Pittsburgh council approves changes to hiring process for assistant directors

Pittsburgh City Council on Monday approved a measure that gives them some oversight in the process of hiring assistant and deputy directors for the city.

The legislation affords City Council the opportunity to interview people who are appointed to those positions. City Council previously did not get to approve or interview them.

Councilman Anthony Coghill last week voiced concerns that the move would show “a lack of confidence in the next administration,” as it comes just weeks before Gainey takes office and looks to fill those roles with his appointees. He did, however, support the measure Monday.

The measure is something of a compromise after council previously considered legislation that would have required City Council’s formal approval to hire an assistant or associate director.

It was amended before the final vote, based on recommendations from the city’s law department, said Councilman Ricky Burgess, who sponsored the legislation.

The amendment clarifies that newly-appointed assistant and deputy directors will attend the first regular City Council meeting after they’re hired to give council members the chance to interview them. City Council can decline to interview them if they choose.

It also clarifies that acting directors who were not interviewed before taking on their roles have 90 days to give City Council an opportunity to interview them, Councilwoman Deb Gross said. That tweak, she said, was in response to concerns she had raised on the matter last week, when she questioned whether the process would be burdensome to city government.

“This way we get to have a public conversation where we deem it to be warranted, but it doesn’t require it to interfere with the day-to-day operations,” Gross said.

Council President Theresa Kail-Smith, along with Burgess and Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle previously met with members of Mayor-elect Ed Gainey’s team to discuss the measure as a compromise after having considered the prior legislation that would have required formal council approval.

Gainey spokeswoman Tene Croom called it “compromise language” and a “positive step” after the revamped legislation was discussed last week.

Kail-Smith said the legislation was a good compromise and noted that Gainey’s team has been willing to work with council on such issues so far.

The change should be viewed “in the light and spirit of transparency,” and should not be seen as confrontational, Councilman Bruce Kraus said.

The measure passed with an 8-1 vote Monday, with Councilman Corey O’Connor opposing it. It will be in effect when Gainey takes office next month.