Business as Usual: Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald

Transcription: 

So good afternoon, everyone. This is Audrey Russo, President and CEO, it's Friday of the first week of November. It's been a long week. But we are very excited to have rich Fitzgerald county executive back with us. This is the fourth time he's been with us since the middle of March when we kick the series off. And I'm very excited to be able to have him on the show and deep appreciation for the time he takes with us in this across the tech community and beyond. So we, you know, we launched the series as the beginning of the pandemic to help keep the community connected. And you know, the world changing innovation that's going on in our footsteps, we really are trying to make sure that we're giving you relevant information each and every day. And today couldn't be better by having rich join us. And I also want to thank Huntington bank, they've been with us across the entire journey of supporting us and being sponsor and making sure that we're reaching the audience of Pittsburgh and even beyond. So they have been great partners right from the onset of COVID. And they help us with almost anything we do that's innovative. This being one, I also want to give a deep shout out and appreciation to the team at at&t. They've been a close partner of ours for a long time at the tech Council. And we work together on many issues around public policy, and help facilitate regional conversations on matters that affect the businesses in the tech ecosystem. And throughout the pandemic. They've been really incredible. Making sure that they are there to be a part of the infrastructure and make sure that they have act that people have access, they've been out and trying to be in front of it right from the beginning. They are huge supporters of the food bank, foreign to Food Rescue, and they even help with neighborhood allies as we tried to bridge the digital divide. so deeply appreciate to to the work that at&t continues to do and as our partner, so we've muted your microphone to make sure that we don't hear anything in the background, then we've actually enabled the chat session to allow our guests to submit questions, and Brian Kennedy and Jonathan will be managing those questions. So our guests, as I mentioned a moment ago is no stranger, not just to the series, but to the collaboration in the work that we do across the region. And that's county executive rich Fitzgerald. So I want to make sure that we start by addressing really what the elephant in the room is. Okay. So the elephant in the room after this week, Americans have had a long week, the combination of the presidential election. And when we invited county executive Fitzgerald to join us, it was under the auspices This is true under the auspices of understanding about the pandemic. So with that we really won't be asking or accepting any election related questions today, except the first question that I plan to ask right now. So rich, thank you for joining us. I've said thank you enough times, you know that i mean that you've been a good partner and a great ambassador. And it's impossible to completely avoid the topic of the current election and the county's role in the process. And we're going to we're going to talk today about all the pieces of operations that actually fall underneath the county executives responsibility so you can really understand the span of the work that he leads and how important it is. So I'm going to ask the question right now, how's the process going? In terms of counting the votes right now? And what are you encountering?

Well, there have been many challenges throughout. The biggest thing and thank you, Audrey, I want to thank you for having me and Brian, the whole team. And also let me also give the kudos to Huntington and at&t. I can tell you, you know, Susie Shipley and her team over at Huntington, they always reaching out what can we do for the community, Jim as well, at&t. Thank you, Jim Patton and your work. It's the kind of collaboration we have that makes things work. But yes, obviously a very, very emotional and very divided election that we've gone through for a number of months and maybe even longer than that, when you think about it. And really what happens at the county level in the operations is people are processing lots of paper. This is the first time that we've gone to paper ballots that we've gotten to mail in ballots in the kind of volume that we have. So they've been processing, you know, Roger 350 370,000 mail in ballots and it's just a very tedious process. They've been working long hours they've been working, you know, shifts overnight, middle of the night, you know, leaving things probably at home on done that need to be done. So the folks if you know an election worker, thank them. They've been doing a great really a great job. In doing that, we've probably got well over 95% of the ballots counted. The remaining ones I think is about 35,000 are ones that maybe got mangled in the mail and need to be fixed. So they could be put through the scanner, the check some of the ones that were provisional ballots and ballots that were sent to the wrong addresses, this will be a more tedious process, it'll probably because they have to do most of it by hand. So when you think about handling 35,000 pieces of mail by hand, we're probably looking at a few more days till all the votes are counted, maybe even by the middle of next week. So and again, you know, the big thing I always say about elections, you know, what's there over, we got to get come together and work together. It's what we do well here in southwestern Pennsylvania. So some of our candidates won. And I don't just mean, obviously, we're focused on the president, but we had congressional races, we had state senate races, State House races, row office races. So you know, there's a whole bunch of folks that are going to be taking office, some will be going back, some will be new folks, and working together for the betterment of this community. And when we talk about technology, the tech Council, it really is about us moving Pittsburgh in in a bigger, bigger and better direction and making sure that that that that happens. So you mentioned all the other departments that are that are part of the county, whether it be the health department, obviously during the time of COVID. And the kind of meetings we're having now. Things like the Port Authority, the airport and all the other things that we we operate, so they talk they all touch our lives, whether we use it directly or not. All these things are important to us. So working together is a big deal.

Yeah. And listen, we've had the limelight right now with the elections this week, Pittsburgh, and Allegheny County, I know that you were on CNN last night. You know, I applaud you for being accessible, where the world is watching us and appreciate. Appreciate. You know, you repping the Berg as they say,

you never know me. 50 states and it all came down to Pennsylvania. So

the way it rolls,

right, I was sort of hoping like you would say, Hey, everyone come back to Pittsburgh tech is amazing. I thought you slip that in, and I and I missed it.

I'm not done yet. There may be other opportunities, we'll see what we can do.

Yeah, I'm going to talk to you staff, Brian and I and Jonathan are going to give you like some some Cliff Notes. I can sneak right in, there you go. That's just the salesperson and me trying to always look for that opportunity. But thank you for that. So let's just let's start. Let's start with COVID. Okay, we're reading about the daily updates. Dr. Boden, you know, make sure that the updates are available every day at 11 o'clock like clockwork, except for Sundays. And thank goodness she has day off. But we're you know, we're seeing the case count rise, you're seeing it rise to numbers that are back from you know at the beginning, right. So talk about what you're seeing where they're coming from any hypothesis that you have any scientific information that you can share for us?

Well, you know, the interesting part of it is I think most people, most businesses, most schools, most official operations, figured it out how people work in it, whether it's in an office, whether it's on a construction site, whether it's in a manufacturing plant, wearing their masks, keeping socially distance, you know, doing all the things that the doctor bogans and Rachel Levine's and Dr. Fauci, etc, having been advising us for a number of months. So when you look at the case investigation that gets done by our health department, very few cases come from, say, a school. Even at the collegiate campuses, we find very, very few cases about the student body that happens in a classroom, or in the lab, or in the cafeteria. I know they don't call them cafeterias anymore, but you know, what? I'm showing

my age, what do they call them?

Well, I don't know. Where you eat, the places you go and eat, I guess we'll call them that. But where it occurs among students is in the gatherings. It's the after school after the evening, you know, we're going to have a pizza party, we're going to study together we're going to get together. And it's it's almost a where we feel comfortable as people with our own family and own friends that we that we see where the cases go up. So when we go to the store, we keep distance, we wear our mask, we stand six feet away from everybody else, that that's fine. So it's not the official things that the government can really regulate, if you will, it's the unofficial things that are happening in people's homes. So that's where the cases are going up. So I think we've got to really continue to do a job of communicating maybe a better job of community. Katy, to let people know, just because you're with people that are in your neighborhood that you know who they are, you still have to wear your mask, you know, because that's where the spread seems to be happening. Now, obviously, the weather's changing, more indoor activity, that's also puts things riskier than when you'd get together with your friends and neighbors in your backyard, or at a park. So we really haven't gone through the cold weather cycle of this when COVID hit in mid March, you know, spring was coming, and we were going outside. So now it's the other end of the climate spectrum as follows is going into winter. And we're going to be indoors. So there's a there's a lot of concern about how we will handle this during the winter months.

Well, listen, I gotta tell you, the weather is amazing. It's going to be 70. Today, so the way I look at it, it's we're just pushing winter off for a few months, and hopefully people can have

with you on that. It's exactly right.

Right. So um, so you're right, we can't get fatigue. I think that's really what you're saying. We just can't get fatigue, even when

they're working. And I think I do think there will be a vaccine I you hear from all the medical experts, maybe next year by the middle of next year. So hopefully we're you know, we can see there's going to be their success that seems to be in all these trials that are occurring. They're occurring all over the country, including here locally, I'm in what myself, they tell me it's going well. So, you know, there's hope out there. But you're right, we can't give into fatigue and say, I've had enough, I'm not going to wear my mask anymore. I'm tired, because that's when things would would go back would go badly for us.

Do you think of what I'm going to say next is often in the comments from Dr. Levine, that about the approval emergency use is imminent? Do you think like perhaps in the next four to eight weeks? And if so, what role will governments actually have in helping the distribution? I don't know

how true that is? I hope it is. But we will mobilize all, you know all assets that we have to distribute the vaccine, I'm assuming that the first run would go to the more vulnerable population, seniors and people with immune conditions, first responders folks like that. But obviously, we'll do everything we can to ramp up the distribution. I know Dr. Bogan and her team have been planning on that, and they're doing some work that's you know, more behind the scenes and how the distribution will occur. So those plans are being formulated as we speak. And then you know, once we implement it, it'll be all hands on deck. The one good thing again, as a community that we live in, you will see everybody come together, you'll have the universities, you'll have the corporate community, you'll have the tech console, you'll have our foundation, community government at all levels, labor unions, you will see a response of people cooperating that has happened throughout this thing. And I'm very optimistic that we'll be able to do it very quickly.

I think education is probably the most important piece of this, I have no doubt that we'll be able to create, you know, the momentum in terms of operationally deploy. When it's available. It's the piece around education. So any thoughts around that? Just that whole education of the vaccines? Because I think there are, you know, people that are concerned, this is the first time out, you know, who are the people that will participate?

I think what what we're good at here again, is I think, because we have such a robust medical ecosystem with University of Pittsburgh medical school, you know, Pitt UPMC, h n St. Clair heritage Valley, we've got a real and then of course, you've got the on the government side, the Secretary Levine's and the Dr. bogans. And at the national level, Dr. falchi, etc. I think folks around here have have listened to the advice that we've been given to by our medical experts. I think that's why our numbers have remained better, relatively speaking than places in other parts of the country. And I think hopefully, that will continue. But there will be an ongoing communication that you'll see from Dr. Bogan, when when when this does come available, how it will be implemented, what you should do, etc, etc. So there will be a very robust communication coming out of that.

I mean, in all fairness, the numbers are up, the numbers are up

they are but but even though they're up there, in other places, they're up even more as what I meant more of a relative but No, they're not. They're not good. That's, I don't mean to minimize that at all, but it's almost a national and statewide trend that's just happening everywhere.

Mm hmm. So, so let's talk about mental health, you oversee health and human services as well, I, I really want people to understand the breadth of your responsibilities. So, you know, they're really one of your largest teams, actually, is Health and Human Services talk about work? There's been a lot of work that's been going on from COVID. And what are you seeing or what are you hearing from a mental health perspective,

they really are being being stressed to it to a big degree, because there's a lot of mental health issues. There are Michoud issues, family issues of people like CBF, children, youth and families, senior issues, can because senior centers are not open, you know, seniors are been really isolated during this process. And obviously, that's not a very healthy thing. And I think we all could relate to that, even within our own families where you know, an elderly parent or grandparent, whatever it is, we don't see them as often because they're not able to get out. And when we do see them, it's in a very isolated setting. So it is one of the things that we are concerned about. It's why we really encourage people to get out once in a while, do it safely go for a walk, go to the park, we've been very, very forceful and forceful and making sure that our parks have remained open, and people can recreate and don't get locked up as much as you have to during COVID. And trying to give good advice about how to go, whether you're going to go to the store, whether you're going to go to the restaurant and eat outside or have takeout or you know that there are things that we can do, but the health, but the human service department under Director churna they've been doing a lot of work, and they've got good partners, United Way's been very helpful on others in the various agencies that we work with. But you're right, Audrey, it is very, very much a challenge. And it's a challenge that isn't really talked about as much as the cases and the hospitalizations and the death rate, etc. With COVID.

I know I worry about the isolation, and I worry about that as we go into the winter for those people who are most vulnerable. Yes, heard from nursing homes that actually, the loneliness and isolation has caused more damage than perhaps we really even understand. Yeah, I agree. And Dr. Bowman talks about that all the time, and trying to balance that out is very, very difficult. Right. And so that's why I'm asking you the vaccine question. So, you know, hopefully, that they're the early adopters. So So let's talk about some of the other authorities that you that you oversee. And you know, you have, you've seen the airport pause the work on the modernization project, simultaneously, the Port Authority, who we've had Catherine on talking about the Port Authority working to restore services while keeping its employees in writing, you know, the public safe. What is Mach about both of those?

Yeah, and it's interesting, because you know, there's are two different, you know, customer bases that you work with people who ride transit, and people who who fly in air service. But the interesting thing is, both of them are down about 70%, the Port Authority is down about 70% of ridership. And the airport is down about 70% and passenger service. And it's because of COVID, by the way, because neither one of them are restricted. I mean, you can fly, you can ride the bus, you have to wear a mask in both cases, but you can still do it. But people have chosen for various reasons, obviously to to not do that. And I think that's a challenge for both Catherine kelemen. at the Port Authority proceeded kasota is at the airport, they've done a lot of good things to innovate and move forward. You mentioned the modernisation that will continue when the airlines feel more comfortable in signing off on because they're in essence, the ones paying for it. But But she continues to move forward at the airport with freight and cargo signing a major deal with with the Hong Kong carrier that's bringing cargo and taking cargo back, that it's creating jobs and making us a distribution hub. We know that along those lines, places like Amazon are continuing to build procurement centers. You know, here, distribution centers, fulfillment centers here in western Pennsylvania. And that's a big part of what Christina and her team will be doing. neighborhood 91 of the manufacturing that's going to go on with 3d printing and advanced manufacturing is going forward rap coaches signed a big deal to do some of their manufacturing of the thousands and thousands of parts that they have worldwide. That's going to be done here. So those things can continue and have continued on the Port Authority side. Your T is going to be moving forward the development and the implementation and building that that high speed link between downtown and in Oakland, you know, are Ed's and meds in our corporate headquarters center through the Uptown area continues to move forward. So a lot of the innovations that Catherine has brought to the Port Authority will continue. As people feel safer about riding, we have seen ridership start to go up a little bit. In both cases, the passengers of the airport, as well as the ridership on the Port Authority, we really haven't had any cases that have resulted in COVID, from people riding the bus, the drivers or whatever, they may get it in other places, gatherings, vacations, things like that. But as far as the official going on a bus going on the tee going on the train, that hasn't really in our case, investigations haven't seen people who have gotten it there. When people ride the bus, they're wearing their mask, or keeping distance. But don't all the things that we learn, as I mentioned, it's not the official things we do. It's the informal gatherings when we let our guard now

Yeah, we do we get it's gone on for so long that we're fatigued. And so in terms of the airport in terms of travel, while it's it might be down 70% there actually is leisure travel, but 30% I think is actually leisure travel and people going places that really want to go places. So there is some level of confidence and and need to try to see family members etc. So I know that when you go to the airport, you get a chance to see more that people aren't just carrying like backpack, they're actually carrying bigger pieces of luggage. So

there's hope. Right? There is definitely is.

So what what else what, how do you think that we're doing as a region? Do you talk to other colleagues who have your roles and other places around the United States?

I do. And they quite frankly, are envious because they see Pittsburgh continues to develop to Pittsburgh continues to attract companies. You know, I get a lot of what are you doing? How are you doing it type of I certainly take that as a very big compliment. Because, again, our universities, I'll start with them, their case levels are way lower than some of the other major universities around the country. They've done a fantastic job whether it's University of Pittsburgh, our largest institution, Carnegie Mellon, Duquesne, Robert Moore, they've all really stepped up and put plans in place and implemented with their student body with our faculty with their staff. And that has, you know, kind of spread out that they're still open for business. And then all the tech stuff that we see that often grows out of the universities is going to continue. And the major developers who have continued to develop in Oakland, in Uptown in downtown at the airport, they're continuing they've not pulled back and said, well, we're going to wait, no, they because they see that Pittsburgh, actually I believe is going to come out of this even stronger and better than when we went in and we were pretty strong going in. I mean, Pittsburgh is certainly on the map when it comes to all these kinds of things. So we're going to continue to move forward with all those things. And I'm bullish on Pittsburgh.

Yeah, we're bullish. I'm bullish on Pittsburgh to Jonathan just told me that there's some questions in the chat. So I'd like to get

rich. Thanks, again, for hanging out with us today. We really do appreciate it. I'm sure it's got a couple COVID questions, and we're gonna jump into a non COVID question. So first up, we have actually two questions from Megan Shaw. She wants to know, um, are you happy with the level of testing in the county? And also, is the county working on any programs to help nudge social norms related to wearing masks?

Um, yes, on the testing, I have been pretty pleased. I think, you know, we've been pretty robust on it. Dr. Boga and her team have put out a pretty good program. And we I think, you'd always like to see more testing, but relatively speaking, I think it's, it's been pretty positive. I actually want to say we've done pretty well on the mask wearing I'd like again, I'd like to see that a little bit better. But I think most people have accepted the fact that wearing a mask is is the patriotic thing to do. It's a good thing to do for your friends and neighbors, your family, because we know it's the mask isn't just about the person who's wearing it a little bit it is, but it's more about the people that you're around. So it's almost I hate to use this analogy, but I will it's like smoking. Probably not smoking isn't good for you shouldn't do it. But if you're going to do it, do it by yourself. Do it where you're running a whole lot of other people that get affected by that secondhand smoke. So the mask is a very similar kind of thing where it's the people around you, that will be affected by you not wearing your mask in a crowded area. So it's about the courtesy that we all have for our for our fellow human beings, our neighbors, our friends, our family members, our co workers, etc.

So on the non COVID side of things, like curious to know more about the impact and movement of five g to the Pittsburgh community that's coming from Jones scarpino, from Pittsburgh Technical College,

we'd like that to move even faster than it is, I know that some of the companies are trying to work through the municipal codes, in many cases. We don't at the county level don't have a lot of authority or not authority when it comes to deciding where when how all those kind of things, we're certainly encouraging our municipal partners to work expeditiously and not just put up road barriers or not drag things out. We'd like to see it happen. I just think it's so important when you know, we talk about infrastructure all the time with roads and bridges, the 5g and our internet and all that broadband infrastructure is every bit as important as the physical infrastructure we talked about.

Absolutely. And Ingrid cook back on the COVID side of things again, we'd like to know, um, how are we tracking where people are acquiring COVID in Allegheny County? And what do the case investigations consist of?

Well, there's a whole lot of folks from the health department who are both contact tracers and case investigators to do a little bit different operation, the case investigators are actually very well trained technically, to, you know, kind of delve into things a little more in depth, but it really is a person to person phone call, it's contact where the person who gets COVID gets contacted, and they try to find out where they've been, they've been in contact with, Where do you work? Where do you, you know, did you go to a party? Did you go have a wedding? Did you go to a funeral home? Did you, you know, all the different things to try to track what has occurred. So those folks are as thorough as they can be? And you know, for for the most part, people are cooperative. But sometimes you people are reluctant to answer certain questions. So

they do the best they can. It's you're a champ, you're taking these questions that come at you in all directions. And I got one other question that a whole other direction right now. So this is from Renee Ferro, she says she emailed her balance, and it was received on October 5, and it is still saying vote recorded. She didn't say vote counted. It's just she's not sure. But it's concerning her.

If they if they if they accepted her ballot that they would have recorded they would they would have voted yes. even count that that. Yeah, they don't they don't record the vote, when they get it in October, they literally don't record the vote until Election Day. So the way that the way the law reads, counties are not allowed to start processing ballots. until Election Day, seven o'clock, when the polls open, the election departments are allowed to start, you know, opening the envelopes, etc, etc, making sure the signatures are there, and then and then starting to process it. So I guess you could find out at a later date that your vote has been quote unquote, recorded that you have voted, but I can tell you, if they if they recorded it, it would be recorded, received that

they would have recorded it. So rich, as we wrap up, how are you spending the rest of your day today?

Um, I will be just monitoring what's going on over at the warehouse. I'll be in contact with, you know, probably the county manager to see if he needs anything, how are things proceeding? Are there any safety issues? Are people able to monitor just just all those kind of things? I mean, we still have a number of days until all the ballots are counted. It'll be a number of weeks before they are certified, not just in Allegheny County, but across the country. I know we all talk about election day and we get results. But in cases where the election is razor thin, where it's a very close race, there's probably a lot of ballots could be overseas ballots and still haven't come in right now. So they begin a process and then after a two to three week, I think it's 20 days after the election. Election boards will certify they then it becomes 100% official. So there's still a process

of elections. Okay, so we will stay close to you. Is there anything else that you want to save the tech community anything that Do you think we should be thinking about and doing during these times right now?

Start with following continue to follow the advice of our health professionals. Obviously, what you guys are able to do, using technology to do work remotely to do work in ways that others can is helpful. So So I guess most people were probably able to continue working in some manner, almost like the meetings that we're having today. And we'll continue that. So stay tuned, communicate with people continue to work together. Again, the elections are over now we're going to have new elected officials, in some cases, let's make sure we all work together for the betterment of Pittsburgh and the greater Pittsburgh area.

Well, I want to thank you, you can always follow county executive rich Fitzgerald on Twitter, he's pretty active, even has a demo of his Halloween rigged people some typing, or he can be down to the kids. He reminds us that he was an engineer. So that's why we have his deep love for for all of us that are inside of tech. And rich, thank you for spending the time with us and being such a good partner on so many things. There's so many matters that affect each and every one of us and really appreciate your leadership on that. I want to thank at&t for their for their sponsorship and partnership on all things related to public policy, and more, as well as Huntington bank and Jonathan cool Do we have up next week?

We are launching the week with any adventures which was some first money in for companies like Airbnb. So we have Neato Mehta stopping by really cool guy and provide some great insight is what they look for for investments.

Okay, good. All right. Well, I want to thank everyone stay safe. It's a beautiful day and that's ferg it's not winter here and just be safe. Don't get fatigued and know that we're going to be stronger. So see everyone on Monday. Have a great weekend 

Transcribed by https://otter.ai