How Allegheny County’s next executive could reshape the local power structure
BY JARED WICKERHAM
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BY CHARLIE WOLFSON AND JAMIE WIGGAN // JAMIE@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
THE NEXT Allegheny County executive will have sway over the county’s billions of dollars in spending and become one of the most prominent public figures in the region. They will also have a big impact on the composition of dozens of appointed boards and commissions that form the county’s vast unelected power structure.
The Pittsburgh region is governed in large part by around 500 unelected members of boards, commissions, and public agencies. Of those, around 300 seats are on boards for which the county executive or their administration appoints all or some members, usually subject to council approval. That allows the executive to make their ideological imprint on bodies that set policy on public health, wastewater, transit, corrections, and much more.
This power structure is stocked today with appointees of County Executive Rich
Fitzgerald, who has been in office for 11 years. But Fitzgerald is term-limited, and, in January 2024, a new executive will take over and begin making their mark on the county’s board network.
They won’t be able to remove all of Fitzgerald’s appointees, but can replace them when their terms expire. Many appointees are serving despite the expiration of their terms; appointees often stay on until a successor is named.
These four notable boards demonstrate how this year’s executive race could shake the region’s governing structure.
BUT FITZGERALD IS TERM-LIMITED, AND IN JANUARY 2024, A NEW EXECUTIVE WILL TAKE OVER AND BEGIN MAKING THEIR MARK ON THE COUNTY’S BOARD NETWORK.This story was made in collaboration with
BOARD NAME: Jail Oversight Board BOARD MISSION: Oversee the operation and maintenance of the jail and all alternative housing facilities, and the health and safety of incarcerated people.
MEMBERS: 9 EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS: 3
COUNTY EXECUTIVE would be able to shape the Jail Oversight Board through appointments, and their mere presence at meetings would be a significant shift from how the board now operates.
By statute, the county executive serves as one of the board’s nine members. But Fitzgerald has almost never attended monthly board meetings himself, instead sending a proxy, which some board members and observers have argued is not legal.
Fitzgerald’s spokesperson, Amie Downs, responded to PublicSource's questions about the executive’s lack of attendance, saying, “The County Executive is statutorily appointed to dozens of boards and committees and is unable to personally attend each one. He does have representation at each.”
Advocates and oversight board observers have frequently said, though, that the executive’s absence impacts the board’s effectiveness.
“The presence of the person ultimately responsible for the jail would have, in my opinion, a big impact,” said Brad Korinski, who worked with the oversight board from 2012 through 2021, most recently as an aide in the county controller’s office. “It would send a message to the jail administrators that the board is an important government entity and one to be taken seriously.”
Board member and county Councilor Bethany Hallam said a new executive and their appointees could join her in trying to hold the jail administration accountable. Hallam presses Warden Orlando Harper and other jail administrators for information at board meetings, but often is alone in her efforts and rarely gets majority support on motions.
“The board could hold the jail administration’s feet to the fire, making them answer questions put before them, making sure they do the things they say
they were going to do, making sure they follow the law,” she said.
Both Korinski and Hallam accused the Fitzgerald administration of being apathetic toward the board’s mission and even trying to “stymie the board at every turn,” as Korinski put it.
controller, two judges, a county council member, and three community members appointed by the executive and approved by council.
Two of the current appointed members — Terri Klein and Abass Kamara — are serving on expired terms, meaning
Downs said the executive meets with the warden and other jail officials “on an ongoing basis” and pointed out that this is the only board whose recommendations go back to the executive branch for implementation.
By statute, the nine-member board includes the executive, the sheriff, the
the executive can move to replace them at any time. In 2022, Fitzgerald nominated a former jail warden to replace Klein, but county council defeated the nomination by a narrow vote, allowing Klein to continue serving.
“[The law] does not say to appoint the cronies of the county executive,” Hallam said.
BOARD NAME: Allegheny County Sanitary Authority [ALCOSAN]
BOARD MISSION: Oversee development and maintenance of sewage systems countywide and fund operations by setting individual user rates, with limited reliance on county government.
MEMBERS: 7
EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS: 3 direct appointments and 1 joint appointment with Pittsburgh’s mayor
environmental group Upstream PGH, said finalizing the consent decree is a meaningful step forward for ALCOSAN, but he’d like to see an executive candidate emphasize green infrastructure and environmental issues.
YEARS BEFORE FITZGERALD took office in 2012, ALCOSAN had committed, in federal court, to reducing the roughly 9 billion gallons of untreated sewage water that, each year, flow into local rivers and streams. Those plans — mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — have finally taken solid form, along with a $2 billion price tag and a 2036 projected completion date. Many advocates are already disheartened. In October, local policy groups authored a 37-page study criticizing the plan for emphasizing so-called gray infrastructure — like concrete tunnels — instead of green infrastructure — like rain gardens. The report also said the current plan could still permit around 3 billion gallons of untreated water to pour into local waterways each year.
Mike Hiller, executive director for the
“I do believe a county executive with a vision for a more resilient, more green future for the region could absolutely be powerful,” Hiller said. “I would hope that [the candidates] would be talking openly about climate change and how it’s here, and the rainfalls are more intense, and they’re creating flooding.”
An executive can help deliver bolder change on clean water and environmental initiatives, according to Hiller, by working with municipal leaders on a regional strategic vision and pushing for greater funding.
Hiller said the GROW program — which has so far disbursed nearly $70 million to local municipalities for funding green infrastructure projects — represents the kind of positive synergy regional leadership can foster. Recently released federal infrastructure monies offer new opportunities to build on this, he added.
“I think we’re at a really critical moment in history with infrastructure,” Hiller said. “There’s a massive infusion of funding from the federal government, and I would love to see Pittsburgh take advantage of that.”
BOARD NAME: Board of Health
BOARD MISSION: Formulate rules and regulations for the prevention of disease, promote and preserving public health, and oversee the Health Department
MEMBERS: 9
EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS: 9
THE BOARD OF HEALTH is at the epicenter of some of the most critical challenges facing the next executive — ones involving public health and the environment, particularly air quality. The board has recently assigned hefty fines to polluters such as U.S. Steel, and may well find itself at the center of the next executive’s plans to address the county’s poor air quality.
The board is also emblematic of a widespread phenomenon in county government: seven of its nine members serve despite expired terms.
Six of the members saw their terms expire in January 2020, and one expired in January 2022, but they have neither been reappointed nor replaced. The other two members will see their terms expire days after the next executive takes office.
The bottom line: Unless new appointees are named and confirmed this year, the next executive could appoint all nine of the Board of Health members at any time.
More than 90 members of boards and commissions appointed in whole or in part by the executive’s administration are serving on expired terms right now. Another 75 are due to expire this year. And 56 are due up in 2024.
Fitzgerald has made appointments regularly in the past year, but not at a pace that would fill these gaps before the end of this year. Unless he changes course, the open seats will present the next leader with a major opportunity to shape key governing bodies.
It remains to be seen how much resistance Fitzgerald will face in county council when making appointments this year. Last month, council approved
appointments to the CCAC board, some lasting until 2028, by 12-2 votes. Councilors Bethany Hallam and Olivia Bennett said they would not support any appointments that last more than two years into the next executive’s term.
Downs said in an email to PublicSource that Fitzgerald will continue to fill board seats without regard to the electoral calendar.
“He inherited a number of appointments — some of which remained and even continue to serve today, others who were replaced or chose not to serve any longer,” she said. “The person after him will have the same experience.”
To the contrary, Council President Pat Catena said he thinks that as long as seats are adequately filled by members serving beyond their terms, new appointments should be held over for the next administration.
“A new executive should have fresh faces,” he said. Asked whether he would try to have council block new appointments, he said he will “certainly take that into consideration.”
BOARD NAME: Pittsburgh Regional Transit [PRT]
BOARD MISSION: Oversee a staff of 2,600 employees who operate 700 buses, 80 light rail vehicles, and two incline systems, funded in part through county and state sources.
MEMBERS: 11 EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS: 6
NEARLY
THREE YEARS on from the COVID-19 outbreak, bus and light rail ridership in Allegheny County remains below 60% of its prior average. On top of this, PRT has struggled with chronic staffing shortages prompting repeated services cuts.
Despite these challenges, advocates say a new county executive who prioritizes transit could build an impressive system that would help redress related issues like income inequality and climate change.
“We want people to vote for transit in this next election cycle because probably the county executive has some of the most power to influence what that looks like,” said Laura Chu Wiens of Pittsburghers for Public Transit.
Katherine Kelleman, PRT’s CEO, said that, in addition to appointing board members, the executive shapes the organization by acting as its ambassador.
“The county executive helps make the case that public transit is vital to the people of Western Pennsylvania as he engages with other local leaders, business communities, and potential funding entities in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C.,” she said.
The county’s transit system has evolved significantly during Fitzgerald’s
tenure. Right after he was sworn in, the North Shore Connector formally opened, extending light rail to the North Side. Since then, distance-based fares have been scrapped in favor of flat fees, and riders can track live vehicle movements, buy digital tickets, and more on PRT’s mobile application.
Wiens said she wants to see the next executive lay out clear steps to remedy the staffing and ridership issues. And to keep them more accountable, she’d also like to see more regular riders appointed to the board of directors.
“We believe [transit is] a human right, like mobility and freedom of movement is a human right, because it is the connecting tissue to access all other human rights.” •
Many Americans are fortunate to have dental coverage for their entire working life, through employer-provided benefits. When those benefits end with retirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocket can come as a shock, leading people to put off or even go without care.
Simply put — without dental insurance, there may be an important gap in your healthcare coverage.
Charlie Wolfson is PublicSource’s local government reporter and a Report for America corps member. He can be reached at charlie@publicsource.org or on Twitter @chwolfson.
Jamie Wiggan is City Paper’s news editor. He can be reached at jamie@pghcitypaper.com or on Twitter at @JamieWiggan
This story was fact-checked by Punya Bhasin.
Look for coverage that helps pay for major services. Some plans may limit the number of procedures — or pay for preventive care only.
Look for coverage with no deductibles. Some plans may require you to pay hundreds out of pocket before benefits are paid.
Shop for coverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits. Some plans have annual maximums of $1,000.
That’s right. As good as Medicare is, it was never meant to cover everything. That means if you want protection, you need to purchase
Previous dental work can wear out.
Even if you’ve had quality dental work in the past, you shouldn’t take your dental health for granted. In fact, your odds of having a dental problem only go up as you age.2
Treatment is expensive — especially the services people over 50 often need.
Consider these national average costs of treatment ... $217 for a checkup ... $189 for a filling ... $1,219 for a crown.3 Unexpected bills like this can be a real burden, especially if you’re on a fixed income.
“Now that I have your dental policy, I don’t worry about going to the dentist. I love your plan — you pay what you say!”
Colleen W., MO
WELCOME to Pittsburgh City Paper ’s third annual presentation of The Soul Show’s Top Ten Albums. It’s that time of year when I collect playlists, review brain-etched and written scribbles, and gather up late-year releases to binge on 12 months of great music.
This Cuban percussionist has taken Pittsburgh by storm, live and in recording.
Nice retro soulscape from this West Coast band, with horns dancing beautifully. They came to my attention years ago, thanks to Ben Penigar of Grey Area Productions.
What a wonderful voice. On Johnson’s website, the album is described as “hip and refreshing as it honors the fundamentals of jazz and mindful storytelling.” Note to admirers of Pittsburgh’s Eddie Jefferson: this gentleman is hailed by some as a carrier of the vocalese torch.
This album is “huffy” with a Latin and Native American bent. I love “Gitmo” and “Bipartisan.” How’d I miss Volume 1?
I’m a sucker for ensemble casts. Ledisi belts it out on “Knockin’” with the secondgeneration Nevilles (of Dumpstaphunk) in support. The Big Easy’s Irma Thomas and Galactic are some of the other happy pieces of this puzzle
This year felt like quite a trove, so the work was hard but fun. I didn’t add the burden of ranking from 1 to 10. Enjoy.
soulshowmike.org
This is the second Top Ten in three years for Negrito. As I mentioned in the City Paper in June , this album was so incredible that I didn’t have to wait until December to see how things played out.
LISA MARIE SIMMONS & MARCO CREMASCHINISpoken word over a jazz-ish backdrop is Lisa Marie’s forte. One of my favorites, the track “Blaze,” is a creative blast about mundane things.
This was one album that definitely merited a deeper dive after several early TSS plays. It’s heavy when you’re in the mood for heavy.
Here’s a new band on my radar. Their name is what they are. Singer Dee Alexander brings so much. Can she stay awhile?
A solid Brit-soul group with a semi-retro sound, plus great harmonies. Chill with this one.
The Soul Show featured its Top 10 Albums on Dec. 31, 2022. Listen to the full presentation at soulshowmike.org/archives. Mike Canton is the longtime host and producer of The Soul Show, airing on local radio stations WZUM and WIUP. The program is currently syndicated in seven markets in the U.S. and Caribbean. Canton is also a Pittsburgh-area voice artist.
BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
Record Store Spotlight is a regular column listing new releases at Pittsburgh vinyl shops. Support local businesses and find your next favorite album.
715 East St., North Side. thegovernmentcenter.com
A new chapter has been added to the legacy of the incomparable Sun Ra with the unearthing of a lost album from the late avant garde musician. Said to be recorded in a single day in 1985, Prophet will finally release for the first time and showcase Ra playing the fabled keyboard for which the album is named.
Experience the early days of The Cure with this recording of a 1981 performance broadcast on Australian radio, captured during the band’s World Picture tour. The release features remastered audio and a number of hits from the gothic, post-punk British rock group.
Hear the latest singles by an artist once dubbed electronic music’s “King of Pain” by The New York Times. Floating Points, aka English pianist and producer Sam Shepherd, has a new 12-inch compiling the four singles he released in 2022. Included are “Someone Close,” “Grammar,” “Problems,” and “Vocoder.”
Follow a deceased clown into PPG Paints Arena when, after three long years, Cirque du Soleil returns to Pittsburgh. Corteo transports audiences to a world of acrobatics, magic, comedy, and more during what a release describes as a “joyous procession, a festive parade” imagined by the spirit of Mauro. For the first time, Cirque du Soleil will position the stage in the center of the arena and divide the venue, providing a unique view of the spectacular live show. 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., Jan. 8. 1001 Fifth Ave., Uptown. $54-138. ppgpaintsarena.com
You still have time to experience what’s being described as an “international survey of art about fat bodies and experiences, made by fat artists.” Soma Grossa, now on view at the Brew House Association Gallery, seeks to connect fatness and
“other intersecting experiences and identities,” including queerness, kink, and “ideas about morbidity and mortality.” Curated by Anna Mirzayan, the group show features large-scale installation, video projection, soft sculpture, photography, painting, and jewelry. 2-7 p.m. Continues through Sat., Jan. 14. 711 S. 21st St., South Side. Free. brewhousearts.org/exhibitions
Luenell has appeared in numerous movies and TV shows over the last three decades, most notably Borat and, more recently, the sequel Coming 2 America. Experience this sought-after character actor and comedian live when she takes the stage at the Pittsburgh Improv. See what you’re in for by watching some of her stand-up specials, or hear her as a guest on podcasts like OMG Hi! with George Lopez 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sat., Jan. 7. 166 E. Bridge St.,
Homestead. $30-90. 21 and over. improv.com/pittsburgh
Scream out all that stress built up over the holidays when The Smiling Moose thrashes out a playlist of metalcore and post-hardcore music. Hear bands from the late-1990s up through today with a curated mix featuring Avenged Sevenfold, Atreyu, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and many more. Plus, there’s no cover charge, making this a night that will be rough on your ears but easy on your wallet. 9:30 p.m. 1306 E. Carson St., South Side. Free. smiling-moose.com
Make your camping dreams come true during the Pittsburgh RV Show at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
Touted as the longest running indoor recreational vehicle show in the country,
the multi-day event allows attendees to explore nine acres of folding camping trailers, motor homes, travel trailers, and much more. Industry experts will also be on hand to offer tips and special offers designed to help you get the most out of your home on wheels. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Continues through Sun., Jan. 15. 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Downtown. $5-12, free for children under 5. pittrvshow.com
Honor the man who fell to Earth when the Hard Rock Cafe presents its Bowie Birthday Weekend. A tribute band will play hits by the late David Bowie, who, before his death in 2016, produced decades of work, from The Man Who Sold the World in 1970 to his swansong album Blackstar Guests can also add a brunch during the Sunday show. 8:30 p.m. Doors at 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sun., Jan. 8. 230 W. Station Square Drive, South Side. $15-20. hardrockcafe.com/location/pittsburgh
Don your sexiest sequins and cinch that lacy corset when the Junior Chamber of Commerce Players presents a New Year’s edition of its Rocky Horror Picture Show shadowcast at Hollywood Theater Performers will act along with the cult movie musical as it plays on the big screen, granting audiences an especially immersive, especially naughty experience. 11:59 p.m. 1449 Potomac Ave., Dormonst. $6-7. hollywoodtheaterpgh.org
The Free Association Reading Series will showcase a variety of voices during an intimate literary event at Alphabet City. Hear from local writers Virigina Montanez, Yvonne McBride, and Richard Gegick, as well as Jorge Olivera Castillo, a Cuban poet now serving as a City of Asylum writer-in-residence. Don’t miss this event that promises to explore “identity, folklore, humor, and more.” 4-5 p.m. 40 W. North Ave., North Side. Free. Event will also stream online. Registration required. cityofasylum.org
Ben Baker and Michael Stensland formed The Astronomers in 2019 while students at the University of Wisconsin. They recently released their 11-track album The Occasion,
for which they will bring their headlining tour to Club Cafe. Joining the pop duo is guest Nolan Jae, whose new album So What Now? is slated to release in January. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. 56-58 S. 12th St., South Side. $12. 21 and over. ticketweb.com/clubcafe
The Thomas Wendt Quintet will play a night of jazz at Liberty Magic. Presented as part of the year-round JazzLive series, the event will showcase Thomas Wendt, a local drummer and educator whose connection to the city stretches back to his time as a student at the Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. 5 p.m. 811 Liberty Ave., Downtown. Free. trustarts.org
Enter a world sure to enchant the whole family when Dragons & Mythical Beasts takes over the Benedum Center. Produced by Red Tail Entertainment, the live adventure show uses puppetry and other techniques to bring to life giant creatures, mysterious monsters, and other fantastical beings from around the world, including the Japanese Baku, the Tooth Fairy, and the unicorn. 7 p.m. Seventh St. and Penn Ave., Downtown. $29-75. trustarts.org
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Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell the contents of leased spaces to satisfy Extra Space’s lien at 110 Kisow Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15205 on January 18, 2023 at 11:15 am. Keith Steed 344. The auction will be listed and advertised on www.storagetreasures.com.
Purchases must be made with cash only and paid at the above referenced facility in order to complete the transaction.
Extra Space Storage may refuse any bid and may rescind any purchase up until the winning bidder takes possession of the personal property.
IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-22-14147
In re petition of Emily May Sample for change of name to Emily May Samski. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 24th day of January, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.
IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-22-14079
In re petition of Fulgence Austin Aminali for change of name to Fulgence Austin Ngui. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 20th day of January, 2023, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.
