County begins search for new jail warden as $2.15 million grant funds incarceration alternatives and council eyes unified services platform

Top Agenda Items

• Council Member Botta pitches Allegheny One, a single online home for public services
• Warden Wingard resigns after 18 months at the county jail
• County awarded grant to pay for alternatives to incarceration

Donate today to triple your gift.

Now through July 15th, a generous group of backers has agreed to triple every dollar donated, until we hit $6,000. Your support helps drive accountability on Pittsburgh’s biggest issues. 

DONATE

Council Member Botta pitches Allegheny One, a single online home for public services 🔗

Council Member Jordan Botta of Friendship has asked for a study to see if the county can create a one-stop website for all of the county’s resources and services.

Currently, departments and agencies have an array of websites, platforms and administrative systems. This means separate logins for resident services ranging from tax payments to pool passes to public records requests.

Council’s IT and process improvement committee voted during its July 9 meeting to move forward with a non-binding resolution that calls for a feasibility study on a centralized digital system for county services (dubbed Allegheny One).

The committee’s resolution points to the success of Allegheny Connect, the one-stop platform operated by the Department of Human Services (DHS) that connects residents with local resources such as family centers and disability services.

“I think that this can show Allegheny County as a very advanced and forward-thinking county, not only in the commonwealth but in the rest of the country,” said Botta.

The committee also requested information on incorporating artificial intelligence and encouraged exploring voluntary partnerships with municipalities and school districts.

If the resolution is passed by council during its July 14 meeting, the Department of Information Technology, DHS and the Department of Administrative Services would have 180 days to produce a report.

Warden Wingard resigns after 18 months at the county jail

Allegheny County Jail Warden Trevor Wingard is leaving his job at the end of July after leading the jail for 18 months.

It will now be up to the county executive and Jail Oversight Board to find his replacement.

Council Member Bethany Hallam of Ross, who sits on the jail board, told the rest of council about the impending vacancy during council’s July 7 meeting. He will be taking a job in North Carolina to be closer to his family.

“Warden Wingard has truly changed so much in his short time that he’s been here,” said Hallam. “A lot got done and a lot of problems were prevented because of the relationship that we as a board had with him.”

County Executive Sara Innamorato will name an interim warden prior to Wingard’s departure.

Hallam said the search for a permanent replacement will begin within a few months.

Council will also issue a proclamation during its July 14 meeting recognizing Wingard for his leadership at the jail.

County awarded grant to pay for alternatives to incarceration 🔗

County council’s budget and finance committee voted on July 9 to move forward with accepting a $2.15 million grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The grant is part of the state’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative 2 (JRI2), which provides evidence-based alternative programs to incarceration. 

The money will allow Allegheny County to hire two probation officers and one hearing officer. It will also pay to train staff and supervisors on evidence-based practices and for the purchase equipment.

Council will cast its final vote on July 14.