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Pittsburgh council passes a slate of resolutions and grant agreements; committee bills receive final approval
Summary
City Council approved multiple committee reports and resolutions on April 8, 2025, including grant applications, easements, settlements and project funding adjustments; votes were unanimous where recorded.
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday advanced and in many cases finally passed a series of committee bills and resolutions covering grants, easements, settlements and capital budget amendments. Several measures passed with unanimous recorded votes.
Key votes and actions at a glance:
- Bill 17-03 (assault kit grant): Council authorized the mayor and directors to enter agreements with Allegheny County to accept up to $37,000 from a 2023 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant to support overtime for Pittsburgh Bureau of Police detectives, to furnish a soft interview room and to fund approved training. Presented by Councilman Coghill; passed on final action (recorded vote: 9–0).
- Bill 17-23 (Duquesne Light easement): Resolution authorizing easement agreements with Duquesne Light Company and Pittsburgh Water to allow DLC assets (poles, anchors, overhead wires) and vegetation/landscaping work on city property at no cost to the city. Presented by Councilwoman Gross; waived to appear on the standing committee agenda and advanced to committee.
- Sewage and sanitary agreements (Bills 17-04, 17-05, 17-06): Council adopted plan revisions to the city's official sewage facilities plan for specific parcels (296 McKee Place and 215 South 20th Street) and authorized permanent easements to the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority across nine city parcels for subterranean tunnels, accepting payment of $8,200. Presented by Councilman Moseley; affirmative recommendation recorded (9–0).
- Sponsorships and park programs (Bills 17-07, 17-08): Council authorized sponsorship agreements with Dollar Bank for Cinema in the Park and multiple sponsorships for the Richard S. Calligery Great Race at no cost to the city. Presented by Councilwoman Kale Smith; advanced with committee referral.
- Legal settlements and property conveyance (Bills 17-09, 17-10, 17-11): Council approved (1) a single payment not to exceed $80,000 to settle litigation in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, (2) a warrant to Gladys Sanchez for up to $8,301.36 in full settlement of a vehicle-damage claim, and (3) execution of quitclaim deeds conveying certain city-owned lots to the Larmer Consensus Group via the Pittsburgh Land Bank (details read into record). Presented by Councilwoman Strasburger; bills were received and advanced with an affirmative recommendation in committee.
- Emerald View Trail and Oakland supplemental waste operations (Bills 17-12, 17-13): Council authorized applying for a $250,000 Pennsylvania DCNR Community Conservation Partnerships Program grant with a $250,844.42 city match (total $500,844.42) for Emerald View Trail rehabilitation, and a cooperation agreement with the University of Pittsburgh for supplemental waste operations in Oakland at no cost to the city. Presented by Councilwoman Warwick; advanced (committee action recorded 9–0).
- Multimodal and highway safety funding adjustments (Committee report: Bill 17-01 / bill 16-63): The city amended a prior authorization to apply for $2,279,662.30 in Multimodal Transportation Fund support for Smallman Street with a $117,100 local match (total $2,396,762.30). Separately the Liberty Avenue Highway Safety Improvement program authorization was increased by $5,400,000 to a total of $12,905,556, with the municipal share increasing by $24,200 to $29,700. Presented by the public works committee; final passage recorded 9–0.
- Insurance, settlements and consultant amendments (Committee report: bill 16-60, 16-61, 16-62, 16-65, 16-66, 16-56): Committee reported and in many cases passed recommendations including acceptance of $316,367 in settlement related to the Finland Street pedestrian bridge; issuance of two warrants totaling $32,000 (two $16,000 payments) in a federal litigation settlement; a no-cost 3-year agreement with USI Insurance Services for brokerage services; and increases to previously authorized consultant or contract amounts, including a $317,588.34 increase to WSP USA Inc. for the South Negley Avenue Bridge project (new total $1,188,409.39). The public safety recruitment video contract with Kicker Inc. was authorized for up to $32,750. Recorded votes where taken were 9–0 on final passage.
Council procedure notes: Multiple committee chairs read titles and rationales into the record; where final action was taken the clerk called the roll and several bills passed by recorded 9–0 votes. Where items were informational or referred to committee, council recorded those referrals for standing committee agendas.
What passed and what follows: The bills authorizing grant applications and easements will move to the mayor’s office for execution if applicable. The settlement payments will be handled by the finance department per the amounts recorded in the committee reports. Several items — including the Duquesne Light easement and sponsorship agreements — will be discussed in standing committee the next day as noticed on the agenda.
