Good morning, and welcome to the standing committee's agenda for May uh March fourth, twenty twenty-six.

All meetings will be live streamed on the website.

And um our first order of business is roll call.

Will the clerk please take the roll?

Mr.

Sharland.

Mr.

Coghill.

Ms.

Gross.

Mr.

Lavelle.

Mr.

Mosley.

Mrs.

Salonetro.

Here.

Mrs.

Warwick.

Here.

Mr.

Wilson.

Mrs.

Strasberger Chair.

Here.

Six members present.

Thank you.

Our next order of business is public comment.

I would like to remind all speakers that rules of council of state that comments are limited to matters of concern, official action, or deliberation, which are or maybe before before city council and profanity will not be permitted.

Please state your name and neighborhood for the record.

Our first speaker is Dr.

Ronald Lynn Miller.

Who I do not see.

Our next speaker is Liretta Payne.

Is Liretta Payne with us?

Not seeing then, we will move on to Icahana Helmakina.

But we are waiting for a global scale, a downright appalling.

Just a few shortly cigar.

And now the eradication of Ibrahim, the IFO.

Many Americans are trying to figure out the power they make it back home for if we will make it back home.

And I got three last week warm last weekend to warn people before they travel abroad of the dangers that are looming.

And now the president sits back and he's like, oh, figure it out yourself.

When people are in limbo uncertain how they will chart their pathway back to their homeland in America, where they belong.

I think the world gets it now, and I think every traveler will be a little more cautious as they plan vacation or plan for spring break.

But this is not just an injustice overseas.

Because Martin Luther King told us eloquently that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

And I'll be back with you.

Thank you for your time.

And I urge you all to do something to secure the people from America.

Thank you very much.

I was here a few weeks ago to express my concerns on Mr.

Vatts' appointment and the article that was published on the same day.

Mr.

Bowser responded to the claims that he was anti-community by saying that a lot of times a community meeting is attended by the people who are available to attend the community meeting at that moment.

On a similar note, I was surprised during interviews when asked how he would navigate contentious developments.

Mr.

Vance responded saying he would talk to the experts in opposition to understand them.

After the infamous IZ meeting last year, Mr.

Vance tweeted, I just want history to show that our research showed that I Z was killing housing, and now there's even more proof.

Waiting to hear the spin from Mayor Ganey, PCRG, Lawrenceville United, OPDC, 412 Justice, One Hood, and others on this horrendous news.

That does not sound like someone who talks to experts or the opposition with the goal to understand them.

It's also important to note that his organization has since blocked a number of people who spoke up at the IZ meeting, many of whom are experts, opposition, and community members.

As I mentioned last time, Mr.

Vance has referred to the planning commission itself as a quank kangaroo court and a sham process, and said that it was completely corrupt.

He has called the community members and housing practitioners who provided public comment in favor of inclusionary zoning paid activists.

Again, it does not sound like someone who has a goal of understanding the other side of my issues.

During the interviews yesterday, one of the other candidates uh expressed the importance of the planning commission members being able to separate their professional commission view from their personal views.

After witnessing Mr.

Vatz spend the last two years trying to discredit myself and my colleagues who are on the ground building and supporting housing development, I do not believe he is capable of this.

For these reasons, I strongly oppose Mr.

Vance being on the planning commission, and I hope City Council takes his behavior in consideration and votes accordingly.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you very much.

There being no further registered speakers, we will now take comments from those in the audience wishing to speak.

Carlino Giampolo, Panther Hollow.

I direct my testimony today to Councilmember Barbara Warwick and Bob Charling, who are the public faces and voices of the skateboarders at the illegal skate park in Panther Hollow.

Attitudes, like beliefs, precede experience.

A recent encounter with the Pitt student who oversees the illegal construction of the skate park has brought that truth to light.

This past Saturday, I visited the skate park and asked the student a question he has been asked many times before.

Who gave you permission to build the skate park?

His reply was the same as before.

I don't have to answer your question.

Council members Warwick and Charlie have regrettably chosen silent in response to the same question.

I told the PIC student that the noise of the skateboarders permeates into our homes with the doors and windows closed.

His only reply was, I'm sorry about that.

The inference from that insolent remark is that skateboarders are entitled to do whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want, and that our community should learn to live with the harm for the rest of our lives.

These two council members shared that same attitude.

I then reminded the student that I had previously asked him and the skateboarders to refrain from any further construction that had been ongoing since last September.

And he replied, Why would I listen to you?

The word you applies not only to me but also to the longtime residents and homeowners of Panther Hollow.

He could not provide any names of any longtime residents or homeowners who support the skate park, nor could the two council members.

Why would we listen to you?

Was also the attitude of the Pitt student and the council members when the city did not notify any longtime residents or homeowners when our playground, which has been in our neighborhood for over 60 years, was shamefully named the Oakland DIY skate park.

However, I am confident that positive change is coming, and that the good men and women of the current administration do not share the morally horrific and shameful attitudes of the Pitt student and of these council members.

Changes occur primarily on two pathways.

The worn-out path of tragedy or the less traveled path of dignity.

I am confident the current administration will choose the path of dignity and shut down the illegal skate park that never ever should have been built.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Next speaker, please.

Good morning.

My name is Junique Brown.

And I'm here to talk about the shelters and different agencies in Pittsburgh.

That basically doesn't answer to anyone unless you dig deep and find out who they answer to.

But if these places are getting public funding, then that should be something that y'all can answer or look into people are coming to complain about it.

When I call to women's center or shelter, I call from my car.

And they tell you to call every day to see if there's space.

And the staff member was able to tell me that, even though I was calling for that long, I was comfortable in my car now, even though it's not ideal with my children, and she has to take me off the list.

When I asked the CEO why she was able to say that, she said she wasn't able to say that.

And she's going to get a retraint or whatever words they use just to try to act like that was okay.

And since she knew it wasn't okay, she started trying to push me to other agencies.

But when I tried to look into her, it's hard to find out who they answer to, and even other shelters.

The Hope Center.

That's not West Morland County, so I don't even know who to go to for that.

But there's a lot of shelters that's supposed to help us, and they don't.

And I don't understand what do y'all do.

Like y'all sit here and listen to a lot of our complaints, but it's never on the agenda for y'all to talk about.

Like when do y'all actually hear what we have to say and talk about something that we have to say?

County Council don't do it either.

So what part do y'all play in any type of oversight in Pittsburgh?

Like y'all just here just to do y'all's bills and stuff.

That's all a $20 bill for somebody to get back for lunch.

That's ridiculous.

Like y'all, that's something that y'all actually sit and talk about and write on paper, but people's lives don't matter.

This don't make no sense.

Like somebody needs to be able to speak up and say something to people when they're asking questions.

There's people coming here saying the same stuff over and over, and nobody speaks up, nobody's helping, nobody's interfering to help do nothing.

That don't make no sense.

So I want to know what city council was even for us just to get up here and speak and then y'all talk about other stuff.

It doesn't make any sense.

Thank you very much.

Next speaker, please.

Special Agent Sunshine, the missing child, Cerese Taylor.

It's amazing.

Nobody's here.

God, you're doing a lot in the background.

Praise God.

Creator, thank you for sustaining us and protecting us.

Fill us with your unfailing grace and abiding presence in Jesus' name.

Amen.

The three chains of humanity are fear, guilt, and shame.

They're like shackles, y'all.

It's crazy.

The fear is to manipulate and control, to keep people's minds focused on survival.

Gotta eat, gotta sleep, gotta work, gotta get the money, gotta really.

We do not live in a spirit of fear.

Guilt or shame.

We do not.

We all have the power.

The same power that resurrected Jesus on the third day with all power in his hands.

All power in his hands.

His hands, not y'all's hands, apparently.

Y'all ain't helping us.

Like y'all want us to live in fear, guilt, and shame.

Guilt has been woven into cultures and religions, making people and parently flogged or unworthy, as if they must constantly apologize for their existence.

Or for being imperfect.

Shame has been inflicted to make individuals have their true selves to feel that some aspect of who they are, their body, their feelings, their desires, or their uniqueness is wrong or embarrassing.

And that's what the Vale tries to do when he blocks me from praising God.

The Vale, are you a man of God?

If you are, why are you blocking somebody from praising his name?

Do you block your children from praising his name?

I'm sure they have go-to praise songs.

Do you?

Do you have a go-to praise song?

Do you think as you're not in uh you're absent that you know your your being absent makes you what null and void that nobody sees you?

We still see you, even though you're not here.

Nobody has anything to fear because we're immortal souls in love.

Nothing about us warrants guilt.

We're not condemned by God, but inherently worthy and good in our core.

I think that's amazing.

That's as only as five nineteen through twenty-two says to not suppress or extinguish the spirit's influence in one's life life and the church to disguise the supernatural work of the spirit and treat it with contempt.

I recall all of my energy back to me.

And return to center all negative energy in Jesus' name.

A peace dealer I want to talk about today is anger.

Please, y'all try to love each other.

First destiny of 1 Thessalonians 511 says, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Thank you very much.

Are there any further speakers?

Any further speakers?

There being no further speakers, we will move on to our standing committee's agenda.

And our first committee is actually invoices under the finance and law committee.

Is there a motion on invoices?

So moved.

Is there a second?

Second.

Discussion.

Seeing none, all those in favor of invoices, please say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Invoices are approved.

Our next order of business is P cards.

Is there a motion on P cards?

So moved.

Second.

Second.

Discussion.

Seeing none, all those in favor of P cards, please say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

P cards are approved.

Next committee is public works and infrastructure committee chaired by Councilwoman Salonetro.

Deferred paper, Bill 113.

Ordnance supplementing the Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances.

Title 1.

Administrative Article 7.

Procedures by adding a new chapter.

Chapter 174, right of way accessibility needs inventory.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Discussion.

Council.

Thank you.

Councilmember Warbeck.

Yeah, so I'd like to motion to hold for two weeks.

I have a call with Director Uh Mongala Winston next Thursday.

So we have a motion to hold for two weeks.

Do we have a second?

Second?

Discussion on discussion on the motion to hold.

Seeing none, all those in favor of a two-week hold, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Bill 113 will be held for two weeks.

New papers, Bill 178.

Bill 178, resolution authorizing the mayor and the director of the Department of Public Works and or the Director of the Department of Finance to enter into an agreement or agreements and or lease or leases with three rivers waterkeeper for stewardship of the Isle of Marina by three RWK at an annual fee of one dollar for a period of five years with a five-year option to renew.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Discussion.

Seeing none, all those in favor of Bill 178, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Affirmative recommendation.

That moves us to land use and economic development committee chaired by Councilman Wilson.

Bill number 208, resolution amending resolution 625 of 2025, authorizing the mayor and a director of city planning to enter on behalf of the city of Pittsburgh into a professional services agreement or agreements with Evolve Environment Architecture to provide services to create historic district design guidelines for the Mexican War Streets and the Manchester Historic Districts at a total cost not to exceed 37,500.

Motion to approve.

Second discussion.

Seeing none.

All those in favor of Bill 208, please indicate by saying aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Affirmative recommendation.

That moves us to intergovernmental and educational affairs committee chaired by Councilman Mosley.

Bill 176 resolution amending resolution 37 of 2026, which authorized the cooperation agreement or agreements with the City of Pittsburgh Equipment Leasing Authority for the purchase and leasing of vehicles, equipment, and accessories, equipment support infrastructure, and professional services in fiscal year 2026 by increasing the authorized amount by one million dollars to a new total of 28,188,019 for additional items to be added to the plan.

Second discussion.

Yes, Councilmember Warbeck.

Um yeah, could we have Vermin say John?

Um yeah, so I have uh a quite but uh if first if you wanted to just introduce yourself and then explain this bill.

This is an agreement to uh accept grant funds for the purchase of EMS vehicles.

Is this from the PNC?

No, ma'am.

Okay, this was uh local share grant if I remember correctly.

Okay, super.

Um I did want to ask, just since you're here and we're talking about this.

Uh what so we have gotten two emails, uh two separate emails about fire.

Um fire truck, I don't remember what kind of truck, but you know, fire vehicles that are out of service.

Uh one in Oakland and I don't recall where the other one was, but at any rate.

Um so could you give us an update on what because we know that that you know ordering vehicles for fire it can take three, four years for a vehicle to be delivered.

So where we are we are finalizing the plan for uh 2026 year.

Uh we are we are committed to purchasing a certain amount of vehicles for DPW once that number has been finalized.

We have already made our recommendation as far as the vehicles we would like to purchase.

Um it's just going through the approval process.

So there is a plan to to purchase additional fire vehicles.

Yes.

Okay, all right.

Yes, ma'am.

We just are waiting to get the the final number.

Just need a couple stamps.

Okay, wonderful.

Looking forward to my you and me both.

Okay, that's all I have.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any further discussion?

Um, I I do have one question, and that is, and I apologize for not doing my research.

This question kind of just came to me after our meeting I had this morning.

Is the I know that the ELA has and you in particular have a very organized and ordered list of vehicles, um, vehicle needs in order of of need, and it's like lots of different factors play into that.

Is that is there anything public?

Is there anything publicly available for the public or for even like workers for the city to be able to go say, hey, like where am I on the list and that sort of thing?

Or is there a reason why we wouldn't want to make something like that public?

No, that I have no uh personal gain to or anything to gain by not releasing the list.

I believe it was included in the um fleet report to council.

So in that way it would be public uh publicly available to then.

Okay, okay.

Thank you.

Did you uh yeah thank you?

Thank you, madam chair.

Uh, Furman, can you just uh maybe you guys went over this?

I apologize if I missed, but can you just reaffirm?

I know because I'm on the board, but where the funds are that we received at 10 12 million dollars, we have not purchased or ordered anything just yet.

Correct.

Correct.

Okay, we're evaluating we are evaluating what's most in need.

Uh obviously we gotta get ambulances.

We're kind of confined to you know, purchasing of the 10 million at least, the ambulances.

That's strictly ambulances.

Um, no, the ten million hasn't been allocated just yet.

Uh we are working with uh fire and leadership as far as how how that specifically is going to be allocated.

Ambulance purchases are going to be um through the UPMC uh contribution.

So we don't have to ten million yet.

Correct.

Okay.

Once we receive those funds, we'll place an order.

We know what the order is going to be.

We talk about that.

We know exactly what our at least our first order is gonna be.

So you were talking about fire today.

We're we're ordering fire, fire engine.

Um yes, it is our recommendation that we uh aggressively pursue build slots for fire equipment from grant my from the ten million dollar additional allocation.

Oh, okay.

So we're gonna order without having the money in hand, yeah.

Is that right?

No, got it.

We hope to have that money in handerson.

Right, good deal.

All right, that's it.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you.

Any further discussion?

Seeing none, let me navigate back to our agenda.

Seeing none, all those in favor of Bill 176, please say aye.

Aye.

Affirmative recommendation.

Thank you very much.

That moves us to one uh one seventy-seven.

Resolution authorizing the mayor and the director of the Department of Public Works to enter into an agreement or agreements with Pittsburgh Water to allow Pittsburgh Water access to city property in South Slap Park in order to maintain a stormwater or tanks in the park for phase one of the city's South Slab Park project and no cost to the city.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Discussion.

Seeing none, all those in favor of Bill 177, please say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Affirmative recommendation.

That concludes our standing committee's agenda.

We do have meeting announcements this afternoon at 130.

Council will hold pre-agenda interviews for the Alcassan and Pittsburgh Water nominees.

On Friday, March 6th at 10 A.

M., Council will hold a cable cast public hearing on Bill 2025, 1993 as it relates to rezoning Hazelwood parcels.

Speaker registration will close at eight Friday morning.

Next week, council will hold their regular meeting on Tuesday, March 10th, and their standing committees meeting on Wednesday, March eleventh, both at 10 A.

M.

To register to speak at these meetings, please fill out the sign-up form on the council meeting webpage by the deadlines.

You may also call the clerk's office at 41.

Is there anything from members?

Seeing none, I'll take a motion to excuse the absent members.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Meeting is adjourned.