City Council approves multiple resolutions and contracts, including $483,300 donation for co-response program

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh City Council on Sept. 16, 2025, approved a slate of resolutions and contract authorizations covering public safety, parks and recreation, infrastructure, and technology, voting unanimously on each item called for final action.

The measures, presented in committee reports and taken up for final action during the regular council meeting, included authorization to accept a $483,300 donation for the city’s co-response and downtown policing programs; multiple lease, vacation and license approvals for city-owned property and private projects; contract amendments for engineering and construction services; and several smaller technology and service agreements. All measures reported for final action were adopted by recorded roll call votes of eight ayes and zero noes.

Why it matters: The items approved give the administration authority to spend or enter contracts on a range of city services, from senior-center operations and school meal agreements to engineering work on public projects and subscriptions for call-center software. Several approvals formalize cooperative work with outside agencies and funders, and one donation is intended specifically to support co-response teams that pair behavioral health specialists with public-safety staff.

Key approvals and amounts

• Resolution authorizing acceptance of a donation from Community Family Advocates to support the city’s co-response and downtown policing programs: $483,300 (approved 8-0).

• Resolution authorizing a warrant payable for annual membership dues to the Regional Opportunity Center (Vibrant Pittsburgh): $50,000 (approved 8-0).

• Resolution amending the Workforce Development Fund rules (ordinance) to allow the Department of Human Resources to manage the fund jointly with the Office of Management and Budget and to expand allowable uses (approved 8-0).

• Lease and property actions with no cost to the city, including a 20-year lease of the Scribe Residence and Scaife Annex Marshall Garage to the Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media at $1 per year; multiple vacation/grant-of-privilege actions for rights-of-way; and temporary construction easements to advance the Fraser Street steps replacement project (approved 8-0).

• Contract and amendment authorizations: an increase to a CDM/McGuire-related preliminary-engineering phase (new total cited as $3,778,601.20, additional $67,344.47, reimbursable at 95%); an agreement with Larson Design Group for limited preconstruction and construction services related to a combined public safety station not to exceed $732,937.34 over two years; and an amendment for architectural/engineering services related to the police firing range increasing that contract by $380,740 to a new not-to-exceed of $750,000 (all approved 8-0 where recorded).

• Parks and senior services agreements: operation contract with Allegheny County Department of Human Services for senior community center operations with compensation to the city not to exceed $785,709; a meals services agreement with the Pittsburgh Board of Public Education for up to $750,000 over one year; and a clarification to payment methods for performer/instructor agreements (approved 8-0).

• Technology and service agreements: Twilio Flex support services (VisionPoint Systems) increase to a not-to-exceed $48,000 over three years; a web-based secondary employment scheduling system with Roll Call Technologies not to exceed $85,392.12 over five years; and Healthy Active Living senior-center software subscription adjustments bringing a three-year total for CoPilot services to $73,690 (approved 8-0).

• Intergovernmental cooperation: a no-cost cooperation agreement with Pittsburgh Regional Transit related to Liberty Avenue Highway Safety Improvement Project and associated access and maintenance (approved 8-0).

• Appointment: Nicole Tierney was confirmed as a member of the Gender Equity Commission with a term through April 1, 2028 (approved 8-0).

Votes at a glance

The following bills and resolutions were recorded and approved during the Sept. 16 meeting (final recorded votes shown where taken):

- Bill 21 74 — Warrant payable to Regional Opportunity Center/Vibrant Pittsburgh for annual membership dues: $50,000. Outcome: approved (8 ayes, 0 nos). - Bill 21 98 — Ordinance amending Workforce Development Fund governance and allowable uses. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 21 84 — License agreement(s) with Plaza at Grandview Owners Association, cost not to exceed $105,600 over five years; and acceptance of donation from Community Family Advocates, $483,300 to support co-response and downtown policing programs. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 21 72 — Lease with Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media for Scribe Residence and Scaife Annex Marshall Garage, 20 years, annual rental $1. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bills 21 76, 21 77, 21 78 — Vacations/grant-of-privilege of various rights-of-way and small licenses; no cost to city. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 21 79 — Privilege/license for foundation footings and drain at 4612 Lytle Street. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 21 80 — License/privilege for certain site improvements at 4664 Forbes Ave (Mellon University–related) including storm infrastructure and generator pad. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 21 82 — Supplemental agreement with CDM/McGuire Inc. for preliminary engineering; increase to not-to-exceed $3,778,601.20 (increase $67,344.47, 95% reimbursable). Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 22 22 — Agreement with Larson Design Group for preconstruction and construction services related to new combined public safety station: not to exceed $732,937.34 over two years. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 21 88 — Agreement with Allegheny County Department of Human Services for senior community center operations; compensation to city not to exceed $785,709. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 21 89 — Amendment clarifying payment methods for performers, instructors and similar small agreements. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 21 91 — Agreement with Pittsburgh Board of Public Education for meals program, cost not to exceed $750,000 over one year. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 21 75 — VisionPoint Systems/Twilio Flex support services increase to a total not to exceed $48,000 over three years. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 21 85 — Professional services agreement with Roll Call Technologies LLC for secondary employment scheduling: not to exceed $85,392.12 over five years. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 21 90 — Amended CoPilot subscription fees (Information Age Technologies) for Healthy Active Living senior software: increase to not to exceed $73,690. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 21 81 — Cooperation agreement with Pittsburgh Regional Transit regarding East Busway Ramp access/maintenance (Liberty Avenue project); no cost to city. Outcome: approved (8-0). - Bill 17 56 — Resolution appointing Nicole Tierney to the Gender Equity Commission, term to expire 04/01/2028. Outcome: approved (8-0).

What council did not decide

Several items were introduced earlier in the meeting for future consideration (presentation of papers) but were not voted on for final passage on Sept. 16. Those include proposed changes to the Pittsburgh Code to add housing status as a protected class (bill 22 42), and a set of lease and grant cooperation items and easements presented in the meeting’s papers portion; those items remain at the introduction or committee-referral stage.

Context and next steps

Most measures were passed with no extended floor debate; council members voted on committee-reported items after the clerk called the roll. Items that amend contract amounts or authorize new agreements will proceed to the mayor’s office for execution as provided by each agreement’s terms. Several items noted reimbursement percentages or outside funding; implementation will depend on those funding arrangements and follow-up administrative work.

The council’s next regular and committee meetings were announced for Sept. 22; registration and hearing deadlines were provided by the clerk’s office.