A settlement aimed at ending one bitter public feud sparked another yesterday, as Pittsburgh City Council President Doug Shields called for a state or federal investigation of development deals, and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl called that and other actions "cheap, ill-motivated and just plain wrong."

The city's top elected officials traded shots yesterday following a Thursday agreement by the Urban Redevelopment Authority board to pay its former executive director, Pat Ford, around $93,000 in salary plus health insurance through June in return for his not suing or disparaging the agency or city.

Mr. Shields wrote in twin letters to U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan and state Attorney General Tom Corbett that the settlement and Mr. Ford's Aug. 27 resignation letter -- with its vague allegations of deception, corruption, retaliation and inappropriate affairs -- made it "imperative that a fulsome inquiry be conducted, because it is only under oath that this matter can be definitively resolved."

"It's obvious that other information is being suppressed by this silence money that has been paid," Mr. Shields said in an interview. "Let's go ask Mr. Ford, under oath, 'What allegations are you talking about?'"

Mr. Shields said Mr. Ford should be asked about controversial billboard permits, irregular awards of contracts and leases and campaign donations from beneficiaries, adding that the mayor should also be questioned.

Mr. Ravenstahl responded in a statement that Mr. Shields "has forgotten that he was sent to council to do the people's business, not to promote a political agenda focused on hurting me and aggrandizing himself.

"While my administration and I have been getting the work of the city done, cleaning our neighborhoods, fixing our finances, fighting crime, and resolving potential lawsuits to protect city taxpayers, he has been playing political games."

The statement didn't address whether there should be an investigation, nor whether the settlement was intended to quiet Mr. Ford.

Ms. Buchanan's office said it got the letter but wouldn't comment further.

Mr. Corbett's office said it would explore whether it has jurisdiction, noting that it can't investigate local governments unless asked to do so by a district attorney who either has a conflict of interest, or a dearth of resources.

The settlement doesn't stop Mr. Ford from talking with law enforcement, said Lawrence Fisher, attorney for Mr. Ford, so Mr. Shields' concerns aren't warranted. Mr. Shields "never misses a chance to grandstand on a policy issue, regardless of his ignorance about the issue," said Mr. Fisher.

Meanwhile, officials in the city and its agencies considered ways to address the cloud of ethical concerns.

Councilman Patrick Dowd said the city's nine legislators can "help establish procedures in the city that we think are stronger regarding contracting," possibly mandating that contractors disclose any "finder's fees" or other obligations they undertake in efforts to win city contracts.

The city's Ethics Hearing Board met yesterday, and agreed that once it is done reviewing when and how officials can accept free tickets to charitable events, it will start preparing to offer conflict-of-interest training to elected officials and directors.

Thursday the URA board voted to create a committee including the director of the state Department of General Services to improve its contracting procedures.

Mr. Ford's resignation stemmed from his involvement in granting an over-the-counter permit for a Downtown electronic billboard to Lamar Advertising, and his subsequent admission that he got Christmas gifts from an executive with that firm.

Mr. Shields said he was interviewed by the state Ethics Commission in its review of the gifts. The commission hasn't made any findings public.