Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Litter Cleanup topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Clean Pittsburgh Commission approves $2,000 for Color Park graffiti event, readies volunteers for Garbage Olympics
Summary
At its September meeting, the Clean Pittsburgh Commission approved a $2,000 payment to support a Color Park graffiti event, reviewed outstanding expenditures from a $5,000 community fund, and mobilized volunteers and spot-checkers for the Garbage Olympics closing events.
The Clean Pittsburgh Commission on a September meeting approved $2,000 in support for a graffiti jam at Color Park and reviewed remaining community cleanup funds while finalizing volunteer assignments for the Garbage Olympics.
Commission business focused on spending already-authorized community funds and supporting two major public events in September and October. The commission's finance update showed $8,937.63 had already been spent from multiple allocations, and members discussed outstanding invoices and projects that must be invoiced before November so funds can be closed out.
“Friends of the Riverfront put in another request this year for the CPC to support the Color Park event. This is the second year that we've done it in this format as a graffiti jam,” said Kelsey Ripper, executive director of Friends of the Riverfront. Ripper told the commission the group had identified $2,000 in costs: roughly $1,000 for spray paint stipends and supplies for invited artists and $1,000 for public paint materials to support a family activity. The event is scheduled for Sept. 20.
Amalia Quile, representing District 9 and the commission chair for the meeting, moved to approve payment; Anna Bagwell, environmental enforcement coordinator for the City of Pittsburgh Environmental Services, seconded the motion. The motion passed with one abstention; the commission asked Friends of the Riverfront to submit an invoice after the discussion so payment can be processed.
The finance report reviewed multiple line items and outstanding balances. The commission noted $35,000 allocated for supplies for neighborhood parks and a previously approved $5,000 allocation intended to cover neighborhood cleanup activities. Afton Giles, treasurer for the commission, said she would reconcile the spreadsheet during follow-up and confirmed that after accounting for recent purchases there is approximately $3,300 remaining from the original $5,000 allotment.
The commission also finalized logistics for the Garbage Olympics, scheduled for Saturday the 13th. Organizers said roughly 49 neighborhoods registered to participate. The event will close with a ceremony at Bellum, include an art competition with submissions on display, and will feature prizes and food. Commission members asked for volunteer spot-checkers in the North Side to verify submissions at a small number of locations and to assist captains who need help uploading results.
Neighborhood-of-focus outreach work was discussed in tandem with finance and events. Commissioners said they will distribute curbside-pickup flyers, recycling calendars and other educational material at an upcoming Sheridan community picnic and through partner groups. A yard-sign litter-awareness proposal sponsored by Councilwoman Warwick remains on hold pending a finalized cost estimate; the commission agreed to wait for the precise number before voting on that item.
Member organizations updated the commission on parallel activities. Allegheny Cleanways said it will begin weekly neighborhood cleanups in November, and reported a fundraiser dinner and a large tire-extraction cleanup scheduled in the coming weeks.
Votes at a glance - Approve minutes from June: motion by Emily Embry, seconded by Lisa Everhart; outcome: approved (recorded by the commission during the meeting). - Approve Color Park graffiti jam funding ($2,000): motion by Amalia Quile, seconded by Anna Bagwell; outcome: approved; abstention: Kelsey Ripper (who was present and identified her abstention during the vote). - Adjourn meeting: motion and second; outcome: approved.
Next steps and deadlines mentioned during the meeting include: organizers should submit invoices as soon as possible with a goal to have invoices in by October so the commission can reconcile remaining funds at its November meeting; organizers of funded programming were asked to provide documentation for payments and promotional materials via the commission's contacts.
Attendance and logistics: the meeting was recorded and posted to the commission's YouTube channel. Organizers asked that any invoices for Color Park, Garbage Olympics or neighborhood-of-focus materials be submitted promptly to allow staff to process payments before year-end closeout.
