Welcome! This page is our public notebook of all the notes and feedback we heard at the May 12th City of Pittsburgh Budget Engagement session, held virtually on Zoom. During the meeting, this page will be a living document for city staff to live capture all the questions and requests shared during the session.
The session will include virtual breakout groups for residents to engage with city subject matter experts on the various areas where the city invests significant capital and operating resources. We encourage you to move around the breakout rooms and explore different topics throughout our time together:
- Big Things that Need TLC and Moving Around Safely: Bridges, Hillsides, Steps, Sidewalks, and Traffic Calming
- Enjoyment! : Parks, Senior Centers, Recreation Centers, Youth Programing
- All things ROADS: Potholes, Snow Removal, and Paving
- Behind the Curtain: the critical technology that keeps every department running
- People Who Serve Us: Payroll, pensions, equipment and supplies
- Plan for Peace: Public Safety, Violence Interruption and Public Health
- Buildings and Lots: Condemnation, Demolition, Vacant Lot Care
- Housing and Development: Housing, Land Use, Neighborhood Development
Breakout Room Topics
The notes gathered in each breakout room can be found below under the corresponding tab. Click through to hear from your fellow community members
Big Things that Need TLC and Moving Around Safely
Join this breakout room if you want to ask questions directly to our Mobility and Infrastructure engineers about bridges, steps, hillsides, sidewalks, and traffic calming!
Facilitators
Michael Maloch
Municipal Traffic Engineer
Eric Setzler
Chief Engineer
Enjoyment
The City invests in many places and programs to provide safe and welcoming recreation opportunities for our residents, including Recreation Centers, Youth Programing, Senior Centers, and Parks.
Facilitators
Eric Schultz
OMB, Capital Budget Team
Chip Gaul
Project Manager, Citiparks
Kathryn Vargas
Director, Citiparks
Lizz Schellin
Budget Analyst, OMB
Notetaker
All Things Roads
Topics in this room could include Pothole Repair, Paving, Snow Removal
Facilitators
Bill Crean
Gisele Betances
Community Liaison, Mayor's Office
Notetaker
Behind the Curtains
The Department of Innovation and Performance plays a vital role in managing dozens of applications and systems used across the city's buildings, offices, and vehicles. Every department relies on these critical hardware and software systems to operate. Join us to learn more!
Facilitators
Pat Cornell
Deputy Director, OMB
Heidi Norman
Director
Sheri Rolewski
People Who Serve Us
The major line items in our Operating Budget include payroll, pension, equipment, supplies and more! The City makes difficult decisions every year on which divisions of each department we're able to add new positions to increase the capacity of every department to fulfill service requests from the public. Where do you think our focus should be in 2024?
Facilitators
Dave Hutchinson
Assistant Director, OMB
Monica Bender
Assistant Director
Plan for Peace
The City’s holistic approach to public safety and violence interruption is guided by six core principles: using a public health model; partnering with communities and increasing community anti-violence capacity; developing robust trauma-informed services; focused deterrence and community policing; economic development; and evaluating our work with evidence and data.
Facilitators
Linnea Lincoln
Assistant Director, OMB
Lisa Frank
Chief Operating and Administrative Officer
Buildings and Lots
Wondering how buildings get prioritized for city-funded demolition? Not sure about the difference between condemned and slated for demolition? Wondering how the city handles maintenance of the thousands of buildings and lots we own? Join this group to ask these questions and more.
Facilitators
Christa Matthews
Fire Inspector, PLI
Jen Gula
Director, Department of Finance
Eric Williams
Engagement Manager, Mayor's Office
Housing and Development
The City's Urban Redevelopment Authority and Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections will join us in this session to talk about housing and development priorities and challenges.