Thank you.

For the record, we're currently joined by Bob Sharlin.

What I would like to do is turn it over to Ms.

Price, if you would just introduce yourself, tell us a little bit about yourself and why you're willing to serve on this critically important board.

Great.

First of all, uh thank you for setting aside this time for me.

But um, yeah, my name is Rhea Price.

Uh just a little bit about my background.

Um I I received my uh undergraduate training at the University of Pittsburgh, and I obtained my master's degree in public administration from uh Gispia, the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

Um apparently it's just uh SPIA now.

But um I started my career at the city back in two thousand six, and my first job there was with the Pittsburgh Partnership.

Then after a year, I actually moved over into uh City Council's budget office in two thousand seven, um worked there for a year, and then I moved over into the Office of Management and Budget in uh two thousand seven.

And I worked uh at that time I was hired as a senior budget analyst, and I worked in the Office of Management and Budget until um the end of twenty seventeen.

And I um my progression went from senior budget analyst to operating budget manager, and ultimately to uh the assistant director who handled the operating budget and special revenue.

Then in January of twenty eighteen, I moved overseas for a few years.

Um for about a year and a half.

Then I was hired for uh at Pittsburgh Water as their capital budget manager.

I'm back here with the city again.

So I'm back in uh the Office of Management and Budget Um as the uh deputy budget director, and currently um serving as the acting director until we find a director.

Thank you very much.

Um let the record reflect that Councilwoman Warwick has also joined us.

With that, I will turn it over to members if they have any questions.

I'll start with Councilman Sharlin.

Yes, uh, thank you, Council President.

Uh Rhea, it is is very good to see you.

Um, although uh we are virtual this morning.

Um good to see a friendly face in OMB and someone that we worked long with and and trust really well here.

Um, for your appointment here.

This is is certainly one of those positions that uh I don't think we we know a whole lot about or I shouldn't say we know a whole lot about.

This is is certainly one of those positions that uh I don't think we we know a whole lot about or no I shouldn't say we know a whole lot about it's not something that that's constantly on our mind um and really is kind of one of those things that we only would hear about if something was wrong.

Um so I just wanted to to ask you um with your appointment here uh uh how how do you you plan on engaging with council and letting us know if things are wrong or if um uh you know what what the the state of the the trust fund is um so you're you're specifically asking about the uh the the pension trust fund um so um last I looked at uh the funding status um the last report um I saw was from last year and I believe it was about 70% funded.

Um that is a huge difference from um my previous time whenever I was in uh the Office of Management and Budget.

Um I actually worked here when we were still under Act 47 and uh there was a year when uh the state was actually threatening uh to take over our pension fund.

So um right now like I do believe that uh we're in our pension fund is in a pretty good state and uh yeah I would definitely uh make sure uh that I communicated uh any if we were in like a distressing situation with the pension um you should know about that right away so but I like I'm pretty confident that we're in a good state at this point yeah and you know it it's certainly something that I think uh a lot of our pre predecessors have worked really hard on um it we're we're fortunate that we're not in the position that the county is in um or or other agencies uh because it has been such an effort to make sure uh we we've made this a reliable benefit uh for our longtime employees and for folks that have left here and um but again most importantly it's something that I don't think is on the front of any of our minds like right now the fleet is or any of the other looming problems but it is something that certainly could be a thing that drags us down in the future um and you know all all I'd ask is that you communicate with us uh regularly to let us know where we are and um you know it is something that comes up usually in the budget budget season but ends up being a um some version of a hey we're in an okay spot here conversation um and just just asking that that continues to to be the case yeah 100% I will definitely uh uh communicate with you and um I know in the past uh the CMPTF would uh put reports of the funding status uh on the website so um I can make sure that that continues in the future if it um has not over the past year awesome and uh I the only other question I I have for you um you know as a r returning uh employee here which uh which Pittsburgh neighborhood is your favorite and why do you live there now well as you know I live in the South side so of course that's my favorite um I've lived in Greenfield before so uh yeah both Greenfield and Southside both wonderful neighborhoods well uh thank you so much for being here Rhea um and I'm I'm very excited that we get to work together again.

Thank you um I'm excited as well thank you council president thank you uh let the record reflect we've also been joined by councilwoman Solanetro as well as councilwoman Frosberger um councilwoman do either of you have questions I don't really have anything to question Rhea I know how wonderful she works I know how dedicated she is in the city I just want to say welcome back and hoping to have a very open lines of communication with you um that's always my concern is making sure that I can pick up the phone and call you anytime.

Absolutely all right and I appreciate that.

That's just World Frostbord any questions.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I also I wanted to make sure Councilwoman Warwick didn't have any questions, but um I'm happy to go.

I welcome.

Welcome back to the city.

Actually, price.

It's great to see you.

And um I my questions follow the same line of thinking as some of the previous questions.

I'll frame it a little differently.

Council often gets information about revenue and spending, just like very generally budgeting from a lot of different sources from the finance director, from the director of OMB, from our own city council budget director's office, as you know, and from the city controller.

In your world, like having a vantage point that you do, having served in so many different roles that I just mentioned.

What do you think is the best way to synthesize that information?

So the information that council members are getting, not just when we pick up the phone and call you, because I know that you'll be accessible and um wonderful to provide us with information as we need, but in this in this acting role for now, you know, for this time period.

What do you see as the ideal I don't know, way to ensure that the communication that flows to council is proactive and then it's coming from maybe one source and not conflicting sources from different offices.

Um that's a very good question.

Um so since I've left, um, it seems that um you have regular monthly meetings, the joint financial task force meetings.

Um I believe that those are going to continue.

So I think that is a great for forum to be uh sharing uh regular financial information.

Um I believe you know that uh this office produces quarterly reports as well.

And um whenever we publish those reports, I think it um might actually uh be helpful to set up meetings whenever uh we release those.

So um, you know, because I think that those are produced, but nobody really reads them.

So, you know, a lot of work does go into those.

And uh like I know um in the past, whenever I worked over here in OMB, I really enjoyed putting those together.