PITTSBURGH – County Executive Rich Fitzgerald submitted two items of legislation to County Council for consideration at its upcoming meeting:

• Resolution authorizing the pursuit of a Tax Increment Financing Plan to pay for a portion of the cost of redevelopment of the Hazelwood-Almono Brownfield site in the neighborhood of Hazelwood, City of Pittsburgh
• Resolution to provide for a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act (LERTA) area within Harmar Township to exempt increases in assessed valuation resulting from improvements made to industrial, commercial and other business property for a period of ten years

Additionally, the Executive submitted the following appointments to County Council for consideration:

• James Flynn, Community College of Allegheny County (reappointment)
• Thomas Headley, Agricultural Land Preservation Board (reappointment)
• Richard Hrivnak, Personnel Board
• Daryl Jackson, Mental Health/Intellectual Disability Board
• Charlene Petrelli, Community College of Allegheny County
• Anthony Saveikis, Agricultural Land Preservation Board (reappointment)
• Joseph Serrao, Property Assessment Appeals & Review Board (reappointment)
• Steven Silverman, Personnel Board (reappointment)
• William Sray, Agricultural Land Preservation Board (reappointment)

County Executive Fitzgerald announced today the appointment of two new directors for the county, both of whom will start their new jobs next Monday, March 4: 

• Steven W. Johnson, P.E. will be the new Director of Public Works.  A former Executive Vice President of the National Environmental Balancing Bureau, Mr. Johnson is a professional engineer and resource manager with leadership experience in facilities management and construction programs for complex organizations including the U.S. Navy, corporate and municipal sectors.  Mr. Johnson is a retired U.S. Navy Officer who served for 26 years.
• Steven M. Kossert will start his duties as Director of Facilities Management.  The current director of Maintenance, Facilities Management at Duquesne University, Mr. Kossert has extensive experience in the overall development of buildings, equipment and common areas, including maintenance, renovation and construction projects.  He had been with the University since 1986.

Additionally,

• The triennial review of all tax-exempt property in the County, pursuant to Ordinance 49-07, is underway.  Yesterday, 2,800 letters were mailed to organizations designated tax-exempt as Institutions of Purely Public Charity requesting information related to how the organization meets the criteria for tax exemption. Each organization will be required to submit a cover sheet and review application within 60 days. Failure to do so may result in the loss of the tax-exempt status.
• Property owners are also reminded that the deadline for the additional appeal period for the 2013 reassessment is Monday, April 1, 2013.  All appeal forms must be postmarked on or before that date, or be hand-delivered by close of business.  Forms are available online at www.alleghenycounty.us/opa/aforms.aspx and can also be picked up on the Third Floor of the County Office Building (542 Forbes Avenue).  The additional appeal period for the 2013 reassessment was proposed by the County Executive and approved by County Council at its February 5, 2013 meeting.

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