New Pittsburgh City Council members, controller take office; Lavelle elected council president

Pittsburgh City Council on Monday got two new members and elected a veteran councilman as its leader.

Bob Charland, D-South Side, and Khari Mosley, D-North Point Breeze, were sworn in, replacing retiring councilmen Bruce Kraus and Ricky Burgess, respectively.

R. Daniel Lavelle, D-Hill District, is council’s new president.

“We have big problems here in Pittsburgh,” Charland, 34, said, at his swearing-in ceremony, which took place Downtown in council chambers at the City-County Building. “Our budget is held together by a thread, our city is dirty and it’s harder than ever to own a home.”

But Charland said he’s optimistic as he takes his seat. There are a dozen vacant properties in the Knoxville neighborhood that are moving through the land bank process to come into productive reuse, he said, plus new traffic-calming projects and businesses coming to the district.

Charland’s district includes the neighborhoods of Allentown, Arlington, Arlington Heights, Beltzhoover, Central Oakland, Knoxville, Mt. Oliver, Oakcliffe, South Side Flats, South Side Slopes, South Oakland and St. Clair. He previously served as chief of staff for Kraus.

Mosley also struck an optimistic tone as he was sworn in, saying the city is “experiencing a transformational moment.”

Mosley — who was the political director of the local advocacy group 1Hood Media and is married to Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge Chelsa Wagner — vowed to work on connecting communities, expanding economic opportunities, supporting small businesses, celebrating diversity and bolstering affordable housing. Wagner administered Mosley’s oath of office.

His district includes the city’s East Liberty, Homewood, East Hills, Larimer, North Point Breeze, Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar, Friendship and Garfield neighborhoods.

Councilwoman Barb Warwick, D-Greenfield, was sworn in for her first full term. She’s been serving on council since Dec. 2022 after winning a special election to replace Corey O’Connor, who vacated his council seat to become Allegheny County’s controller.

Council members Bobby Wilson, D-North Side, and Deb Gross, D-Highland Park, also were sworn in for additional terms after winning their reelection bids unopposed.

Council unanimously voted for Lavelle as its new president for a two-year term. He previously served as council’s finance chair.

“It’s an honor and a privilege,” said Lavelle, who joined council 14 years ago. “Any time your peers select you to be a captain, to be a leader, in this case, to be president, it’s an honor.”

His new role, he said, is “to work on behalf of all members.” Top priorities for council in 2024, he said, will be to invest in affordable housing, take a “hard look” at the city’s budget as pandemic relief funds dry up and work to revitalize Downtown.

Wilson was named council’s president pro tempore, while Councilwoman Erika Strassburger, D-Squirrel Hill, will serve as finance chair.

Mayor Ed Gainey touted collaborative efforts between his administration and city council to invest in traffic-calming projects, parks and recreation, public safety and infrastructure during his first two years in office.

“We’ve come a long way in two years,” he said. “The progress we’ve made has been amazing. We couldn’t do it without a partnership with council.”

Rachael Heisler, D-North Side, on Monday also was sworn in as Pittsburgh’s first female city controller after her predecessor, Michael Lamb, did not seek reelection.

Heisler has served as the city’s deputy controller since Jan. 2021.

The city is on “sound footing now,” she said, promising to continue “rigorous oversight” of city funds as controller. She said she will work to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent equitably and “to make sure everyone pays their fair share.”