★ ★ ★PUBLICRECORDAPR 1 2026

OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Pittsburgh City Council Standing Committees Meeting - April 1, 2026

City Council — Wednesday, April 1, 2026

BodyPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

SessionCity Council

DateWednesday, April 1, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 2:47:01

Transcript — VerbatimClick a line to jump · ⧉ to share it

5:54

Good morning and welcome to the pre-agenda interviews for Wednesday, April 1st, 2026 for the Pittsburgh Parking Authority.

6:02

Will the clerk please read the title of the bills?

6:04

Bill one excuse me, Bill 159 resolution informing City Council of the appointment of Charles Fisher as a member of the board of directors of the public parking authority of Pittsburgh for a term to expire April 10th, 2028, serving the remainder of the term for a seat previously held by Kim Lucas.

6:23

Thank you very much.

6:34

So I am I will turn the floor over to you to introduce yourself and to um and to offer brief remarks.

6:42

Thank you.

6:52

And I also my ministry is in District 9, where uh council member Kahari Mosley is our council member there.

6:59

I'm grateful for the opportunity that the mayor has provided for me to serve the City of Pittsburgh in this role on the Pittsburgh Parking Authority.

7:06

It's a great opportunity for me to offer my service back to a place in the city that which I've called home for the past seven years.

7:14

Thank you.

7:32

Having previously served on the Pittsburgh Parking Authority prior to switching and serving on Pittsburgh Water Board, I can tell you that it's a it's a great organization, it's a great board.

7:58

So I you know I'm grateful for your willingness to serve.

8:02

And uh with that, I'll turn it over to Councilmember Warwick to ask any questions she might have.

8:08

Great.

8:08

Thank you.

8:09

Um I guess just um sort of off the top, you know, uh you know, why why the parking authority?

8:18

What what is it about the parking authority board that that interests you and it was an opportunity that was presented to me as I've asked for um Mayor O'Connor and his staff as opportunity to serve the city.

8:30

Having lived in other major cities across the country or more specifically on the East Coast, we found that this to be a opportunity that would most align with my experiences and also bring different perspectives that may not have been already been available here in Pittsburgh.

8:43

Okay.

8:44

Um so you know, in Pittsburgh, we have you know, we we have an issue in Pittsburgh of too many cars, right?

8:55

Far more cars than can if can fit, you know, whether it be parking in our neighborhoods or parking downtown or parking in Oakland, right?

9:02

Far too many cars uh to fit in the space that we have.

9:09

Um I'm curious if you have any thoughts about ways that the parking authority can um help to sort of disincentivize driving when you don't need to drive, right?

9:28

So that so that folks aren't driving, you know, it's uh well I'll let you answer the question.

9:34

At the time I don't have an exact answer for that question.

9:37

It's a interesting um challenge that the city now possesses.

9:42

And I look forward to working with members of the authority to have a better understanding of how the authority has addressed said issues in the past and how I could bring my perspective from previous places to resolve that situation.

9:53

Okay.

10:00

So one issue that we well.

10:04

So from my perspective, it there it seems to me that we should be sort of there there's this culture, this you know, in the and it's across the United States, right?

10:15

It's not just here.

10:16

Um but there in this sort of like car culture that we have.

10:20

There's this notion that parking should be free, right?

10:27

That that you know it is frustrating to people when they have to pay to park.

10:31

Uh but I think that, you know, one of the solutions to this issue of too many cars is that, you know, you just like you can't leave your personal belongings in the street, right?

10:43

Like you can't use the street for storage of other personal belongings, right?

10:48

The the the street, the right-of-way does not belong to drivers.

10:53

And uh so the answer to that, in my opinion, is to you know, increase the cost of parking.

11:02

Like if you want to drive, especially in areas where we have ample transit options, which aren't many in Pittsburgh, by the way, right?

11:13

Like, you know, our our our transit is uh lacking in many ways.

11:18

But there are places like downtown, like Oakland, um, where you can get there without bringing your personal vehicle, especially as a commuter, right?

11:31

Um some other examples are um, you know, we see people, for example, and this is something in my district.

11:40

So I'm district five and I have uh Shenley Park as part of my district, right?

11:44

So and we see lots of people parking in Shenley Park all day and taking up all the parking so that even park users don't have, you know what I mean, can't find parking in Shenley Park sometimes and sort of like around the oval and and desirable areas because people are parking there for free and then walking over to Oakland to go to work.

12:06

Right.

12:07

Um I mean the way I look at it is is it's it's hard to make change, right?

12:16

It's hard to put in new meters because it's very unpopular, right?

12:19

It makes people mad when you meter parking that used to be free, or you increase the cost of parking that used to be free, or you add parking on Sunday where it used to be free, right?

12:29

And um and we're always getting folks saying, oh, well, could my church have an exception or could my you know what I mean?

12:35

Could we get and it's and for me the answer is no, right?

12:40

Like park, you know, we charge for parking because it's in the public right-of-way, and that's you know, that's what we need to do.

12:49

Um I'm curious about your thoughts just as to the to the board or a board in general, like if you've ever served on a on another board on sort of the ability of the board to drive that kind of change and how that might work.

13:06

I'm not even sure how many people are on the parking authority board.

13:09

It's five of us.

13:10

Five.

13:10

Okay, so it's a pretty small board, right?

13:12

So it feels like that's a board that the smaller the board, the easier it is to make the change, right?

13:17

If you have a uh common goal.

13:20

Well the Pittsburgh Parking Authority is a low-cost alternative for parking here in the city, for one.

13:25

You're also you also address a number of uh the culture of the city where driving one's own individual car is part of the culture of the of the city.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Immigration████████████████████████████████32%

Public Safety██████████████████18%

Parking Management███████████████15%

Procedural█████████████13%

Budget██████6%

Community Engagement████4%

Economic Development███3%

Miscellaneous██2%

Technology and Innovation██2%

Summary of Proceedings

Pittsburgh City Council Standing Committees Meeting - April 1, 2026

On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, the Pittsburgh City Council held its Standing Committees meeting at 10:00 AM in Council Chambers. The meeting covered a pre-agenda interview for the Parking Authority, followed by committee reviews of financial resolutions, immigration enforcement ordinances, public works easements, parking regulations for the NFL Draft, and a surveillance technology report. Multiple votes were taken, with most items advancing to public hearings or receiving affirmative recommendations.

Consent Calendar

Invoices totaling $44,142.47 were approved unanimously, covering reimbursements, training, supplies, and services across multiple city departments.
Intradepartmental transfer of $27,000 from the Public Safety Bureau of EMS Vehicle account to Operational Supplies for the Medical Decon truck was approved.
P-Card approvals for the period March 17–23, 2026, were approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

Public speakers addressed the immigration-related ordinances (2026-0286, 0288, 0289) and the surveillance technology resolution (2026-0287).

Zachary Fedyk (District not stated) supported the ordinances, arguing they create a strong framework for city resources and public safety, noting that similar measures passed at the county level.
Nicole Norman (CEO of Las Hermanitas Immigrant Resource Fund) spoke in favor, stating the bills do not violate federal law, do not risk federal funding, and do not make Pittsburgh a sanctuary city. She cited testimony from a former ICE attorney about inadequate training and described witnessing violent ICE detentions.
Tanisha Long (Crafton Heights, Abolitionist Law Center) supported the ordinances, citing body camera footage showing Pittsburgh police cooperating with ICE and calling for clear rules to prevent local officers from assisting federal immigration enforcement.
Rosana Elena Guernica (Downtown, District 1) spoke from personal experience as a Puerto Rican, supporting the ordinances as a step to repair community trust damaged by federal immigration actions.
Daniel Dulaney (Shady Side, Pittsburgh DSA) urged passage, referencing body camera footage of police cooperation with ICE and arguing that promises from the mayor are insufficient without binding laws.
Yvonne F. Brown (Bedford Dwellings, 715 Mercer Street) expressed frustration with council’s attention and urged collaboration, denouncing recent ICE actions and calling for protection of all residents.
Special Agent Sunshine (activist) delivered a prayer-like statement, warning of corruption and urging small businesses to be cautious about draft activities, claiming the city owes $13 million to Pittsburgh Water.
Shalivia Thomas Murchison (Homestead area) addressed drug-related development issues in Homestead, asking council to remove permissions for developer AM Rodriguez, alleging drug activity in subsidized housing.

Discussion Items

Pre-Agenda: Parking Authority Appointment

Charles Fischer was interviewed for appointment to the Public Parking Authority board. Questions from Councilmembers Warwick and Strassburger focused on parking culture, dynamic pricing, and sidewalk parking enforcement. Fischer expressed openness to change but did not offer specific policy proposals.

Finance and Law Committee

2026-0278 (ARPA Funding Amendment): Held for cablecast public hearing. Updates project allocations per Exhibit A, version 10.
2026-0279 (EMS Position Change): Amended to correct position title (Division Chief to Assistant Chief) and then held for public hearing. Discussion clarified the change is a classification correction, not a new position.
2026-0280 (Parks Trust Fund Increase): Held for public hearing. Increases spend authority by $500,000.
2026-0281 (Settlement Warrant): Affirmatively recommended. Authorizes $10,000 for Justin Hickox in settlement of an employment matter. Councilmember Warwick noted this is the second payment related to homophobic language by DPW workers and urged periodic anti-discrimination training.
2026-0285 (Budget Amendments): Amended to adjust fund balance to 10.02% by 2030, reducing bridge maintenance funding in out-years, then held for public hearing. Debate ensued about moving EMS vehicle money to pay-go without explicit earmark for vehicles; Councilmember Warwick expressed discomfort with verbal promises.

Public Safety and Wellness Committee

2026-0286 (Non-Intervention with Immigration Enforcement): Affirmatively recommended (8 ayes, 1 abstention). Lead sponsor Councilmember Warwick described it as codifying existing policy, prohibiting city employee cooperation with ICE, restricting use of city assets for immigration enforcement, and requiring ICE agents to show identification. Councilmember Coghill noted mixed feedback from Latino community leaders preferring the county’s version; he asked for a one-week hold but the motion to recommend passed.
2026-0288 (Prohibiting Immigration Enforcement in City-Owned Spaces) and 2026-0289 (Protecting Community Spaces): Both held for one week (due back by April 8, 2026). Councilmember Gross explained they would prohibit use of city facilities for federal immigration staging. Council President Lavelle raised concerns about legal enforceability and signaling to the public, prompting the hold.

Public Works and Infrastructure Committee

2026-0203 (Dedication of Two City-Owned Parcels): Affirmatively recommended. Parcels in 9th Ward, 7th Council District, at no cost.
2026-0276 (Geotechnical Remediation Contract Amendment): Affirmatively recommended. Increases contract with Pashek + MTR by $26,257.50 for a new total of $441,427.50.
2026-0277 (Police Firing Range Easements): Affirmatively recommended. Authorizes permanent and temporary easements for stormwater and noise control improvements at the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police firing range. Councilmembers noted the project is a first step; sound mitigation will reduce but not eliminate noise; long-term goal remains moving the range indoors.

Land Use and Economic Development Committee

2026-0312 (NFL Draft Temporary Parking Provisions): Affirmatively recommended. Raises on-street parking rates to $5/hour and fines to $120 in designated areas downtown and on the North Side during the NFL Draft. Councilmember Wilson noted the measure matches game-day fines and aims to deter long-term parking abuse. Councilmembers discussed dynamic pricing and revenue benefits.

Innovation, Performance, Asset Management, and Technology Committee

2026-0287 (Surveillance Technologies Report): Affirmatively recommended. Requires the Department of Innovation & Performance to publish a report on city surveillance technologies. Councilmember Gross highlighted the need for transparency about data collection and third-party data brokers.

Key Outcomes

Charles Fischer appointed to the Public Parking Authority Board (interview held; no vote needed).
2026-0279 amended to correct EMS position title.
2026-0285 amended to adjust fund balance to 10.02% by 2030.
2026-0286 approved with 8 ayes, 1 abstention (Councilmember Coghill abstained).
2026-0288 and 2026-0289 held for one week for further legal review and community input.
All other bills received affirmative recommendations or were held for public hearings as noted.
Invoices, transfers, and P-cards approved unanimously.
Next meeting: Regular Council meeting Tuesday, April 7, 2026; Standing Committees Wednesday, April 8, 2026, both at 10:00 AM. City offices closed Friday, April 3, 2026 for Good Friday.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning and welcome to the pre-agenda interviews for Wednesday, April 1st, 2026 for the Pittsburgh Parking Authority. Will the clerk please read the title of the bills? Bill one excuse me, Bill 159 resolution informing City Council of the appointment of Charles Fisher as a member of the board of directors of the public parking authority of Pittsburgh for a term to expire April 10th, 2028, serving the remainder of the term for a seat previously held by Kim Lucas. Thank you very much. So I am I will turn the floor over to you to introduce yourself and to um and to offer brief remarks. Thank you. And I also my ministry is in District 9, where uh council member Kahari Mosley is our council member there. I'm grateful for the opportunity that the mayor has provided for me to serve the City of Pittsburgh in this role on the Pittsburgh Parking Authority. It's a great opportunity for me to offer my service back to a place in the city that which I've called home for the past seven years. Thank you. Having previously served on the Pittsburgh Parking Authority prior to switching and serving on Pittsburgh Water Board, I can tell you that it's a it's a great organization, it's a great board. So I you know I'm grateful for your willingness to serve. And uh with that, I'll turn it over to Councilmember Warwick to ask any questions she might have. Great. Thank you. Um I guess just um sort of off the top, you know, uh you know, why why the parking authority? What what is it about the parking authority board that that interests you and it was an opportunity that was presented to me as I've asked for um Mayor O'Connor and his staff as opportunity to serve the city. Having lived in other major cities across the country or more specifically on the East Coast, we found that this to be a opportunity that would most align with my experiences and also bring different perspectives that may not have been already been available here in Pittsburgh. Okay. Um so you know, in Pittsburgh, we have you know, we we have an issue in Pittsburgh of too many cars, right? Far more cars than can if can fit, you know, whether it be parking in our neighborhoods or parking downtown or parking in Oakland, right? Far too many cars uh to fit in the space that we have. Um I'm curious if you have any thoughts about ways that the parking authority can um help to sort of disincentivize driving when you don't need to drive, right? So that so that folks aren't driving, you know, it's uh well I'll let you answer the question. At the time I don't have an exact answer for that question. It's a interesting um challenge that the city now possesses. And I look forward to working with members of the authority to have a better understanding of how the authority has addressed said issues in the past and how I could bring my perspective from previous places to resolve that situation. Okay. So one issue that we well. So from my perspective, it there it seems to me that we should be sort of there there's this culture, this you know, in the and it's across the United States, right? It's not just here. Um but there in this sort of like car culture that we have. There's this notion that parking should be free, right? That that you know it is frustrating to people when they have to pay to park. Uh but I think that, you know, one of the solutions to this issue of too many cars is that, you know, you just like you can't leave your personal belongings in the street, right? Like you can't use the street for storage of other personal belongings, right? The the the street, the right-of-way does not belong to drivers. And uh so the answer to that, in my opinion, is to you know, increase the cost of parking. Like if you want to drive, especially in areas where we have ample transit options, which aren't many in Pittsburgh, by the way, right? Like, you know, our our our transit is uh lacking in many ways. But there are places like downtown, like Oakland, um, where you can get there without bringing your personal vehicle, especially as a commuter, right? Um some other examples are um, you know, we see people, for example, and this is something in my district. So I'm district five and I have uh Shenley Park as part of my district, right? So and we see lots of people parking in Shenley Park all day and taking up all the parking so that even park users don't have, you know what I mean, can't find parking in Shenley Park sometimes and sort of like around the oval and and desirable areas because people are parking there for free and then walking over to Oakland to go to work. Right. Um I mean the way I look at it is is it's it's hard to make change, right? It's hard to put in new meters because it's very unpopular, right? It makes people mad when you meter parking that used to be free, or you increase the cost of parking that used to be free, or you add parking on Sunday where it used to be free, right? And um and we're always getting folks saying, oh, well, could my church have an exception or could my you know what I mean? Could we get and it's and for me the answer is no, right?

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