Pittsburgh City Council returns to in-person meetings

After more than a year of virtual meetings, Pittsburgh City Council returned to in-person meetings this week at the City-County Building Downtown.

People can also continue to participate online. Councilwomen Erika Strassburger and Deb Gross are continuing to join meetings virtually because of concerns for the health of their families as covid cases remain high in Allegheny County.

“We want to take all of the precautions as possible, but we have a legal responsibility to be here,” council President Theresa Kail-Smith said.

The capacity of council chambers is 25 to allow for social distancing and all who attend are required to wear a mask regardless of their vaccination status, Kail-Smith said.

If more people attend, council will make arrangements to create an overflow area somewhere in the building, she said.

Council was on its summer break from the end of July through last Friday. When the meetings resumed this week, council made the decision to resume the hybrid form of in-person meetings, which are also streamed on the city’s website and on its YouTube channel.

Council’s regular meetings are at 10 a.m. Tuesdays and the standing committee meets at 10 a.m. Wednesdays. The committee meeting is where proposed measures are discussed by members. For the council’s calendars and agendas, click here.

People with concerns about their health who want to participate should do so virtually, Kail-Smith said.

“I do worry myself, I think it’s the same situation for all of us,” she said.

Strassburger and Gross both said they plan to participate virtually while Allegheny County remains at a high rate of transmission, according to state guidelines.

The county reported 318 new cases on Wednesday, 95 of which involved people who are 24 years old and under. Gross and Strassburger both said they have children in their household and want to limit their exposure to covid-19.

“I can’t take that risk right now,” Strassburger said.

The decision is made tougher because entities like the city lack clear guidance from either federal or state officials about whether to require masks or vaccinations and it’s been left in local control.

“It’s a hard decision,” Strassburger said.

Gross made the same decision and said she and her staff are also mainly working from home.

“We should all stay vigilant,” Gross said.

Council is trying to be flexible to accommodate people with health concerns, while also being accessible to their constituents, Kail-Smith said.

“Everyone here is willing to work about those issues the best we can,” she said.