In a ceremonial meeting on Monday to usher in the 142nd council of the city of Pittsburgh, the nine-member body unanimously re-elected Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith as its president and signaled an eager willingness to collaborate with new Mayor Ed Gainey.
Council enters its new session and a new year with the same familiar faces, swearing-in four incumbents — Ms. Kail-Smith, Anthony Coghill, Daniel Lavelle and Erika Strassburger — who all defended their seats in elections last year.
Ms. Kail-Smith, from the center podium at City Hall, remarked that the state of council is strong, but can be stronger by working together with Mr. Gainey “for the betterment of the city.”
Mr. Gainey, in attendance with his wife just hours before he was set to be sworn-in, said in a brief address to council that it’s a time of opportunity, and that building the best of each of their individual districts will benefit the city as a whole.
“I look forward to working with you, I look forward to solving problems with you and I look forward to bringing a prosperity that involves all of us because together we grow this city,” Mr. Gainey said.
In speeches to the chamber, the four re-elected council members noted the difficult nature of leading a city in the midst of a global pandemic, but also described the new year as a fresh start with a new mayor coming into power.
Mr. Lavelle, who has represented District 6 since 2010, congratulated Mr. Gainey and endorsed the message that the new mayor used to beat Bill Peduto in the Democratic primary last year.
“What I will tell you is that the message you articulated during your campaign I believe can absolutely be implemented. I believe it can be done in partnership with this body,” Mr. Lavelle said, insisting that council has “planted the mustard seed” of inclusivity, equity and diversity, and that together with the new administration, they have “the opportunity to collectively see it grow.”
Ms. Strassburger, the District 8 councilwoman who first swept to office in a special election in 2018, said the COVID-19 pandemic has forced local priorities to shift, and that the “bad news” is that the virus and its impacts on economic inequality have cascaded to cause polarization, extremism and xenophobia.
But council can keep its focus by working with Mr. Gainey “hand-in-glove,” she said, while bringing community leaders, activists, business and nonprofit leaders and other government leaders into the fold to collaborate.
Ms. Strassburger helped escort Mr. Gainey into the chamber along with Councilman Bruce Kraus, a ceremonial action that connected the mayor with the body for the first time in chamber. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald watched from the front row.
Councilman Ricky Burgess was unanimously re-elected as council president pro-tempore. Ms. Kail-Smith, who has served District 2 since 2009, was nominated for the council presidency by Mr. Kraus, who held the leadership role for most of Mr. Peduto’s tenure.
Mr. Coghill, the only council member to face opposition in last November’s general election, now enters his second term representing the city’s southern neighborhoods.
“As much as [Mr. Peduto] will be missed, I’m looking forward to this guy, Ed Gainey, coming into office,” Mr. Coghill said, pointing to the mayor-elect. “We got a Peabody guy with a Brashear guy here working together, and I’m excited about it.”
Julian Routh: jrouth@post-gazette.com; Twitter: @julianrouth
First Published: January 3, 2022, 4:45 p.m.
Updated: January 3, 2022, 4:49 p.m.