Apr 10, 2008 3:59 pm US/Eastern
Hearing Over Digital Billboard Controversy Delayed
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
A hearing planned today with the City Zoning Board and City Council members over the local digital billboards controversy has been delayed.
KDKA's Harold Hayes reports that the hearing was stopped and delayed this morning because of a lawsuit.
At issue is a no-bid contract for the building of a 1200-square foot electronic billboard at the bus station at Grant Street and Liberty Avenue. It is still under construction and was supposed to be the subject of a Zoning Board hearing this morning, but was delayed because of the lawsuit filed by LAMAR Advertising.
On Wednesday, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's press secretary, Alecia Sirk, resigned while her husband, Pat Ford, the head of the Urban Redevelopment Authority, asked for a leave of absence over allegations of special treatment.
They reportedly received gifts from an official at LAMAR Advertising, which is the same company that got permission to erect a large electronic billboard on the side of the transportation center downtown.
Mayor Ravenstahl has asked the state's Ethics Commission to investigate.
Meanwhile, at today's hearing, LAMAR attorneys would not talk about that controversy, but did comment about the allegations involving some City Council members' challenges of the billboard.
"I have the majority members of council filing an appeal in this case, identical appeals. It's hard for me to believe that they all did not meet and get together and file the same appeal, especially if you just take a look at what happened," said LAMAR attorney, Samuel Kamin. "They are actually meeting outside of the normal legislative process. There was no public debate on this matter. They have taken it upon themselves as members of council to file an appeal. That's a violation of the Sunshine Act."
The hearing is now expected to happen sometime next week because the lawsuit it set to go before a Common Pleas Court on Friday.
Stay with KDKA for the latest details.
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