Pittsburgh resident going to court in hopes of ousting Councilman Ricky Burgess

A resident of Pittsburgh’s East End is attempting to oust Councilman Ricky Burgess, contending in a court challenge that he is in violation of the city’s Home Rule Charter because he also works as a professor at the Community College of Allegheny County.

Carmen Brown, 41, of Lincoln-Lemington cites a charter provision that prohibits council members from holding any “office, position or employment in the government of the United States, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the City of Pittsburgh or Allegheny County.”

She alleges in a lawsuit filed with the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas that CCAC is a government entity because the North Side college is subject to the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act and that trustees are recommended by the Allegheny County executive. The lawsuit also notes that the college receives significant funding from government agencies.

Burgess, 62, a Democrat from North Point Breeze who also serves as pastor of Nazarene Baptist Church in Homewood, did not return messages.

His city biography indicates that he has worked as a communications professor at CCAC for more than two decades. During a council meeting on Wednesday, Burgess said he’s been a member of the faculty union for nearly 30 years. He has represented Council District 9 in Pittsburgh’s East End since 2007 and won a fourth term in November.

CCAC spokeswoman Elizabeth Johnston said Burgess is a full-time faculty member.

Pittsburgh Controller Michael Lamb said the complaint hinges on Burgess’ employment status. He noted that Pittsburgh City Code permits employees to hold “part-time educational positions at public institutions of higher learning.”

“If he’s teaching part-time as an adjunct professor he’s probably OK,” Lamb said. “If he’s a full-time employee over there, then that’s a problem.”

Gerald Shuster, professor of political communications at the University of Pittsburgh, called the complaint “a stretch.”

“The fact that it’s an educational institution makes it a stretch,” Shuster said. “It’s almost devoid of politics. Classroom people and departmental people are not influenced in any way, shape or form by political policies or philosophies of either party.”

Brown, who is acting as her own attorney, declined comment.

The longtime community activist has been a vocal Burgess critic for years. She was a strong supporter of East Liberty resident Randall Taylor, who ran unsuccessfully in the May primary as an independent candidate to unseat Burgess.