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Council committee hears nominee Mohammed Billah for Harrisburg Area Transportation Study seat
Summary
The administration committee of Harrisburg City Council interviewed Mohammed Billah on Oct. 7 for appointment to the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study coordinating committee and as an alternate on the HATS technical committee.
The administration committee of the Harrisburg City Council on Oct. 7 heard from Mohammed Billah, a recently hired project manager in the city’s traffic and engineering bureau, as part of a nomination to the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (HATS) coordinating committee and as an alternate on its technical committee.
Billah described more than two decades of experience at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state environmental offices, said he managed large wastewater and combined sewer overflow programs and said he has experience as an EPA grant project officer. He told council he expects to use that background to pursue federal and state grant and loan funding on the city’s behalf.
Councilmembers asked about priorities Billah would pursue on HATS and how he would translate his federal experience to municipal work. He said he is examining Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) needs in the city and estimated the scale of needed ADA upgrades—citing roughly 10,000 curb ramps and saying full compliance could cost about $2 billion—then urged a phased, justifiable approach. He also noted past experience managing large grant portfolios and said he would emphasize making the city more competitive for infrastructure funding.
Committee chair Councilwoman Daniels moved to add resolution 55 of 2025 (the nomination) to the next legislative session agenda for a formal vote. The motion was put forward in committee; the transcript records the motion to add the resolution to the legislative agenda but no final council vote on the appointment occurred during the work session.
Billah said he has been on the city payroll for about four months, that Joel (his supervisor) and others helped him get up to speed, and that he will work with city staff on project prioritization for grant applications. Multiple councilmembers praised Billah’s experience and proactive approach.
The administration committee’s action means the nomination will appear on the legislative session docket for a formal council vote unless the council changes course before that session.
