Tom Donaldson

Mayor Tom Donaldson appointed himself to the city’s Redevelopment Authority board following a recent resignation from the board.

Donaldson said a position opened up when Nadine Tripodi resigned last week from the five-member board. He named board member Brian McCafferty to assume Tripoli’s term and appointed himself to McCafferty’s slot.

“The mayor has the sole authority to make that appointment,” Donaldson said.

Donaldson’s term on the board will end in June 2022.

“I’ve worked with that board and I get along with everybody on that board,” Donaldson said. He said he also works well with Arthur Cordwell, authority executive director, and Veronica Walker, operations manager.

Donaldson said he considered looking for someone to fill the seat but decided that he wanted to be able to interact more closely with the board and be able to take part in executive sessions, which he said isn’t able to do as mayor.

His term as mayor expires at the end of the year. After losing the Republican Party’s nomination in the primary, he is running a write-in campaign to try to win a second term.

“If I lose, I can still be heavily involved with the authority,” Donaldson said. “I have no intention of walking away from city government whether I lose the election or not. We accomplished some things, but the work isn’t done. We’re all working together to pull the same wagon.”

He said he will remain on the board if he wins the election. Prior to appointing himself, he said he checked with solicitor James Coulter and he found no regulations prohibiting the mayor of a third class city from serving on the authority.

Donaldson said he wants to work with the authority to resolve its debt.

The $2 million loan the city borrowed for the authority for the Marriott Springhill Suites project in the Centre City development will be repaid after the state releases a $2 million grant when the hotel is completed, he said.

Donaldson said the authority owes the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation $259,000 for the purchase of the Penn Theater and $130,000 for the purchase of the lot at 150 S. Main St. where the Wishing Well card shop was once located.

He said the authority’s debt on its low-income apartments is nearly paid off.

“We’re working to alleviate those debts. After that, the authority will be reasonably well-positioned. The picture of the redevelopment authority’s finances has changed for the better under my direction,” Donaldson said.

Council members acknowledged that Donaldson has the authority to appoint himself to the position, but said serving on the board and as mayor could lead to a conflict of interest.

“I think it’s a conflict of interest definitely,” said Councilwoman Kathy Kline.

The interests of the authority and council might not always be the same, she said.

“The authority sometimes comes to council for approval of things. That’s where I think the conflict of interest comes in. You get back to checks and balances. If they come to us for something, he may have to recuse himself.

“I don’t think it’s a good move,” she said.

Councilman Michael Walter also said serving on both entities creates the potential for a conflict of interest. He said Donaldson should have told council he was planning to appoint himself to the board.

“Too bad he didn’t tell council about it. He could have mentioned it to council,” Walter said. “That just goes to show how much disrespect he has for city government and members of council.”