The budget proposal is the first window into the mayor’s priorities for next year.

Increased infrastructure spending, expanding city departments to improve services, and planning for future debt payments are some key elements of Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s proposed 2024 budget.

While still subject to change through City Council amendments, the budget proposal released late last month is the first window into Mr. Gainey’s priorities for next year.

“Our budget is a reflection of the values of our city,” Mr. Gainey said in a statement. “We are committed to doing all we can to provide truly excellent core services while protecting our bridge infrastructure, and furthering our work to make Pittsburgh the safest city in America.”

Next year is the last that Pittsburgh will have federal pandemic relief funds to help support operational costs. The Gainey administration is expecting 2025 and 2026 to be difficult budget years with the loss of that funding and a looming increase in fixed debt service payments.

The mayor’s proposed 2024 budget wouldn’t increase taxes. After Mr. Gainey’s budget address in November, City Council will have until the end of December to make amendments.

Highlights from the capital budget

The proposed 2024 capital budget totals about $155.5 million, compared to $168 million this year, and looks to invest in areas like bridge infrastructure and traffic calming.

Bridges

In the wake of the 2022 Fern Hollow Bridge collapse, which occupied much of the start of Mr. Gainey’s term, there has been renewed urgency around bridge infrastructure. Multiple bridge projects are would receive funding in 2024 under the mayor’s budget.

The city’s Bridge Preservation and Restoration Fund would see about a $1.2 million boost from 2023 under Mr. Gainey’s budget, up to about $3.6 million. Budget projections look to allocate $1.7 million in 2025 and 2026, but after that there is zero dollars in allocations to the fund for 2027-2029.

There is no money allocated to general bridge upgrades, despite a nearly $4.8 million investment last year. But the budget does have about $1.5 million left over from previous years.

The Charles Anderson Bridge in Oakland, which has been closed since February when an inspection showed the need for immediate repairs to the 85-year old steel deck truss bridge, is slated to receive $27 million, some of which would come from the state.

After some controversy over funding for the bridge, the city’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure worked with the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, an intergovernmental agency, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to delay other projects so Charles Anderson could receive funding sooner.

A report commissioned by the city last year found that 32 city-owned bridges were rated poorly. Six of those bridges — the 28th Street bridge, the Larimer Bridge, the Maple Avenue Bridge, Elizabeth Street bridge, the Corley Street Bridge, and the Calera Street bridge — are all slated to receive funding in 2024.

Other poorly rated bridges such as the Swinburne and Swindell Bridges are slated for large investments in 2025.

Big infrastructure projects, particularly bridge renovations, are chosen based on criteria such as safety implications but also project readiness. Many of the bridges scheduled to receive funding in 2024 already have contractors in place to begin the work.

Traffic Calming

Throughout the spring and summer, the mayor’s office held community listening sessions about what investments residents want to see in the next budget. Much of that input involved more traffic calming programs

As a result, about $14.5 million would be doled out to the complete streets program, which focuses on improving intersections and adding pavement markings and signage.

“A complete streets network will increase the mobility options available to residents of Pittsburgh resulting in lower greenhouse gasses, more affordable transportation options, healthier residents, and increased revenue for neighborhood businesses,” the administration said in its budget proposal.

The city also has close to $10 million in unspent funds from prior years for this project

That money would go to projects such as adding lighting inside the Armstrong Tunnel and traffic light replacement at Muriel and 10th Streets on the South Side, as well as adding traffic calming measures like speed humps to various roads around the city.

Other initiatives

The capital budget also includes $855,000 to explore “the design and site for a new public safety training complex.” The current public safety training facility is located in Highland Park, and residents have taken complaints to the mayor about noise from its outdoor shooting range.

Officials have indicated it would take millions of dollars to renovate the shuttered Veterans Affairs hospital in Lincoln-Lemington to make it a new training facility — former Mayor Bill Peduto’s plan for the site. Mr. Gainey has not committed to using the former hospital as a training facility.

Jake Pawlak, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, recently told WESA that Mr. Peduto’s plan had been scrapped.

The capital budget also allocates about $1.8 million for the demolition of condemned buildings and about $1.3 million for the city’s Urban Redevelopment Authority to offer grants to homeowners and developers.

Highlights from the operating budget

The city’s overall budget would be about $839.2 million, $39 million higher than this year.

The budget could change next year even after City Council approves it. Multiple contracts with unionized city workers expire at the end of 2023, and the budget proposal doesn’t include an increase in those salaries.

Multiple departments, including City Planning and Permits, Licenses and Inspections, would see their workforces grow under the budget.

And after much talk over the last few months about the ideal number of police, the budget calls for a decrease in the number of uniformed officers.

In previous years, the city has budgeted for 900 officers, but the 2024 budget is for 849 — which it says “reflects the anticipated strength of the Bureau in 2024 with planned recruit classes and anticipated retirements.”

Robert Swartzwelder, president of the local police union, said his group wasn’t consulted about this change, but that the “theory is [the city] isn’t going to be able to get to 900, so they’re lowering it to shift the funding somewhere else.”

The city has started holding recruitment classes again, but is still struggling to fill empty positions. Officials have indicated that they intend to return to a full compliment of 900 officers at some point, but Mr. Swartzwelder remains skeptical. 

”Until they make the salaries competitive, that’s when they’re going to be able to have competitive staffing,” he said.

The department has already been below its fully-budgeted complement of 900 officers since before the pandemic. As of Friday, the force was staffed at about 775 officers, including command staff, “which puts patrol force everyday rank and file to just over 300 officers spread across six patrol zones,” said Mr. Swartzwelder.

The budget would also add 12 new Community Service Aides to the police budget to “begin civilianization” — the process of hiring civilians, not uniformed police, to perform specific functions currently done by officers.

Civilianizing part of the bureau is a goal that new police Chief Larry Scirotto outlined when he was hired in the spring.

View the full article at post-gazette.com

Within Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania, we have an export problem. I learned of this not from research, but through conversations I have had with many the past few years.

You have likely had these types of conversations as well. “This is my first time to Pittsburgh, and what a gem you have here! This must be one of the best held secrets in the U.S.”

Unfortunately, many business leaders outside of southwestern Pennsylvania are unaware of our region’s potential.

Couple this with a comment I received from a colleague in the broadband industry from Cincinnati while working from home: “Jeremy, you’re telling me you don’t have access to fiber, yet you are located just outside of Pittsburgh?”

It’s true. According to the FCC National Broadband Map, 74% of Hamilton County, Ohio, has access to fiber broadband at speeds of 2Gbps symmetric. Allegheny County? Only 3%, and that’s when lowering the bar to only 1Gbps download.

Imagine you have a flourishing small business in rural Butler County. You know the potential of ChatGPT to develop the perfect job posting to quickly grow your staff, but your satellite or DSL connection makes this concept laughable.

Pittsburgh and our surrounding region have incredible potential, but we need the digital infrastructure in place to export our story, including our digital and tangible goods and offerings.

By now you have heard of forthcoming government funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to bridge the “digital divide.” This term is commonly used to describe the gap in connectivity between our urban and rural geographies, with the areas unserved by broadband typically being rural in nature. Based on funding guidelines, if you rely on satellite or DSL today, your area will likely see a positive impact within the next few years due to this funding. If you currently have access to fiber or reliable cable, your area may not be slated for funding.

So, what might this mean to local urban and rural businesses? To use an example, the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) recently released their $200 million Broadband Infrastructure Program grant opportunity. Armstrong submitted grant applications to construct fiber within multiple rural Pennsylvania school districts. When approved by PBDA, every unserved business and household within these districts will have access to fiber at 3Gbps symmetric speeds. These speeds are 3.5x faster than fiber available in Pittsburgh, including upload speeds exceeding 85x the speed of the city’s fastest cable broadband offering. We’ll then experience the inverse of the digital divide, with rural raising the bar and urban needing to play catch up. My sincere hope is that broadband providers invest private risk capital into existing urban networks to keep up.

In total, the PBDA will receive $1.16 billion in funding from IIJA. Is this enough to run fiber to every unserved location in Pennsylvania? Absolutely not. But we should continue to prioritize fiber connectivity in southwest Pennsylvania.

Per our region’s historic work ethic, we acted early, with many counties funding fiber projects, the University of Pittsburgh and Greater Pittsburgh Digital Inclusion Alliance advocating for digital skills training, and Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), Carnegie Mellon University and Allies for Children developing our region’s Connectivity Roadmap alongside 400 stakeholders.

I propose two calls to action to ensure better broadband for businesses: 1. Provide feedback on the PBDA’s initial proposal, which describes how the Commonwealth will distribute the $1.16 billion in funding, and 2. Take the forthcoming SPC survey on small business connectivity issues.

Now it is time to turn advocacy and planning into implementation. The funding is available. Let’s ensure we have the digital infrastructure in place to export our story instead of our early career professionals.

Jeremy Jurick is director of regulatory policy at Armstrong Telecommunications.

View the full article at bizjournals.com

Four candidates seeking three seats on the Fayette County Board of Commissioners participated in a forum at Penn State Fayette.

The event involved three incumbents, Republicans Scott Dunn and Dave Lohr, and Democrat Vincent Vicites, along with Democrat Geno Gallo.

The event was sponsored by the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce.

Each candidate made an opening statement and answered five questions delivered by a moderator.

Candidates each had two minutes to respond to each question.

The candidates received question topics in advance of the forum but not the actual questions.

Question 1: What are your priorities for the first six months in office?

“Growth is definitely something that you have to focus on,” Gallo said. “The reality is that the population is on the decline and continues to decline.”

Gallo said poverty is an issue that needs tackled along with the budget.

“Fundamentality, one of the biggest problems in the county is poverty,” Gallo said. “That poverty chases out the best and the brightest.”

Gallo said the budget needs to be controlled and expressed concern over the county’s purchase of several buildings that will now need to be maintained.

Gallo said the county’s spending has been excessive for the past 36 months, something that needs to be a priority.

“We need to keep spending under control,” Gallo said. “We need to take care of the people and really tighten the war on poverty. We can’t leave anyone behind.”

Dave Lohr said he will concentrate on the budget and tighten spending. He cited his past terms and the tackling of budget problems in the past.

“When I came into office which was almost eight years ago there were overspending issues,” Lohr said. “One thing that we did implement was tighter spending to make sure that the budget was within standings and where it was supposed to be and businesses got paid, people got paid.”

Lohr said the commissioners stayed busy during the COVID-19 pandemic, never stepping away from their responsibilities.

“We were on the job the entire time,” Lohr said. “We made sure that people were getting taken care of.”

Lohr said he is also proud of the work that has been accomplished in his seven-plus years in office.

“I am very good at making sure that things get done,” he said. “We put things in gear and we made things happen.”

Vicites cited the budget as a main concern. He said setting a budget is the first thing a commissioner needs undertake.

Vicites tackled what he called misinformation about commissioners’ spending over the past and presented the current budget as an example.

“Right now, at three-fourths of the year, at 75%, our budget right now in the county is at 62%. So we are well under in our spending,” Vicites said.

Vicites said the county received money through the federal American Rescue Act and for COVID relief. That money needed to be spent or else it would have to be returned to the federal government.

“We decided to invest in the courthouse,” Vicites said. “We invested in the future of the county and long-term growth and development in the county. Fayette County is on the move.”

Dunn said infrastructure and energy are important issues that require focus.

Dunn said any money received from federal or state governments adds to county revenue and those sources must be used for designated expenses, increasing county expenditures.

“Our budget has gone up but that is all special revenues and special projects. My focus is going to be on building infrastructure and what infrastructure means to me is not only water and sewage but broadband and energy in Fayette County,” Dunn said.

Dunn said the commissioners are working with Columbia Gas and West Penn Power to seek ways to boost energy as a way to bring in new business.

Dunn plans to focus on health care, energy, education, aquaculture and promoting and expanding tourism.

“I am leaving no stone unturned to make Fayette County a better place to live,” Dunn said.

Question 2: What is your priority in terms of budgeting?

“I have watched the budget tighten,” Lohr said. “We have meetings every month with the departments and we are consistently saying, ‘watch the budget.’ We do want to cut the spending. We want to make sure that wasteful spending is not taking place.”

Lohr said good bond rates have helped, and the commissioners work to keep the budget within range.

Vicites cited good interest rates the county received allowed the prison project to come in under the projected $44 million budget.

“We are actually about a million and a half under budget,” Vicites said .

Vicites said that every county department is well under budget and money received from other government sources has to be put into the county budget.

Vicites cited lack of funding from the state, which was slow in passing a 2023 budget.

“The last time I checked we were owed $5 million, so that does hurt our cash flow and we are doing everything that we can to cut costs,” Vicites said.

Dunn said commissioners have tried to keep a tight rein on spending.

“We have actually spent $1million less this year then we spent in last year’s budget,” Dunn said. “I am a big believer as we budget every year, no new people, no new equipment, no new cars, unless they are grant funded. Leave no stone unturned looking for grant funding.”

Dunn said the largest portion of annual budgets is for salaries, benefits and retiree benefits.

Gallo cited the expense of the new buildings purchased and cost to maintain them.

“That is a legacy of spending that will plague taxpayers for years to come,” said Gallo.

He said the expansion of government is unnecessary and costly.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s grant money or not. Grant money does not keep the lights on. We can’t go on with this broad-base spending. There is a cause and effect for everything,” Gallo said.

Question 3: How would you help tackle the shortage of skilled workers to ensure the business community can grow?

Vicites said heath care is a growing industry in the county and education and training are eeded to fill open positions and positions that may be created with the expansion of health care options in the county.

Vicites said the Appalachian Regional Commission provided the Fayette County Career and Technical Institute with a grant for health care training.

“Hopefully we can get that up and runningm get people trained for medical-related jobs and the jobs of the future,” Vicites said.

Vicites said the answer to the labor shortage program is workforce development.

“We have to train our people for the current jobs that are open, yrain them and fill them and also train them for the jobs of the future,” Vicites said. “I’m committed to whatever it takes to train people to get those jobs filled.”

Dunn said the growth of the health care industry is what will turn around the county.

“What has to happen is that we need to educate and train our people for these jobs,” Dunn said. citing opportunities at WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital, Penn Highlands Connellsville, Independence Health System, the Allegheny Health Network and other health care facilities.

Dunn said the county offers educational opportunities at Penn State Fayette, Laurel Business Institute and Fayette County Career and Technical Institute.

“These entities are now working toward navigating our children toward more education,” he said.

Gallo said the problem is declining population.

“We have more jobs than people,” Gallo said. “We’ve got to get people to stay. Our best and our brightest are leaving us.”

Gallo said he wants to see more opportunities offered for county residents to become home buyers. He said what is needed is to address the problems with poverty head-on.

“People need to own their own homes,” Gallo said. “We got to get people in homes and we have to take care of our own.”

Gallo said that many smaller businesses are closing because of lack of labor.

“They can’t get labor,” Gallo said. “Our favorite mom-and-pop restaurants can’t get labor. We need to get people here and get them to stay.”

Lohr said ample opportunities are available for education and scholarships in the county. He said the problem with labor is not something limited to Fayette County.

“The whole country has this problem. You see help wanted signs everywhere. Everyone has the same issue. It’s not just us,” Lohr said.

Lohr said housing is an important matter.

“We need to work hard to make sure that housing is available,” Lohr said. “We have a shortage of houses.”

Question 4: What is the most pressing need for infrastructure or capitol projects and what will your focus be?

Dunn said being able to offer power generated on site for business is a must for growth.

“We can have power that is generated onsite and not coming from miles and miles away, and that is a microgrid,” Dunn said. “That is something that we have the ability to do right here in Fayette County and that is something that is very promising for Fayette County.”

Dunn targeted the need for clean water adding he has been working with companies to ensure everyone in the county has clean water.

Gallo said infrastructure is needed but the focus should be on realistic projects.

“Any kind of infrastructure that we do has to be smart and has to make sense in the long term,” Gallo said. “You can’t just keep spending money on development and ideas that don’t have a real payback for the people. If we focus on the people that are here that will give us the best results, what we need is a change of direction.”

Lohr said the infrastructure bank is important to the county.

Aimed at helping municipalities and municipal authorities fund infrastructure projects, the Fayette County Infrastructure Bank allows such entities to apply for loans from a special county fund to be used as a quicker, more reliable option for financing necessary repair or improvement projects.

“This is something that was put together in this term and this is something that I highly support,” Lohr said.

Lohr discussed the need for broadband in the county and said it is an extremely expense undertaking. Lohr said commissioners are seeking grants to help the process.

Vicites said broadband is a necessity and will become available to everyone in Fayette County.

“It is the infrastructure of the future,” Vicites said.

Vicites cited the number of projects already completed in including extensive road work and $200 million of economic investment in infrastructure projects.

Vicites said he is a member of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission which will have $5 billion for infrastructure available to Fayette County and other areas of the region.

“I will make sure that Fayette County gets its fair share if not more,” Vicites said.

Question 5: How will you assist with the health and wellness of communities?

Gallo said the county should embrace one of the its biggest industries — agriculture.

“We need to do more for our farms,” Gallo said. “We need to make sure that fresh food is getting in to the hands of Fayette County residents, fed by Fayette County farmers.”

“Poverty is our war here,” Gallo said. “We need to take care of our people here and others will come. Our quality of life is going down. I don’t want to be negative but we have to be realistic.”

Lohr said health is a concern across the board and that commissioners focused on the need to help diabetics and others with health problems to lead healthier lifestyles.

“We live here we see all the garbage,” Lohr said, adding illegal drugs are also a problem.

“The only thing that we can do is to continue to keep cleaning up the county,” he said.

Lohr addressed comments about declining county population.

“Population reduction is across the board but our.

He said people approach him daily about moving to the area. “I firmly believe that we will have people coming here,” he said.

Vicites said focusing on projects to keep people healthy is paramount.

“We need to live more healthy lives,” Vicites said, noting commissioners established a health-and-wellness program for county employees.

He said recreation available like the Sheepskin Trail, help people stay, getting in more exercise than ever.

“We have to continue to build our recreational opportunities to give people a chance to exercise,” he said.

Dunn said he believes in a comprehensive buy local program.

“The biggest problem we face is generational poverty,” he said.

“The more education and training you have the less likely you are to live in poverty, and the more likely you are to be employed in the work force,” he said. “We need to boost education and training and we need to navigate our students towards education.”

View the full article at dailycourier.com.

The pandemic drove public board and commission meetings online. As COVID-19 fears wane for many, there’s little consistency regarding citizen access to information and deliberations.

Eric Boerer estimates that he attends more than 100 public meetings a year. For the advocacy director of Bike Pittsburgh, being able to join a meeting online makes it easier to pop in and stay updated or give input on something that otherwise might not be a priority. You can, he notes, “listen in while you cook,” and there’s no need to hire a babysitter.

Carol Hardeman, executive director of the Hill District Consensus Group, values the more personal experience of in-person meetings. She has missed at least one opportunity to speak due to difficulties she had getting on screen on time.

The two are among many civic-minded people trying to participate in the community at a time when tools exist for a golden age of public engagement, but when each agency seems to have its own unique rules for when and how citizens can have input into decision-making.

More than three years after COVID-19 drove most public processes online, there’s no consistency among Pittsburgh and Allegheny County agencies regarding citizen participation. Some of the region’s most important agencies are split on practices, and a few appear to be running afoul of state guidance.

Unelected boards and commissions make important decisions affecting how you travel, the water you drink and flush, the availability of housing and other buildings and even aspects of the educational system.

Want to get involved with local boards and commissions? 5 tips for effective engagement.

PublicSource, in its Board Explorer tool, gives readers a look at some 60 panels that make important decisions for the region. This fall, we zoomed in on 10 of those, asking how they’re interacting with the public.

Before 2020, the rules and practices for public engagement with such panels were relatively simple, and guided by the Sunshine Act. In short, governmental decisions have to be made at regular or advertised meetings, open to the public, with deliberations on most issues held in full view amid opportunities for citizen comment.

Early in the pandemic, when the usual standard of in-person meetings wasn’t always prudent or viable, the General Assembly passed Act 15 of 2020, which allowed agencies to conduct meetings with “an authorized telecommunications device until the expiration or termination of the COVID-19 disaster emergency.” That emergency, though, officially ended in mid-2021.

The state Office of Open Records now considers the virtual-only option expired. The office provides for exemptions in cases of declared local disasters, but now generally expects all public meetings to have in-person access, according to Liz Wagenseller, the office’s executive director.

That suits Hardeman, who wants to look people in the eye, and finds it useful to observe, and use, body language. When someone is on Zoom, and their video is off, she can’t tell if they are really listening to her or to other public speakers.

Boerer acknowledged that the ease of meeting online comes with a trade-off. He feels you get more out of an in-person meeting and can connect and chat with residents and staffers afterwards. “You can get a sense of the room, how people are feeling.”

Panning cameras vs. invisible boards

Three of the 10 boards and commissions reviewed by PublicSource continue to conduct online-only meetings.

The Pittsburgh City Planning Commission, Urban Redevelopment Authority [URA] and Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh [HACP] all cite the closure of their longtime Ross Street offices and their relocation from there to 412 Boulevard of the Allies as the reason. David Geiger, the URA’s director of government and strategic affairs, said the conference room on the ground floor of the agencies’ current location is undergoing renovation. Representatives of all three agencies said they intend to reincorporate an in-person component once renovations are complete. Geiger gave no estimated date of completion.

Instead of crowded in-person meetings, the URA, HACP and Planning Commission use Zoom.

For the URA’s September board meeting, members logged in from separate spaces.

For much of the meeting, the virtual setup allowed viewers to see only the person speaking, making it impossible for the audience to know whether other members were actively listening.

The URA reports, though, that virtual attendance numbers regularly exceed 50 and push 100, and complaints about access have dropped since the meetings were held in a Ross Street meeting room with limited capacity.

Two boards — the Community College of Allegheny County [CCAC] and the Allegheny County Housing Authority — have reverted to in-person public meetings format, although ACHA will also set up a virtual link upon request.

Other agencies are holding hybrid meetings, potentially offering the best of both worlds — in-person access with the convenience of remote participation. Not all hybrid formats, though, are created equal.

During the Sept. 15 meeting of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, board members kept their video off as the meeting was conducted on the platform WebEx instead of the more commonly used Zoom. Starting at 11 a.m., it concluded by 11:30. Agenda items and a presentation were read speedily with no discussion of any item.

In contrast, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority [PWSA] convenes board members in one room. They face a spread of seats assembled for the public and a podium for speakers. The online viewer gets to see both the public arena, the speaker and the board members, as the camera pans to each area depending on who has the stage.

According to Rebecca Zito, PWSA’s senior manager of public relations, the agency invested $19,200 during the pandemic to hire an audio visual contractor and now devotes a staff person to each meeting to ensure “a seamless experience.”

However, Zito said that public attendance at PWSA board meetings was actually down to 10 to 15 people, versus pre-pandemic levels of 25 to 35 people.

Pittsburgh, Allegheny commissions all over the board on public engagement
In the wake of the pandemic’s upending of norms of public participation in government, 10 key local boards and commissions have very different procedures for giving citizens windows into their deliberations, and voice in their decisions.

Lucyna de Barbaro, of Squirrel Hill, attends only a few public meetings each year despite her concern for environmental and social justice issues.

“I never know how to find out about them,” de Barbaro said. She generally relies on organizations to prompt her to show up.

“Once you know through your network or through some organizing efforts that the meeting is happening, then everything is kind of easy, the information is out there, there is a way to sign up, rules are provided so that is not a problem,” she said. “The problem is knowing — even knowing — which organizations would take our input.”

Even with prompting, speaking up at a meeting can be “a little intimidating in the sense that if you don’t participate and observe the workings of the board, you actually do not know what type of input you can provide. … Will my comments matter?”

If you, too, want to have more of a say in the decisions of important agencies in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, here are five steps toward more effective engagement.

Step 1: Identify panels in which you have an interest

PublicSource provides Board Explorer, a tool for navigating some 60 of the most influential panels overseeing functions of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County governance.

The city lists its panels here.

The county provides a drop-down list of its panels here.

Step 2: Review the agenda — as soon as it becomes available

Agendas outline the business at hand and often allot a period for public comment. If comments are heard early in the meeting, you can more confidently plan a return to work or childcare pick-up. If placed at the end, as they are, for example, at Pittsburgh Regional Transit [PRT] meetings, you might need to make open-ended plans, as some meetings last hours.

Amendments to the Sunshine Act made in 2021 require that agencies post agendas 24 hours in advance. Some panels do better, posting agendas three to seven days prior to meetings. Others, though, come close to the 24-hour rule.

That might create difficulties for those who want to physically attend, but need to arrange medical transport, as it often takes more than 24 hours to reserve a ride, said Paul O’Hanlon, a disability advocate and a longtime advisory member of the City-County Task Force on Disabilities.

Step 3: Plan ahead if accessibility is an issue

Do you want to attend the meeting in-person or virtually? Check the meeting options and decide. Consider parking locations and the cost to park for the time you expect to be there. Travel via public transit may involve additional walk time. The transit stop nearest the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority [ALCOSAN] board meeting room, for instance, is roughly a 28-minute walk away.

All agencies told PublicSource they would do their best to accommodate reasonable requests for deaf and blind participants’ needs with advance notice. The URA noted challenges with a shortage of ASL interpreters. And while HACP has a Disability Compliance Officer, not all agencies do. For virtual or hybrid meetings, check that Zoom’s closed captions settings are automatically set to ‘on’ by the host.

Step 4: Hone your planned comments, usually to 3 minutes

Check on any limits or requirements needed to speak in advance. Many require prior registration. Can you fit everything you want to say into three minutes? Agencies may use lights, buzzers or verbal interruption with a gentle warning to cue the end of a participant’s time. It can help to write out what you want to say in advance, noting that three minutes is usually about one typed page, and practice with a few run-throughs out loud at varying speeds.

“The three-minute rule can be difficult for someone who needs a little time to think through what they want to say,” said O’Hanlon.

Written comments, including by email, are another way to give input in advance of a board action, but not all agency websites make it clear where comments can be sent. Some have web forms, while one accepts written comments only by postal mail. Pay attention to any deadlines for comment submission.

Step 5: If you’re scratching your head, ask

Maybe you’re looking for the agenda or minutes from many months ago, a video link or an address for the meeting. If you can’t find it online, locate agency contact info and ask. Just posing a question can prompt change. PublicSource’s inquiry about the budget of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, for instance, spurred that agency to rapidly post current information.

Don’t be discouraged if navigating a public meeting isn’t yet what you hoped it would be.

Chardaé Jones, the former mayor of Braddock, has been on both sides of the table. As a volunteer for organizations, she kept showing up at public meetings, seeing what her community needed and volunteering to do it until she ended up in office. “As mayor, I saw community engagement as essential because without it you don’t know how you’re doing as a person in office.”

The pandemic may have caused a seismic shift in the landscape of public meetings, but it also created opportunities for improvement.

“I don’t know of anybody that is perfect, but my experience is that most everybody, kind of, is willing to learn. In my experience, people make adjustments,” said O’Hanlon. “It is just an ongoing challenge.”

View the full article at publicsource.org

There was a lot to celebrate on Fifth Avenue in McKeesport on Wednesday, as dozens of local children and community members joined the Boys&Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania for the opening of their new teen center.

The event was also a commemoration of 135 years of the organization’s chapter in the Pittsburgh region.

The McKeesport center is a relocation and expansion of the previous Mon Valley location, and the first new Boys&Girls Clubs opening in Western Pennsylvania since the pandemic.

The newest location is quadruple the size of the former, and characterized as “a place for teens to prepare for careers and life,” offering resources such as financial literacy courses, workforce development and mentorship, and somewhere for youth to feel secure. Financial stipends are also offered to participants, so they don’t have to worry about an after school job.

The new site was established in partnership with UPMC McKeesport and UPMC Health Plan.

Christopher Watts, former participant and current President and CEO of the Boys&Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania, stressed his commitment to the kids and communities of McKeesport and the Mon Valley.

“Moving forward, I just want to share that it’s our intent to work collaboratively with the community to support the kids of McKeesport, as we all know they need it,” Mr. Watts said.

The new location comes at a time when many families in the Mon Valley are struggling. In a 2021 study, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission reported that roughly 1 out of 3 McKeesport residents lived below the poverty line.

It’s also a time where youth participation in Boys&Girls Clubs have declined drastically nationwide – and almost 45 percent decrease since 2019.

“I feel it’s not a coincidence that we’re seeing rising challenges with teens and communities and a drop in participation rates in out of school programs,” Mr. Watts said. “What gives me hope is that the Boys&Girls Club will be a part of that solution.”

“The best part of my job is being with these kids,” said Marquise Wheeler, who’s been leading the Mon Valley center at its previous location since last year. “Our vision is to make sure our kids are showing up everyday, they’re here and they’re safe, they’re learning a thing or two and they’re having fun.”

KaNya Pitts, who has been a Club Teen since last year, said joining the program gave her a chance to go to events like Steelers games and pumpkin picking. But most importantly, she said she shows up because she feels safe.

She also praised Mr. Wheeler for his leadership and his advice.

“We’re around each other from open to close,” Ms. Pitts said.

Sha’ron Cash, who has been a club participant for several years, credited the club for changing his life.

“I used to get into a lot of trouble,” he said. “But when I started coming here, it changed my life and helped me out pretty well.”

View the full article at wesa.fm

Everyone experienced the effects of climate change in some way this summer, Peter Boger said Monday afternoon.

“Whether that was smoke from the fires, or the flooding or with extreme heat,” said Boger, assistant director for outreach and engagement with Penn State Sustainability. “And we know these are going to be issues that continue to affect us here in Pennsylvania and worldwide, and yet at the same time, and this is an exciting moment of opportunity.

“There’s more money coming from the federal government around climate than ever before, and we’re seeing a lot more action at the federal, state and local levels.”

More than 150 people tuned in Monday afternoon for the first webinar of Commonwealth Sustainability Week, focused on efforts from state-level leadership to curb climate change. In its third year, and hosted by the state’s GreenGov Council and Penn State Sustainability, the weeklong event features daily, free webinars focused on climate change and sustainability efforts statewide.

“Hopefully, you see the theme — that we’re trying to raise awareness on climate and, really, our sustainability week is geared around climate actions and planning,” said Mark Hand, director of the GreenGov Council.

The webinar, “2023 Commonwealth Sustainability Week Kickoff — Sustainability Leadership,” included Cindy Adams Dunn, secretary of the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, and Reggie McNeil, secretary of the Department of General Services. Richard Negrin, who heads the Department of Environmental Protection, was also scheduled to speak, but didn’t make the webinar. Hand said he was “tied up in another meeting.”

All serve as co-chairs for the council.

‘Cooling down the streets is critical’

The hour-long event was structured like a panel. Officials explained how their departments work to address climate change and sustainability issues before answering questions. The first question asked the panelists to share near-term climate actions that can be accomplished across the state, as well as their biggest concerns.

“Every parking lot, every rooftop I see, I feel like should have solar on it,” Dunn said. “ … So getting solar everywhere it can be, and overcoming the barriers to that policy-wise, legislatively and it costs-wise, but the investment certainly [would] be worth it in the long run.”

She also mentioned efforts to add more trees, especially in cities, where “tree cover is essential.”

“If you can get shade on streets and houses, it makes a tremendous difference in urban heat and that can save lives,” she said. “Urban heat is a killer in the summertime. So, getting our urban and suburban areas forest-covered is critical to reduce energy bills, but also to save lives and create cover

“After summer like we had, and it’s only going one direction from here right now — cooling down the streets is critical.”

Audience members were also able to submit their own questions. One asked what other state departments are working towards sustainability goals.

Closing trail gaps around the state is a major focus for other departments, including PennDOT, Dunn said. Philadelphia’s Schuylkill River Trail was built through grants, as well as funding from PennDOT and private funding, she said.

Bike commuters can use the trail “as opposed to sitting on the Schuylkill Expressway in traffic and belching exhaust.”

“In the Allentown area as well,” she continued. “There’s a link trail that’s aiming to really provide active transportation. Again, DCNR with our grants on trails has been a key partner there, as have the other agencies.”

The Link Trail connects multi-use trails across the Valley for year-round outdoor recreation and transportation.

“Getting vehicles off the road [and] getting people on trails to connect, even local errands,” she said. I was just in Hellertown a couple of years ago, when we completed a trail there, and people were using their bikes to go to the store.”

Another question dealt with severe weather events, asking if the secretaries see an opportunity to rebuild any damage using more sustainable techniques.

“If we rebuild or renovate anything, we are going to use the most energy-efficient equipment, the most green materials that are out there.”
Reggie McNeil, secretary of the state Department of General Services
“If we rebuild or renovate anything, we are going to use the most energy-efficient equipment, the most green materials that are out there,” McNeil said.

Only a handful of the more than a dozen questions submitted by the audience were answered, but Hand encouraged participants to register for future webinars throughout the week.

The schedule of webinars this week includes:

• Preparing for a Changing Climate: Building a Resilient Pennsylvania
• Join the Movement – PA Climate Network Participation & Training Opportunities
• Building the Workforce of Tomorrow
• Fostering Resilient Communities – Local Climate Action and Planning

A Lehigh Valley official is scheduled to speak as a panelist during Friday’s webinar, “Fostering Resilient Communities.”

Becky A. Bradley, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, is scheduled to discuss “how climate planning leads to more resilient communities.”

Other speakers include Michael Walsh, deputy secretary of the state’s Department of Conservation & Natural Resources; Lindsay A. Byron, an environmental group manager in the energy programs office of the state Department of Environmental Protection; and Cathy Tulley, environmental programs manager of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.

“The session provides an opportunity to hear what state and local government planners are working on to address climate change and how we can get involved with local planning and developing local climate priorities.”

“We’ll have a great set of presenters representing a combination of state and local governments to discuss local climate action and planning,” Hand said. “The session provides an opportunity to hear what state and local government planners are working on to address climate change and how we can get involved with local planning and developing local climate priorities.”

Earlier this year, the LVPC announced the receipt of a $1 million infusion of federal funds earmarked to create two separate climate action plans over the next four years.

Officials must create a Priority Climate Action Plan, focused on industrial decarbonization, as well as a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan. The former is due March 1, while the latter is expected to be adopted in August 2025, officials said during a recent meeting of the commission’s Environmental Committee.

Register for any of this week’s webinars here. They will also be recorded and posted on the GreenGov Council’s website.

View the full article at lehighvalleynews.com

Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced additional conditional awards for Round 1 of the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funding. These awards further the Shapiro Administration’s work to address climate change, grow the Commonwealth’s economy and ensure that the future of Pennsylvania transportation is on track to be cleaner, safer, more affordable, and more reliable than ever before.

“Our work to continue investing these funds will not only help build out our electric vehicle charging network, but will create good-paying jobs across Pennsylvania,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll.

Seven projects in six counties were selected to expand access to, and the reliability of, electric vehicle charging within Pennsylvania. The nearly $3.9 million federal investment is part of the $171.5 million PennDOT will receive and distribute for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure over five years through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). View the full conditional award list, by county, on the department’s NEVI web page. Additional conditional awards are as follows:

Allegheny County:

• Applegreen Electric PA LLC: $367,749 for a charging station at the PA Turnpike service plaza in Verona (Mile 49); and
• EVgo Services LLC: $543,960 for a charging station at Penn Place Shopping Plaza in Monroeville (I-376, Exit 84 A-B).

Chester County:

• Applegreen Electric PA LLC: $603,294 for a charging station at the PA Turnpike service plaza in West Brandywine (Mile 305).

Clearfield County:

• Francis Energy PA, LLC: $747,247 for a charging station at the Kwik Fill in Kylertown (I-80, Exit 133).

Fulton County:

• Applegreen Electric PA LLC: $736,870 for a charging station at the PA Turnpike service plaza in Waterfall (Mile 172).

Lancaster County:

• Applegreen Electric PA LLC: $498,805 for a charging station at the PA Turnpike service plaza in Bowmansville (Mile 290).

Westmoreland County:

• Applegreen Electric PA LLC: $397,067 for a charging station at the PA Turnpike service plaza in Hunker (Mile 77).

“Working together, the Commonwealth — along with PennDOT, the PA Turnpike, and our other partners — can ensure that drivers who prefer EVs can travel anywhere in Pennsylvania without worrying about the next charging facility,” said PA Turnpike Chief Executive Officer Mark P. Compton. “Expanding availability of EV chargers will also boost interest in and sales of EVs, hastening Pennsylvania’s sustainability goals.”

PennDOT will be hosting six community engagement events around the state for community members to learn about EVs, funding options, the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program and more. In addition, these conversations will allow community members to provide their input on where they would like to see EV charging infrastructure most in their community. The following events are currently scheduled:

Gettysburg: Oct. 16, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

• Heritage Center, 297 Steinwehr Ave., Gettysburg.

Coatesville: Oct. 19, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

• Graystone Mansion/Harcum College Coatesville, 53 S. First Ave., Coatesville.

Williamsport: Oct. 23. 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

• Michael Ross Event Center, 144 W. Third St., Williamsport.

Erie: Nov. 1, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

• H.O. Hirt Auditorium at Blasco Library, 160 E. Front St., Erie.

Reading: Nov. 2, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

• Goggleworks, 201 Washington St., Reading.

Pittsburgh: Nov. 8, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

• Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), 42 21st St., Pittsburgh.

To register for a community engagement event, visit this link.

The NEVI funding supports the Commonwealth and federal goal of expanding EV charging along the previously designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs) (see a list of AFCs here) and Interstate lookalikes. Pennsylvania has over 1,800 miles of AFCs. Per guidance from U.S. DOT, NEVI formula funds must first be used to “build out” designated AFCs (meaning there must be no more than 50 miles between stations and less than 1 mile from an AFC exit) and meet U.S. DOT minimum standards and requirements.

The PA NEVI program includes multiple rounds of funding. During Round 1 selection, the focus was on building out the AFC network along the interstates to meet the NEVI requirements. Once AFCs are fully built out, PennDOT will shift to expanding the NEVI Formula Program funding to fund right-sized EV chargers for Pennsylvania’s community charging.

While Round 1 NEVI projects progress, PennDOT continues meeting federal deadlines for additional funding rounds and working toward closing all AFC gaps while expanding community charging access. Round 1 and 1a will focus exclusively on the AFC network. The department anticipates opening Round 1a later this fall with approximately $22 million available. Later this month, PennDOT will release a map showing current gaps along the AFC network to help applicants prepare for Round 1a.

For more information on NEVI funds in Pennsylvania visit the PennDOT website.

Pennsylvania can compete for billions of dollars in federal funds across a wide range of federal grant programs through the BIL, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). To help communities and organizations learn about these opportunities, PennDOT created a web page, www.penndot.pa.gov/IIJA, with details on federal grant opportunities to help municipalities, townships, and other community agencies with understanding the multiple transportation program grants that are available. The page includes Grant Alerts, guides, and links to important resources for local municipalities and organizations interested in pursuing federal funding opportunities

Information about state infrastructure in Pennsylvania, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.

Subscribe to local PennDOT news or statewide PennDOT news on the department’s website.

Follow PennDOT on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.

View the full article at media.pa.gov/

PennDOT wants to hear from you on your community and business needs for electric vehicle charging as part of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program.

They have scheduled a series of six regional outreach sessions so communities and businesses can learn more about electric vehicle initiatives and funding opportunities and so participants can provide feedback on EVs and the needs of your community.

The outreach sessions will be held—

October 16:
Gettysburg Heritage Center
297 Steinwehr Ave, Gettysburg
5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

October 19:
Graystone Mansion/Harcum College Coatesville
53 S. 1st Avenue, Coatesville
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

October 23: Michael Ross Event Center
144 W 3rd St, Williamsport
5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

November 1:
H. O. Hirt Auditorium at Blasco Library
160 E Front Street, Erie
5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

November 2:
Goggleworks
201 Washington Street, Reading
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

November 8:
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission
42 21st Street, Suite 101, Pittsburgh
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Click Here to register and for more information.

Visit PennDOT’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure webpage for more information.

View the full article at paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission hired Caitlin O’Connor as director of public relations and communication initiatives, and DJ Ryan as director of strategic initiatives and policy.

View the full article at post-gazette.com

The Pittsburgh Robotics Network invites you to step into the heart of the Robotics Capital of the World at Pittsburgh Robotics Discovery Day. Taking place on Thursday, November 16, 2023, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the event is a must-attend for anyone curious about the robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that are revolutionizing our world.

“We’re looking forward to showcasing the incredible talent and innovation that exists in the Pittsburgh region. Pittsburgh Robotics Discovery Day is more than just an event; it’s an interactive opportunity for attendees to engage with the trailblazers in robotics and AI, discover how these technologies are shaping our everyday lives, and discover ways they can be a part of building our future” said Jenn Apicella, Interim Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Robotics Network.

The event promises to be an illuminating experience featuring live demonstrations of robots and AI technologies that are changing the way we live, move, and work. Open to the public and free to attend, it will be a gathering space for tech aficionados, business professionals, students, and anyone curious about the advancements in robotics and AI. There will be multiple zones to explore, including:

Robotics Zone
Attendees will experience up-close the wide variety of groundbreaking robotics and AI technologies being developed by the 100+ robotics companies in the Pittsburgh region, with on-site demonstrations, helping all to better understand their purpose and potential. Engage with the visionaries behind these pioneering advancements and experience immersive demonstrations that reveal the potential of this technology in your work and in your life.

Career Pathways Zone
Step into a multitude of educational and training resources available in the region. Whether you are already a tech professional or are entirely new to these fields, a career in robotics could be in your future. Learn why the world’s best tech talent hails from, and is attracted to, Pittsburgh.

Community Zone
Discover the nonprofit organizations, business development resources, and STEM partners that are integral to Pittsburgh’s world-leading robotics cluster.

After a highly successful inaugural event in 2022, which saw more than 4,500 attendees engage with over 80 exhibitors, Pittsburgh Robotics Discovery Day is slated to be more impactful in 2023. This year, the event will expand to include more demonstrations and an additional 42,000 square feet of exhibitor space. Additional exciting announcements are planned as the event draws closer.

“Pittsburgh is a recognized global leader in robotics and artificial intelligence, and this event opens this work up to the public, and invites all to engage with and be a part of this innovative and dynamic community,” added Apicella. “This is also an opportunity for businesses to find strategic partners, students and job seekers to connect with a variety of career and training programs, investors to identify growing startups, and so much more. It’s all happening at Pittsburgh Robotics Discovery Day.”

Pittsburgh Robotics Discovery Day is an initiative led by the Pittsburgh Robotics Network in partnership with the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission and the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. The event is supported by the Southwestern Pennsylvania New Economy Collaborative as part of a $62.7 million Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

Event Details
Date: Thursday, November 16, 2023
Location: David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Registration: Free and open to the public. To register, visit robopgh.org/discoveryday
The Pittsburgh Robotics Network encourages all attendees to register in advance, as the event is expected to attract a large audience.

View the full article at robopgh.org