Steve Mellon, Post-Gazette Doug Shields displays a photograph of the late Mayor Bob O'Connor shortly after he was elected City Council president yesterday. Click photo for larger image.

Pittsburgh City Council chose Doug Shields as its president yesterday, putting a friend of the late Mayor Bob O'Connor in its top post instead of an ally of the new mayor.

Luke Ravenstahl, who went from council president to mayor Friday after Mr. O'Connor's death from cancer, wanted Councilman Jim Motznik to succeed him, council members said. But by lobbying for the post before Mr. O'Connor's passing, Mr. Motznik upset his colleagues, and the new mayor did not intercede to save his bid.

Told that Mr. Motznik didn't have enough votes, Mr. Ravenstahl "said 'This is your vote, and I respect it,' " said Councilman Dan Deasy, a key vote for Mr. Shields.

The vote was 7-1, with only Mr. Motznik voting against Mr. Shields.

Mr. Shields used his acceptance speech to praise the late mayor, for whom he worked as an aide from 1992 through early 2003.

"The dead stay with us forever, and Bob had much to say, to teach us," he said. "I have to learn how to back off, to learn how to take it one day at a time, as my mentor did."

Council's president is chosen by a majority vote of the nine-member body. He runs meetings, assigns members to committee chairmanships, controls legislators' spending and replaces the mayor if he is unable to complete his term.

In the days prior to Mr. O'Connor's death, Mr. Ravenstahl and Mr. Motznik were inseparable, as they considered the possibility of the former becoming mayor, and the latter seeking the presidency.

Mr. Motznik "called Tuesday or Wednesday [of last week] and said he had six people," supporting him for the presidency, said Councilman Jeff Koch. "It didn't sit well with me," he said, since Mr. O'Connor was still alive.

Mr. Motznik acknowledged preparing his bid while Mr. O'Connor was still alive. He said he was in meetings with Mr. Ravenstahl for "five or six weeks" prior to Mr. O'Connor's death, preparing for a possible transition, to keep city government running smoothly.

That intensified late last week.

"The mayor had a few hours left, and conversations went on about who should be council president," Mr. Motznik said. Other members "gave me their word, and went back on it."

"Doug Shields has bigger political ambitions and wants to be the [city] controller," Mr. Motznik went on. "We had an arrangement where I would support him for controller and he would support me for president."

Over the weekend, Mr. Motznik sought the support of Councilman William Peduto, only to learn he had pledged to vote for Mr. Shields. Only then did Mr. Motznik know he faced opposition from Mr. Shields.

He said Mr. Koch and Mr. Deasy, like him veterans of the city's Public Works Department, were "weak links" on whom Mr. Shields worked. "I question Koch's and Deasy's intelligence," he said.

Mr. Motznik "tried to shove it down our throats," said Mr. Koch.

Mr. Ravenstahl did not push the matter, said Mr. Deasy. "He did not make one phone call."

Mr. Motznik said he did not blame the new mayor for his failure to win the post.

Mr. Ravenstahl released a statement congratulating Mr. Shields and pledging to work with him.

City government now has a council president with closer ties to many in the administration, including acting Chief of Staff Dennis Regan and Senior Secretary Marlene Cassidy, than the mayor has.

Mr. Shields, 52, was a key aide in Mr. O'Connor's failed mayoral bids in 1997 and 2001. He won the seat formerly held by Mr. O'Connor in 2003 and held the influential post of council finance chairman for most of his tenure.

Prior to joining government, he was senior litigation paralegal for two law firms. He is married to Briget, who was present for his swearing in as president, and has two adult children.

"I think he brings years of experience," said Councilwoman Twanda Carlisle. "He had a relationship with our former mayor. ... They had a friendship as well as a working relationship."

Council made freshman member Tonya Payne the president pro tem, who runs some special meetings and fills in when the president is absent. "It brings a good diversity to the table," said Ms. Carlisle, who, like Ms. Payne, is black.

Mr. Shields gave Mr. Deasy the job of finance chair. Other committee chairs are Len Bodack for public safety; Ms. Carlisle for housing and development; Mr. Peduto for facilities, technology and the arts; Ms. Payne for planning and zoning; Mr. Koch for public works and engineering; and Mr. Motznik for parks, recreation and youth.