh let us buy our heads for prayer.

Our Heavenly Father, I thank you for this very sacred moment which we have the great privilege to share together.

Father, I pray for Kim Salonetro at this time and her family, her husband Bob.

Wonderful family.

I pray, Father, that the Holy Spirit of God would anoint her with everything that she is going to need to fulfill this position.

Give her compassion for those that are hurting.

You would give her the inner strength that she will maybe problems and storms that may come into the future.

But now, Father, at this moment.

Give her the confidence which she needs.

Kendall, thank you so much for an amazing performance.

The first order of business will be the presentation of the certificates of election by council district to be read by assistant city clerk, Ashley Robinson.

Good morning.

Certificate of election from the return board of the County of Allegheny does hereby certify that the election held on the fourth day of November 2025.

Kim Salinetro, having received six thousand eight hundred thirty-one votes, was duly elected to the office of Pittsburgh City Council District 2 to a term of four years.

Certificate of election from the return board of the County of Allegheny does hereby certify that the election held on the fourth day of November 2025.

Anthony Coghill, having received 7,693 votes, was duly elected to the office of Pittsburgh City Council District Four to a term of four years.

Certificate of election from the return board of the County of Allegheny does hereby certify that the election held on the fourth day of November 2025.

Robert Daniel Lavelle, having received 5,686 votes, was duly elected to the office of Pittsburgh City Council District Six to a term of four years.

So when I got here, she pulled me into her office and said, you know, Corey, we have a problem.

And I said, well, I know Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, but other than that, I would struggle.

So I have to say thank you for bailing me out.

Um if my first order of duty is to give you a free parking pass so I didn't have to sing.

But I'm really here because this is a special place.

This is where the work of the people happen.

Um we all on City Council, you know, know how important our job is.

And you have a difficult job.

Each and every one of you have chosen to do this because you love your city, you love your community, you love your neighbors.

Some of you I've worked with in the past, some new ones I I look forward to working with you in the future.

Kim, welcome.

I think you know the place pretty well, so you should be okay.

Um, but this is an exciting time for Pittsburgh, and I want to thank you for allowing me to say a couple words.

We are headed to our event.

Um, but I want to thank everybody for being here.

Thank you, council members.

We have a difficult job ahead of us, but I look forward to building a city for all of us and growing Pittsburgh with each and every one of you next week, today, next year, the next four years, because we have a great opportunity to sell Pittsburgh, not only to our residents, but to the whole world.

So thank you very much for having me.

We will now have the official oaths of office.

Once the oath is completed, the member will make brief remarks.

We are honored to have with us this morning the Honorable Nick Martini, Allegheny County Magisterial District Judge, who will administer the oath of office to Kim Salonetro from Council District 2.

All right, Kim, please repeat after me.

I, Kim Salonetro.

I Kim Salonetro.

Do solemnly swear.

Do solemnly swear.

That I will support.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

The Constitution of the United States.

The Constitution of the United States.

And of this state.

And of this state.

And the charter of this city.

And the charter of this city.

And that I do, and that I will faithfully.

And then I will faithfully.

Discharge the duties.

Discharge the duties.

Of office.

Of office.

To the best of my ability.

To the best of my ability.

So help me God.

So help me God.

Congratulations, Councilwoman Salonetro.

Myself a couple of notes here.

Thank you all for being here today.

Public speaking is very nerve-wracking, but nothing more nerve-wracking than watching last night's Steeler game.

Any great accomplishment is rarely done alone, and this is no exception for me.

So many people helped me along the way, so many volunteers to help me on this journey.

Everybody who came in my family helped me so much, worked polls for me when they've never done it before, and they were fabulous at it.

They were fabulous at it.

So one person I really want to thank is Councilwoman Teresa Cale Smith, who's sick who couldn't be here with us today.

She had been my friend and mentor for uh a great number of years, probably 25 plus years, and it was my honor to work in her office uh for 16 of those years.

Um I can't say enough.

I know she's only a phone call away, but um I can't say enough about her.

I know she wouldn't want me to go on and on, but um she's a big reason that I'm here today.

I want to thank all my volunteers in the Democratic Committee, to my campaign staff, Skyler Schaeffer, Jonathan Alexander, uh Kate Favis, and Lori Mirabello.

You were absolutely invaluable to me.

Uh, you kept me going every step of the way.

Um and let me know what was next.

So I always knew.

One of the unique things that happens when you uh run for office is you have an opportunity to learn more about unions and organized labor.

I want to thank them for their help and support of me.

Um I'm very honored to get to know them and work more with them in the future.

Now I look forward to working with my staff who's here today.

I just don't see them here.

Um Leanne Wilson, Lori Maribello, and Rob Gigliotti are going to be a part of my team, and we are gonna do great things for you.

And I am looking forward to working with the new administration.

And with that, a new focus on economic development in District 2, um, more police on our streets, and a more streamlined permitting process.

Um District 2 is a very special and unique place, as is our city.

Um I've lived in this district my entire life, um, and I am honored and proud to be able to continue to serve and move this forward, and I see great things in the future for our district.

Thank you.

Next, we are honored to have with us the Honorable Richard King, Allegheny County Magisterial District Judge, who will administer the oath of office to Anthony Coghill from Council District 4, right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Stand here.

Left hand on the bottom.

Yes, sir.

Right here.

My sponsor.

You ready?

Yes.

Hi, Anthony Coggill.

I Anthony Coghill.

Do solemnly swear, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and of this state, and of this state, and the charter of the city of Pittsburgh, and the charter of the city of Pittsburgh.

And that I will faithfully discharge the duties of my office.

And that I will faithfully discharge the duties of my office to the best of my ability, to the best of my ability.

So help me go.

So help me God.

Congratulations.

Thank you, Ricky.

Who wants to go talk right away.

Now you can talk.

Thank you.

Good job.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Well, thank you.

Thank thank you all for being here.

Kim, great job.

So you know, okay.

I know you were nervous about that.

We all are.

None of us like to publicly speak, to be believe it or not.

Much the contrary.

Um I want to thank Judge King.

You know, Judge King is not only our judge, but he's actually a good friend of mine.

And honorable is very well placed in front of his name.

Unless you're golfing with him.

Okay.

I'd like to put him in front of a judge after some of our rounds.

But uh, but no, Ricky, but thank you so much.

This is the second time he swore me in.

I really appreciate that.

I want to thank my friend, lifelong friend Nikki LaRusso for standing with me.

Nikki, thank you, and thank you for all the help you put into my election and others.

I appreciate that.

Um three very important women I need to thank in my life is none of them are here today, but um first and foremost, my daughter, who just made me a grandfather three months ago.

She is my inspiration.

I love her to death.

Um I'm gonna force her to watch this, and uh, you know, I I I just wanted to thank her for all she brings to my life.

Lisa Orlando, many of you, most of you know Lisa is my rock.

Lisa is my political partner, she's my best friend, and she's the love of my life.

And I would be nowhere without Lisa Orlando, so I want to thank her.

Last but not not least, who the only one that really has a true excuse is my mother, my dearly departed mother over she's been gone for about 18 years.

There's not a day that goes by that I do not think about my mother.

She was she had a hard life, she raised three boys on her own, my me being the youngest, and I honestly say I was a mama's boy from the beginning, probably I I say that.

So thank you, mom.

I know she's watching.

Um I want to thank my staff, uh Blake Plavchak.

Are you here, Blake?

Yeah.

Blake, thank you.

Blake is one of the smartest guys I know, I will tell you.

You know, um a lot of legislation that I put on the table actually comes from Blake.

You know, he's he thinks of the things that I want to do.

He writes it, he researches it, and you do a fantastic job, Blake.

So thank you for for all you've done.

You're a big part of our success.

Um, so is Katie.

Katie is not here today, she's not feeling well.

Uh Katie actually is the um stepdaughter of Judge Ricky King.

And Katie is our she's our she's our personality.

Everybody that calls our office talks to Katie.

If I had a nickel for everybody that said that Katie is just fantastic, I'd be a rich man.

Katie was uh answers every phone call, she returns every phone call, and she's unbelievable.

Um I want to thank you know our Sergeant at Arms, Ira and John.

What are you at?

John, Ira.

Yeah, thank you guys.

You know, they don't get called to duty a whole lot.

Some some days are very boring here, but I'll tell you, when they're called into action, no two better men than these two to watch our back.

There's a comfort level that we have with you here, so thank you for being here.

Also want to thank our clerk's office, Kimberly, Clark, and you know, uh Ashley, Louise, Chris, Mike, Tyree, Paris, Denise, who greets you at the front desk, Melissa and Dr.

Diane, wonderful, wonderful people.

They make this engine go.

Okay, so um, as as uh believe um who pointed that out?

Somebody just pointed that out.

But but they are the heart and soul, they make things go here.

Um also want to thank our public safety.

Uh, you know, our firefighters, I see Ralph's hair, our police, uh, our EMT.

Unbelievable.

They were the best in the world.

They are um they they they work tirelessly for us, and you know, there's nobody better in the world than our public safety.

I'm proud to be the public safety chairman, and I think I'm gonna continue to be so.

We'll find that out in a little bit.

So uh so um want to thank our labor unions, like Kim said, you know, our labor unions for me, uh, you know, they're my heart and soul.

Um they've been backing me from the beginning, and um I'm very grateful for them.

They're the people that build our city, they're the people who uh you know do a lot of work.

There are there are heart and soul of the city of Pittsburgh.

Everybody knows this is a labor town, and I'm proud to have the support of the building trades and the labor unions mean so much to me.

Some elected officials I wanted to mention that overlap with me.

Uh Councilman Bobby Palmasina's here today.

There he is, Bobby.

He's he's more than just a colleague, he's he's a buddy, he's a friend.

We've known each other for a long time.

Thank you, Bobby.

For we have all kinds of fun campaigning together, do we not?

So Wayne Fontana, I don't think he's here today, but Wayne actually and I started out working.

I I started out working for Wayne Fontana.

He's a very good friend.

I've known him all my life.

Wayne's a good buddy, and uh he's always there for me.

Um, Jessica Benham, our state representative.

She's a star, I will tell you.

You know, she and I just hit it off, and and she's she's gonna be doing great things.

And she he she and I, we work in Carrick and the area's Beachview and Overbrook that we overlap, and she brings a lot to the table.

Uh Senator Jake Costa, I'd be remiss not to thank him.

He's brought a lot back to um, you know, my neighborhoods.

And Darren Kelly, our labor counsel.

I I know he's moving on to other things, but he'll be dearly missed, and he was a dear friend.

Always, always count on Darren.

But most of all, I want to I want to thank the uh my constituents in the fourth district with so much gratitude I have for them for believing in me.

By the largest margin, 73%.

I was elected, which validates I feel who I am, and I can't wait to get back to work for them.

We ran on a back to basics platform uh eight years ago, and you know, we did just that, and we're gonna continue doing that.

In Carrick, we have a big development of 48-unit senior high-rise coming in, and um we have a multimodal project going on Brownsville Road.

We're gonna change Carrick for the better, I will tell you over the next four years.

We've already done a lot of work in some of the other communities.

Beachview has been renovated basically at this point.

Brookline is our hub.

Brookline's the biggest, one of the biggest, second largest neighborhood in the city of Pittsburgh with almost 20,000 residents, and Brookline's fantastic.

Um I do want to point out a good friend of mine who's helped me along the way and has taken over my job as the ward chairman that I so anxiously gave up is Tony Griffith.

Tony, and he will be working on the mayor's office.

Tony, thank you for being a partner with me.

Appreciate that.

To my colleagues, I love the team that we have.

I really do.

I know we don't all get along on every little matter, but we are a fantastic team.

We represent this city in so many ways.

I look at Councilman Charlotte only eight, nine years ago, he was knocking on doors with me to get me elected in my my first uh you know, successful bid, and uh 27 years old at the time, and um I gotta tell you, Bobby, it's surreal to me that we're sitting next to each other, both representing different parts of this city.

Um you were a star then, you're a star now.

I'm so proud of what you've done really.

Um councilman Mosley, you know what?

You brought dignity and class to this council that you know some of us lacked, my being one of them, okay.

So you have surely made this council a better body.

You really have.

You're you're a gracious gentleman.

You truly are.

Councilman Lavelle, President Lavell.

Um, you'll have my vote today.

You've led this council in so many different ways.

He manages to stay out of the fray in the fighting, the infighting that we sometimes have, and I'm very grateful for to you to you.

You've done a great job leading this council.

Um, Kim, I miss Teresa too.

I will.

She was she was she was my rock too.

She was my mentor, she helped guide me as well.

But you know what?

I look forward to working with you.

Not only is Kim uh representing the neighborhood hoods next to me, she's my neighbor.

She lives probably not even a half a mile away.

So we've got two strong South, you know, West uh representatives.

I look forward to that.

Erica, always the adult in the room, I feel.

Erica, you've done a great job.

I specifically think about you, how you jumped in with our soon to be Mayor Corey O'Connor and what you did after the tree life tragedy and your leadership since then.

You've been gracious through it all.

So thank you for your leadership.

Barb, I love fighting with you.

I do.

Fighting with you makes me a better council person.

It truly does.

And I respect your passion.

My new year's resolution is to be on the same page as you on certain subjects, and imagine the damage that we can do.

So my new golfing body, Bobby Wilson, a lot of fun.

I love Bobby.

He represents his area like nobody.

And what he did with downtown with the um I want to say tariffs, it's not a tariff.

Yeah, yeah, tax payments.

Sorry about that.

But uh no, he he's done a great job.

He's leading this city.

He's um put put downtown in the right direction single-handedly.

That was not an easy thing for you to get done.

And I will tell you, you know, it's gonna make this city go in the end.

It really is.

So thank you for what you do.

I look forward to getting on the course with you, and we'll take this guy out with us too.

All right, next time we'll see what he can do.

Keep your eye on him.

Um, you know, looking ahead, you know, I continue.

We're gonna build on the basics.

We're gonna try to pave every road, pave every alley.

That's very important to the to the people in my neighborhood.

I'm proud to say over the last seven, eight years, we've paved more alleys and roads than any administration there was in the fourth district.

We're gonna finally gonna finish a public works division.

Uh started eight years ago, and um, you know, this is gonna be a game changer.

Jeff Cook, I don't know if Jeff was here, but but Jeff Cook is gonna be the supervisor there, nobody more capable than Jeff, and um, it's gonna be a game changer.

People don't think of the city of Pittsburgh as building, but we are building.

We're building a public works division, and I'm gonna be have my third ribbon cutting with a third mayor by spring, I hope.

So um, most of all, we're gonna do a new initiative in the fourth district.

We want it to be clean and we want it to be safe.

Um, we're already one of the safest districts in the city of Pittsburgh, and I wear that badge um very proudly.

And but next we're gonna, and I know other council members have the same focus in mind.

We're gonna clean it up.

We don't want a piece of litter on our streets, no matter if you're coming out of the tunnels, going up the main roads, or the back roads.

We want to clean everything up.

So last but not least, you know, it's no secret that I was at odds with Mayor Ganey in many, many ways.

But I just want to say this.

I respect that man to no end, you know, and some of what he accomplished is gonna live on.

One thing in specific I will tell you is uh the stop the violence fund, you know.

I I was hesitant uh at first, but I will tell you, I think we've we're starting to bear fruit there.

I think we've seen good results.

OCHS Office Community Health and Safety, they've done some really wonderful things in my neighborhood, and I really really look uh forward to continuing that.

And Mayor Gainey, you will have my word that I'll continue to vote to fund um uh you know uh uh stop the violence fund going on.

I also want to point out Gene Ricardi's here, Judge Gene.

Thank you for being here.

Next to him, my lifelong friend in Beachview and uh Michael Lamb and then Danny DC, my old little league buddy.

Thank you all for being here.

It's an honor to have you here.

So Nello, you're gonna get us a couple more interns this year, right?

Okay, Nello has got us great interns.

Elon's here.

Elon, you're a star.

Where are you at, Elon?

Yeah, thank you, buddy.

I really appreciate you, man.

You bring a lot to the table, and uh, we're gonna try to keep you moving forward, so you know, until somebody hires you away, like like like like Bruce Krauss did to Charlotte to me.

So uh for our incoming mayor, I will tell you this.

When Corey came to me and asked me if I would support him, I said, absolutely.

But we all know of Corey's accomplishments in City Hall, you know, paid sick leave, what he did with councilwoman Strasberger and the in lieu of you know, in the in the wake of uh the tragedy of the tree of life.

But I will tell you it's it's his off, it's what he's done outside this building why I support him.

Corey's a great, great leader.

He really is.

Many of you were at his mom's funeral, and um, I will tell you it was a very emotional funeral, packed four times as many people are in here, and this guy got up in front of that microphone.

I was sitting next to Councilwoman Deb Gross at the time, and I said, Oh, I don't know if she's gonna be able to keep it together, but he ripped off one of the funniest jokes I've ever heard, put everybody at ease, and you know, put everybody in stitches.

So, and it's just what that room needed.

And when I think of Corey, I think of that.

I also think about you know, his three-time state championship golf club golf team at Central Catholic.

I'm a regular golfer with Corey.

We get out two, three times a year, and I see his students and his former players, they come up to them, they could care less.

They don't know who he is on political realm, they don't know who he is.

He's coached to them.

And the respect and and the and the leadership that he's shown with them was unbelievable.

So, and that and many, many other things that I won't get into, but Corey's a great leader.

He's actually got one of his former students on the PGA tour, playing with Tiger Woods, nonetheless, and beating them, believe it or not.

So it's unbelievable.

So I want to thank him.

Uh I want to thank you all for being here.

It is an honor to represent the city of Pittsburgh.

I feel like my colleagues and I all feel that way.

And again, we have a great team.

We don't all get along, but uh on every subject, but um this city, I'm more I've never been more confident about the city of Pittsburgh, not just because of the administration coming in, but mostly because of this city council.

It's an honor to work for all of you.

So thank you all.

God bless, and I appreciate you being here.

Next, we are honored to have with us the honorable Joseph William Thur Williams Third, retired judge, Allegheny County Med, Allegheny County Judge, who will administer the oath of office, so R.

Daniel Laval from Council District 6.

It's uh so exciting to be back in this chambers.

Uh so many people here.

I I knew Ashley's mom, I knew Kahari's parents.

I uh this guy here when I got started in politics and Bobby.

It's it's good to see another generation of people who are committed to the city and city government.

It's exciting to have a new mayor and Corey, and I think he'll be able to bring a number of groups together.

And I know a Ricky Burgess will be counsel to him.

So I'm excited about what we're doing here as a city, so let me do my duty with Daniel.

You wanna we can do a Bible?

Okay.

Wanna recite after me?

I are Daniel Lavelle.

I Robert Daniel Lavelle.

Do solemnly swear that I will support.

You solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States.

The Constitution of the United States.

And of this state.

And or this state.

And the charter of the city.

And the charter of the city.

That I will faithfully discharge.

That I will faithfully discharge.

The duties of the office.

The duties of the office.

To the best of my ability.

To the best of my abilities.

So help me God.

So help me God.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

It's still mourning.

So good morning, everyone.

First, I'm gonna do things a little different than Anthony because he lied.

He told me he was gonna be brief.

But I will attempt to be brief.

Um first and foremost, I do want to thank the mayor who obviously had leave for his own swearing in, but I want to thank him for being here.

Um Kim, it's a pleasure.

Welcome to council.

I look really forward to serving with you.

Um admittedly, I hadn't planned any particular speech out.

Um, and so coming to down here, I reached out to my children and asked my children, what should I say?

And my son grabbed my daughter and they huddled.

Then he came back and said, Dad, you have to give a really impassioned speech with puts all your thoughts in it, the shows you really care, that talks about all the issues.

You have to really tear into their hearts.

And it should take at least 20 minutes.

And I looked at us, I don't think I want to talk for 20 minutes.

He said, Well, I think you should, and even if you go 30, that's okay.

And he then he walked away.

My daughter then looked at me laughing and said, Well, you know why he wants you to speak so long, right?

I said, No.

She said, because he figures the longer you speak, the less likely it is he has to go to school today.

Um I asked her what she would do.

Her response was, I think you should speak two to three minutes.

And I said, That seems kind of short.

She says, People don't want to hear you speak long.

She says, say some thank yous, then give an aspiring quote and be done with it.

And so, and to spite my son to make sure he gets to school, I'm gonna take my daughter's advice.

Um, first and foremost, I want to thank Judge Williams for being here.

Um, he's sworn me in before, and I want to thank him for one, all that he's actually done for this city.

Um he's meant a lot to the city, he means a lot to me being here today.

So thank you, Judge.

Second, I want to thank my family, my wife is here, my children are here, my father's here, my mother was unable to be here, but I want to thank them.

My wife is here, my children are here, my father's here, my mother was unable to be here, but I want to thank them.

And I want to thank all my extended family as well, because they do a lot to pour into me and allow me to hold this position.

Um I want to thank my office.

They do all the back work.

I just saw JD walk in, Dan Wood is in the back.

Um, but they do all the work to cover up my flaws to make me look good in person in the public.

Um, even when I commit to stuff that I forget I've committed to, they then follow through on that and call me and say, Do you remember talking to someone and promising to do something?

I go, I do, but I forgot to tell you, but they follow through on that.

So our offices truly do make this make it all work for us.

Um I want to thank all those who were involved in the campaign.

And then lastly, I want to thank the voters.

We are elected by district, so I do have to thank the voters of district six.

But I've always had the opinion that even though we're voted by district, we're here to represent all the residents of the entire city.

And so I want to thank all the residents of the entire city for entrusting the nine of us to work on their behalf.

Lastly, as I tried to think of this quote my daughter wanted me to give, what kept coming to mind was a quote that my grandma Daniel said when I was young, which is once the task you have begun, be it big or be it small, do it well or not at all.

This council, over the last couple years, have begun a number of tremendous tasks, some bigger than others, some smaller.

Everything from cleaning up the city to crime reduction to investing in affordable housing to food justice to investing in downtown and revitalizing downtown to providing free public transportation for the resident for our workers here within the city to the land bank to zoning reform, and then even up until the very last minute of this past year working on our budget to pass a fiscally responsible budget, one that allows us to pay our bills and also invest in the residents of the city.

And there's many more that we could go through.

Um but the point is the task has already begun, but today we're going to stand here to recommit ourselves to finishing it very well.

Thank you.

And lastly, we are honored to have with us the Honorable Daniel Miller, Allegheny County Court of Common Please Judge, who will administer the oath of office to Erica Strasberger from Council District 8.

Thank you.

I figure we start off just with everybody who did not play golf or T ball with Anthony.

Just say hi.

And what an honor it is to hear everybody and wish everybody well for the year.

Years to come.

Yes.

Oh, you got it down.

Uh so repeat after me.

I, Erica Strasberger.

I, Erica Strasberger.

Do solemnly swear.

Do solemnly swear.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

And of the state.

And of the state.

And the charter of the city.

And the charter of this city.

And I will I will faithfully discharge.

And I will faithfully discharge the duties of office.

The duties of office.

To the best of my ability.

To the best of my ability.

So help me God.

So help me God.

Well, good morning.

I think I'm the last one.

You need to sit through for the day, so we're there.

Thank you, Judge Miller.

How fun it is to say that.

And it's an honor to have you here to swear me in for my third term on Pittsburgh City Council.

You know, Judge Miller was up until this morning or a couple days ago, Representative Miller, and the res I have to say the residents of the 42nd House district have been so lucky to have you represent them for more than a decade.

And now, as you take the bench as common please judge, I look forward to seeing the many, many lives that you're going to impact.

So congratulations.

There are many people, importantly, who keep me grounded and remind me to bring my whole self to my work.

My family.

We have here today some of the most important people to me.

My husband Jordan, my son Evan, my parents who are tuning in from afar, Linda and Dick, my in-laws who are here today, Mona and EJ.

And my friends who are folks who remind me that there's that there's more to this life than this very important role that I honor so much, but there are there's more to life than that as well.

Including my early morning running buddies, I have to call them out because if I appear relatively calm most of the time, I'm actually just really tired.

And you can thank them for that.

So I have to thank my government staff, Scott, Patsy, and Dave On.

You're the best of the best.

Thank you for serving District 8 and our city with such dedication for finding humor in some of the more preposterous moments that we we work with.

As I like to say, this is much more parks and rec than West Wing.

Um this job is.

So thank you for always finding the humor, but always doing the hard work for the constituents of the city.

Thanks to Kate Fabus and to Jackson who made this last campaign possible.

And for every person who voted for me, for all of our supporters.

I want to thank Mayor Ganey on a really strong last four years.

He has done some incredible work and wish him all the best in the future.

I also want to thank Dan Gilman, who is one of the few people I can truly say I would not be here were it not for Dan Gilman.

We're so excited to have him returning back to the other side of the hallway as the chief of staff to Mayor O'Connor.

And you know, to my colleagues, they say in union there's creativity, resilience, and strength.

And so to all of you, to each and every one of you, thank you for standing shoulder to shoulder with me.

I feel so very fortunate to serve the people of Pittsburgh alongside of you.

And I'm proud of what we've accomplished these last four years.

I um I know that one of you, Councilwoman Gross, recently referred to us as a large dysfunctional family, which I love because it's true in so many ways.

Um we might argue passionately about major policy decisions, we might disagree over votes, but in the end, we remain bonded by the shared, very unique experience of serving on city council.

Each of you, each one of you brings very different skills and lived experiences to your position.

And I look forward to continuing to harness these accompl these skills to accomplish great things together over the next four years.

Councilwoman Salonetro, I congratulate you, I welcome you, and I wish you all the best in this role.

Since I first took office, we have we've heard some of them.

We've heard we faced enormous tests as a city and as a country.

We've lived through them together.

And because of that, I'm a different council person than I was in 2018 or in 2021.

My core values, my inclusive approach to problem solving, my dedication to public service will never waver.

My office will continue to provide great constituent services to residents in need of city action, but I am committed to learning, growing, and working to find the solutions Pittsburgh needs at this juncture and for decades to come.

I'm committed to rebuilding trust in government.

No small task at a time when our federal administration seems determined to undermine that.

And I'm committed to building bridges, not just across neighborhoods or demographics, but between the status quo and the future that we imagine together.

So thank you all.

Thanks to everyone in the city of Pittsburgh, the workers and the voters and the residents and everyone who makes the city go round.

Thank you so very much.

Being that the newly elected and re-elected member of Pittsburgh City Council has been duly sworn in, the assistant city clerk Ashley Robinson will now call the role.

Mr.

Charlotte.

Here.

Mr.

Coghill.

Here.

Ms.

Gross.

Mr.

Lavelle.

Mr.

Mosley.

Here.

Mrs.

Salonetro.

Here.

Mr.

Strasberger.

Here.

Mrs.

Warwick.

Here.

Mr.

Wilson.

Here.

Eight members present.

Ladies and gentlemen, I proudly present to you the 144th Council of the City of Pittsburgh to our re-elected members and our newly elected member who will serve as our elected officials.

Congratulations.

May your term be distinguished by progress, collaboration, and meaningful contributions to the City of Pittsburgh.

We extend our best wishes for a productive and memorable four years ahead.

The next order of business is the nomination and election of the President of Council.

What is your pleasure?

I nominate Councilman Robert Daniel Lavell for President.

Second.

Our Daniel Laval has been nominated.

Are there any other nominations?

Are there any other nominations?

Are there any other nominations?

Being that the nominations are closed for the president of council.

Will the assistant city clerk please call the roll?

Mr.

Charland.

Aye.

Mr.

Coghill.

Aye.

Ms.

Gross.

Aye.

Mr.

Lavelle.

Sorry.

Mr.

Mosley.

Mr.

Mosley.

Aye.

Mrs.

Salonetro.

Aye.

Mrs.

Strasberger.

Aye.

Mrs.

Warwick.

Aye.

Mr.

Wilson.

Aye.

Eight eyes, zero no's.

With the vote of eight, zero, Council President Councilman R.

Daniel Lavell has been elected president of Pittsburgh City Council.

Councilman Laval, will you please step forward for the oath of office?

She's gonna want to pay.

Judge Williams had to go, I guess.

Uh I appreciate uh the offer and the audit.

It's a second time I actually got to swear in a president of council.

I did Luke Ravenshaw many years ago.

So you ready?

Please raise your right hand.

I state your name.

I Robert Daniel Lavelle.

Do solemnly swear.

That I would support the Constitution of the United States, that I will support the Constitution of the United States.

And of this state.

And of this state.

And the charter of the city.

And the charter of the city.

And I will faithfully discharge the duties of my office.

And I will faithfully discharge the duties of my office.

As President of City Council.

As President of City Council.

To the best of my ability.

To the best of my ability.

So help me God.

So help me God.

Congratulations.

Members of Council, ladies and gentlemen, I relinquish the chair.

May I present to you, Councilman President or Daniel Lavelle.

There we go.

So first to my colleagues, thank you very much.

Thank you for entrusting this responsibility.

Um it is not something I take lightly, and I do look forward to serving um all of you equally and working together as a body for us to collectively move this city forward in the positive and right direction.

So thank you very much.

We now need to proceed with the reorganization of council and make appointments of the chairpersons of the standing committee of council.

And before during that, I need to pull it up.

Let me also acknowledge that our city controller is here, Ms.

Heisler.

So thank you for joining us.

So the Committee of Finance and Law will be chaired by Councilwoman Strasberger.

The Committee of Public Safety and Wellness will be chaired by Councilman Coghill.

The Committee of Public Works and Infrastructure will be chaired by Mrs.

Salentero.

Salonetro.

Salonetro, I apologize.

I asked her beforehand how to say her name so I could do it appropriately.

So I apologize.

I will get it right, Councilwoman.

Um Committee of Human Resources is Councilman Sharlin.

Committee of Land Use and Economic Development is Councilman Wilson.

Committee of Recreation, Youth and Senior Services is Councilwoman Warwick.

Committee of Innovation Performance Asset Management and Technology is Councilman Gross.

Committee of Intergovernmental Educational Affairs is Councilwoman Mosley.

And the Committee of Hearings and Policy Committee is myself.

Also, the appointment of Councilwoman Strasberger to the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Institute and Library have also been made.

What is your pleasure?

Councilman Charlotte.

It would be my honor to nominate Councilman Bobby Wilson to be president pro tem of this body.

Second.

Are there any other nominations?

Are there any other nominations?

Are there any other nominations?

Seeing none, will the assistant city clerk please take the roll call vote for Councilman Wilson to be President Pro Tim.

Mr.

Charlotte.

Aye.

Mr.

Coghill.

Aye.

Ms.

Gross.

Aye.

Mr.

Lavell.

Aye.

Mr.

Mosley.

Aye.

Mrs.

Salonetro.

Aye.

Mr.

Strasberger.

Aye.

Mrs.

Warwick.

Aye.

Eight eyes, zero nose.

The Councilmember Wilson is now the President Pro Tell for Pittsburgh City Council.

Congratulations, Councilman.

That brings us to motions and resolutions, which everyone has been waiting for.

I would like to now entertain a motion that the rules of the proceedings of council be adopted as the rules of this council.

Second.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

The rules have been adopted.

We're now going to have our benediction.

And I would like to please invite Pastor Sam Linton to the law of the log church to please come and get the benediction.

Thank you.

Again, and I am one of Kim's other Mrs.

Salonetra's other pastors.

I don't know as many of our sins as Pastor Mike does, but uh but I want to remind you before we close this in prayer offering first congratulations to all of you and on your new elections.

But a reminder that according to Scripture, there are only two places where there is an ordination that happens.

One is of a pastor and the other is of an elected political official.

And I want you to know that the voters put you here, but also God put you here.

And so keep that in mind as the day today goes on and as you continue to serve the people in your districts in Pittsburgh.

And we're going to pray that God gives you his wisdom and his strength in the coming days.

So let us all bow our heads for prayer.

Our Heavenly Father, I thank you so much for this time of celebration that we've had for those who have been entrusted in these roles of leadership.

First, we pray for the strength of Jesus Christ to be upon them, the strength to make the difficult decisions that come their way.

Same wisdom that Jesus had as he dealt with people in so many different ways.

We know the scriptures teach about Jesus that there is no greater love than this that a man would lay his life down for his friends.

So I pray that all selfish ambition, all pride would go by the wayside as they focus on serving those who have they've been called to in this season.

So now we thank you for what you're going to do, and we thank you for this new season.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

Thank you very much.

And with that, as soon as we adjourn, all are welcome to come back to chambers at the very back end hall.

We're going to have a celebration for our newly elected official, Miss Kim Salinetro.

Councilwoman Kim Council Salinetro.

With that, uh I need a motion to adjourn.

Second.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

We are adjourned.

Gentlemen, the mayor elect is honored to welcome the former mayors of Pittsburgh, the fifty-seventh mayor of Pittsburgh, the Honorable Thomas J.

Murphy, Junior.

Please welcome the county chief executive of Allegheny County, the honorable Sarah Inamura.

Pittsburgh is really good at being there for one another.

I think that's something that we take for granted, but I guarantee you, if you ask the Pittsburger for a favor, he or she is going to do it.

That's a big part of what really makes Pittsburgh Pittsburgh.

We care about our city.

We have a lot of work to do to get there.

We have to capitalize on the people that are already here and the talent that we have here.

But we also have to let everybody know why, if I'm choosing a place to live, I should choose Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh knows how to reinvent itself, right?

Coming from a still city to a place of innovation, but we're also true to ourselves, and that's what makes us a destination for business.

And we're excited to come together and see new investment from the business community, from the development community.

We're seeing Pittsburgh take the lead and retain the lead in hardware robotics, in AI, and human health innovation, in clean tech and energy transition technologies.

And these are really what is going to define Pittsburgh moving forward.

We can get the best people in the world to move here because this is where the most significant AI is being done.

There's something inside of the people in Pittsburgh that caused us to continue to put things together that actually bring people together, that make people excited about being together.

And I think that's what's happening in the city, you know.

It's very encouraging.

As the mayor, you have to make sure that every Pittsburgh's voice is heard, that they know that their government is looking after them, because we want them to succeed in our city.

The more diverse our population, the more rich we are.

We should all want to make sure that we're safe, that we're welcoming, and that we're thriving.

One of the things I really like about Mirror O'Connor is how he promotes Pittsburgh.

He's always talking about the Pittsburgh of the future and how we can be proud of our past and also look forward.

He does a lot of listening.

He wants to know what your vision is because that to him is as important as what his vision is, right?

He is making a Pittsburgh for all Pittsburghers.

He has the experience, he has the connections, and he's surrounding himself with an incredible team of people who I think are gonna hit the ground running on day one.

Corey has a unique talent to be the salesperson for Pittsburgh to go out and convince people to want to invest in Pittsburgh.

That's how Pittsburgh reaches for the future.

The true greatness of Pittsburgh is that we are a humble city.

We cherish things like family.

And that means a place that puts kids first in our parks, our museums, our libraries, all rowing in the same direction.

I believe Corey is someone who cares.

He cares about community bluebelly, helping the kids, helping the community, neighborhoods, everything.

Pittsburgh should be the first choice for families for a lot of reasons.

Great educational institutions, a great knowledge base, good leadership, not just from Corey at the city level, but through all the corporate environment.

The question for us is will we come together over these next four plush years and figure out how not to just replicate what our predecessors were able to achieve, but to create an entirely new era for this city that we're all proud of and that we all get to participate in.

And when we do that, Pennsylvania will continue to be on the rise, and bright days are ahead for all of us.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve our great city.

We are going to honor our city's past and remember what got us here.

We're also going to build a future, a future that we can be proud of.

A future that puts Pittsburgh first and Pittsburghers more importantly first.

And Pittsburghers more importantly first.

And it is my honor and my privilege to be here today.

And even though the mayor elect his staff argued against allowing him to play renegade halfway through his speech today, he would like me to let you know that the celebration for later this afternoon has officially been renamed a Steelers Tailgate for the playoff game next week.

Please keep it going for Kappa.

Pittsburgh is incredibly lucky to have such talented young people.

And speaking from personal experience, my niece and nephew both went to Kappa, and their recitals are just way better than all the other recitals I have to go to.

We get it.

Now, ladies and gentlemen.

Please welcome to the to the stage the governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the honorable Josh Shapiro, and First Lady Laura Shapiro.

Interpreter for applause.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you are able, please stand and welcome the mayor elect of the city of Pittsburgh, the honorable Corey O'Connor, Mrs.

Katie O'Connor, and their family.

Please remain standing for the presentation of the colors, the national anthem by Chief Deputy Sheriff Ricky Manning, and the Pledge of Allegiance by Pittsburgh Public's Langley School.

I Pledge of Allegiance to the flag in the United States of America and the Republic stands on nation under God inadmissible liberty and justice for all.

Keep it going for lengthly.

Kids did a tremendous job.

What's surprised the twilight lights last gleam?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the despite.

Or the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.

And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Sheriff Ricky Manning.

Watching online or on television are elected officials both here in the front rows and up here in the grumpy Muppets box.

We have them.

Quietly rooting against him.

Or at least hoping that he does a slightly worse job than they did.

You can sit down.

I forgot to say that.

See what happens when he tries to bring Lazarus back downtown to revitalize the department stores, right?

Mayor Murphy.

Am I right, Mayor Ganey?

Let's see what happens then.

When the esplanade blows up in your face.

Go ahead, Mayor Elect.

Try to address the poor air quality.

I dare you.

See what happens when the penguins don't make the playoffs and people start heckling you at Giant Eagle because they think you're Kyle Dubis.

Let's see what happens then.

It's not gonna be pretty.

You're not gonna see him out as much as you've seen him.

Just uh a little bit of a backstory on why I'm here today.

Uh Corey and I are from the same part of town, which isn't saying much in Pittsburgh, right?

If you live here, it's like six degrees of Kevin Benson.

You know somebody that knows somebody that's from here.

Um but we reconnected at the Greenfield Bridge implosion party, which is a hilarious sentence to say and a true statement that happened.

Not a lot of cities would cut down trees in a park so that people could get a better view of a bridge getting blown up, but not a lot of cities have 446 bridges.

There was actually almost a fight.

The mayor elect was not there for this part, but there was a purse sitting on a stump, and a guy came up and he kicked the purse off the stump.

And the other guy was not happy about it.

He goes, Whoa, cuz my wife's purse has been sitting on that stuff for botnar.

And just to anybody that's here from out of town or visiting or watching online, if somebody starts yelling at you in our accent, you're about to get punched in the head.

Um they've switched over to fight cardio, it's too late.

This guy didn't bat an eye, he just looks straight up and goes, what, your wife owns the woods now?

He goes, I'm sorry, Mr.

Frick.

I'm like, we're in Shenley Park.

It didn't even make sense.

But that was the most Pittsburgh interaction I had until today.

And being that we have so many bridges here, there's probably gonna be another implosion party, and I implore you to go.

I'm looking at you, Panther Hollow Overpass.

Or whatever that bridge is called that goes to the Shenley Pool.

I don't know the bridge's real names.

Let's just put that out of the way right now.

You guys remember when the Frick Park Bridge collapsed and we all found out it was the Fern Hollow Bridge.

That bridge collapsed just two weeks before the president was showing up to talk about how terrible our bridges are.

It's pretty good timing on that.

The mayor was actually quoted, uh, do you remember this, Corey?

He said, uh, the beams were addressed a few years back, and I'm no engineer, but I believe they use bungee cords.

Watching my TV at home, and I was like, I hate to break this to you, Corey, but those guys aren't engineers either.

Who fixed this bridge?

My dad.

No, the real reason I'm here today is because Mayor Elect O'Connor has named me the Secretary of Complaints.

And I know what you're thinking, isn't that basically what the mayor is anyways?

Not anymore.

Not anymore.

If there's any Yinsers out there that have a problem, I want you to come to me from now on.

All right?

If the cheese is too hot at the potato patch, you don't bother this man when he's out having dinner with his family.

You come to me.

You want the logjammer back at Kennywood?

Guess what?

We all want the logjammer back at Kennywood.

It's not gonna happen.

And I know what you're gonna say.

We brought the kangaroo back.

There's only so many saves we have.

It's a limited amount of space at the park.

It's not gonna happen.

All right?

You have a pothole on your street?

Congratulations.

You live in Pittsburgh.

We all have potholes on our street.

Maybe don't get upset when he tries to announce a pendot budget that's over $200.

How about that?

If not, just give me a call.

I'll show up.

I'll bring some saltwater taffy from Rehoboth and some black stonewashed jeans.

We'll fill those holes.

Look, the mayor-elect can't fire Mike Tomlin.

He can't fix the penguins goaltending, and he can't make Bob Nutting sell the team.

So stop asking.

But he's got a heart as big as this room.

And I know that he's going to give this office everything he's got.

And I know that Pittsburgh is rooting for Mayor O'Connor because Mayor O'Connor is Pittsburgh.

He's born and raised in this city.

He went to high school with Central Catholic.

He went to college at Duquesne.

And he's the son of Pittsburgh's beloved 58th mayor, Bob O'Connor.

If this guy was any more Pittsburgh, we'd have French Fry and Coleslaw cannons going off as he took his oath.

And the mayor elect is, of course, a proud family man, but more than that, he has been a coach and a mentor to many.

From Little League to the Lynx, he loves the power of athletics, and he loves using them to help others find their true potential.

Here now to speak about what the mayor elect has meant to him as just coach.

Please welcome the man that beat Tiger Woods head to head in Augusta in 2024 on a Sunday, and the only golfer I know of sponsored by Arby's Mount Lebo Native and Central Catholic alum, Neil Shipley.

Well, that's a tough act to follow there.

So I'll try I'll try to try to keep, you know, do a good job for you.

Yeah, I think I think back to my time with coach and just coaches in general and how special uh every coach has been to me, but in particular, Coach O'Connor uh here.

Um, you know, his time with me at the Central Catholic Golf Program really shaped me as more than a player but as an individual as well.

And you know, coaching, I think is really special.

Um, but he did a particularly great job with us.

Um, and you could tell that he cared about the program and poured his heart and soul into every part of Central Catholic Golf.

And we we knew this because the wide array of emotions he showed us.

When uh when when you know the matches coming down the last few holes, you know, it's close, he would be, you know, pacing on the side of the hole, arms crossed, just a lot of nervous energy.

When we had a tough loss, he might let us know how displeased he was with us at a rather high volume.

Um but I think we had a lot of fun though at the same time, and I remember Corey at his happiest was during the 2017 state championship when he swan dived into the lake on 18 after he won the tour the state championship.

I still can't believe he did that.

That lake was disgusting.

Um, but uh for Corey, he's he's more than a coach to us and to all the players at the program.

He was, you know, he's that friend that you could call when you're in trouble.

He was, you know, that mentor that you could talk to when you had a really tough decision to make.

And he was just always there for us, really, really dependable.

And you know, I I don't think without his guidance and without his support, I'd be where I am right now.

And I think that every alum of the golf program would say that.

You know, he's meant so much to us.

So, uh Corey, on behalf of all the Central Catholic Golf alum, I want to say thank you for everything you've done for us.

Thank you for everything that you're going to do for this great city, and I am so excited for you and your family as you take on this next chapter in life, and I cannot wait for you to get started here soon.

Great job, Neil.

You have the meats.

The mayor elect and the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are lucky to have a leader in Harrisburg like our first speaker, who's not our first speaker, but you get it.

They wrote it here, so I have to read it.

They run burgundied me.

Even though he's an Eagles fan, Governor Josh Sapiro has been a champion of the values that Pittsburghers hold dear and so much more.

With an immense challenge we face as a city, the Commonwealth and the nation, and admittedly more fun challenges like the NFL draft, true partnership and friendship with the State Assembly and the Governor has never been more important.

Here now, the governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, ladies and gentlemen, the Honorable Josh Sapiro.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You know, I I may be a birds fan, but I was riding that roller coaster last night with all of you.

Thank you for the kind introduction, and it is so special to be here with all of you today.

And I want you to know as the 48th governor of the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I bring the hopes and the prayers of 13 million Pennsylvanians with me today as we prepare to swear in the next mayor, the 62nd mayor of the City of Pittsburgh, Corey O'Connor.

I'm here today, both because of my affection for Corey, but also because we understand that a strong and safe and successful Pittsburgh is essential to a prosperous Pennsylvania.

My governing partner, a native son of Western Pennsylvania, is here with us today.

Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis joins us to celebrate this new era of leadership.

Thank you for being with us.

And while he's my partner in progress in Pennsylvania, my partner in life since the ninth grade is here because she knows just how important Corey O'Connor's success is to the future of this Commonwealth.

The First Lady of Pennsylvania, Lori Shapiro.

And I want to recognize the fact that we're joined here today by so many elected leaders in the General Assembly and the Congress of the United States, statewide leaders from across Pennsylvania, as well as many leaders from the General Assembly, including your very own leader Jay Costa.

These are leaders from the city.

From the city of Pittsburgh, from the region and from across the state.

And I hope you recognize that their presence here today in this grand hall sends a very clear message of both the importance of this day and the importance of seeing Pittsburgh succeed.

Because when Pittsburgh succeeds, our entire Commonwealth does as well.

Each of the mayors who came before have recognized that.

They have served this city and they have picked up the baton from those who came before them.

They've tried to run forward and to leave this city better than how they found it.

To that end, I want to take a moment this afternoon to thank Mayor Ed Gainey for his service to the city of Pittsburgh.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

So now the task falls to you, Mr.

Mayor elect, to pick up the baton and to run forward.

I know this is a proud day for you, and especially for Katie and for Molly and for Emmett.

Emmett's got a lot of stuff in his pockets he's been picking up along with that Pirates' booty today.

We know that public service is a noble profession.

I know the folks here agree with that.

We also know that public service is a family commitment.

And Katie, I want to thank you for your family's commitment to making sure Corey could serve us as your mayor.

So today you begin to write the next chapter in the story of this great city.

And I know it is going to be a good one.

You can feel it when you talk to people in this city.

There's this feeling of optimism, this feeling of hope, optimism, and hope in a city where every single Yinzer has the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed.

A city that is safe and affordable and prosperous, where our kids have a shot at success beyond their parents and grandparents' wildest dreams.

You know, optimism and hope, they're the most powerful forces in our society.

Optimism and hope can help us unlock great possibility.

We can unlock that optimism and hope by making progress that people can see in their day-to-day lives, something I know the mayor will do.

And Mr.

Mayor, with your hard work and with your vision, with the skills that you have shown throughout your career to be able to bring people together to get stuff done.

I know you can build on the progress made by those who came before you and chart an even brighter future for this city.

I know.

I know you are motivated every day to make meaningful progress that makes a difference in people's lives, and I'm confident you will achieve that.

So as you take this oath of office today, know that you have a city that's cheering you on that is hopeful about our future and a commonwealth that is rooting for your success.

Know that you have a governor who will be your partner in progress.

Know that you have a family that stands with you, willing to make sacrifices so that you can serve and know that you've got parents who are smiling down on you, knowing that the unfinished business that they left behind now has a skilled steward to carry it forward.

Mr.

Mayor, I believe that you are the embodiment of that hope that you wish for for every single parent and grandparent here in Pittsburgh.

In your hands, Mayor O'Connor, the future of Pittsburgh is bright.

I wish you Godspeed as you pick up the baton and carry it forward.

Good luck, my friend.

Thank you, Governor, for your kind words of encouragement, for your leadership, for your support, and for your wisdom.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, like to announce the prayer for the nation and a prayer for the city.

Please welcome to the stage, a rabbi and a priest.

Good afternoon.

God, our Father, giver of life, we entrust the United States of America to your loving care.

You are the rock on which this nation was founded.

You alone are the true source of our cherished rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

We claim this land for your glory and dwell among your people.

We lift up our country before you, praying for peace among the nations, and restoring righteousness and integrity within our land.

Couple of notes.

The diversity of our large family has been the strength.

Look at what before you Irish Catholic priest and immigrant Israeli Orthodox Jew.

And that's only part of the family.

This is a strength and unity of this family that should serve as a beacon and shining example to our community, city, and country.

As to we are all capable of living in harmony and coexistence.

Corey's father Bobby started a family tradition many years ago when he, when my son, who is 51 years old now, was Barmitva, when he was 13 years old.

In Hebrew.

I'm not gonna do that today.

And it became a tradition in our family at any special occasion to read that blessing.

This is definitely fit his tradition.

So I'm gonna read this Irish blessing right now.

If you don't understand Irish language, translation is to follow.

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warms upon your face.

The rain falls soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hands.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Anyone out there?

So I better do a good job.

I got two of my bishops on stage behind me.

So welcome Bishop Ekman, Bishop Zubick behind me.

And when it comes to preaching at Mass, Corey grabs me beforehand all the time and says, all right, keep it short, keep it short.

So I'm gonna honor your wishes.

I'm gonna keep it short today.

But uh before that, I need somebody uh very important and very special to come stand by me.

So we need our big sister up here, Heidi.

So, Cor, we're up here.

We just want to say that we love you and that we're proud of you, and we will always be here for you.

So all these people, you got a lot of family here.

I'm glad you gave them all the front row, too.

And friends and Central Catholic high school up there is in the house.

So we've been waiting uh, and also, oh, I gotta say something.

I mean, when I think of Katie, this guy hit the jackpot.

I mean, she's amazing, right?

So Katie and the kids, and many of us have been waiting for this day, Cor, uh, for a while now.

We just always like envision it, Corey to be mayor one day, and praise the Lord.

The Lord has chosen you on this day.

So thank the Lord that Corey's gonna be the new mayor here.

And uh just want to say that uh before we came, uh Heidi and went and I went, we had to go to the cemetery.

Mom and dad are so proud of you, Cor.

Also known as the core man over there.

Mom and dad, you can't see them, we can't see them.

They have the best seat in the house.

Twenty years ago, almost to the day, I think it was January 3rd, 20 years ago, we were up on stage watching daddy be sworn in uh as mayor.

Cor, you earned this opportunity, and Cor, you got a chance here to finish the job that daddy had started, but in your own wonderful and unique way, and a lot of things have been said about Cor, I think the Bill hit upon it there, is the thing that stands out with Cor is he got a lot of gifts.

He's gonna help the city.

But the thing that stands out with Kor is he's kind hearted, he he cares about people, and so Corey, you're gonna do a great job for the city, and let us pray.

Oh, do you want to say something?

Wait, Hod wants to say something before the prayer.

Let me lower the mic.

So I'm gonna try to say something first.

And he is going to do amazing things for Pittsburgh.

He has a heart of gold.

He is going to help all the people of Pittsburgh, all the neighborhoods.

He is just an amazing person.

So we are all very blessed and very lucky to have him as our next mayor.

All right, let us pray.

All knowing and loving God, we thank you for the great city of Pittsburgh.

We are blessed in so many ways.

In our houses of worship, our political leaders and first responders, our neighborhoods, our schools, our hospitals and institutions, our businesses, our museums and parks, our sports and entertainment.

We thank you for last night, Lord.

But most especially, we are blessed in the amazing people of Pittsburgh.

We are stronger than steel, but more importantly, we know how to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Be with our new mayor, our brother Corey.

Fill him with wisdom, compassion, courage, and enthusiasm.

Protect his kind and caring heart.

May you always surround him with the right people.

Mom and dad.

We know you are here.

Please watch out for Corey and the family and the people of Pittsburgh.

We ask all this in God's glorious name.

Amen.

One more round of applause for the mayor elect's uncle Jacob Pellad, his brother, Father Terry O'Connor.

And can I just say that I love that we had a prayer and a family reunion broke out?

Um that's what this is, isn't it?

I grew up with Mr.

Hanley.

This woman over here that's the interpreter.

She went to my church.

I know everybody here, and I know Corey from childhood.

This is weird to watch myself talk through her, but I just want to say that this is special.

This is different.

This feels different.

I guess I'm supposed to introduce the judge, right?

I'm not sure.

So please welcome with me.

Video.

See, I knew it.

I mean, this is poor planning.

Right off the bat.

Getting a comedian to do this stuff, not the best decision-making skills.

Ladies and gentlemen, as we prepare to imminently administer the oath of office, but not yet for the mayor elect.

We thought it might be prudent, all of us, me first and foremost, to get him some new on-the-job advice from the only people who could offer it.

Here now, some of the varied experiences, lessons learned, and tips and tricks of the trade from the mayors of Pittsburgh.

Just a little advice for Corey.

Um many people don't know, but right off of your office is a secret stairwell.

And it takes you down to the fourth floor to the public safety director's office.

Don't be afraid to use it.

Be mayor is every day with, you know, with people's snow, doesn't get off the road.

They think of the mayor with their trash, doesn't get picked up.

They think of the mayor.

For better or for worse, it's a wonderful experience.

When you're the mayor, there's always somewhere you can be.

There's somewhere somebody always expects you to be.

My advice for Corey is to make sure you remember your your kids, right?

And make sure you make time for them.

Just be yourself.

Learn how to be comfortable in the position you're in as yourself.

Allow your authentic self to always be the one that comes to the forefront.

Be with the people, right?

Get off of Grand Street, go out, be in the neighborhoods, interact with folks.

Corey's a people person.

So that's his shirt.

Is to go out and work with people and get them excited about being part of Growing Pittsburgh.

The future is yours.

Use every opportunity to help to make a positive difference.

Place your left hand on the Bible, then repeat after me.

Sophie Maslaff, you solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The duties of my office to the best of my ability.

So help me God.

So help me God.

The new mayor of the city.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Judge James J.

Hanley to administer the oath of office to the mayor-elect of the city of Pittsburgh.

Corey.

Katie.

Emmett, Molly.

I promise this will be too much longer.

Okay.

It's been alluded to a number of times, just quickly, though, obviously, you've so many friends, so many supporters here today, but they're two spirits that are here overseeing this at uh Judy and Bob.

And uh they're in our hearts.

Do you please place your hand on the Bible?

Raise your right hand and repeat after me.

I, Corey O'Connor.

I, Corey O'Connor.

You solemnly swear.

You solemnly swear.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

And the Constitution of this Commonwealth.

And the Constitution of this Commonwealth.

And the charter of this city.

And the charter of this city.

And I will faithfully discharge.

And I will faithfully discharge.

The duties of my office.

The duties of my office.

To the best of my ability.

To the best of my ability.

So help me God.

So help me God.

Ladies and gentlemen to Pittsburgh.

My sincere honor.

Mayor Corey O'Connor.

Well, good afternoon, everyone.

And uh it's gonna be an emotional speech, so bear with me.

Um it is the greatest honor to serve as your mayor.

I am humbled to take on this role, and I will fight for this city each and every day.

I want to thank my wife Katie for being alongside me on this journey, and I want to thank my kids, Molly and Emmett, for making it more fun, and for making sure that I have pirates booty crumbs all over my suit.

It is my own family that motivated me to launch my campaign.

I want everyone to choose to raise their families in Pittsburgh like Katie and I are.

Yes.

I want to thank my friends for being here, and to be honest, most of them came for the free cookies and the button.

Um I want to thank my campaign staff and the hundreds of volunteers.

Without your support, I would not be standing here today, so thank you to the volunteers and campaign staff.

I want to thank Mayor Ganey for his service to the city.

Thank you, Mayor.

And Mayor, I do want to say thank you for the note that you had left today.

That was very emotional, and thank you very much for doing that.

I want to, yes.

I want to thank Mayor Peduto, Mayor Ravenstall, Mayor Murphy, our county executive, our members of council, our city controller, our federal and state officials who are with us today.

And I especially want to thank Bill Crawford for hosting and roasting everybody in the room this afternoon.

He said, Can I do whatever I want?

I said, Yeah, but I'm not gonna pay for the logjammer.

It's not coming back.

It's not coming back.

And I especially want to thank Governor Shapiro for being here.

For him to dedicate his time to this city, yes.

It shows how dedicated he is to our city, and we look forward to a great partnership over the next few years.

And finally, and most importantly, I want to thank all of you for being here.

Yes, thank you.

We are all here today because we love Pittsburgh.

Pittsburghers are resilient, hardworking, and generous.

A brighter future requires that we lean in to these attributes.

It requires that we reimagine the city in ways not done before.

Opportunities for reimagining Pittsburgh are everywhere.

For example, our own city rec centers.

We need to see them as more than just buildings.

We need to see them as spaces for connection, culture, learning, and community support.

We have to, yes.

We have to be creative and work together with institutions surrounding us to help bring opportunity to every Pittsburger.

As we work together to transform our city, we have to be honest and transparent about the challenges we face so that we can fight them head on and together.

For instance, right now, the city is in difficult financial times.

The state of our budget requires tough decisions.

We will act by laying a foundation of growth, and as we face these challenges and others that may arise, I promise to be honest and transparent with you.

While we address our financial challenges, we at the same time need to improve public safety.

Because public safety is not a statistic.

It is a feeling you have when you walk down the street.

I want every resident and visitor to our great city to feel safe in every community, from the west end to the east end, from the north side to the south side.

To build a safer city, our police need leadership and direction.

We have already started by nominating a new chief of police and a new public safety director.

From there, we will rebuild our police department, providing them with the leadership they need and the morale that they deserve.

Together, we will take other steps to strengthening our public safety departments, including streamlining our crisis response.

Not every call for help needs a response from someone in a uniform.

We will rely on public health officials and specialists to collaborate with our officers, and we will continue to support outreach programs for our most at-risk and underserved neighbors, including the Roots and Reach Program.

We will support our fire and EMS departments by investing in their equipment and in them.

By distributing resources more efficiently, we can build a safer, more compassionate city, and this in turn will propel the revival of our neighborhoods.

We can drive progress and growth in neighborhoods and every corner of our city by shifting from pessimism to optimism.

We will deliver, we will develop our small business districts with every main street getting stronger, healthier, and more vibrant.

For far too long, when it comes to growing Pittsburgh, our city has been a culture of we can't, we won't, a culture of no.

Now it's time to change Pittsburgh's culture, both how we feel about ourselves and how the world sees us.

It's time to become a city of hope and optimism where your dreams can come true.

A Pittsburgh where each and every time we can, we get to yes.

Yes, we can provide support for every would-be entrepreneur to start a new business in Pittsburgh.

Encourage our existing Pittsburgh-based companies to continue to grow, while also reaching out and encouraging other companies to come to Pittsburgh.

Yes, we can make it faster and easier to secure a permit, and we could provide shovel-ready sites.

Bill, when you run the complaint office, that's usually going to be number one, just so you know, yeah.

And we can provide shovel-ready sites for your business or your future home.

We can provide workforce training to get you ready for a new job or a new career.

We can provide these tools throughout the city.

And yes, we can have affordable housing to own or rent in every neighborhood in Pittsburgh.

Because we know that owning a home helps to create generational wealth.

We will seize on the cheerful optimism that infuses this room today to secure a more prosperous city for everyone.

And in just four short months, the whole world will be watching our city for the NFL draft.

50 million eyes on Pittsburgh.

And we already know that the Ravens are going to draft a kicker.

Mayors are allowed to second guess, and you could question what they were doing, but it's fine.

But we can use this as an opportunity to amplify our message of optimism, hope, and progress.

We will tell the Pittsburgh story, its people, its neighborhoods, culture, industry, educational institutes, and much, much more.

All the things that we love about our city.

In addition to people watching at home, we will have hundreds of thousands of people coming to our city.

And when companies coming to Pittsburgh, there's one thing we gotta do, and it hasn't been done in a very long time.

Pittsburgh, it's time to read up.

And you didn't think if you came to an O'Connor swearing in, you weren't going to hear about reading up.

I hope you if you did, you're in the wrong spot.

But I know that there are two people watching this ceremony from heaven.

With smiles on their faces.

My parents loved this city to their very core.

They loved each and every resident.

My mom worked tirelessly to meet every person she could in the city of Pittsburgh.

Probably offer them a shot of fireball too, but we won't get into that.

To make every person feel seen, heard, and most importantly, make sure they knew that we as a city cared about them, their stories, their hopes, their dreams.

And my dad was both optimistic and passionate about the city's potential and what we could all accomplish together.

But he knew the first step was towards that progress was to make sure we cleaned it up.

So it's time to get back to the fundamentals of governing.

We need to read up, not just for one day or for one weekend, but for every day.

We need a city that works.

Our infrastructure must be maintained and improved and potholes filled.

Our parks must be clean and safe.

Pittsburgh, we must do better because we deserve better.

Pittsburgh is more.

We are Pittsburghers.

I want.

Thank you very much, Pittsburgh.

Children's Museum.

Okay, good.

Thank you guys so much for coming out today.

Hello, and welcome to the Pittsburgh City Council budget hearings.

My name is Councilmember Barb Warwick and I chair the Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure.

For this hearing, we will be hearing from the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure.

And I'd like to, well, everybody's here at the table already.

And so budget director, Peter McDevitt, if you'd like to give us a brief overview.

Thank you, Councilmember.

The mission of the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure is to provide the physical mobility necessary to enable the social and economic mobility of the people of Pittsburgh through the management, design, improvement, and operation of the public rights of way.

The Department of Mobility and Infrastructure is comprised of three bureaus that is planning, policy, and permitting, traffic operations, and project design and delivery.

In the 2026 proposed budget, there's a total of 124 full-time positions out of the general fund.

So it's an increase of two from last year.

And in a quick summary of non-personnel changes, overall, there's a seven about $721,000 increase in non-personnel budgets.

Domi also has the largest share of the capital budget as they do every year.

So there is a long list of capital budgets for you there.

And they also have uh a good chunk of the fee schedule that is outlined there for you as well.

Uh that's all I have.

Great.

Well, uh, with that, uh director, I don't know if you want to go through and introduce everyone first, and then yeah, take it away.

I'm not the director, I'm an agent Jeff Scalik and Acting Director for Domi.

Angie Martinez, assistant director, planning policy and permits.

Eric Setler, Chief Engineer uh for the Project Design and Delivery Bureau.

Zach Workman, I'm the deputy chief engineer in the same bureau.

Mike Mallock, municipal traffic engineer.

And Evan Gross, fiscal supervisor.

Okay, we have a PowerPoint presentation for you guys.

Um so we're gonna go through the budget meeting is uh 2025 look back and also 2026 look ahead.

Um so Domi, who who are we?

We are the Department of Transportation for the City of Pittsburgh.

Our core functions are asset management, right-away management planning, and project delivery.

We're gonna get to all three of these functions in our slideshow, okay.

Um, organization chart.

It is sorry, I'm a little glitzier.

Um it's the director's office is um we have four bureaus, we have administrative plan and policy and permitting, project design and delivery, traffic operations, and we have a total of 127 full-time positions.

Um for 2025 accomplishments, this is for department-wise.

We had a dedicated communication staff.

Um, this the staff was very vital for delivering our projects.

They were able to go out to community meetings, be able to um have community participation and also work with council on our projects.

Um, it really gets our staff out of those um community meetings and um actually engineer and plan in our projects.

Um penned on SPC coordination.

Um, this is very vital since Domi's been a department.

Um we started with about four or five projects that are federally and state funded.

Um we're currently around 44 projects um that are receiving federal and state funds, and majority of this is because we have great as Penn Dot SPC coordination.

Um public safety coordination.

Um the department here has been working with public safety.

We have a uh monthly meeting that we actually meet with the staff and we go over our projects.

Um we show them the design, show them the impacts of the community, and um we take their feedback seriously, and we have to um we hear we hear each other out.

Um vision zero, vision zero um really has become really robust in 2025.

Um we have um a couple um different types of uh um committees that are now um attached to it, and it's really going well, and we're looking to see it through.

I'm gonna hand it off to Angie Martinez.

Yep.

Um thank you, council for having us.

Um I always look forward actually to this budget presentation because it's a great opportunity for us to look back at our accomplishments.

Um I think that's especially important for the Bureau I lead of planning policy and permits because so much of what we do is kind of behind the scenes, um, especially when I compare it to you know what my colleagues are doing, literally building bridges and uh our traffic signals.

Um but it's through planning, through policy, uh standard procedures, guidelines, all things that you'll hear me talking about that our group oversees that we really get the opportunity to be able to scale up and deliver all aspects of Domi's mission because when we deliver predictable and consistent work, I believe we're providing the very best value to our residents and delivering our work in the best manner possible.

Um before I jump into slides, um the executive team we're talking about, uh prepping for this presentation.

Before I jump into slides, the executive team we were talking about prepping for this presentation, one of the things we wanted to do was really put a spotlight on the our staff.

It's because of the 120 some people that work for the department that we're able to achieve the work that we do.

So we'll be talking not only about the work that we've done, but also about the staff that have enabled us to be able to do it.

So starting first with our planning bureau, this is an office of one supervisor and then three staff planners.

The thing that I want to highlight on this first slide is our in-house capability within our planning unit.

So we have a team that is expert and qualified in being able to look at crash data, analyze it, review crash reports, do uh GIS analysis, and also do design conceptual design drawings for projects.

So because we have all of this great in-house capability, we're able to actually act as good planners to our colleagues in traffic and streets division to help them better deliver the projects that they oversee.

So on this slide, you see some examples of the planning process that we ran for both South 18th Street and 21st Street.

Those are projects that are going to be delivered by other Doming bureaus, as well as some of the scoping that we did for both traffic calming installation projects and for the Lawrenceville Mobility Enhancement District.

Next slide.

This slide continues in some of the work that we started this year and that is going to continue into next year.

Just very quickly, I want to highlight two projects of this list.

The first is our South Nunville and Boundary Street Streetscape plan, excuse me.

This is an example of a transportation planning process, I think, in its sort of truest form.

So this is a vital roadway mobility link in Oakland, and it's a road that isn't working well for anybody today.

And unlike many streets in the city where we're working within a very constrained tight geography or cartway, we actually have space along boundary level to really reimagine that road and how it can work for all users for cars, for pedestrians.

This road currently lacks sidewalks, so people are walking in their street, and even for cyclists because this road is also an extension of our trail network.

So this planning process is very robust, and we're approaching it in anticipation of being able to seek grants to actually move into construction.

So the reason why I wanted to highlight it is because our approach to planning within Domi is to really be focused on making sure that anything that we do in planning is in service of ultimately getting to a project that can be implemented.

The other project that I wanted to highlight on here is actually a project done by others.

So some of the work that we do is also just being a liaison or a point person for the city on behalf of other people's projects.

Allegheny County is in the process of doing a vision zero action plan.

And as a part of that effort, Pendot is at the table, SPC is at the table, of course, the county is at the table.

And this in this process, they've identified 10 corridors within the county that are going to advance into conceptual design.

Six of these are within the city, and three of them are on Pennat Roads.

This is really notable because for so long we have talked about the limitations that the city has when it comes to seeking roadway safety treatments on state routes.

So this is an example of a project that somebody else is leading, but is really starting to break down those existing silos to get us to a place where I think we all want to be, which is the city being able to have a greater say on how state roads, state routes within our city function.

Our planning group also facilitates our complete streets advisory group, which is our citizens sort of sounding board and body for DOME decisions.

One of our 2025 goals for CSAG was to focus on membership.

This is just the second year of CSAG since it's come back off hiatus, and we really want that group to be reflective of the city's population as a whole.

So to that end, this year we onboarded six new members onto CSAG, and then we also worked with the committee to help organize a mini election for them to actually nominate or select somebody who would act as a representative and able to speak on their behalf.

So this has been great because it's able to keep the CSAC committee separate from DOME and sort of put somebody in the place of having the voice to be able to speak on behalf of the committee as a whole.

Moving on to some of our policy and program work, we have a transportation demand coordinator and a policy analyst.

Our transportation or excuse me, uh transportation demand management refers to the policies and strategies to enable or reducing vehicle congestion by promoting other modes.

This position is actually grant funded through a CMAC fund that's congestion mitigation reduction program.

And so this person has been working throughout the years to promote uh detours and closures, getting those closures and navigation apps.

Um they were a liaison to DCP as they were working through potential changes to city code involving parking maximums and transportation demand management.

Um this position is important also looking into 2026.

Um, one of the things that we want to get better at is promoting and communicating proactively on where we have major roadway closures and disruption to the transportation system.

Um when appropriate, when those closures or impacts are significant enough, we also want to pair them with opportunities for trip planning.

So you'll see this in 2026 when the city hosts the NFL draft when Pendoc closes the commercial street bridge for their construction project.

We're gonna be promoting not only the road closures, but also better ways to get around.

Where's their good place to park?

So maybe you're not running into congestion.

Should you be um should we be encouraging people to maybe take the bus or bike, grab a pogo?

Um, this is how we can think about reducing congestion by advertising and promoting other modes.

Our safe routes to school program continues to grow.

Um, this year we saw an increase in both the number of students walking and biking during our fall and spring bike and roll to school day.

Um, the other thing that we did this year was develop a new site visit request form for school administrators.

So our safe routes to school coordinator Harriet Jackson does a fantastic job, but one of the things she was struggling with were uh the school administrators, crossing guards, others reaching out to her with a slew of problems, whether it was sign changes, loading issues, uh bike parking for students.

Um we worked with our colleagues in the traffic group to create a site visit form so that we could consolidate all of these requests into one place to hopefully expedite actual reviews and changes of the streets to make them safer for kids walking and rolling to school.

Um so we used that form six times.

Um this year, it's already resulted in street signage changes around two of our schools, and we look forward to continue to build this out and expand it.

Um in 2026, um, we are also looking forward to for the first time going into the high schools for our safe routes to school education.

So uh more exciting things uh to be done there.

Moving next to our curbside and new mobility team, um, 2025 was the first full year that we had staffing of this group.

Um, it's comprised of one uh supervisor position and then two uh positions underneath a program analyst and a policy analyst.

Um the group sets policies and reviews for everything from loading zones, residential permit parking areas.

They also oversee the city's bus shelter maintenance contract, um, work very closely with parking authority and our traffic sign shop to uh coordinate and implement these changes.

Um in 2025, some of the highlights of the program, we put forth two changes to RPPs, we stood up a mobility enhancement district in Lawrenceville, we conducted over 22 parking studies in-house.

Um, I want to stop there for a moment because when we did the Lawrenceville Mobility Enhancement District, we actually had to contract the parking studies for that out.

Now that was a very large complex study area.

Um it's probably closer to three studies than one study, but the cost to contract that out was $55,000.

And so by having the staff in this group that have the time and the ability to actually go out there and do the traffic studies is just so important.

It means that the decisions that we're making about our curbside regulations are based in data, and thankfully we don't have to rely on trying to find outside funds to make that happen.

Um, the last thing I'll note on the successes of the team for this year has to do with installing new bus shelters.

I'll touch a little bit more on that in a later slide through our transit improvement program from 2025.

Already talked a little bit about our vision zero working group.

So as folks know, the city committed formally to vision zero last year.

We've seen a lot of progress in the 14 months or so that we've been up and running.

One thing to know is that all of the work that's been accomplished has been under existing staff capacities.

So that means a lot of people who have some role in getting to zero roadway fatalities or serious injuries have been pulled into our five working groups in order to break down these sort of interagency silos that you know perhibit or prevent us from making progress in this area.

So we're really excited to see that in 2026 there's a plan for a coordinator position.

It is absolutely a full-time job to make sure all of these things come together.

So on this slide, you know, I would say successes for Vision Zero.

Um we have made great strides towards improving our relationship with public safety.

Um we got the automated red light enforcement RFP out the door.

Um this slide shows some of the education materials that we've been developing.

Um so far this year, we've had 19 fatalities on our non-interstate streets within the city.

Um four of those involved pedestrians, um, three of those involved motorcycles.

Um on this slide, you can see uh the education material that our education engagement and communications subcommittee put together, specifically speaking to motorcyclist as a sort of group, and then we attended a motorcycle show to distribute that materials to that specific audience.

So again, this is a good example of how we're applying the data and what we're learning about you know the types of fatal crashes that we're having, and then attempting to tailor our marketing and outreach to meet those uh to meet those needs.

Moving on to our permit and review staff, um, in terms of permitting process or excuse me, permit processing, uh, we have four staff and one supervisor.

Uh for traffic reviews, this is uh the people who review any road closures as well as issue no parking signs.

We have two staff and one supervisor.

Um, when it comes to development review, so looking at changes from uh private development and impacts on the right-of-way, a site plan is on this slide to give you a sense of um you know what our uh development review uh planners are looking at.

We have one project manager and a senior planner supporting the work.

Um, when we look at volume, we've issued 7800 DOE permits as of October.

That's on track for where we've been in the past.

Um, and we've completed 761 transportation reviews on building and zoning permits.

So that 761 number is directly attributed to those two development review staff members I've talked about.

Um we continue to be sort of resource constrained in this group.

Um in 2025, we had you know, just normal things, people going on leave, um, people taking vacation, um, but we just have no slack in this group.

And so when those things happen, we fall behind.

Typically, a permit turnaround is three to four days.

Um this summer we were at three to four weeks because of um uh you know our our sort of resource scarcity when it comes to the staff available for these volumes for processing.

Um that said, we do continue to uh try to develop policies and procedures that make it so that we can better deliver service to our customers.

Um, two examples of that on this slide.

We developed a utility capital project permitting process.

Um this were this uh will allow Domi to see plans from utilities earlier on in the process and hopefully help streamline permits as they actually get applied for down the line.

We also developed a new asphalt art policy to help guide community groups and others that might have an interest in pursuing street art.

Um so I think this is a great example of how our work is both practical and necessary in the utility space, but how we're also trying to you know meet the needs, other needs of streets.

So making sure that they can be beautiful, there's placemaking elements, etc.

Um the inspection side of the house, um we did see some changes uh to this team as a result of some of the operating budget um items from last year.

Uh we have two staff that specialize in code enforcement, basically 311 response, and then also looking for proactive violations in the right-of-way and a supervisor to make sure those get uh resolved.

And then our right of way construction supervisor, or excuse me, our right of way inspection uh inspectors, we have eight of those and a supervisor.

Um, this team collectively has performed close to 25,000 inspections for permits and over 5300 um code violations that have been cited in the right of way.

Um the last three slides I have are not specific to any one person or group within the department, but I think really just illustrate some of the progress that Domi has made over the past couple of years.

So on this slide, I wanted to highlight um work we did for our transit stop improvement program.

So this was new for 2025.

We focused on high ridership transit stops that did not have a bus shelter because the condition of the sidewalk was either not appropriate to install a shelter or it wasn't wide enough for us to be able to install shelter and still provide ADA clearance.

Um, knowing that this is a limitation to us being able to get shelters installed.

The complete streets advisory group advocated for this pod of funds.

Pittsburghers for public transit was very happy to help support us in going out there and doing site visits.

We worked with our colleagues in DPW to actually improve the sidewalk so that we can get a bus shelter out there, and um our colleagues in the trap or excuse me, in the um streets division uh to make sure that we had the necessary designs and engineering in place.

So people talk about government you know working slowly.

I feel that way too at times.

But I think this is an example of in less than a year, we developed an entire program and actually got uh transit facilities out into the public space.

And so if you look at this location, Brighton Road at Woods Run and go back in Google Street View, um, you'd see that prior to this bus shelter being installed, people were literally sitting on milk crates.

So I think this is an excellent example of what we can do when we kind of line things up and time time them out.

And more to come on this program in the future.

It wasn't funded in 2026, but I think now that we've operationalized it, we're gonna be able to look for more creative uh funding solutions to be able to continue it.

Um the paving work actually runs out of uh project design and delivery.

Um, but because it represents such a huge portion of Domi's budget, planning is involved to make sure that we're constantly improving the way that we're preparing that paving list, that we're avoiding utility conflicts where we can, um, and that we're looking for potential opportunities to coordinate our work with paving and even with those utility jobs.

Um on the left side of the screen, um, you'll see some of the stats from our paving program this year.

We hit 44 miles, we focused on primary streets and picking up streets that are going to be high impact when we host the NFL draft.

Um, to the right are some of the changes that we made more on the procedural side of things.

Um so as of this year, there's an engage page for our plan, our paving program.

So residents, members of council, you could actually subscribe to this page and you'll get an email notification.

Usually it's up Thursday or Friday before the next week's uh paving list actually starts.

Um we also spent a quite a bit of time making sure that we were cleaning up all of our street records.

Um, this was a monumental sort of administrative task, but now that it's complete, it really positions the city to be able to use GIS and other mapping tools to get ahead of any potential conflicts.

And so making sure that we use the same street ID as the utilities do when they submit projects to us helps us just very quickly be able to know where we might be running into issues.

Um, and then finally, uh, I think the success of this work, really the gold standard that we hit this year that makes you know me really proud of all of the time we put into it, is that we were successfully able to leverage the work of utilities to install traffic calming projects.

So the two examples on here that we did was uh Bayard and North Neville and Beacon Street and Whiteman, utilities already had these streets opened up, they had to pave them and put down some markings because we had our designs ready to go.

We said instead of putting down replacing in kind, replace the traffic in to the new standard.

And we can do that, and it doesn't cost the paving, or excuse me, it doesn't cost the utilities any more money if we get ahead of it and plan for it.

So we had two of these this year.

Um I suspect that as we continue to grow and get better, um, this will be something that we'll see more and more of.

And the last item I wanted to highlight was trail development.

This is work that spans not only DOME, DPW, a lot of external partners that are interested in our trails for recreation, for mobility, for even for economic development.

To the left, you see the portion of the South Side Trail between Hot Meadow and Baldwin Borough.

This is probably our most cited 311 section of trail because it's been really bumpy because of tree routes.

So this year, with a grant from DCNR, we were able to pave that trail.

We cut down all the invasive species so that you can actually see the river from the trail, and we also resolved a drainage issue that was there.

To the right and on the other side of the spectrum, we also had to close a portion of our trail along the Ohio River in the Chateau neighborhood because of a structural issue and the trail and uh the land starting to uh to to you know destabilize there.

Um but what I want to call out with these two examples is really the partnerships and the bridges that we've been building between Friends of the Riverfront, River Life, and DPW and managing this really important asset.

So thankfully, Friends of the Riverfront was able to help us communicate all of these closures.

I think being able to close a trail and not catch people by surprise is important.

And then in the case of the South Side Trail, where there was simply no opportunity for any sort of detour, um, friends um actually at their own expense and with assistance from the uh the Gap Trail Network was able to uh pay for a shuttle to actually bus cyclists and trail users so they wouldn't be stranded when we close the trail.

So this is only possible when we make the time and we have the relationships to you know coordinate on these efforts.

All right.

Um I'm gonna go in and start talking about the project design delivery bureau.

Um our bureau has five divisions.

I'll talk about the first couple, then I'll turn it over to Zach to go from there.

Um gonna highlight some of the stuff we've done this year, and I think you'll see a bit of a theme with what Angie started with talking about staff capacity and some of the things we've been able to do in-house.

Um I'll continue that theme and it'll continue on down the line because uh it's a really big deal that we think uh that that we are accomplishing a lot.

Um so first talking about our streets division.

Um, this is one of our engineering divisions.

Um we manage a lot of our bigger street projects.

We have um street reconstructions, full reconstructions.

Uh, there's four of them going on right now.

Two of them Penn Avenue and Smithfield will be moving into construction next year, finally.

Bus Rapid Transit is ongoing, of course, and we already talked earlier, we mentioned the Boundary Street project.

Um, streetscape projects, which maybe aren't full reconstructions, but still have a very big impact on the street.

Uh we have four of those going on right now in design, including South 21st, which I'll talk about on the next slide.

And then trails.

We're doing trail work, um, trolley trail is at its very final stages of of design, and we'll be out to bid very shortly.

Um Sylvan and and uh Allegheny River Green Boulevard just getting started on that one.

Um South 21st Street is one of our um streetscape projects.

Um folks know South 21st, it's a very, very wide street with a lot of parking in the median currently.

Um there has been a project that was originally developed and championed by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to redo the street, and it languished for a number of years due to a lack of funding.

Um this past year, we had to kind of make a decision point, and we moved it, rescoped it, moved it in-house, and are doing just a straight streetscape project at this point.

Um our planning group has been involved in doing the planning for it.

Our um our streets division is actually designing engineering and designing the project in-house.

Um we are estimating that we'll save over 400,000 in consultant design costs and over six months of design time by doing that work in-house.

Um, so we're really excited about that.

That's the biggest project that we've bid off to date.

Um so far, it's going quite well, and we are hoping to get it out to bid uh in the first half of next year.

Um, another big area that our streets division gets involved in is our critical sidewalk gap program.

Replacing sidewalks, both that are in poor condition or also closing gaps where perhaps a sidewalk never existed before.

This year we've delivered nine district sidewalk gap projects.

We received a pendot grant to do critical sidewalk gaps at three locations, which was wonderful.

And it helped us do that work.

The design cost was kind of steep.

It was 192,000 to build to design those three locations to meet the Pendot standards and everything.

The other six locations we designed in-house for no design cost.

So that shows once again the power of our in-house staff to get some of these projects through the process.

In addition to the nine critical sidewalk gap projects, the 10th one, Sylvan Avenue Neighborway is also listed because while it wasn't strictly a sidewalk project, it resulted in a lot of new sidewalks.

Two project managers, one of which Steve is funded by the BRT project and only focuses on BRT and RAIS.

And then the rest of our work being done by a project manager, project engineer, and staff engineer.

I want to touch on our construction division.

A little different than the DPW construction division in that they don't have tradespeople, but they do manage a good bit of work for us, both some larger capital construction projects.

There's a listing of them up there.

A lot of these are retaining walls, landslides, some of our wall and step projects as well.

They also manage our concrete brick and blockstone street repair program.

We had 17 different streets this year, and they are able to do step recompair step repair and reconstruction off of our on-call contractors.

So those are projects that don't require design process.

And they can uh they handle all of our contract guide rail and fence installation and repair.

And we just got three folks in our construction division, a supervisor, a project manager, and an inspector.

I wanted to touch on our paving division as well.

Of course, Angie talked about it already to some degree and a lot of the improvements and the coordination that we've done this year, but I did want to give uh our staff their due there.

It's uh um a small division considering the amount of capital funds that they push through.

Uh there's seven staff, a supervisor, foreman, three inspectors, a fiscal coordinator.

Um the seventh is actually a laborer that we've been um had his position has remained in DPW, but he's been working with us um since even before our department was created.

Um that is something that we need to uh he retired this year, so we need to make sure that we can continue with that position in future years to keep keep going and making sure we're inspecting our work.

Um as I said, it's the largest city funded capital program.

We did about 17 million dollars of work in 2025.

Um in addition to the paving, they also handle all the ADA ramps associated with the paving program and are able to pick up different kinds of drainage improvements along the way that have kind of a paving component to them.

Um that's the paving division, then I will pass it off to Zach.

Thank you, Eric.

Um so I'm gonna go over our um our structures division, but uh for the I wanted to start off by looking uh more closely at our bridge maintenance division, kind of the last um the last operate operations division within PDD.

Um this year, um proud to say that we finally have a fully staffed bridge maintenance division.

Um the division started off the year with just our our supervisor.

Um we were filling uh the foreman position in January and the other positions um throughout the year.

Um it's been a really long process, it's been a lot of work, but um it's great to finally have that team of five.

Um, the fully staffed team as we've had more people come online.

Uh our the capabilities of the division have greatly increased.

Um you know, initially they were basically able to wash um wash pedestrian bridges, uh, wash our bridges with really low traffic volumes, uh, but they're now to the point where they're able to take on um some of the much larger structures and are doing some critical repairs as well.

So yeah, with that, uh I want to look a little bit more closely at our kind of a case study for one of the bridges that was washed recently.

Um this is the California Avenue Bridge washed in August 2025.

Um it's not very exciting, but washing bridges is extremely necessary, and it's um already been some of the kind of bread and butter of the maintenance division.

Um so we've got some before and after pictures of of the condition of both the gutters, um, the scuppers, and really, you know, we need to keep these things in good condition, um, otherwise it leads to extremely expensive deterioration down the line.

So our crew, they've been um logging their their daily work in cartograph, and they're able to put their equipment and their time and cardograph is estimating uh that washing this bridge that cost about $2300.

Um just for comparison, if we were to have gone to our uh competitively bid on call contractor, the work order for this structure would have been about $35,000.

Um so getting this work done 15 times cheaper is really great representation of of the value of the bridge maintenance division.

So looking more closely at the structures division, the engineering work coming out of the structures division and DOME.

Um I wanted to start off looking at our um our larger bridge capital projects.

So these are all bridges that are on the transportation improvement program or the tip.

Um we've got 19 bridges in the works, two of them in construction with another 17 in the in the design stages.

Fifteen of these bridges are in poor condition.

Um so again, this is addressing um critical issues in the transportation network in Pittsburgh.

Um really important to highlight that these projects are all either 95 or 100% reimbursed by uh FHWA and Pendot.

Um so they're really time-intensive, but there's a lot of value uh in putting the resources into delivering these projects.

Um we do rely on several consultants to manage the projects and that does uh they their cost is also reimbursed through the project.

Um but I just want to highlight that um you know relying on project managers outside project managers for that work introduces uh some pretty large inefficiencies into the schedule uh just as the nature of the agreement process that we're contingent to.

So turning our attention to our projects without Pendot Oversight.

Um we've got a whole host of things going on.

Um obviously we're really excited to show off the uh newly completed Davis Avenue Bridge.

Um, but also we've got um we had a major uh remediation and mitigation uh landslide project in Mount Washington.

Uh that was a $13 million project uh that was fully reimbursed by FEMA to present bring resiliency to the street grid in Mount Washington.

Um we're finalizing the construction contract for repairs to the Panther Hollow Bridge with the goal of reopening it in 2026.

We're advancing seven landslide projects through the engineering phase.

Um and one project that's we're excited about our Calera Street Bridge number two.

Uh we're actually designing this project in-house using Domi's engineers and it's been off to a pretty smooth start.

Um really proud of the work they've done so far.

Uh to compare, we have a Calera Street Bridge number one, um, which is on the tip, and the first phase in engineering for an outside consultant is 431,000.

Um so that's the scale of savings when we can do this work in-house.

So I want to take a closer look at um a few specific bridges, put into context the work that um is necessary and the work that we're doing, um, starting off with our Charles Anderson Bridge.

Um, and I just want to give a quick refresher on the project timeline.

So this started engineering in 2019, and then it was closed in February of 2023.

Engineering completed later in 2023.

We issued notice to proceed to a contractor in April 2024.

They were able to complete some of the early repair work by the end of 24, which allowed them to then mobilize for full-scale rehabilitation.

There have been some challenges and surprises, but construction is proceeding and the team's been working really well together.

But the enormity of the project, the thousands of hours that go into the engineering, the thousands of hours into the construction, into the over site, document documenting the project from start to finish, is it's it's just substantial.

So just wanted to highlight that while this is one of our largest and most complicated structures, it does, I think it puts into perspective the dozens of projects we're advancing now through the engineering phase and the work that lies ahead.

So a little bit different in scope.

But again, I think these are really important things that we are tackling this year.

The Milroy Street Bridge over I-279.

Um this connects East Street to a small neighborhood near Observatory Hill.

Um the bridge is only 40 years old.

I think the average age for our bridges is probably in the 80s.

Um we designed bridges to get 75 to 100 years out of them.

So 40 years is objectively a young bridge.

Um this also provides the only access for larger vehicles into this small neighborhood.

Um so it's essentially it's an essential route for the people that live there.

Uh the bridge has been in poor condition for 14 years.

Um ultimately that's due to a lack of maintenance.

Um in 2023, we conducted uh a sort of a blitz addressing leaking expansion joints on critical bridges across the city.

Um that work order for this bridge cost $19,000.

Um just a couple months ago, we were able to finally address the critical deterioration that was playing out over several decades of neglect below those joints to the tune of 286,000.

Um here's an example of you know, keeping up with the the routine maintenance tasks, making sure that things aren't leaking, um, that the drainage system works properly, saves hundreds of thousands of dollars and ensures you know access to neighborhoods that might potentially be cut off.

So I'm really excited though that this bridge is finally being lifted out of poor condition.

Um the city still has 39 bridges in poor condition, uh, and everything we can do to cut that down is um I think exciting.

So uh and then on a similar note, the Heron Avenue Bridge, which was closed for four months earlier this year.

This also is a bridge that's not very old.

It was built in 1980.

It has modern construction techniques.

Um it's especially challenging to work on because it crosses over three separate railroads and PRT.

Uh, so access is a nightmare to coordinate.

Um, but nonetheless, um it has the same routine maintenance needs that were going undone for decades.

Um, this was one that we also addressed in our 2023 blitz on expansion joints.

Um it's a little bit bigger bridge, so we had to spend a bit more on it, but um, that routine work of 76,000 to keep things working as they're intended.

Um the project, this bridge does have a comprehensive rehabilitation project in the works.

Um engineering started in 20 early or in 2024.

Um, and you know, we're looking forward to being able to make a major investment with the support from uh FHWA and PEN DOT.

Um in order to get the bridge reopened, we had to do a very um well as a temporary solution.

Uh that's basically a sunk cost, and that's money that won't be recouped and isn't an investment into the the long-term health of the structure.

So, again, another example of just keeping up with the maintenance to save dollars down the line.

Lastly, I just wanted to highlight um the awesome work that our junior engineers are doing in-house modernizing our asset management program.

Um, uh following on you know, completely redeveloping our uh how we how we monitor our bridge um our bridge structures, uh we've also applied that now, um, carrying the momentum forward to overhaul our retaining walls and steps.

Um this year, our uh two staff engineers and some interns have digitized thousands of records and have completed over 500 inspections on city retaining walls.

That's out of about 900.

Um that in itself is practically a full-time job.

Uh, but it's uh what they've completed is really impressive.

The median age of our retaining walls is 83 years old.

Um again, um that's that's getting up there in age.

So we've been we've programmed several projects a year, but uh when you have 900 retaining walls in your inventory at an average age of 83, um, you know, there's going to be a lot of work to be done in the next few decades.

Um similarly, we've been modernizing our steps, asset management, developing inspection procedures so we can uh get caught up on those in-house and also developing better resources for monitoring our uh landslides.

So, with that, I just want to emphasize that um the structures division.

We've got seven engineers, including myself, uh, and I would describe that as a lean team for the amount of work that we're doing.

With that, I'll hand it off to Mike for traffic.

Thank you, Zach.

So before I go into my my section of this presentation, I'll have a few housekeeping notes.

Um, first, I want to acknowledge you all have a hard job.

I appreciate that in terms of you know, a common theme amongst us is that we are excited about the in-house work we're doing.

We're gonna talk about how resource constrained we are.

I'm gonna continue that.

Um I'm doing so with the knowledge that we have a tight budget.

And so if I'm dreaming about things, more things that we can do with in-house money, that is primarily just because I'm looking forward to a future where we can do this more.

There's no I'm not being a flippant about the current budget situation.

Um also in listening to what my colleagues have said, I also my other two notes are that I'm just really proud of our work, both the breadth and quantity of our work.

And it's not just my team, like now that there's a traffic operations team, it's everyone.

Um I'm just talking, I'm just saying words.

Like everything that I'm doing here, there's a collection of civil servants behind it who are the who are what make this happen.

And so I just want to like we are very I'm very lucky.

We are all very lucky to have them serving the city.

I'm terribly proud.

And I hope you all feel the same way too.

So with respect to my team, I have three divisions.

I've divide design division first, and within them I have three separate groups.

The first one is Street Light.

LED conversion started this year.

That was that was our big accomplishment.

It's a huge accomplishment.

It's been around for I don't know how many years, eight years.

And so this is a Moby Dick of a project for us.

It is happening, and as of a couple days ago, I believe 40% of our LED luminars have been replaced.

All 47 of our gateways are installed for future connectivity for smart street lights.

Obviously, we have contractors, we have consultants, but all this passes through Domi staff.

And in this case, there's one staff person for the entire city who does street lights.

That's Denny Robinson.

He'd better be paying attention to this presentation today.

My second design group, which the branding is rough.

I still need to work this, but I'm calling them Vision Zero implementation.

Um, and within the they do three types of projects.

The first type of project is neighborhood traffic calming.

Uh, that project is entirely meant to slow down vehicle speeds on neighborhood streets.

We did 13 projects in 2025.

Uh I'm not naming them.

And just because I know someone's gonna ask me this at some point today.

Current status of our neighborhood traffic calming portal.

The big one there is 265 locations that meet our criteria for traffic calming and another 213 that need to be evaluated.

These projects are designed by in-house staff.

The evaluation process is a combination of consultants as well as in-house staff.

Uh so we also do what I'm calling uh vulnerable road user safety projects, uh VRU for short.

These projects are entirely focused on making our streets safer for our most vulnerable users, that being the pedestrian and the cyclists.

In most cases, these are gonna be intersection or cycling facility projects.

Um again, we did 14 projects this year.

These are high impact projects, typically using quick build materials, uh paint, flex post, signage, sometimes pre-cast concrete curves.

Um we are doing all these projects that I just mentioned in our neighborhood traffic calming budget, which in past year I believe is about 1.3 million dollars.

And then projects where we take a holistic look at the corridor and not immediately identify spot treatments for spot problems, uh spot problems.

I'm calling corridor safety projects.

Uh these take more effort, these are going to have some form of public engagement.

In many cases, Angie's team is going to help us by doing planning up front.

And these are ones where we combine our full suite of treatments and look at the corridor and identify problems, a combination of slowing down vehicle speeds, multimodal designs as well as intersection safety treatments.

Uh, these are valuable projects, they're harder for us to do just because of the quant like the amount of work involved, and we did three this past year.

So the Vision Zero implementation group did a total of 30 projects in 2025.

Five people.

Start to finish design, invoicing, five people.

And so my third design group is the traffic signal design group from the capital signal program.

We have currently we did four traffic signal construction projects in the city, and then three were designed that will be constructed next year.

The fun notes here are that 80 or 100% of these are funded by Pendot.

And that of that list on your screen right now, I believe four out of the seven were designed by in-house staff.

And that same bureau also manages our large quarter federally funded projects.

And so of that collection on the screen right now.

Um I'm putting BRT downtown loop into this group because even though we do not hold that contract, like my team is along for every step of the way because we own the infrastructure at the end of the day.

So every traffic signal problem, we're out there responding.

Every design question and construction issue, someone from my team is out there.

Uh, that was a major accomplishment for us.

We also began North Avenue, and then the BRT Oakland Uptown project began this year as well.

And then there are five large federally funded projects that are in various stages of design.

And we also do smart signals.

That is a this is hard.

This part of the job is really, really tough.

And it's been a long road for me and for my team, and we are so close to beginning construction of a city traffic management center, a facility that houses streaming footage as well as the ability to communicate to traffic signals in the field from one location.

Currently, we're dumb.

We go out and we look at them from the street corner, and it's not by choice, it's well, it is it's not by choice because we have no, we have no choice.

That's how we operate.

This is a major step for us.

Um it's gonna change how we respond to traffic needs in the city.

So, what I just laid out to you from the traffic signal side is $60 million, six people.

And then there are also two maintenance divisions that are within the traffic bureau, one does signs and markings.

Uh, our supervisor Ron Romano kindly put together this really large spreadsheet.

He's been keeping all year of all the stuff he's painted, all the signs he's done, it's a lot.

They're the best.

I love them.

They're great.

And something that I'm I'm most proud and excited about what they accomplished this year is that we have a thermoplastic truck and they are out there putting thermoplastic crosswalks on a street.

That is a city crew at 40th and Butler.

I went out there and watched them.

Uh you don't notice how nice these look compared to waterborne.

The amount of money we're saving, I roughly estimate per contractor 5,000 in intersection, the materials is 750 for the city.

And like every single one of you, I'm sure, have asked me at some point for crosswalks.

And this is like they look good, they feel good.

We can do it now.

Like, this is they have gotten so good at this.

And so, if there are a world in which we could have a truck and three people, we would be blasting these into the city nonstop.

I know that's not something that can be provided right now, but this is where we're going.

And I'll also acknowledge that these guys they support our vision zero projects for construction.

They do the signs, they do the flex posts.

In some cases, they do the thermoplaster crosswalks for the whole project.

And we also have two sign painters for the whole city who painted no one knows how many signs.

I guess 8,000 signs.

And they don't not only do they do signs, they do everything, they do banners, they do ice rings, they do your informational sign outside this door telling you what this chamber is, they made that sign.

And so I'm just excited about their work.

Like they're great.

17 full-time staff, if I have that right.

Yeah, 17 full-time staff for the whole city.

And then uh last but not least is our signals maintenance group.

This is a rough list of everything they did over the year.

Um, I would probably call their workload one of the more diverse in the city just because of how the traffic signal technology is changing.

And I would also consider them to be essentially first responders.

Because when polls get knocked down, like they are on the scene immediately to secure the site and begin cleanup.

And this is going into it.

These guys not only do they have to do heavy construction and that they're electricians, but there's a programming element.

There's a network communication element.

And they also go out.

And there's lines on the ground, you see the identify utilities underground.

We're the ones painting them.

So it's red.

They handle a lot of work.

We have 600, and I think 15-ish traffic signals in the city plus several flashing beacons.

It's a lot.

We had three signal poles knocked down.

At times we had anywhere from probably 75 signals that either were flashing or did not have power.

And so they were working non-stop for those first four or five days responding to calls.

Um 100 plus response calls.

And that group is 13 full-time staff.

So I'm really appreciative of all their work.

And I hope this presentation like shed some light in terms of how how much they accomplished for the city.

Alright.

So I'm the fiscal supervisor, and so I wanted to provide some numbers of what we have done as a department across the whole year through the end of November.

We have spent 73 million dollars of capital funds.

A lot of this has been reimbursed or is reimbursable and will be reimbursed, but that's just a scale of how much money we have spent.

Paving has 19 million dollars and slope projects driven primarily by the Mount Washington PIMA grant, 8.2 million dollars of money spent.

Other project areas that a lot of people ask questions about.

We spent about $4 million fixing up our local bridges, $400,000 in Vision Zero traffic common work, with the note that there's a lot of work that is still uninvoiced or unprocessed yet, but we'll be coming in maybe in the next month or into the new year.

And then $175,000 in bike infrastructure, which represents about a quarter of a percent of all the money that we've expended on the capital side.

So Domi is more than just bike lanes.

We have received 26 over 26 million dollars of reimbursements from uh Pandot for various federal projects and or grants.

Um and we have applied for $67 million in grant uh $67 million in funding across 20 about across 19 grant projects, and we're waiting to hear back still on uh big chunk of them.

Uh and that's the wrap of 2025 for 2026.

This is off on Domi has a very small operating budget slide where we are the seventh largest operating department, but we have the fourth largest budget overall because we have 47 million dollars of capital projects in the budget.

And then 61% of our capital money is directed into the paving program.

If you did if you uh remove that, that's 11 million dollars of local funding for all other projects in the city that we're managing the city.

Um and so for each non-paving capital dollar, this dummy brings in a dollar eighty in match or uh outside funding.

And I will pass it off to Jeff to talk about 2026 stuff.

And we're almost done, I promise.

For 2026, we're looking at add a couple new positions.

Um we do need that infrastructure engagement performance uh manager.

This person will be able to go out to the community, go out to the public meetings, um, engage everybody about our projects.

As you can see, we're really passionate about them.

We want the community and everybody also to know about them and be involved in them.

Um the next one is a press officer.

This is for all of our press releases.

Um we're looking to add a person that's gonna be able to get the social media and to get to the media or to get to um regular media about when our projects are happening.

And the last one is uh excuse me, it's a vision zero coordinator.

Um we talked about this position before.

Um we really this program has been going really well, but we really need a person that's gonna be a part of it, it's gonna own it and it's gonna drive it um the way it should be.

And we are looking to add two seasonal labors.

This is for Zach and his group.

This is to put two labors in um the bridge division, okay.

Um the 2026 uh milestones.

What the look for is Panther Haldo Bridge will be open this year in 2026.

Um we have three major road reconstructions.

We have Penn Avenue in the Garfield area that will be starting construction.

Smithfield Street in downtown Pittsburgh, and the Liberty Avenue in the strip district.

Um we also have State Safe Streets for All.

This is part of Vision Zero.

It's a 1.6 million planning grant that we are working with CMU on.

And on um in quarter two of 2026, we'll have the automated red light enforcement deployed.

Um we also have the traffic management center online.

Um we'll be able to do this by in the remote area and be able to manage and uh take a look at where all the signals are at in the city of Pittsburgh.

Majority of the city lights in City of Pittsburgh, I'm gonna rephrase that.

Um and also a couple of our projects that we that we are not we do not own, we're not the managers of it, but we do have a lot of city staff time is BRT.

The Uptown and Oakland portion will be finished construction in 2026.

Um the big one, the NFL draft.

Um, this is the biggest event that I know in my lifetime in Pittsburgh.

Um, we do have DOME staff that is dedicated to the draft and make sure um it goes well.

We have a lot of people coming in, we want to make sure they get in safely and get in um appropriately.

So we're working on that um a lot of hours.

Okay.

Um commercial street bridge detour.

This is a pending oversight project.

Um but we've been working with um Malik and his team on the um detour throughout the city of Pittsburgh and with councilwoman's help um to get people around without a lot of major headaches.

Um and also updates to the TIS.

This is the traffic impact study.

Um, Angie and her group, they have been really um that will be finished in 2026 also.

Um the objectives what we need help to get there.

Again, we're gonna keep on hard button on Vision Zero.

Um, we really need to hire that full-time vision zero coordinator.

Um, it's been going really well, it's successful, but we really need that position.

Um, also, you heard it from the whole team.

We want to expand in-house capacity.

Simple people, we need people.

We're doing things in-house, um, plan studies through Angie's group.

They're doing design work in um in Eric and Mike's work and Mike's Mike's group, and also with um Zach with the labor positions of actually fixing bridges and not writing work orders.

Um it's great to see.

Um we want to keep it doing it and doing it well.

Um also we want to improve delivery of capital projects, grant projects.

I've been with the city now for nine years, and when I first came, we had about five projects on the tip.

That was about that's for federally and state funded projects.

We're about 46 projects in that amount of time.

And then we also have other projects that we receive grant funding.

We want to go after more.

As you can see, we have a hungry team here.

We want to be able to go after those um grants, but we need money.

Um we would like to get a line item or some creative way to be able to go after more grants.

Um, like we said before, a lot of the grants have a 20% match, some of 5%.

Um, so for instance, for a million dollar project, if it's a 20% match, it's $200,000 of city dollars we're getting for a million dollar project.

We want to go after it, but we need some money to go after these grants.

Um, and also align our local agreement budget policies with Penn Dot.

Um, this is also to be able to get our projects to go faster.

Um, our projects are tied.

You guys see us up here a lot in the council chambers to go through legislation.

Charles Anderson, I think we had what 26 legislations to go through.

Um that took us time.

Every time we had to come up to see you guys, we love talking to you guys, but 26 times for a bridge is a lot.

Um that is that makes it go slower and makes it go longer, and we want to get these projects moving and get them open for the public.

Um that is all we have today for you guys.

Any questions?

Great.

Thank you.

Uh yeah, so I'll open it up to members.

Uh Councilwoman Gross, I know you have a time commit, so yeah, I promise to keep it short for all of my colleagues because I am running out the door.

Um you know we are struggling with budget.

And this is one of these conundrums, right?

It's like, but I'm also really enthusiastic about hearing about doing work in-house.

So most of us have now experienced lots of infrastructure projects.

And when it's all subcontracted, it takes years.

Well, you didn't make it into the scope for this year, your steps just fell down, and we've already scoped out the contract for next year, and then you're gonna wait another year and then another year, and then the price changes.

Um and so the more of these kinds of things that we can do in-house, we learned the same lesson at PWSA, right?

We used to, you know, everything was outsourced.

The entire and like the entire capital budget of PWSA and all the engineering.

And then, but there wasn't much work done.

And when suddenly, you know, 30 years of work hadn't been done, and you had to do all of the work, we really learned that some of it could be brought in-house, right?

And there were in-house crews ready for when the something happened with the water plant or something like that.

So that's a balance.

We're gonna have to juggle that because we really it is cost savings and it's expeditious, right?

You can get that project done in a year instead of three or four and move on to the next project.

So it it adds up, right?

So it's not in in both time and money, and time is money.

Um and then um I I wanted to ask about um some of the bridge projects, because we're doing some of that work in-house as well.

Um and I think this is just some work that I need to look at maybe the capital asset group, right?

Um I think it was both bridges and retaining walls that we kind of inventoried, and again, nobody had done that in generations, let alone decades, right?

And so now we have like here is the list of our walls.

I don't know what it was, a thousand walls, something like that.

Um and so what condition are they in?

Is that in cartograph?

Because we were voting on that earlier today.

Yeah, everything, um our entire retaining wall inventory exists within cartograph.

Great.

And that allows us also to compare to the some of the other utilities like PDBC is also using cartograph.

True?

False?

Do you know this?

I think that's also true.

So maybe something to check on.

It was meant to be true three or four years ago when we were all looking for, you know, for years they were all trying to get Excel to work both so they could actually compare things like, hey, do you already know you've got lots of leaking pipes on this hillside?

Because we've got a retaining wall on that hillside.

Um and I'm not sure.

I think it was the intention to all both switch over to cartographs so that those things could happen.

So you don't end up closing down the expressway for three days and imperiling people's neighborhoods.

Um so that's a good idea.

And then I'm just gonna leave I I was keeping it under five minutes.

I'm gonna leave with a crazy thought.

Engineers sometimes tell us things, right?

And not, you know, outside the city.

And um this one was affirmed to me when I visited Chicago a couple years ago with my daughter, and we did one of those river tours or on like a little river boat of the Chicago River, and you're looking at the architecture.

And all of the bridges are open steel mesh.

Great.

That are I have photos of them that I won't spend time finding, right?

And we know that you know generally people usually don't like them because they kind of go like I'm old enough to remember when like a lot of our bridges, I think like the Liberty Bridge was like that at one point in my lifetime, right?

They weren't asphalt surface.

And certainly they weren't concrete um peers.

Um and so I'm told by people who like sell steel bridges that um they're faster, a lot faster to construct.

Um, possibly cheaper in some cases, and last longer.

I'm not an engineer, I don't know these things, but I do see that they have them in other cities.

Um and in the Chicago River ones are it's it I think that river is smaller than like any of our rivers, but it's so they are not big bridges.

Um so you're not driving over the steel grate for a long time.

Um but just food for thought since we do have a lot of bridges and they are in terrible shape and they're all concrete and asphalt.

And they've you know it's expensive to maintain.

So I'll just leave you with that.

Just food for thought.

Thank you.

I appreciate it, madam chair.

Thank you.

I'm not sure who it was.

Councilman Strasberger next councilman Charlotte.

I don't remember.

Okay.

Uh so that well, thank you all for for being here.

Um also I I want to appreciate thank you for recognizing the overarching uh you know situation that we're in here um in terms of our budget.

And um I you know I appreciate most of you have referenced kind of the understanding the reality that that we're facing here, uh, which you know, none of us none of us really want to be in.

Um I want to start off though, again, with talking about some of the um our financial constraints here.

Something that is always been on my radar is our inability to go after grants because we don't have the matching funds, and and really that is us leaving money on the table.

There's so much more work that all of you can do if we were able to have that to have a approval to go over uh you know, after these monies that exist and we're just losing out on.

Um I I really do think it is like you know, there's there's major cost savings that come from that.

Um I I know specifically, you know, Mike.

I think this was you you kind of educated me on this the first and and others have as well, but the idea of the these green micro grants that are you know a lot of free money for us, and we sh really should never be paying for paying full cost for signal upgrades when there is that money there.

But sometimes we just cannot find the matching funds.

Um, you know, so I I do want to ask you, you know, how much do we think we really need in order to create that that line item that will allow you to go after this additional money.

Um we'll take a look at that to be give you a better number.

We could take a look at it and get back to you.

Yeah.

I'm not sure top of my head.

I I mean I think it's i i and the concept that we have been told from OMB of we we want to require the project managers to go after their own grants is crazy.

I the none of you have time for that.

Um none of none of the folks working for you have have time for that.

I I we need to make sure like that is such a cost savings if we can figure out how to run that correctly.

Yeah, our grants right now for Delamy, we have Angie Martin, she's one who spearheads it for the department.

Um so the project managers really talk to Angie, and Angie talks to them about what the priorities are.

She works with the grants team at the mayor's office, and that's how good.

Yeah, and you know, just to give you like a sense of scale um for what we would need in that line item, we very likely would be looking um at you know millions in the bigger years.

So like this year, um SPC opened, that's the uh regional MPO.

Um they process a lot of grants that were eligible for our from federal dollars.

Um those are all 20% matches.

Um but we pack it the the uh projects that we're applying for our corridors.

So we applied um submitted C Mac applications for Warrington Avenue and for Murray Avenue this year.

Um I think Warrington has seven seven signals, uh Murray has nine.

So those projects are seven to nine million dollars.

So to get us the twenty percent match, um, you know, we have to to be able to meet that.

But again, it's that uh value for we put in 20 and we get you know the 80%.

And these are all infrastructure um that are past their current life anyway.

So like realistically their maintenance issues as well.

And so us being able to spend our time, you know, putting together really good project proposals, really sound construction estimates and plants, that is a much better use of our time than us having to, you know, pilfer through old accounts trying to cobble together the local match needed.

I would just like to find a way to make it a little bit more of like a fluid thing.

These are these are money um, you know, in the case of the SPC grants, um, that you know, the Fed down to this region saying that based on our population, this is how much transportation investment, you know, we should be making.

And so I think you're absolutely right.

Like if we're not going after these grants, we're um leaving money that's for us on the table.

And it's just the case that we have to, you know, match it 20%.

Yeah, I um I you know, I I want to the I I know that there's a lot of projects that you guys all want to work on, but the overarching project that really needs to happen in your department, and it's not with you as much as it is, you know, OMB, but that is the that is the project that I think will have the most impact on all of your work.

Um finding a way a way to do that.

Um so I I do hope that we're able to work with the next administration and really figure out a better way um to bring those dollars in and not leave money on the table.

Um, you know, because we end up in a situation like this here.

Uh so that being said, uh some more specific projects.

I wanted to talk about the LED light conversion.

Um so we're talking there, we're talking uh street lights, not signals, correct?

Correct.

How far along are we in there?

How are we choosing neighborhoods?

What what's tell me about that project?

I I have not been updated on that in a while.

We're 40% done.

Really?

And so I don't know how many crews we have working a day, but it's just basically like a little chain they go down.

They just chew their way through the city.

It's picked by council district, and there's also an equity component into this in terms of selecting which neighborhoods we go to.

Um it's by and large, it's is going smoothly.

Right.

We started this in April, so we are eight months into it.

I'm almost halfway done.

We have had some concerns about the the light that is emitted, but by and large, compared to our partner cities that did this, you know, four or five years ago.

Um we're lucky to have done it now instead of then because the light technology and how we view street lighting in the city has changed.

Uh so we believe that it'll be completed by the end of next year.

Is it about about right?

I don't want that sounds right to me.

Okay, Jeff, my my boss is saying yes.

I don't want I don't speak out of turn.

Sure.

Yeah.

Okay.

Uh yeah, that's something I mean since I started here as a staffer, that is something that we've been clamoring for in specifically Beltsover and Knoxville.

If you could give me an update on where they are in terms of uh being upgraded there.

We we know that we and it came up uh specifically during Halloween we were talking about all the kids running around and not having you know the the neighborhood just being broadly too dim what we can do to improve that so you know please let me know where we are on that.

Yes.

You know so I guess the other traffic thing I'm I'm sure others will ask you a lot about a lot of the other traffic calming issues here.

And I I often um I I feel like I've spent enough time with you that it that I I feel like I'm I'm preaching some of your your gospel when I talk to you that's not good.

The the you know the the argument that I always make is that no one would pretend to be you know a a a bridge engineer but everyone pretends to be a traffic engineer.

And I often well why do you think I'm so angry on the but I I often am I you know like when I'm driving I'm like man these lights they should be time different like you know and there's probably a lot more that is into that calculation than I'm aware of.

But how how often are you looking at the you know the timing of lights and um you know like an example that I'm thinking of is like the left left turn signal on the 10th street bridge coming into town that's that's green for a second and only a second and it is on my commute and I'm mad at you every morning.

You know you know my number yeah but how often are are you looking at that?

So state of good practice is every two years to you do it but not that's state of good practice.

As as I'll I will harp on there are six people on my team who focus on traffic signals and they're also the ones who are managing the pro like the 60 million dollars of projects and so if I'm being painfully blunt it's when we get time project delivery is always going to be the thing like that's that's where we make the most difference in my opinion.

It's gonna be driven by three on ones and then simply time.

If someone has time you can also only like right now I mentioned we're doing things dumb yeah we can only I have to be boots on the ground standing in a corner with a clipboard looking at things to make that adjustment for that protected left turn from Armstrong Bridge onto second Avenue 10th Street bridge.

And so the answer is we don't have it programmed.

I would like to and if we like the things such as the traffic management center as well as getting fiber.

You know I've struggled so much to get fiber pulled into 412.

So once we get that fiber pulled in there and we can actually talk to the signals then it's gonna be like on a day to day basis like as we're as we're working we see problems.

If we get eyes on these traffic signals we can be doing it as much or as little as we want so I I do want to put a request in for you know I the tensory that I wrote it down.

That's my issue.

I got you but I do want to talk about the the rest of Carson Street I think that that does need to be re-timed um especially with the um the safety improvements that have been made on Sarah Street I think that is something that we need do need to look through uh if if you know and I'd be happy to if you want to like any if we talk off offline I'd be happy to look into that.

Yeah um so the other thing I want to mention you know it it will be a big fight for me this year that we're able to get uh I believe it's 200,000 that we need for the uh Bald off street uh you know uh kind of uh affiliated with the a porto or the Billy Buckhill landslide um you know I think that's we're gonna have to find that somewhere I I'm not sure where but um I you know I've talked to you guys about that before I I do wonder though a project like that where we need 200,000 in the grand scheme of things not that much money to move forward in design why why is it that you think that OMB did not score we're literally saving people's houses.

Why did that project not score well like people I have no idea people will be homeless if that project does not yeah I mean we were of course discouraged also when we didn't I I don't know that's a question for O and B.

So if you look in the back of the Capitol budget book it tells you of the five schools who scored it so you can ask the representatives from council how they scored.

Yeah.

People are gonna lose their homes if we don't move forward on this project.

You know, I I I just don't understand how kind of how those things don't don't get scored well and and what else in through the city is is struggling like that.

And I do hope that that's something that we're able to to change our process around.

We agree, yeah.

Okay, cool.

Uh the last thing I just wanted wanted to mention um some kind of positives that your department has worked through this year.

I really appreciate all the the work that has gone into the 18th Street um vulnerable road user network um safety improvements that that has been you know fantastic to see.

Also 21st Street, I think all of us will be happy when we don't have to wonder wonder what's gonna happen with the end of that DCE grant there.

Thank you so much for your community process on that.

Um again, wanna want to thank uh, you know, Zangy and and really Rylan who were able to make some of our our traffic or our parking issues in Southside uh move forward so that we're able to to build a project that we've been litigating for for years now, and you know, it was really a lot of your hours and hard work to be able to make that happen.

Um the one other employee that is not in your uh necessarily in your department but works so closely with you is is Jan, who has been uh so val valuable for me, you know, to have someone with some of the expertise that can go out into the district, meet with residents, often translate from engineer to, you know, neighbor, and be able to mitigate that s that solution, even if it isn't necessarily the result that that the neighbor wants to see, but being able to have someone from DOME and from the city come out there with a level of expertise um is is just so important and um you know I really really appreciate that relationship and how that's been working over the last two years or so.

Jan might be like the most important person to me, right?

I mean I'm not not to like insult my teammates or anyone at the table right here, but I talk with Jan on a daily basis.

And he's a unicorn in terms of I'm true, in terms of his ability to like have the emotional intelligence to talk with different audiences as well as the technical attitude to like learn things, pick them up and convey them.

Um I can't speak for my colleagues, but my operations suffer if he's not part of them.

Yeah.

He's he's so good.

Yeah, and and knowing, you know, again um trying to get you to come out to a uh a site visit and your your spread so thin as it is, being able to send be able to send Yon so you can continue doing the work that you're supposed to be doing, and you know, Yon can be yelled at for a little bit.

Uh is a district two.

Uh so just no kidding aside, like my team has the most public scrutiny, I think, in terms of our projects.

And I would burn out and leave this position if I had to go in front of the community, the amount of times that are asked at me.

So having someone like Jan who's removed from that is a major reason why I'm still here.

It's great to hear.

Um, you know, we will all be talking a lot more, I'm I'm sure.

But just wanna want to thank you guys for for coming out today and uh pray for us as we try to figure this budget out.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

Councilwoman Strasberger.

Thank you.

I'll I'll read reiterate what my colleagues have said about and I've worked with each and every one of you on various projects or programs or task forces and cannot speak highly enough about the work that you and your teams do on a daily basis.

It's just I think that one Evan, that one fire chart that shows that the c capital relative to operating is the most striking of all of this.

I mean, what you are able to accomplish relative to other departments and the budget that you work with based um relative to the the operating that you're given is really something.

And it has been for a while.

This is not news.

Um questions.

One is if we were to reimagine what I I you know, I I see that as um as we have as DOME has been sort of you know, it it's not and I would not say it's it's in its infancy anymore, but it has it's been you know, continuing to grow and learn in which ways it's growing and build the plane why it's while it's flying it, right?

Continuing to figure that all out.

Like you you you you you learn and then you iterate and then you learn some more.

And I mean, right now we know that when it comes to traffic calming.

We have there's not there's a reason there are 2500 individual requests out there, right?

It's because people see that that is the tool that the city has and then they request it, and then they see their neighbors getting speed humps and they're like, I want that, and everyone wants it.

But if there was a world in which I just want to ask the question like anyone who wants to answer in terms of your philosophy or theory if there were the possibility of of partnering engineering like speed humps or shicanes or whatever it might be shortened crosswalks with increased enforcement that we knew we were going to get um how would that change your approach to some of these and is that would that be a welcomed like additive or would that help supplant some of these requests because we knew hey like this isn't a great candidate for speed humps because we have so many others we have to get to but we know that we could work with public safety or automation to ensure that at this one speedway or intersection we knew that it was so I know Arlie's coming online and that's one thing but that's not going to be everything right so how are you thinking about that?

Yeah um I'll get it started and then anyone else who wants to chime in please um so I think what you're honing in on is really the future of the work especially the vision zero program.

So recognition that we are not gonna build our way to you know safe drivers or zero fatalities or you know more comfortable you know streetscapes or our residential neighborhoods you know all of these things rely on a combination of roadway design elements um good user behavior um enforcement is one of those things that can change behavior so it's a critical part of the work um as well as like making sure that we have the policies and standards in place to be able to you know regulate at various levels of government so um it's no secret to DOME that you know we're not gonna build our way to uh you know vision zero or to meet every single one of these needs and that we really need to be working to uh solve things more comprehensively um so you know the things that I am looking forward to sort of on the horizon of this work is Domi doing more of the you know program sort of element um whether that's through vision zero working groups um we had our very first vision zero conference this year which sold out it was excellent um and our complete streets advisory group so how can we sort of engage with residents at a policy level as opposed to having to pretend that every the end all be all is a project because it's absolutely not it's about how we you know respect each other as neighbors it's about how you know if we're choosing to drive or run a red light park too close to an intersection block an ADA ramp.

So the advancing the complete streets advisory group will be one way that we can you know build that out as a part of that 1.6 million dollar safe streets for all grant um there's some additional work in there um a street design guide book um which will help us sort of standardize a lot of these uh treatments across the board um as well as some funding for a community ambassadors program and that's where we'll actually be able to uh you know offer small funds grants um educational materials for neighbors to talk to their neighbors about um safe streets so you know we don't need to feel that the only way to have you know people driving responsibly on your street is to install a asphalt hump you know there's other tools and the toolbox and you know if we approach these problems comprehensively um you know that's gonna be how we actually you know solve um solve it at the global level and not just you know what's happening on the street outside of my front door I'll I'll just go to suggest that I'm always gonna want to build things hair on fire.

Like I don't see there's a world in which I want that world to exist but I don't think it's coming anytime soon.

And so I don't see what you suggest changing my approach but I think you know we asked for very we had very few positions we asked for one of which is a vision zero coordinator.

And so having someone and like I know I've I've heard a mayor like O'Connor speak about vision zero so I have zero concerns about him not moving this forward.

But any time there's a change on like you all's role in terms of making sure vision zero is prioritized and we have this person who can be dedicated to it full time and like thinking of ideas or working with you collectively is so crucial to moving this forward.

Yeah no having engaged with vision zero in various capacities I see that the benefit and the what I always tell people is it's the multi departmental approach that really is what makes it special and um what makes it effective as well and I know that will grow and iterate as as well in the years to come.

So and I did I mentioned enforcement but of course yeah thank you for reminding us and reminding me that there are multiple elements of what makes safe streets.

My my motivation there is both the acknowledgement that there aren't un you know is public safety and there aren't unlimited funds.

That would be um while also then satisfying the public safety needs that are being asked for.

You know, that's what I'm trying to get out there.

Okay.

Um I was um uh honored, I guess is the word to take place in the Charles Anderson Sprint, so-called um uh Charles Anderson Sprint um task force to look at what was mentioned at the end of this presentation about how we can thank you, Eric, for for your for your leadership there on how we can um how is it phrased here?

Uh align local agreement and budget policies with Penn Dot and SPC policies, bring down the number of times that something like a bridge project is coming back to council.

Um that was eye-opening.

Just how the like long and security is like just like route that any kind of budget or project that has to do with pen dot takes like shoots in ladders.

And um I just want to ask, like, who is owning that so that we can continue moving that forward despite an administration change?

Because I don't want to lose that work.

I think it's really crucial that we figure out some solution to make these projects go faster on the on on the on the on the on the like bureaucratic end, not necessarily the design end, maybe the design end too.

Um so I will say, I mean I was really excited that we did some of that work with Charles Anderson and and some of the follow-up we had, and you know, I saw some hope and I think it kind of lost steam um over this past year.

Um it's something I would like to focus on in the new year and really put some effort into it, some time into it.

Um, you know, particularly now with with Zach being my deputy and taking a closer oversight of the structure stuff, I would like to to spend some time on like the process improvement aspect.

Um, you know, if you're still excited about that, I would be happy to work together and see what we can do in the new administration.

Um I don't I think it's hard.

I think I mean I think even just like even just explaining all the steps that lead to the time is like it's it's hard to even like it just explain where we're at and and why it takes so long.

Um but I think there's a lot of things that could be done.

I think a lot of them are very complicated and are gonna require everyone from different department from the mayor's office from consult to buy in if we want to try to pursue some of those, some changes.

Um but I think it could pay like as we've acknowledged, we we want more staff.

We are not in a situation where we can expect to have any significant staff growth this year because of the budget is so tight.

But on the flip side, if we reduce the workload, that has the same effect of allowing us to um just move things through in a faster.

And and the the overall goal, of course, is to deliver projects that help our citizens.

So it's it's not about to us, I think we want to get the project delivered.

And we want to, you know, I think we do enough of that work, enough of that 80 to 100% federally funded work that it could be worth looking specifically in that area.

Are there processes that maybe only apply to those things?

But you know, it's worth potentially having separate processes that would would align with the way the feds give us money and allow those things to move faster.

So um yeah, I'm hoping that that there'll be some appetite to to look at that again in the new year.

So to put a scale on that, we've advanced around 80 pieces of legislation this year.

I would say sixty of those uh somehow tied to either uh a tip project, either an RA issuance, adjustment, supplement, or the contracting piece.

So we've been to the council 60 times for projects that uh budget approved and just we have to come here to either add additional federal money that we've got because a new phase is coming online, or a phase went over budget and we went to SBC, got the extra $300,000.

So we had to come back here, go through the six-week process of legislation and then go through the four-month contracting process.

So there is definitely the Eric is right.

If we could find a way to streamline that process, we could save a ton of time on that end.

And I could add one more thing to that.

The the task force you mentioned was stood up when we were trying to get the Charles Anderson construction agreement executed within the notice to proceed window that we have for these Penn Dot oversight projects.

Um, I felt that it was critical that we did it, that we we meet that goal, but I didn't know if we could, and folks were were kind enough.

You know, we had weekly meetings, um, you were on, I was on, and we had various directors and and you know, chiefs and lots of lots of folks from every department in these meetings weekly, and we made it happen.

thing to that the the the task force you mentioned was stood up when we were trying to get the Charles Anderson construction agreement executed within the notice to proceed window that we have for these pendon oversight projects um you know I felt that it was critical that we did it that we meet that goal but I didn't know if we could and folks were were kind enough you know we had weekly meetings um you were on I was on and we had various directors and and you know chiefs and lots of lots of folks from every department in these meetings weekly and we made it happen um which is great but obviously you can't do those meetings for all projects you shouldn't have to we're currently working towards notice to proceed on our Penn Avenue phase two project um we're waiting for some agreements notice proceed is supposed to be given on January 5th we are very close to the end of the year shutdown and I'm not you know just trying to get some information today if we're gonna meet that date and I'm not sure if we're going to um but I want to find a way that we don't have to have everybody on weekly calls to make it happen just make a process that works.

Absolutely we have to wait make a way for government to work for people without all the bureaucracy there right like we just want the bridges to be fixed and in place and built and and that's that right so to answer your question Eric is going to be so glad to hear it and then I was debating whether to ask this question there's there's news coming out that is I think surprised to some of us on council that um Waymo drivers realist taxis might be coming to Pittsburgh and wondering if there was anything that has that that you're aware of that has um where where they have interacted with the city government at all I'll go ahead and take that because um new mobility services and sort of these uh new uh mobility or technology deployments happen to fall under the planning group um so we were not aware there's been you know a public or I news article that came out about Waymo which operates um autonomous vehicles in several cities throughout the country uh coming to Pittsburgh um in the state of Pennsylvania uh we've been preempted at the state level in order to uh put very much potentially any regulation on those operators um however uh we maintain a really good relationship with the Pendot Central office that does issue the state level permits and so um we're in the process of lining up conversations with them to see what we might be able to do um at the local level even though it looks like we've been preempted at the state so um this is a company that operates again um in other cities um I believe that they are operating in Philadelphia um I can't say I'm surprised to see them potentially coming to Pittsburgh because of that preemption thing um but we have had I think success in um you know working with these new technology deployments um and prior years uh this was all kind of pre-COVID um we were working with several autonomous vehicle testers operating in the city so it's not an foreign concept to us we've seen them deployed in other cities which means we have good examples of things that work things to kind of be prepared for um but certainly you know we'll we're gonna try to get as much ahead of it as we possibly can um because there will be questions that the public will have um as these you know autonomous uh vehicles are are deployed on city streets I appreciate your answer it's a very diplomatic way of putting it and um I hope that they I hope that you are able to work with them and that they come to us to work with us as well so um those those are the extent that's the extent of my questions.

Thank you.

Thank you so much thank you.

Oh thank you I want to thank you all for all of the work that you do across the city of Pittsburgh but this is actually one of the departments that actually does a lot of work in district two whether you want to or not for landslides and you know other things that happen there but and I want to thank you for always responding and always trying to come up with something to prevent the $14 million worth of work um to stabilize Grandview in that area so that helped both of us um so I want to thank you for all that work and how do you check on it to see how that's holding up yeah we get out there and you think it's okay still it's doing great yeah we did have some small repairs made to the green leaf sites.

Okay those are good now and um yeah we'll keep monitoring it'll go into our retaining wall inspection program.

I got a little nervous because I went by one damn thing and that doesn't look good there again heart starts racing as if it's me causing the land so um okay so I'm thankful thank you for for the uh your work there but so McGord and then Elliott you're doing a lot of work in Elliott a lot of the so many landslides or uh slope remediation issues I think we have the number one in the city in district two the number you know the most in district two so um and how are you with funding for those for the cut the coming year same thing.

Yeah so um Herndon Street of course is one of the ones that you're referencing we do have the funding for that it should be going out to bid for construction um within the next couple weeks um and we'll start work next year so that's funded um I don't believe that there is specific funding for some of the other streets up there right now we've been you know been asking for a number of years now hernd did get funded and and has progressed but correct me if I'm wrong I don't think emerald view not on in Elliott but over um in the mount yeah yeah in the mount that one that one has funding so that one's progressing.

Right now, we've been, you know, been asking for a number of years now.

Um Herndon did get funded and has progressed.

But correct if I'm wrong, I don't think.

Emerald View.

Emerald View and Elliott, but over um in the mount, yeah.

Yeah, in the mount.

That one, that one has funding, so that one's progressing.

But okay.

And then you're doing a lot of work on McGardle.

Yep.

And so I just want people to know that there's a lot of work.

I I'm not gonna go through all the lists, but I do know that there's significant work from your department in district occurring in district two.

One of the things I do want to talk about is the bike infrastructure and the traffic calming.

And I I love the idea of calming traffic.

I like the idea of maybe making people take the driver's less test, you know, license test over again.

I don't know.

Because they think this is such a problem right now, I really do.

I mean, all everywhere I go, no matter what city, no matter what state, it's uh it's an issue.

And so um I would like to see something more there.

But I do worry that when we're putting in all this infrastructure to slow things down, that we're also slowing down our first responders.

And I also am concerned that when you're putting in infrastructure, we have an aging population in the city of Pittsburgh, and it's not as easy to navigate those things, you know, when you're when you're an elderly person.

Trust me, I'm elderly.

So I guess uh so I want to know um do you take any of that into consideration?

You know, the the ability, you know, ability of other people, or is it just we want to put bike infrastructure in and that's it.

That's a that's a nuanced answer.

Uh what I will say is certainly not, we just want to put in bike infrastructure, that's it.

Like nothing traffic, I actually think is traffic engineering is the only like human-centered branch of civil engineering, I think.

And so everything we do from traffic signals, whatever, has to have some form of human design around it.

Um from from the um the aging population in terms of driving.

I that is not I know of I don't know of any literature that could guide me about having like in intersection devices or at things be age-friendly.

Um people do complain about their ability to navigate them, which even though that's that's like a frustrating thing, that can be embarrassing at times.

Like if someone's having trouble navigating navigating the stuff, it means they're probably moving very slowly, which in my mind is a a good thing.

Like because if you're moving slowly, then your likelihood of you severely injuring or killing someone is severely reduced.

Um it comes to bike lanes.

If you're driving, I think, right?

Not if you're walking.

If you're if you're driving a car.

Yeah.

So and so people see confusion.

I'm concerned about the people, the pedestrians.

You know, the senior citizens.

Mostly that's my concern.

Sure.

Is that there's seniors and people we've heard from people from the dis you know varying ability communities, and um they have trouble navigating their you know, equipment and stuff.

And I had talked about this before, maybe talking to and working with and putting when you have a task force working with um pioneer school and school for the blind and different people to get a group of people.

So you're getting diverse opinions.

That's all.

And maybe some of the senior centers or something.

Angie's work with complete streets.

I'm happy to talk about the first responders more, but Angels are.

Well, I'm just saying for all together for all this work, collective work.

You need to have some collective responses and some feedback from different opinions.

I mean, when honestly, when I see the Penn Avenue, the the bike lanes, I'd be livid if I put money into a business and you just plop down bike lanes down Penn Avenue without you know having a real feedback with them and trying to figure out how you could work with them.

I went down there the other day.

I couldn't believe it to be honest with you.

But um for me that's my those are my concerns, other than um making sure that we're doing the continuing the projects.

I'm happy that you're putting in the lights.

Um the speed bumps, I want to know why we're not doing more of the in-house if we're even trying to train anyone to do it in-house.

So Domi doesn't have um the street division.

Um it's uh goes through a DBW, and we were working with DPW on um we actually had them shadow um our team, not our team, the contractor that makes speed humps.

So right now that'd be a DPW function, but we were working on it with um to do it in-house.

Um we're looking to do that in 2026.

It'll be easier, cheaper, faster.

Um we're just gonna keep on continuous conversations with DPW.

I just think it would probably you know eliminate that list, that waiting list a little bit if you could do it in-house when you need it just.

If we had the people in the material dummy would do it, but right now it sits with DPW.

Well, I'm sure the new administration coming in is gonna make some changes from from that from what I understand.

From what I understand.

I could I could be miss I could have misunderstood.

But I think in terms of making sure that you everybody can operate the way they need to.

Um everybody does it.

Every administration comes in and makes some some kind of changes.

Um The other thing I want to know about the li the timing of the lights of the West End Circle.

Who does that?

You do that.

So what I hear all the time, constantly is that the West End is held up while they're coming through the the strip to go over the bridge from the South Hills.

So it's a our people are held up at the West End Circle and traffic's backed up all the way up, you know, uh Noble Stown Road.

Well, meanwhile the cars are flying through.

You know.

So they're always asking about the timing of those lights.

And we've we've addressed them a couple times, but it's still just not perfect.

Our people in the West End are constantly waiting.

Oh, add this to my list.

Yeah.

It's in the West End, so I just want to make sure.

You know, because I mean Jan actually lives right by there.

So does David Fromm.

For the record, Yan has never complained to me.

Can I just say no?

He doesn't complain about anything because they're amazing.

They are amazing.

All three of those guys, Dave, uh, David Fromm and Jan and Ronnie Framuth.

They're all just amazing District 2 dome residents.

Um, but I just want to I'll end it with um Evan.

You know, if you could just tell me, you know, my husband and your father-in-law, Bob Sharlon's dad, have worked together for over 40 years.

And I get invited to the family reunions every year.

So when I'm there, the one thing I keep hearing his mother say is I don't know why I don't have any grandkids.

I plead the fifth.

So I thought I'd take this opportunity to ask you on behalf of Bob's mom.

She wants to be a grandma.

And you're fiscally responsible.

So you say, no, you could probably get you could probably get a tax you know write up or something.

Well that could that question's from her dad, not the dad.

Okay, Bob put me up to it.

But thank you all for your work.

And thank you, Councilwoman, for having the meeting.

I think the media has its clip right now.

Um there any other follow-up questions for members?

You want to ask him if he's gonna have kids?

I've got some kids you can borrow some.

Um yeah, so uh I I you know I just want to say thank you all so much.

I the sheer volume of work that this department does is just truly mind-boggling, right?

With 120 people.

Um Yeah, I mean, it's it's I mean, we we we've been sitting here just just to get through the presentation alone, is um uh it's incredible, right?

Like the accomplishments from from every section, and you are all so organized and um so responsible.