OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Pittsburgh Standing Committees Meeting – April 8, 2026

City Council — Wednesday, April 8, 2026
BodyPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, April 8, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:23:38

Transcript — Verbatim
10:52

Good morning and welcome to the standing committee's meeting for Wednesday, April 8th, 2026.

10:58

All council meetings will be live streamed on the city's website.

11:01

And for guest speakers, please do not turn off your microphones.

11:04

Our first order of business is roll call.

11:06

Will the clerk please take the roll?

11:08

Mr.

11:08

Charland.

11:11

Mr.

11:11

Coghill.

11:13

Ms.

11:13

Gross.

11:15

Mr.

11:15

Lavelle.

11:18

Mr.

11:19

Mosley.

11:20

Mrs.

11:20

Salonetro.

11:21

Here.

11:22

Mrs.

11:23

Warway.

11:24

Mr.

11:25

Wilson.

11:27

Mrs.

11:27

Strasberger Chair.

11:28

Here.

11:29

Five members present.

11:30

Thank you.

11:31

Our next order of business is public comment.

11:34

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

11:44

Please state your name and neighborhood for the record.

11:46

You will have three minutes to speak.

15:00

And I hope that you know, even though you're gonna voice every week or so, don't pay attention to what's being said because what I'm saying about them make me feel type of way it can move you and to take an action to help the people who've elected you to be on positions that you're gonna.

15:10

Thank you.

15:10

Have a wonderful day.

15:12

Thank you very much.

15:14

Next speaker, uh, there being no further registered speakers, we'll now take comments from those in the audience wishing to speak.

15:20

Are there any speakers wishing to come to the podium?

15:37

Good morning, counsel.

15:39

I I appreciate you guys for allowing me to speak.

15:40

My name is Shalivia Thomas Murchison.

15:43

I reside at 115 East 11th Avenue in Homestead PA.

15:46

I came about a week ago to give you guys notice as to what's happening in our borough.

15:51

Today I would like to further um elaborate as to the funding for these projects called One Homestead.

15:58

Our issue is a business that's doing business in district two.

16:02

It is called the Rodriguez AM Rodriguez Association.

16:08

The developer is A.M.

16:09

Rodriguez, the architect is Paul Rodriguez, and now they have a new project called the Voodoo Bar that's being run by David Rodriguez.

16:17

The funding is now, we were promised luxury townhomes.

16:22

Now they're getting funding for a low-income housing tax credit awarded by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency and syndicated by RBC Capital Markets.

16:35

What I'm asking for you guys today is to ask for a federal investigation into this RBC Capital Market Markets.

16:43

Um personal experience with this um build, which is one homestead.

16:49

This is a drug operation.

16:51

This is cartels coming in and bringing drugs into our neighborhood, and the message is always clear.

16:58

Say no to drugs.

16:59

Right now we're working with WQED to try to get that message out because I am a homeschool parent and I love my community.

17:06

Right now, my property value has gone from 181,000 down to 141,000.

17:12

Partly because our council members are making really bad deals with these developers coming into our neighborhood from Pittsburgh into there, and they're not reading these contracts, but they're voting on them, and we are now being penalized as the um property owners and the people who have the rights to be there.

17:30

We're being penalized and now criminalized.

17:32

So when we uh call the police and say, hey, you know, this development is on ABC and D, they're filing charges on us, and I am a victim of that.

17:42

So we're asking for the Pennsylvania Department of Economic Development and Harrisburg to step in, Allegheny County Department of Economic Development to step in, Steel Valley Enterprise Zone to step in, Mellon, Bank of Mellon, New York, which is federal, to step in and pull the federal funding funding, the PHFA, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency to pull federal funding.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████25%
Housing█████████████████████21%
Engineering And Infrastructure████████████████████20%
Affordable Housing███████7%
Youth Programs███████7%
Public Safety███████7%
Miscellaneous████4%
Parks and Recreation███3%
Transportation Safety██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Pittsburgh City Council Standing Committees Meeting – April 8, 2026

The meeting convened at 10:00 AM in Council Chambers with all 9 members present (Wilson, Salinetro, Charland, Coghill, Warwick, Lavelle, Gross, Strassburger, Mosley). It covered four committees: Finance and Law, Public Safety and Wellness, Public Works and Infrastructure, and Intergovernmental and Educational Affairs. The agenda included resolutions, invoices, P-card approvals, and public comment.

Consent Calendar

  • Finance and Law Committee (Chair Strassburger): All new papers (2026-0297, 0303, 0304, 0305, 0306) received affirmative recommendations. These included a $134,831.25 transfer from Neighborhood Initiatives Fund to Slope Failure Remediation; a $60,000 increase to the Block & Associates legal contract (total $120,000 over 2 years); warrants for Comber Miller LLC ($17,844.16), Mary Sauer quitclaim deed (708 N. Pacific Ave), and Karen Williams vehicle damage settlement ($7,496.63). Councilmember Warwick requested clarification on the specific project for the Block contract, but it was not provided.
  • Invoices and P-Card Approvals: Invoices totaling departmental expenses (e.g., business cards, reimbursements, donations, equipment, training) were approved. Councilmember Gross noted that an invoice for Cowboy Concealments LLC ($4,700 for traffic/streetlight camera enclosures) had been reviewed and was not for surveillance cameras, but for enclosures for existing cameras per city policy. P-card approvals for the week of 3/24-3/30 were also approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Shilivia Thomas Murchison (Homestead): Expressed strong opposition to the One Homestead project, alleging it involved drug operations and cartels. Claimed her property value dropped from $181,000 to $141,000. Asked for a federal investigation into RBC Capital Markets and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, and urged elected officials to read contracts before voting.
  • Unique Brown (downtown resident): Criticized the city for closing rec centers and lacking after-school programs, which she argued leads to youth unrest downtown. Called for reopening centers, funding programs, and partnering with organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs.
  • Yvonne F. Brown (715 Mercer St): Raised concerns about short traffic signal timing (23–28 seconds) on Forbes Avenue, causing bus delays, and requested the council to consult bus drivers. Also advocated for mentorship and the reopening of Carly Vocational School.
  • Special Agent Sunshine (missing child): Made personal statements about identity theft, blocked communication, and referenced biblical verses.

Discussion Items

  • Public Safety and Wellness Committee (Chair Coghill): Two deferred ordinances (2026-0288 and 2026-0289) prohibiting immigration enforcement in city-owned spaces and protecting community spaces were held for four weeks (due back by 5/6/2026). Councilmember Gross noted ongoing discussions with the Law Department and the Hispanic Development Center to clarify legal jurisdiction and feedback.
  • Public Works and Infrastructure Committee (Chair Salinetro):
    • 2026-0299: Amendment to Tree Pittsburgh's Rising Main 3 restoration in Highland Park (revised payment schedule over 4 years, total $275,257.04) – approved. Councilmember Gross noted upcoming tree removals by PWSA due to DEP orders.
    • 2026-0300: Emergency snow removal warrant for A. Folino Construction ($481,320) – held for one week due to lack of detail in the invoice. Councilmembers Salinetro, Lavelle, and Gross raised concerns about invoice transparency. Director provided operational details (10 skids, 4 loaders, 5 triaxles, 1 excavator, worked 1/26–2/1) but invoice itself was not seen. Motion to hold passed.
    • 2026-0301: Contract with TRC Engineers for City Steps construction inspection ($1,448,949.42, 80% federal) – approved. Discussion on five step locations (Dixon St, Clare Haven St, Potomac Ave, Ottawa St, 56th St) and potential timeline (construction 2027). Councilmember Coghill inquired about Potomac Ave steps and noted PRT will fund a portion of Broadway Avenue repaving. Councilmembers debated wood vs. concrete steps.
    • 2026-0302: Supplemental agreement with MS Consultants for California Avenue Bridge preliminary engineering and final design ($2,205,692.96, 100% reimbursable) – approved.
    • 2026-0310 & 0311: Approval to pave concrete portions of 7th Street (Fort Duquesne Blvd to Liberty Ave) and 9th Street (Fort Duquesne Blvd to Penn Ave) with asphalt – both approved.
  • Intergovernmental and Educational Affairs Committee (Chair Mosley):
    • 2026-0298: Agreement with Housing Authority of Pittsburgh for access to parcel behind former Fort Pitt Elementary School for Fort Pitt Park Master Plan (no cost) – approved.
    • 2026-0307: Land Bank acquisition of five salvageable structures in Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar (1365 Paulson Ave, 1367 Paulson Ave, 7117 Lemington Ave, 7305 Lemington Ave, 7112 Wiltsie St) – approved. Director Sally Stadelman described a pilot bundle sale to contractors with deed restrictions for owner-occupancy and partnership with WAVE for homebuyer preparedness. Councilmember Mosley praised the collaboration. Councilmember Gross asked about cooperative housing eligibility; Stadelman said not precluded but noted rehab challenges and thin margins. Councilmember Wilson highlighted potential demolition cost savings of over $200,000.
    • 2026-0308: Land Bank acquisition of 15 vacant lots on N. Murtland, Fielding Way, Idlewild, and Monticello Streets in Council District 9 – approved.

Key Outcomes

  • Finance and Law: All six resolutions (2026-0297, 0303-0306) received affirmative recommendations.
  • Invoices and P-Cards: Approved.
  • Public Safety and Wellness: Bills 2026-0288 and 2026-0289 held for four weeks.
  • Public Works and Infrastructure:
    • Bill 2026-0300 (Folino snow removal) held for one week.
    • Bills 2026-0299, 0301, 0302, 0310, 0311 approved.
  • Intergovernmental and Educational Affairs: Bills 2026-0298, 0307, 0308 approved.
  • Upcoming Schedule: Line-item budget vote (discussion/preliminary) at 1:30 PM on April 8; public hearing on April 14 at 1:30 PM; final vote at Standing Committees on April 15. Council also noted regular meeting on April 14 and standing committees on April 15.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning and welcome to the standing committee's meeting for Wednesday, April 8th, 2026. All council meetings will be live streamed on the city's website. And for guest speakers, please do not turn off your microphones. Our first order of business is roll call. Will the clerk please take the roll? Mr. Charland. Mr. Coghill. Ms. Gross. Mr. Lavelle. Mr. Mosley. Mrs. Salonetro. Here. Mrs. Warway. Mr. Wilson. Mrs. Strasberger Chair. Here. Five members present. Thank you. Our next order of business is public comment. I would like to remind all speakers that the rules of council state that comments are limited to matters of concern, official action, or deliberation, which are or may be before city council, and profanity will not be permitted. Please state your name and neighborhood for the record. You will have three minutes to speak. And I hope that you know, even though you're gonna voice every week or so, don't pay attention to what's being said because what I'm saying about them make me feel type of way it can move you and to take an action to help the people who've elected you to be on positions that you're gonna. Thank you. Have a wonderful day. Thank you very much. Next speaker, uh, there being no further registered speakers, we'll now take comments from those in the audience wishing to speak. Are there any speakers wishing to come to the podium? Good morning, counsel. I I appreciate you guys for allowing me to speak. My name is Shalivia Thomas Murchison. I reside at 115 East 11th Avenue in Homestead PA. I came about a week ago to give you guys notice as to what's happening in our borough. Today I would like to further um elaborate as to the funding for these projects called One Homestead. Our issue is a business that's doing business in district two. It is called the Rodriguez AM Rodriguez Association. The developer is A.M. Rodriguez, the architect is Paul Rodriguez, and now they have a new project called the Voodoo Bar that's being run by David Rodriguez. The funding is now, we were promised luxury townhomes. Now they're getting funding for a low-income housing tax credit awarded by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency and syndicated by RBC Capital Markets. What I'm asking for you guys today is to ask for a federal investigation into this RBC Capital Market Markets.

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