Standing Committees Meeting – April 29, 2026
Standing Committees Meeting – April 29, 2026
The Pittsburgh City Council Standing Committees met on April 29, 2026, at 10:00 AM in Council Chambers. Eight members were present (Council Members Wilson, Salinetro, Charland, Coghill, Warwick, Lavelle, Gross, Strassburger); Council Member Mosley was absent. The committees considered a deferred ordinance, numerous resolutions authorizing professional services agreements, claim settlements, depository designations, an easement, a volunteer services agreement, a CDBG-CV fund reallocation, a software contract extension, a sewage facilities plan revision, and a right-of-way license agreement. Public comment was heard from three individuals.
Consent Calendar
- Invoices and P-Cards: A batch of departmental invoices and P-card approvals (weekly report 4/14/26-4/20/26) were approved.
- 2026-0391 (Finance & Law): Amending Resolution 390 of 2025 to add 58 open-end professional services agreements (aggregate $750,000 each annually) for a total of 151 agreements. Affirmatively Recommended.
- 2026-0392 (Finance & Law): Amending Resolution 389 of 2025 to add 58 open-end professional services agreements (aggregate $1,500,000 each annually) for a total of 151 agreements. Affirmatively Recommended.
- 2026-0393 (Finance & Law): Settlement warrant for Yushan Liu, $6,084.75 for vehicle damage from a City ES vehicle on Nov. 13, 2025. Affirmatively Recommended.
- 2026-0394 (Finance & Law): Settlement warrant for Exponent, Inc., $16,275.50 for litigation services (Allegheny County GD 22-005855). Affirmatively Recommended.
- 2026-0395 (Finance & Law): Settlement warrant for Robert Mahouski and counsel, $101,256.25 for litigation closure (GD 25-014112). Affirmatively Recommended.
- 2026-0399 (Finance & Law): Amending Resolution 197 of 2025 to add 39 open-end professional services agreements ($750,000 each annually) for a total of 131. Affirmatively Recommended.
- 2026-0400 (Finance & Law): Amending Resolution 196 of 2025 to add 39 open-end professional services agreements ($1,500,000 each annually) for a total of 131. Affirmatively Recommended.
- 2026-0383 (Public Safety & Wellness): Warrant for PFM Group Consulting LLC, $90,588.24 for Act 111 interest arbitration between City and FOP. Affirmatively Recommended.
- 2026-0387 (Public Works & Infrastructure): Easement with Duquesne Light Company for one pole and anchor on city-owned parcel ID 76-D-1-0-2. Affirmatively Recommended.
- 2026-0384 (Innovation, Performance, Asset Management, & Technology): Amending contract with CORE Business Technologies for payment processing/cashiering systems; extending one year and increasing by $104,172.75 to a total not-to-exceed $500,229.35. Affirmatively Recommended.
- 2026-0386 (Intergovernmental & Educational Affairs): Right-of-way license agreement with ALCOSAN for occupation of public right-of-way. Affirmatively Recommended.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Unique Brown (neighborhood not stated): Expressed frustration about a housing offer that was made and then rescinded after signing, stating it felt like discrimination. She identified as a domestic violence survivor and criticized the system for protecting those in power rather than housing families.
- Special Agent Sunshine (self-identified as Cerese Taylor, missing child): Delivered a religious message, encouraging tithing and prayer, and quoted scripture (Galatians 6:9, Galatians 5:1, Ecclesiastes 8:8).
- Yvonne F. Brown: Praised a program involving fathers/surrogate fathers going into schools and urged that men ride school buses to stop fighting among students. She called for adults to be present on buses and asked parents to contact Council President Lavelle’s office to volunteer.
Discussion Items
- 2026-0016 (Deferred – Finance & Law): Ordinance to create a Fleet Vehicle Fund. Council Member Warwick moved to hold the bill for 12 weeks (due back by July 22, 2026). The motion carried.
- 2026-0396 (Finance & Law): Resolution designating banks and lending institutions as depositories for 2026–2028. Council President Lavelle thanked the Controller’s office and noted interest in including credit unions and smaller institutions; he is drafting legislation toward that end. Affirmatively Recommended.
- 2026-0389 (Public Works & Infrastructure): Resolution to enter into a long-term agreement with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) for volunteer services at no cost to the city. City Forester Lisa Toffee and SCA Partnership Manager Joanna Lemon explained that the agreement would streamline permissions for projects such as trail building, tree planting, and invasive removal. Council Members Salinetro, Wilson, and Coghill expressed strong support, with Coghill noting SCA’s work in Seldom Seen Greenway and discussing potential orchard maintenance. Lemon confirmed SCA crews (10 youth aged 14-18 plus 2 adult leaders) carry insurance and that a 10-year agreement would reduce administrative back-and-forth. Affirmatively Recommended.
- 2026-0390 (Land Use & Economic Development): Resolution reallocating $55,692.60 of CDBG-CV (Cares Act) funding to two food banks (Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and another). Assistant Director Kelly Russell and Program Supervisor AJ Miller explained the funds were reclaimed from three projects (Partner for Work, Action Housing, Neighborhood Housing Services) that could not fully spend COVID funds. The correction fixes a $63 math error from a prior vote. Funds must be used for pandemic preparation/prevention. The food banks will use the money for inventory tracking systems, with 16% of partner pantries inside city boundaries. Council Member (likely Wilson) inquired about ensuring benefits to city residents, and was assured strict tracking. Affirmatively Recommended.
- 2026-0385 (Intergovernmental & Educational Affairs): Resolution to adopt a plan revision for the Official Sewage Facilities Plan for 3634 Penn Ave. Council Member (likely Strassburger) moved to hold the bill for one week because the applicant had not yet completed the inclusionary zoning agreement paperwork. The hold was seconded and approved, with a due back date of May 6, 2026. Council Member noted broad support for the project and referenced a heartwarming WESA story about residents moving into affordable units at a completed 279-unit building on Butler Street.
Key Outcomes
- Bill 2026-0016 (Fleet Vehicle Fund): Held in committee for 12 weeks (due back by July 22, 2026).
- Bill 2026-0385 (Sewage Plan Revision for 3634 Penn Ave): Held in committee for one week (due back by May 6, 2026) pending completion of inclusionary zoning agreement.
- All other resolutions (391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 399, 400, 383, 387, 389, 390, 384, 386) received affirmative recommendations from their respective committees.
- Invoices and P-cards were approved.
- Council President Lavelle announced intent to draft legislation to allow deposits in credit unions and smaller lending institutions.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning, and welcome to the standing committee's meeting for men Monday or for two Wednesday, April twenty ninth, twenty twenty-six. All council meetings will be live streamed on the city's website. And for guest speakers, please do not turn off your microphones. Clerk, please take the role. 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. We have no registered speakers, so are there any speakers who wish to come to the podium? Good morning. Council of Selective Urcy. Council of Unequal Attention. Counsel of dismissed voices. Just dressed up in better language. And unsupervised policies. And I'm not here just to sit quietly and watch it repeat. I'm here to make sure my story is on public record. And I'm going to fight with everything I have to make sure people in power do not keep getting away with what's been allowed generation after generation. When is it going to stop? Because when I'm living through right now, this isn't confusion. This isn't miscommunication. This is discrimination. And then it just disappeared. The only answer I get is that it was rescinded and I'm back on the list for others to pick me up. It's been five months now, and I still have no results, no real answers, and then I have another CEO lying on me, lying on me, and nothing happens. Nothing. It feels like being told to follow the rules, then watching the rules change the moment you do. It feels like the ground being pulled from under you the moment you thought you finally were able to stand. I'm tired of the systems that work perfectly when it's time to deny us, but suddenly break down when it's time to help us. If a signed agreement can disappear, then your word means nothing. If a CEO can lie and face no consequences, then your titles mean nothing. If I can stand here and tell you all of this and still be told nothing can be done, then what exactly are y'all here for? And nobody's here, so obviously nothing. Because nothing can be done if not an answer. It's an excuse. And excuses do not house families, excuses do not protect children, excuses do not fix harm. They protect the people who caused it. So I'm putting it on record. A housing offer was made and then taken after I signed. No one told me why. A domestic violence survivor. This is allowed in Pittsburgh. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Good morning. Cerese Taylor, the missing child. Now known as Special Agent Sunshine. How is God serving his purpose through you? Before starting your day, say this prayer. Lord, I choose your way.
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