Council interviews nominee John McClure for Department of Public Works director

John McClure, the nominee for director of the Department of Public Works, was administered the required oath during a March 26 pre-agenda interview and outlined an operations-focused agenda aimed at improving street-level responsiveness and crew support.

McClure, who introduced himself as “a lifelong city resident of Carrick in the South Hills” with 38 years in the public works department, said he intends to prioritize operations and protect frontline crews from unfair criticism. “I affirm,” McClure said after the council read the oath. He told councilmembers he plans to assign foremen defined neighborhood areas so each foreman “rides those streets” and logs issues such as broken street blades or tires.

Why it matters: The nomination (Bill 230) would place an experienced division-level manager at the head of a broad department that covers streets, environmental services, facilities and parks. Council members framed the interview around how the department can shift from reactive complaint response to proactive maintenance that preserves neighborhood quality.

Council support and priorities

Councilwoman Kim Salinetro praised McClure’s experience and said she believes he is “the right person at this time” to get the department “back on track,” commending his tenure running the fifth division. Councilman Warwick asked which parts of the department McClure would emphasize; McClure reiterated an operations-first approach and said he had already begun drafting a plan, though a recent snowstorm delayed some efforts.

Key proposals and operational details

- Proactive litter and abandoned-item pickup: McClure and councilmembers discussed shifting toward removing abandoned tires, TVs and loose trash during regular routes rather than waiting for 311 complaints. McClure described an anecdote about leaving a traffic cone to see whether crews would pick it up and said he wants crews to be empowered to take small, quick actions that improve neighborhoods.

- 'Clean lanes' and seasonal work: Council members and McClure supported repeated, early-season cleanups rather than concentrating work later in summer when growth makes jobs more intensive; they used the phrase “litter season” to describe the period when debris is most visible.

- Neighborhood blitzes and crew coordination: The council referenced a crew-based cleanup model that reportedly scaled from about 80 to roughly 420 (as described in the interview) and said they plan to repeat that model, coordinating a small team from each division to address identified hotspots.

- 311 and customer-response practices: McClure said he organizes his day around 311 requests, checks them morning and night, and noted the newer system is more involved though it can notify complainants when jobs are completed if they provide contact information.

- Snow response: McClure identified equipment and on-street parking as the biggest operational challenges during snow events. Council members discussed staggered parking or targeted messaging before storms as possible tools to improve plow effectiveness, while acknowledging limits to enforcement after a storm.

- Enforcement and private-property limits: McClure said problems such as unstable hillsides on private property (an example discussed was California Avenue) can require magistrate or court actions before the city can spend resources to remediate, and the department is examining specific cases to determine next steps.

- Environmental services and collection-day litter: Council members raised concerns that trash or recycling collection days can create litter (ripped cans, open recycling). McClure said crews carry brooms and shovels and will consider operational fixes; the council asked staff to study whether container-lid requirements would help in some neighborhoods.

Formal action and next steps

The clerk read Bill 230, a resolution to appoint John McClury (transcript spelling) as director of the Department of Public Works. The transcript records the oath and the interview but does not record a formal council vote on the resolution during this pre-agenda session. Council members thanked McClure for his willingness to serve and adjourned the interview; McClure said he would consult his team and follow up on items such as tools, equipment and other needs.

Quotes

“'I affirm,'” McClure said during the oath. He added, “If they have to wear them, if the employees have to wear them, I wear them,” describing his practice of enforcing operational policies by leading through example.

What remains unresolved

The transcript does not record a final council vote or any formal motion adopting Bill 230. Several operational items McClure raised — staffing levels, equipment purchases, and exact enforcement steps for private-property hazards — were identified as issues that will require further study or interdepartmental coordination.

Next procedural step: The interview concluded without a recorded vote in the transcript; a future council meeting or agenda item would be required to show formal adoption of the resolution.