Pittsburgh Controller Has Concerns With Parks Conservancy

PITTSBURGH, PA — Pittsburgh Controller Michael Lamb on Thursday said he has some concerns over the relationship between the city and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, the organization that successfully pushed for a city parks tax last year.

Lamb released an audit Thursday examining the conservancy's relationship and communication processes with the city of Pittsburgh and its various departments. The audit was requested by city council after the tax to serve dilapidated city parks was approved by voters.

"The parks conservancy has been an organization that has done great things for many of our city's parks over the years," Lamb said in a release.

"However, our audit of the conservancy has brought to light some concerns that need to be addressed. Among those are the city's relationship with the conservancy regarding Schenley Plaza in Oakland and the lack of a central location for any agreements the city has with the conservancy."

The conservancy signed a 30-year lease for $1 a year at the Oakland plaza in 2004. The city doesn't receive any revenues from conservancy rentals and fees at the site, but nonetheless collects trash and performs landscaping there.

Schenley Plaza receives rental income from a number of performances, exhibits, festivals, markets, and other events they host throughout the year. Schenley Plaza also has five tenants on the premises that pay rent to the the conservancy for the upkeep and maintenance of the area. I

The audit revealed nearly five dozen agreements between the conservancy, the city and its various authorities, but they are not housed in a single place. Lamb wants all city contracts with the conservancy sent to his office to be stored in its contract data based.

"This provides transparency and a central storage location," Lamb said.

You can see the entire audit here.