Mayor makes city board appointments
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In one of a handful of appointments to city-related boards Friday, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced he was removing the city finance director from the Pittsburgh Parking Authority and installing another aide in his stead.
Mr. Ravenstahl said he's removing Scott Kunka because of his many other duties.
Replacing him will be Gabe Mazefsky, the policy aide who oversees appointments to dozens of city boards, authorities and commissions. Mr. Mazefsky will serve out Mr. Kunka's term, which expires in April, and then he'll be appointed for a full five-year term, mayoral spokeswoman Joanna Doven said.
Mr. Ravenstahl named Beechview resident Fauna Solomon to fill a year-old vacancy on the parking authority. At least one other parking authority member, Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak, is still serving even though her term expired last year.
Some city insiders call Mr. Kunka the "super director" because in addition to his other roles, he is executive director of the pension board and serves on the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority and Equipment Leasing Authority.
As chairman of the parking authority, Mr. Kunka has been a critic of city council's plan to divert more meter revenue for city operations. He has said that the authority has its own capital needs. It wasn't clear who would replace Mr. Kunka as authority chairman.
Mr. Ravenstahl also named Councilman Corey O'Connor to the Stadium Authority. He replaces council President Darlene Harris, who also serves on the Sports and Exhibition Authority and said she didn't mind giving up her Stadium Authority seat.
Mr. Ravenstahl's other appointments were:
• Jim Malanos, of the North Side, to the Stadium Authority.
• Kristen Baginski, his former deputy chief of staff, and Joseph L. White, of the North Side, to the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority.
• Patrick Connelly, of Shadyside, to Ethics Hearing Board.
• Janet Evans, of Glen Hazel, and Robert Wilson, of the Hill District, to the Pittsburgh Housing Authority.
• Darlene Yanakos, of the South Side, to the water and sewer authority.
Some appointments require council confirmation.
First Published February 4, 2012 12:00 am
