Every month, our South Pittsburgh newsletter highlights neighborhood news, project updates, and major developments. Much of our everyday work that goes into to bigger accomplishments goes untold. Here are just a few things City Council District 4 did in December and January!
- Councilwoman Rudiak attended many budget hearings in early December. Each City Department had the chance to present their budget and talk about their work for 2017. On Tuesday, December 20th, City Council passed a $539 million dollar operating and a $74 million dollar capital budget. This action, along with a passage of the Five Year Plan, assures a fiscally responsible path that addresses our aging infrastructure and provides the staffing and resources to meet our ever growing challenges through the end of this decade. It is important to note that the balanced budget and five year plan were achieved while holding the line on taxes. At the end of December, as Finance Chair, Councilwoman Rudiak delivered the Council budget address to City Council about the state of the city's finances, and Council's amendments to the budget. You can read her remarks here: http://pittsburghpa.gov/district4
- In the 2017, Councilwoman Rudiak got majority support of Councilmembers for her amendments to the budget to support the good work we're doing in district 4. They included monies for Pinecastle Step and Sidewalk Reconstruction in Overbrook, a master plan in Phillips Park in Carrick, entryway to the busway along Route 51, and Alton Field in Beechview. This is in ADDITION to the over $2.5 million dollars of investments in Streetscape, Facility Improvements, Recreation and Senior Center Improvements and more in specific projects budgeted for 2017, such as improvements in Moore Park in Brookline. You can see all the projects in the 2017 capital budget here: http://pittsburghpa.gov/council/budgetoffice There is still much more budgeted for street paving. Check out the budget for yourself!
- Due to your concerns, Councilwoman Rudiak met with Wendell Hissrich, Director of Public Safety, and Elaine Alter, Supervisor for the Crossing Guards to discuss crossing guard needs in the City, and how decisions are made on where to put them. Unfortunately we are below in numbers of crossing guards we need for the busy intersections we have; we are desperately seeking more people to apply to be crossing guards in the City of Pittsburgh. If you or anyone you know is looking for part-time work, please direct them to apply here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/pittsburgh Currently our office is dedicating staff time to try to figure out how to make the crossing guard process more effective, and how we can get more crossing guards in District 4.
- Councilwoman Rudiak and staff met with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Public Works, Citiparks, and more to discuss the National Recreation Park Association grant that was awarded to McKinley Park. This grant and supplemental monies that total over $1 million, and will help to revitalize the "Chicken Hill" section of the park so that even more neighbors can use this beautiful, historic park to get outside! McKinley Park was only one out of 4 parks out of 200 to get this national grant. Kudos to the community for their great application and enthusiasm! We had a public meeting about this at the McKinley Park Shelter House in mid-January and the plan was well-received. We'll publish it when we get final concept designs.
- Constituent Services Manager Megan Neuf attended the Constituent Services Working Group meeting; where city council staffers who work to help constituents meet to and talk to figure out how to serve residents as effectively as possible. See more below.
- In January, Councilwoman Rudiak met with Economic Development South and the coordinator for the Saw Mill Run Watershed Association to talk about how to make the water cleaner, how to prevent floding, and how we can work with communities upstream to do these things. We're going to arrange a meeting with PWSA and the Mayor's Office to talk about how to fund initiatives to help Saw Mill Run.
- Councilwoman Rudiak and Megan met with Zone 3 Police and the Public Safety fellow at Economic Development South to discuss strategies for addressing heroin and opioid addiction and how to make sure that Police have the resources they need to fight this epidemic. Our office has been working for over a year to spur conversations, resources, and new approaches for dealing with the opioid epidemic. We're currently working on a program to include a resource card for police officers to leave with families and addicts after dispensing Narcan to individuals. Also in January we met with Recovery United Pittsburgh to talk about their recovery homes in the district and the need for more stringent regulations.
- We also stood with the Great Pittsburgh Schools coalition and the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers at Pittsburgh Concord in Carrick to fight for the best education for our kids and to oppose the nomination of Betsy DeVos due to her lack of qualifications.
- The Councilwoman also attended the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce reception, holiday parties across the district, recorded a message supporting the work of Dumpbusters at the Pennsylvania Resource Council who've cleaned out literally thousands of tires and hundreds of tons of waste out of District 4, talked with City Departments about implementing the Gender Equity Commission, spoke to a group of over 30 Bhutanese refugee women on how to be leaders in their communities, and more …
You needn't look further than the hundreds of sets of city steps to realize that Pittsburghers have been walking the City for decades. These days, a lot of people commute by car, bus, and the T. That's why the City adopted the Complete Streets Policy (
http://www.pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/completestreets) in November of 2016, to ensure that we create a safe commute for all Pittsburghers. Now, we need your help!
The Department of City Planning is creating a Complete Streets Advisory Group and they need resident representatives to sit alongside agency and community groups. The group is looking for 4 volunteers who have an interest in Complete Streets and can commit to 4 meetings a year.
The infamous Berg Place, located at 2531 Brownsville Road, has been left by a previous owner to fall in disrepair. Our office has been working for years to hold the owner accountable and get the building back in good condition. There have been many bumps in the road, but here is the current situation.
In November, the City took the property in a back-tax sale. It had been tax delinquent for several years. After that happened, the original owner claimed that he had actually transferred ownership to another person at the last minute and that the sale was not valid.
The new owner went to court to stop the ownership process by the City. The Court gave the owner until May, 2017 to file a brief, stating his claim. Because of that, the property has been added to the April 2017 Tax Sale. This way, there is no question of ownership or whether the sale will be valid.
If there is any further stoppage of the sale by the court, there are others who hold claims to this property and they can foreclose. We are doing everything we can legally do to get this property into productive and safe status for the community.
We will continue to give updates as the process moves along.
After the playground at the Bon Air Parklet was damaged by a fire in November, our office worked with the Department of Public Works to make sure that the equipment was replaced in a timely manner. At the beginning of January, we were notified that the parts for structure had been ordered and that the safety surface would be purchased. The ground temperature needs to be 45 degrees and rising for the safety surface glue to hold, but we will see the new equipment installed and ready to use when the weather warms up this spring.
The new Mt. Lebanon Senior Development that borders Brookline on Castlegate Avenue has caused concerns for neighbors of the site. Our office received many calls, emails and Facebook messages with questions, so we worked with the South Pittsburgh Development Corporation, Oxford Development, and Sota Construction to hold community meetings to answer them. In addition, Councilwoman Rudiak and staff have attended Mt. Lebanon Planning Board meetings where the project was being discussed, and asked for their City neighbors' concerns to be addressed.
Out of these meetings and discussions emerged a need for an on-site look at the concerns expressed by neighbors. We have visits scheduled with neighbors and officials from the City of Pittsburgh and Mt. Lebanon, along with the developers and the contractors. During these visits, we will walk through the site and neighbors will point out issues so that the we can make sure their concerns are addressed.
We will continue to follow up and will continue to support neighbors, even when it comes to cross-municipal issues!
In 2014, Economic Development South1, in partnership with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA), created the Saw Mill Run Watershed Association (SMRWA) to help address problems associated with the stream, Saw Mill Run. Like most urban streams, Saw Mill Run has been plagued by the negative impacts of stormwater runoff: frequent flooding, sewage overflows, severe erosion, streambed scouring, and habitat degradation. Not only have these issues degraded the stream but they have also contributed to disinvestment in the 14 City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods2 and 11 other municipalities3 located within the watershed.
EDS and the Saw Mill Run Watershed Association are working with PWSA to develop an Integrated Watershed Management Plan. Rather than tackling the problems of water quality on a small localized scale, integrated watershed planning is designed to improve water quality on a broader watershed – wide basis. For almost 2 years, the SMWRA has coordinated the planning efforts, meeting monthly with municipal engineers and representatives from all watershed communities to determine the best locations and practices for improving water quality and reducing flooding in Saw Mill Run. The Saw Mill Run Integrated Plan will provide serve as a template for to address the issues of stormwater runoff that negatively impact the stream and the watershed communities. Additionally, the plan will identify optimal locations for siting Green Infrastructure in the watershed. In concert with the integrated watershed plan, SMRWA enlisted the help of the US Army Corps of Engineers and GTEC
H Strategies to develop a protocol for converting the many acres of concrete and impervious surfaces adjacent to the stream located along Routes 51 and 88 back to green space – a Green Boulevard.
EDS and the SMRWA expect this collaboration to continue through implementation of Joint projects designed to capture and retain stormwater runoff, thereby reducing flooding, preventing basement backups and sewage overflows, and improving water quality and stream habitat in Saw Mill Run. Projects would include a variety of green infrastructure techniques, such as bioswales, permeable paving, and tree lawns. Additional outcomes would include stream bank and flood plain restoration, riparian area buffers, constructed wetlands, and ecosystem restoration. Green Infrastructure techniques such as these will improve the environmental, social, and economic health of the corridor, transforming this blighted stretch of highway into an attractive and vibrant area for business development and recreation.
1Economic Development South (EDS) is a non-profit community and economic development corporation committed to facilitating investment and reinvestment in City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods and municipalities located in our region’s South Hills. Since its inception, EDS has recognized the importance of the environment in attracting community investment dollars. For neighborhoods and communities in the south Hills the primary environmental issue is the Saw Mill Run stream.
2 City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods include: Allentown, Banksville, Beltzhoover, Bon Air, Brookline, Carrick, Duquesne Heights, Elliot, Knoxville, Oakwood, Overbrook, Ridgemont, Mt. Washington, and Westwood.
3 Watershed Municipalities include: Baldwin Township, Bethel Park, Brentwood, Castle Shannon, Crafton, Dormont, Green Tree, Mt. Lebanon, Mount Oliver, Scott Township, and Whitehall.
Being a business partner volunteer with the Junior Achievement Company Program is a great way to mentor young people as they begin to foster their entrepreneurial skills. You will join a group of high school students at their school for 90 minutes – 2 hours weekly during a 16-week period through the spring and help mentor them through the creation of their own company, using JA’s innovative and engaging curriculum. Training for how to use the resources will be provided to our volunteers and the student’s classroom teacher will also be there to help support and guide the students. Help inspire the next generation of innovative business creators!
Atlas Development has now officially closed on 1619 Broadway Avenue. Construction is slated to begin soon. All other Atlas projects for 1600, 1602 and 1601 Broadway are working their way through City approvals. As Daniel Berkowitz, of Atlas Development, said, "Here's to building a better Beechview together!" You can see the rendering of what 1619 Broadway and the other projects will look like here:
http://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/district4/BACC_presentation_June.pdf
Carrick Youth Athletic Association will be holding baseball and softball sign ups for children ages 4-18 at the Phillips Park Rec Center on the following dates:
-Thursday, 2/4,10am-2pm
-Saturday, 2/18, 10am-2pm
-Saturday, 3/4, 10am-2pm
-Saturday, 3/11, 10am-2pm
-Thursday, 3/16, 6pm-8pm
Here's to a great team-building and fun season!
Ever wondered what it takes to lease a bed at the Beechview Community Garden? Pretty Up Beechview has organized a meeting just for you! Please join us to learn more about the garden and how to lease a space to grow your own vegetables this summer.
Spring Garden Meeting
March 4, 1-3PM at the Carnegie Library – Beechview (1910 Broadway Avenue 15216)
Open to all who are interested in applying for garden bed leasing or would like more information.
One of the primary responsibilities of our office is to make sure the City is providing the services that hard-working residents pay for. We do that in numerous ways, like passing laws to make government work better for everybody by saving money, making business with the city easier, etc. But the most important thing we do is to help our neighbors get the City services that they need and pay for!
We respond to every single call, email, tweet, or Facebook message. And that means that we have a full-time staff member who's entire job revolves around answering these inquiries. That person is Constituent Services Manager Megan Neuf. If you've called our office between April, 2015 and today, chances are that you've spoken with Megan.
But our commitment to serving constituents doesn't stop there. On the last Friday of every month, Megan attends a constituent services working group meeting with staffers from other council offices. This monthly meeting came about three years ago when a few staff members with backgrounds in social work began working for City Council members. Similar to the meetings that social workers often have at direct service agencies, this meeting provides an opportunity for staffers to talk through sticky constituent cases and share knowledge about city resources.
Megan, who is also a social worker, has been attending these meetings since she began her work in Councilwoman Rudiak's office. She has used the knowledge that she has gained from these meetings to make District 4's constituent services better for everyone.
The City Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections is holding community forums to better engage with residents. Their next forum will be held on Wednesday, 2/8 ay 9AM in the 1st Floor Conference Room at 200 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.
Councilman Corey O’Connor launched the Youth Participatory Budget Council (YPBC) in January, 2017. The YPBC is a youth led program that focuses on promoting understanding of city government, developing youth leadership, elevating youth voices in the City of Pittsburgh, and providing a platform for youth to propose projects to City Council members and the Mayor. In each session, youth will learn lessons on Teamwork, Planning Projects, City Government, Advocacy, and Research and Development, through a series of activities and guest speakers. These lessons will help the youth develop their project proposal. Youth are expected to participate in all sessions, develop a project proposal, and then present that project proposal to City Council at the end of the program.
Youth eligible to apply to the YPBC must meet the following requirements:
- Youth must be Pittsburgh residents
- Between the ages of 13 and 17 years old
- Those chosen will be required to attend training sessions once a week July through October at the City County Building downtown (414 Grant St.) ***The August session will be an online session to not conflict with the start of the school year
- Each session will last a total of two hours
- Participants must work together to develop a project to submit to Council during the 2017 budget season
- Will require intense advocacy and direct contact with elected officials
We are looking for youth that are committed to dedicating their time and energy to the civic process and to representing the needs of teens in the city. Please feel free to pass this unique opportunity along to your coworkers, colleagues, or anyone that you think would be interested in applying.
Civic Leadership Academy is a free 10-week course that encourages more informed, effective and inspired community and civic engagement by giving City residents an opportunity to learn about our local government. The program includes tours, hands-on demonstrations, and other fun and informative activities that give participants an insider view of how the City of Pittsburgh operates.
While it is a competitive application process, the program is free and we encourage residents across the city to apply. In each session, participants learn about departments in city government, the services each department provides, and how we all work together to build a safer, more livable city for all Pittsburghers. For more, see the FAQ section of the CLA website:
http://pittsburghpa.gov/servepgh/cla/faq.
Inclusive Innovation Week 017 will be a city-wide opportunity to participate in and engage with innovation in the City of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has an incredibly rich history of innovation, from the Polio Vaccine to the Big Mac, and we have some of the most technologically-advanced institutions in the globe right here at home.
The areas of focus for II Week will be:
- Address the "Digital Divide" aka supply tools to increase familiarity with technology, increase access to the Internet, and STEAM programs (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math)
- Empower City-to-Citizen Engagement by enhancing open lines of communication between government and citizens.
- Provide Open Data to Pittsburgh; Councilwoman Rudiak has pushed for this policy so that everyone can see how we spend City money, what programs we create, and what legislation is passed and why.
- Improve the City's Internal Operations and Capacity: When we don't have enough resources to do everything we need to do at once, it's time to innovate, to find a new and better way to do more with less.
- Clean Tech Sector: We can become a leader in sustainable and clean technologies that others will want to imitate
- Advance the Business Sector: Strengthen vitality of business environment by empowering entrepreneurship and innovation
Is your organization interested in hosting an event for Inclusive Innovation Week 2017? Contact Christine Marty, Civic Innovation Specialist, at
christi...@pittsburghpa.gov.
Have you had to call 911 when a loved one cannot be found? Do you know a loved one who often "escapes" from home?
If you answer "yes" to one or more of these questions, you may wish to enroll in Project Lifesaver, sponsored by the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office.
What is Project Lifesaver?
Project Lifesaver is a program offered by law enforcement and other emergency responders in 41 states, using proven radio technology and specially trained search and rescue teams, to find citizen enrolled in the program when they become lost.
How much does Project Lifesaver cost?
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala is sponsoring Project Lifesaver to Allegheny County residents.
How does Project Lifesaver work?
Persons enrolled in the program wear a small transmitter, about the size of a wristwatch, which emits a unique tracking signal. If a person goes missing, search teams use their signal receiving equipment to track and locate the missing person.
Who can enroll?
Any Allegheny County resident who is a caregiver can enroll on behalf of a person* with Alzheimer's, or other form of dementia, Down's syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, or other disability, as well as veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder who have a tendency to wander, run or escape from their residences. All participants must receive uninterrupted supervised care from a caregiver or caregivers, twenty-four hours a day. Persons residing in group homes or who operate motor vehicles are NOT permitted to enroll
How can I enroll?
If you are a caregiver for someone you think is eligible to enroll in this program, or would like more infotmation about Project Lifesaver, contact the Allegheny County District Attorney'r Office:
Pittsburgh Citisports will be replacing BIG League Sports in the 2017 season. By moving to the new Citisports program, the City will be able to triple the number of sports options available and double the number of children served. Citisports will provide a comprehensive model for sports programming for all ages.
Citisports expanded programming will include futsal (indoor soccer), soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, flag football, tennis, dek hockey, swimming, ultimate frisbee, track and field, volleyball, archery, biking, dodgeball, lacrosse, wiffle ball, fishing, pickleball, as well as summer camps, clinics, league play, and coach training. In addition, Citisports will partner with local organizations to include activities like fishing.
Other events new and old include the Easter Egg Dive, track and field days, Great Race road series, Track and Treat Cycling Event, beach volleyball tournaments, Midnight Madness Basketball, and dodgeball tournaments.
Goals of Citisports
-Ensure equitable Access to programs
-Increase the number of recreational sports offered to young Pittsburghers
-Provide basic instruction for life-long play
-Encourage both competition and sportsmanship
-Support the recreational priorities of the neighborhoods
-Provide a safe and welcoming environment
-Connect kids and dedicated adults through a fun experience
Citisports model
Level 1 (Ages 3-7) - Gross motor skills at each recreation center.
Level 2 (Grades 3-5) - Clinics, camps, and informal games.
Level 3 (Grades 6-8) - Recreational leagues.
Level 4 (Grades 9-12) - Recreation and differentiated play.
Level 5 (Adults) - Recreational play, age-appropriate.
Advisory Meetings
Quarterly, Citisports will host Advisory Meetings where all representatives, participants, and community members are invited to voice their ideas, opinions, and/or concerns regarding Citisports. The Citisports representatives will also announce and outline any upcoming events, league opening dates, clinics, coach trainings and more.
Citisports Commissioners
Each sport will have a Citisports commissioner appointed by Citiparks. The Commissioner's duties shall include, but are not limited to:
-Scheduling
-Arranging for and supervising officials as needed
-Recording game results and league standings
-Handling the day to day operations of the leagues
-Determining disciplinary action
-Investigating appeals made by teams regarding game results/forfeitures/etc.
-Professional Support
Citisports is committed to helping coaches and volunteers within the City of -Pittsburgh to continue to develop and enhance the skills needed to best serve the children within their communities. We will do this through online tools, individualized needs assessments and coaching clinics, in partnership with local professional sports organizations.
The contest is open to any individual student or team of students between 13 and 19 years of age and currently enrolled in high school in Pennsylvania. Contestants will create 30-second videos that encourage participation in the democratic process.
Prizes include: $1000 top prize, $500 for second and $250 for third. The contest began January 15, 2017 and runs through March 1, 2017. Winners will be announced on April 1, 2017.
The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (LWVPA) High School Video Contest was created to fight the downward trend in civic engagement by young voters. In every presidential election since 1964, young voters between the ages of 18 and 24 have consistently voted at lower rates than all other age groups.
Further, municipal election years often have dismal turnout, despite the fact that elected local government officials and judges have a direct impact on the voters in their district. This year's theme, "Every Election Matters!" Encourages high school students to explore the ways that these so-called "off year elections" influence their lives.
LWVPA has recruited contest judges that represent professionals and public figures ibvolved in media and civic engagement across Pennsylvania. They are:
-Susan Carty, President, League of Women Voters of PA
-Marian Schneider, Deputy Secretary of Elections and Administration
-Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, Chair, Montgomery County Board of Commissioners
-Jeanette Krebs, Managing Director, The Bravo Group
-Sean Strub, Mayor, Milford, PA
-Francine Schertzer, Vice President of Programming, PCN
-Andrew Conte, Director, Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University
-Niki Hawkins, Public Affairs Manager, WPVI-TV, 6abc
-Vincent Thompson, Principal of Thompson Mediaman Communications and 900AM-WURD correspondent
The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) created it's Clean Water Assistance Fund to help families afford their sewage treatment bills. This program is available to eligible residential customers within the 83 municipalities served by ALCOSAN. Dollar Energy Fund serves as the program administrator.
Under the program, a credit of $30 would be applied every three months to the account of the eligible customer. The credit will appear automatically every three months, even if the customer is billed months, bimonthly, or quarterly.
Credits will be applied to a customer's account by the agencies that bill for sewage treatment services – for example, these bills may come from Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, Jordan Tax Service, Wilkinsburg-Penn Water Authority, or some other agency.
Who's Eligible?
-Customers: All Pittsburgh residents are customers of ALCOSAN.
How do I Apply?
Locate your nearest agency here:
http://www.hardshiptools.org/AgencyFinder.aspx and find out if you need an appointment. Tell them you want to apply for the Clean Water Assistance Fund so you can be directed to the right department.
To complete your applications, you must have the following information:
-Copy of your water/sewage bill, which includes ALCOSAN charges
-Total pre-tax monthly income for all in the household who are employed
-Social security numbers for all members of your household
NOTE: if you are already eligible for an assistance program through another utility, you can use that approval to verify your eligibility.
The City of Pittsburgh currently has a number of opportunities available for those looking for work. You can find all current openings at
www.pghjobs.net.
The City is currently looking for:
-Police officer recruits
-School crossing guards
-Accountants
-HVAC Technician
-Skating rink attendants
-Zamboni operator
-Plumbing maintenance foreman
-Bricklayer
-Plumbing maintenance foreman
-Carpenter
-Fiscal audit manager
-Recreation assistant
-Van driver
-Combined electrical inspector
-Paramedic
-311/Mayor's response line
-Legal secretary
-Transportation planner
-Victim's assistance coordinator
-Environmental services foreman
All applications must be completed online. If you don't have access to a computer or the Internet, visit the City's Employment Center at:
The Department of Personnel and Civil Service Commission
4th Floor, City-County Building
414 Grant Street 15219
The office is open from 7:30AM to 4:45PM Monday through Friday.
Beechview Area Concerned Citizens
Thursday, 2/2 at 7:00 PM @ the Beechview United Presbyterian Church (1621 Broadway Avenue)
Carrick-Overbrook Block Watch
Monday, 2/6 at 7:00 PM @ Concord Elementary School
Brookline Block Watch
Tuesday, 2/14 at 7:00 PM @ Judge Jim Motznik's office (736 Brookline Blvd)
Beltzhoover Community Forum
Thursday, 2/16 at 5:30 PM @ Beulah Baptist Church
Zone 3 Public Safety Meeting
Monday, 2/20 at 6:00 PM, Zone 3 Police Station (830 East Warrington Ave)
South Pittsburgh Development Corporation
Monday, 2/20 at 7:00 PM at the Brookline Teen Outreach Center (520 Brookline Blvd)
Carrick Community Council + Hillcrest Senior Residences update
Tuesday, 2/21 at 6:00 PM, Carrick Branch of the Carnegie Library (1811 Brownsville Road 15210)
Overbrook Community Council
Tuesday, 2/28 at 7:00 PM at the Fairhaven United Methodist Church (2415 Saw Mill Run Boulevard 15234)
| 