South Oakland Update
August 2010

City Council Testimony – August 27, 2010

The recent hearings on Pitt’s 10-year Master Plan could have been a defining moment for this Council in which you could have displayed tremendous courage by requiring Pitt to produce an honest, comprehensive Impact Statement before it could proceed with any actions.

I had hoped to be here today to express deepest gratitude for a Council that exhibited that courage to protect our community. Instead, a defining moment turned into a shameful and pitiful moment. No pun intended.

Only four members of this Council were present at the first hearing. For those of you not present, there were only two questions asked of the testifying Pitt administrator. The first question to him was: “On your map, where is Schenley High School?” The second question: “Where is the Board of Education?” There were no other questions.

The second hearing lasted only 57 seconds. The Pitt administration was so confident that it would get whatever it wanted that they provided no testimony. We know that the Pitt Chancellor had a private meeting with one member of this Council and we wonder how many more private meetings there were on this issue.

Your approval of that Master Plan has had a twofold effect: 1) It further alienated good people in our community from coming before this Council on major issues involving Pitt because they believe it is a done deal in favor of the University, and 2) It has emboldened the University administrators into believing they can do whatever they want in our community. They now feel they can expand to an additional 4,000 students in our community, not just the 155 students they told you about in those hearings.

Let’s move on. All of you have information concerning Pitt’s Homecoming Week Fireworks display. The igniting of those firebombs originates from Mazeroski Field which is adjacent to a city owned tree-filled hillside and within 100 yards of neighborhood homes. If your own family lived in that neighborhood, each of you would be outraged that anyone would be granted permission to do so, and you would take immediate action to protect the safety and health of your family. So far, all of you have been silent about Pitt’s fireworks display.

Did the Pitt administrator tell us the truth when he said that the Pitt police took decibel readings last year and those reading were within the law? Were Pitt’s actions conforming to the zoning laws? Do we need to change the law or just enforce it?

Some people are curious as to what it is about the University administrators that seems to instill fear into this Council and dominate it. The people of South Oakland are significant and they matter. This Council is far more powerful than the University of Pittsburgh. Take back your power and have the courage to seek the truth.

Carlino Giampolo