Schenley High School and public hearing

Date: Tuesday, June 17 at 6 pm in City Council Chambers and it will be on city cable.

Call 412-255-2138.

The idea from Tonya Payne and Jim Motznik was to hold the meeting at Schenley High School auditorium. That failed as Council President, Doug Shields, didn't want to make too many waves.

I called to get onto the speakers list. My comments: Save Schenley. Save money.

As to holding the meeting within the public building that Mark Roosevelt wants to abandon, Shields said it would be the wrong signal to send to the school board. Walking onto their turf and getting in their face. Sheilds does not want to position the council to help all parties. This is our venue, our chamber.

We talk about the parents of Schenley. What does that mean. There are others being involved as you talk about blah, blah, blah.

Setting off on a bad foot.

Doug Shields won't put others on the spot. He has little spine.

Patrick Dowd read the homerule charter. He is not a fan of blocking public commentary. He does want to be mindful that this body has zero authority on how to act on school governance. Dowd says we have no authority, no jurisdiction.

We could make a public comment, so says Dowd. We could offer solutions. They would be irresponsible until we were able to comprehend the deep, deep, deep conditions.

To second guess at any way would be reprehensible, until and unless we spent the time requred to know intimately those positions.

What a scolding professor.

Dowd wanted to make a cut-off of speakers. That was not well recieved by both Peduto and Shields. If you RSVP -- up to 5 pm -- you will get to speak for 3 minutes. Others who show up to speak at the meeting you'll be able to get one minute.

Registry, live blog

Doug Shields teamed up with Bruce Kraus to make a natural extension of a benefit for the management of benefits.

Doug has another amendment that he'll offer in the future about joint loan obligation, lease, deeds and so on as to the proofs necessary for the registry.

The grandfather provision is in the bill. That's funny. Everything kosher, so said Doug. There are less than 10 people who have been getting this benefit, offered from the city since 1998. The ones already getting benefits only need to make sure that the existing mutual commitment affidavit.

Breaking up is hard to do. The new changes make for fiscal responsibility.

Shields said that this does not open the door to gay marriage. The intent here is an orderly administration of benefits for the public and private employees.

There are 72 cities that offer a registry process. You must be a resident of the city to get into this registry. Red tape.

Cleveland Heights has names on a list and that is a right of self government. So, why would you want to make new lists and gather new names and keep them within governmental offices.

This registry does nothing with private employers. Nothing.

Companies in the city that offer benefits to domestic partners have employees that may or may not live in the city. Hence, to call this registry one-stop shopping, as Shields did, is a big over-reach in the real world. Non-city residents are NOT going to be a part of this registry.

The cost is $25 for those that register. There won't be an expense to the city above the fees collected.

They don't know if this is public record or not.

Under HIPPA -- give me a break. This is NOT medical information. This registry has nothing to do with medical information.

To register yourself in the registry, you're name has to be 'on the books.' That is a public statement, a public action, a public record, a public act.

Who knows the right to know act.

They say that this bill isn't going to cost the city any money. Meanwhile, the conversation in city council has already gone more than an hour. The lawyers are sitting at the table.

Dowd has to be honest. He is 100% supportive. But.... I would like to some day perhaps to see a way in which we can see this more than a list and confer rights. So Patrick wants to begin to think of ways to confer rights. Patrick wants to open a bigger can of worms. He is sad that the city isn't going far enough.

Once rights are confered, then he'll think that people will be required to register. But really, Professor Dowd, that isn't how rights are granted. You should not need to apply for rights. Rights are granted by law for everyone. I have a right to free speech -- without getting a stamp from the free speech registry before I stand on my soapbox or post to the blog.

Toyna says go no further unless we know if the names are going to be open records. Wedding licenses are public record.

Tonya wants to be able to accept applications from an online form, without the need of the people needing to come into the office.

Tonya wants to give benefits to mothers, aunts, and so on. The health care insurance companies do not offer benefits to those people under those relationships.

Folks -- the benefits and the registry are different. The best case is the pool pass example that I blogged about last week. If a couple with two kids want to get a $60 pool pass each year, they should be able to do so if they are on the registry. Otherwise, the pool passes would cost $30 extra per year.

The registry is a singular function -- except for pool passes within the city.

Bill Peduto wants to move the meeting along at 12:54. There is still a pre-agenda and a meeting with a new board member. No lunch again!

Bill Peduto said it seems very 1930s Germany for me! Then he realized about the type of world we live in. This is a first step. If we get to the first step. Pittsburgh can change. It is going to require an incredible amount of courage. Take progressive steps. Create the 8th largest city, merger, knowlege workers. That's all I have to say about this.

This bill means a lot to Mr. Kraus. Two staffers were invaluable tools.

Two women brought the idea to Doug Shields after getting him at a charity auction item.

All voted to approve it except Rev. Burgess.

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