Author: Dave

02/04 2014

Mayor Peduto Issues Exec Order To Form Summer Youth Employment Task Force

MAYOR WILLIAM PEDUTO ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDER TO FORM SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT TASK FORCE
Sent 02/04/2014 @ 12:52 pm

Pittsburgh, PA – Mayor William Peduto issued an executive order today announcing the creation of a Mayoral Task Force on Summer Youth Employment Opportunities in order to assess the City of Pittsburgh's Summer Youth Employment Program. The task force will be charged with presenting concrete recommendations and an action plan for expanding access and improving the quality and diversity of placement opportunities.

"I want to ensure that every young person in the City of Pittsburgh who wants to has both the opportunity for meaningful career development and the ability to earn a little extra money through this program,” said Mayor Peduto. “Through this Task Force, I will engage the business community, labor, nonprofits, foundations, and partners at the national level to help us reimagine this program to serve more young people and provide a clear pathway to their future success.”

Currently the Summer Youth Employment Program serves approximately 400 young people out of nearly 1,000 who apply. Cities across the country have successfully engaged their corporate and philanthropic communities and the federal government in expanding similar programs and offer the option for specialized training in high-tech STEM jobs as well as vocational and office work.  

The recommendations and action plan devised by the Task Force will be submitted to Mayor Peduto no later than April 30, 2014 so that the administration can review and begin implementing them this year.

Full text:

http://pittsburghpa.gov/mayor/release?id=2735

02/03 2014

Thur 2/6 Public Meetings on Land Bank Bill Cancelled – Will Be Rescheduled

Thursday's Public Meetings on the Land Bank Bill Have Been Cancelled and Will Be Rescheduled
Sent 02/03/2014 @ 12:27 pm

Greetings, 

This message is to inform you that the public hearing and the post agenda which had been scheduled for Thursday, February 6, have been cancelled. The meetings will be rescheduled at a later date. We will be sure to keep you posted once the new dates have been confirmed. 

In the meantime, should you have any questions or concerns regarding the land bank bill, please feel free to contact our office at 412-255-2134. 

Sincerely, 

District 6 Office 

01/31 2014

Summer Employment Opp From URA for Teaching Artist – RFP Info Session Feb 6, 6pm

SUMMER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY FROM THE URA FOR TEACHING ARTIST
Urban Matters -URA Request for Project-Based Summer Residency
Sent 01/30/2014 @ 7:42 pm

Dear District 6 Constituents:

The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) seeks an
experienced digital visual media Teaching Artist to conduct a
project-based summer residency with high school age Pittsburgh youth for
its Urban Matters Pilot Program. For a copy of the full RFP Contact:LeTaj Tinker – 412-255-6689; ltinker@ura.org

Urban Matters is an arts- and design-based program for youths, ages 14-18, who live in Pittsburgh’s distressed neighborhoods.  It was developed to teach them how to examine and communicate URA and other key civic processes in order to gain an understanding for themselves, and to be able to communicate these processes to their peers, community residents and other stakeholders.

RFP Issued:January 24, 2014
RFP Information Session: February 6, 2014 from 6-7 PM
URA, 200 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA  15219; 13th floor
RFP Due:Friday, February 14, 2014 at Noon
*Applicant Notification:Friday, February 28, 2014
Primary Contact:Karen Abrams – 412-255-6425; kabrams@ura.org
Inquiries Contact:LeTaj Tinker – 412-255-6689; ltinker@ura.org
01/30 2014

Public Hearing And Post Agenda On Land Banking Bill – Thu 2/6/14 1pm

Public Hearing and Post Agenda to focus on Land Banking Bill currently under consideration in City Council
Sent 01/29/2014 @ 10:53 am
Greetings Residents and Neighbors of District 6-
In late 2012, the State of Pennsylvania passed legislation authorizing municipalities to create land banks, entities that acquire, manage and dispose of vacant, abandoned and tax delinquent properties to facilitate their redevelopment and reuse.
City Council is currently reviewing an ordinance that would create a land bank for the City of Pittsburgh (to access a copy, click here). The legislation will forever change how real property and development are dealt with in Pittsburgh. In District 6, certain neighborhoods, such as the Hill District, Perry North and South, hold up to 50% of properties which would be eligible for the land bank.
Some key highlights in the bill include:
  • The creation of a new authority in the City to manage the land bank
  • The creation of a Mayoral controlled board to oversee the authority with no formal oversight or checks and balances from City Council
  • The ability for the authority to seize any and all property they deem necessary including owner occupied, tax-delinquent property
  • The lack of a process for formal community input
Given the significant impact this legislation will have on the City of Pittsburgh and in our District, it is important to inform ourselves of the bill’s provisions, its implications, and to discuss how it could be improved to better serve the interests of our communities. To this end, I encourage you to attend a Pubic Hearing being held on Thursday, February 6, at 1pm in Council Chambers to share your thoughts on the Land Bank bill. There will also be a Post Agenda on the subject the same day,February 6, 2pm in Council Chambers.
I look forward to seeing you there, as we work together to craft a bill that truly benefits the residents of our district and the greater City of Pittsburgh.
Sincerely,
R. Daniel Lavelle
01/29 2014

Work this weekend on Bates St – Feb 1, 2

A contractor Bartlett will be conducting work on Bates Street this weekend.
 
The crews will arrive at 7:30am on Saturday, February 1 and work until 5pm.  If they don’t finish on Saturday, then they will be back on Sunday at 7:30am and will work until the job is finished.
 
The scope of work includes the removal of dead invasive trees and vines on the North bound side of Bates St.  The cleanup effort will focus in the first 20ft. from the edge of the road.   They have received approval from PennDot to conduct this work and have gotten permission to temporarily close a lane. 
01/28 2014

MAYOR PEDUTO ORDERS WARMING SHELTERS OPEN, REFUSE COLLECTION DELAY AHEAD OF POLAR VORTEX

With temperatures forecast to to dip below zero and wind chills as low as -15 degrees tomorrow, Mayor William Peduto has ordered refuse collection to be suspended for Tuesday only and for warming centers to be activated across the City.

“Temperatures tomorrow will again be potentially hazardous and we all must take precautions to make sure our friends and neighbors are safe,” said the Mayor.

Refuse, bulk waste and recycling collection will be delayed by one day, with trash collection starting again on Wednesday. The schedule will proceed as follows:  If your scheduled day of collection is Tuesday, Jan. 28, you will be serviced on Wednesday, Jan. 29 and so on for the remainder of the week. This will continue through the end of the week with Friday’s normally scheduled collection being picked up on Saturday.

In addition, warming centers will be available for residents who need them. All city facilities will be open tomorrow, including senior centers, and will function as warming centers throughout the day.  Five warming center locations will be open from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. both Tuesday and Wednesday as well:

CITY WARMING CENTERS (MAP)
Greenfield Healthy Active Living Center 745 Greenfield Avenue 412-422-6551
Homewood Healthy Active Living Center 7321 Frankstown Avenue 412-244-4190
South Side Healthy Active Living Center 12th and Bingham Streets 412-488-8404
Sheraden Healthy Active Living Center 720 Sherwood Avenue 412-777-5012
North Side, Allegheny Center Healthy Active Living Center Allegheny Square 412-323-7239

If temperatures dip to unsafe levels this evening or thereafter, or if there are power or heat outages, the city will work with the American Red Cross to provide overnight shelter for residents needing assistance.

01/28 2014

Black History Month Exhibit

In celebration of Black History Month, the City of Pittsburgh will collaborate with Toonseum to present a monthlong exhibition in the lobby of the City-County Building titled "Beyond the Funny Pages:  The works of art and life captured in comics.”

The public is invited to attend a reception for the opening of the exhibit on Monday, February 3, 2014 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. The reception will include refreshments, musical entertainment and remarks by Mayor William Peduto and other individuals involved with the City’s Black History Month celebration.

Black History Month Exhibit