►
Description
On this episode of CityTalk with John McIntire, John talks to Amanda Mueller from the Department of Public Safety and Trever Stoll from the Department of Innovation & Performance.
A
A
Welcome
to
another
episode
of
city
talk
where
we
try
to
figure
out
what
on
earth
these
people
do
all
day
and
by
these
people
I
mean
city
employees
for
the
city
of
pittsburgh,
say
hello
to
amanda
mueller,
who
is
a
public
information
officer
with
the
department
of
public
safety.
Amanda
welcome
to
city
talk
hi
thanks.
A
B
Yeah,
that's
what
they
that's,
what
they
tell
us,
but
to
be
fair,
they
tell
us
that
in
the
job
interview,
so
it
was
definitely
my
decision
and
honestly,
it's
only
every
three
weeks.
So
I
work
with
a
great
team.
There's
three
of
us
you've
had
the
other
two
kara
and
maurice
on
before.
B
B
It
depends
I
I
for
me,
sometimes
the
lead
up
to
that
week.
Just
the
impending
expectation
is
actually
worse
than
actually
going
through
the
week
right,
because
you're
just
once
you're
you
hit
the
ground
running
you're
super
busy.
I
think
the
worst
part
about
it
is
that
you
are
kind
of
always
on
edge.
So
every
time
your
phone
goes
off,
it's
one
of
those
things
where
it
could
be
an
email.
B
You
can
answer
tomorrow
or
you
could
be
on
your
way
out
the
door
for
six
hours
and
really
the
way
to
get
around.
That
is,
we've
just
kind
of
made
sure
each
one
of
us
have
our
has
our
own
system
in
place,
but
I
mean
with
our
cars
and
stuff.
Like
my
car,
for
instance,
I
always
think
it's
fun
to
ask
people
what
they
carry
in
their
cars.
You
know
purses
cars
whatever
it
says
a
lot
about
that
so
mine.
B
A
B
I
mean
a
lot
of
it.
Is
we
kind
of
it's
a
judgment?
Call
if
we're
really
on
the
line.
You
know
we'll
sit
there
and
we'll
we'll
talk
amongst
ourselves.
You
know,
should
we
go
out
if
it's
something
big,
you
know
if
we
back
up
like
we're
constantly,
the
three
of
us
are
always
in
communication,
even
if
it's
an
off
week
but-
and
we
also
were
in
constant
communication
with
command
staff.
B
So
if
we're
on
call
for
that,
we
are
usually
paired
up
with
a
police
command
officer
who's,
also
on
call
so
we'll
touch
base
with
them
see
what's
going
on,
they
oftentimes
have
more
details
than
we
do
on
a
preliminary
basis
and
we'll
make
a
decision
that
way.
It's
also
a
need
thing.
So
if
they
call
us-
and
you
know,
there's
a
lot
of
media
on
scene
already
like
we'll
make
sure
we
get
out
the
door
and
we
go.
B
I
think
it
really
depends
on
the
officer,
their
comfort
level,
that
type
of
thing
I
I
can
speak.
I
can
say
this
freely
because
I
used
to
be
in
broadcasting
myself,
but
it's
not
always
fun
to
have
a
camera
shoved
in
your
face,
especially
at
three
o'clock
in
the
morning,
so
we're
kind
of
there
to
relieve
some
of
that
pressure,
especially
when
they're
in
high
pressure
situations,
but
I
mean
it's
just
it's
kind
of
part
of
the
job
and
honestly
reporters
even
feel
that
way
I
can
attest
to
that.
A
B
The
last
10
years
I've
been
in
and
out
of
broadcasting
and
media
relations.
I
probably
spent
the
majority
of
that
in
broadcasting.
I
come
from
the
television
side
of
things,
so
I
have
worked
as
an
executive
producer.
I
worked
as
a
producer.
I've
worked
as
a
news
anchor
a
reporter,
an
investigative
journalist.
I
pretty
much
worn
every
hat
that
you
can
wear
and
television
news
newsroom
pretty
much
with
the
exception
of
a
lot
of
like
production
positions
which
are
so
so
valuable
and
super
important.
B
So
I've
I've
had
my
foot
in
the
in
that
all
the
time,
and
sometimes
I've
been
doing
media
relations
and
that
at
the
same
time,
so
it's
been
a
dual
situation,
I'm
originally
from
the
other
part
of
pennsylvania,
so
a
town
called
lancaster
up
by
philadelphia.
So
I've
worked
in
the
lancaster
lebanon,
harrisburg
market.
That's
my
home
market!
I
worked
in
philadelphia
in
broadcasting.
I
actually
somehow
managed
to
make
my
way
out
west,
so
illinois
kentucky
indiana.
B
I
was
out
there
for
a
while
and
then
I
was
in
west
virginia
for
a
while
as
well.
A
B
Yeah
absolutely,
and
as
a
former
news
manager
I
mean
I
can
even
take
that
farther.
That's
something
that,
in
my
newsrooms,
I've
been
vehemently
against
from
the
get-go
and
to
many
of
my
managers
credits.
They
have
also
been
that
way.
I
can
say
that
I've
never
had
a
manager
that
has
sent
me
out
in
a
situation
like
that
or
has
set
really
anyone
out
in
a
situation
like
that,
if
there's
been
some
type
of
pushback
on
it,
a
lot
of
things
go
into
situations.
B
This
particular
reporter
is
was
in
a
market
that
was
actually
very
close
to
a
market
that
I
used
to
be
in
it's
a
small
industry.
I
know
I
know
people
who
know
her
that
type
of
thing,
so
there's
a
lot
of
factors
that
go
into
a
decision
like
that,
but
as
a
whole,
I
think
the
industry
really
needs
to
take
a
step
back
and-
and
this
is
a
time
for
them
to
reflect
on
how
their
reporters
are
treated.
B
What
they're
being
asked
to
do
and
I'll
be
honest
with
you,
a
lot
of
us,
don't
didn't
think
about
that
type
of
thing.
You
know
the
adrenaline
kicks
in.
You
have
a
job
to
do
usually,
there's
a
certain
personality
and
news.
You
go
out
there
and
you
think
about
it
later
and
I
can't
say
there
weren't
situations
that
I
went
into
and
I
went.
Maybe
maybe
I
should
have
backed
up
and
gone
a
little
bit
slower
on
that.
B
So
there's
so
many
factors,
but
I
do
think
this
particular
situation
is
just
an
opportunity
for
the
industry
as
a
whole
to
re-evaluate
a
lot
of
things,
whether
it's
the
mmj
model
or
you
know
what
constitutes
a
need
to
go,
live
that
type
of
thing.
B
So
I'm
from
lancaster
county
and
when
I
get
blanks,
there's
not
so
much
here
in
pittsburgh
since
it's
in
the
state,
I'm
back
in
my
home
state.
But
when
I
get
blank
stares
I
say
you
know
I'm
from
amish
country
and
usually
people
go.
Oh
yes,
so
I
grew
up
right.
Splat
in
the
middle
of
farmland,
pretty
much.
B
I've
done
both
I
mean
I
live.
I
lived
in
like
the
city
city,
proper
philadelphia.
I've
done
that.
I
live
in
the
city
proper.
Obviously,
here
as
a
city
employee,
when
I
moved
out
west,
that's
a
little
more
of
a
royal
setting
west
virginia,
I
was
up
in
a
holler
as
I
like
to
call
it.
So
we've
kind
of
done
a
little
bit
of
everything
I
have
found
as
I
move
throughout
the
years
that
I
I
can.
I
have
it
both
ways
like
I
like
to
have
there's
there's
aspects
of
both.
B
I
tend
to
seek
out
areas
where
aspects
of
both
are
available
to
me.
So
I
like
to
be
able
to
get
to
the
action
so
to
speak
quickly
and
I
need
to
for
this
job,
but
I
also
like
to
have
a
backyard,
so
I
can
plant
a
lot
of
plants
and
gardens.
So
that's
like
that's
really
the
big
draw
for
me.
So
I
kind
of
try
to
keep
one
foot
in
both
circles.
B
Oh,
I
was
lucky,
it
didn't
actually
hit
our
house
until
more
recently,
so
it
had,
it
did
make
its
way
through
our
house,
like
everybody
else,
is
lately,
unfortunately,
and
it's
also
just
kind
of
a
fact
of
a
job
when
you're
out
there
all
the
time.
I
I
have
a
lot
of
empathy
for
frontline
workers,
but
to
be
honest
with
you,
my
world,
professionally
speaking,
never
really
changed.
I
I
did
not,
as
a
news
anchor,
have
the
opportunity
to
work
from
home.
B
I
had
to
be
at
the
station
every
day,
because
you're
tethered
to
a
desk,
it's
just
the
fact
of
the
industry.
Sometimes
so
I
went
through
the
majority
of
the
pandemic
as
a
news
anchor
as
an
evening
news
anchor
and
I
think
the
hardest
thing
there
was
having
to
read
off
the
numbers
every
single
day
that
eventually
can
take
a
toll
on
you.
B
That's
that's
heavy,
and
you
know
of
course
now
that,
where
I'm
on
the
other
side
of
things,
I
have
a
front
row
seat
to
what
our
first
responders
ems
police
officers
are
going
through
on
a
daily
basis
because
they
are
going
into
homes
where
they're
putting
themselves
at
risk,
and
so
it's
just
you
got
to
make
sure
you
keep
everything
in
perspective.
B
Make
sure
you
check
in
with
your
coworkers
that
same
thing
that
has
helped
me
personally
get
through
most
of
it,
but
I've
also
had
all
my
co-workers
have
been
right
beside
me.
The
whole
time
whether
I
was
in
news
or
here,
so
it
was
kind
of
a
shared
burden.
B
Yeah,
absolutely,
I
think
that,
in
order
to
serve
most
people,
I
know
here
in
government
service
have
backgrounds
in
something
else,
and
I
think
that's
that
is
a
testament
to
the
city
of
pittsburgh,
that
they're
hiring
people
from
different
backgrounds,
different
walks
of
life
and
they're,
bringing
that
experience
into
government
service
it's
much
easier
to
serve
people
if
you
have,
you
know,
walked
among
them
or
you
understand
the
need
from
a
different
perspective.
You
know
amongst
the
pios
we
have
we
have.
You
know
we
have
a.
B
B
A
Awesome
well
amanda
mueller!
Thank
you!
So
much
for
being
on
city
talk
and
please
stay
safe
out
there
with
all
the
dangerous
feats
of
daring.
Do
that
you
must
perform
every
third
week.
A
Yeah
now
you
better
keep
looking
over
your
shoulder
right.
Yeah,
thanks
for
being
on
the
program
coming
up,
we'll
meet
someone
from
the
department
of
innovation
and
performance
stay
with
us.
A
A
So
because
of
the
visual
I
happen
to
know
you're
at
your
apartment,
are
you
some
sort
of
plant
freak
because
they
look
like
some
pretty
freaky
plants.
C
That's
that's
one
way
to
put
it.
I
have
over
75
house
plants
takes
me
quite
a
while
to
water.
This
one
is
actually
an
offshoot.
I
have
another
one.
That's
over
six
foot
tall
I've
had
since
I
was
in
middle
school.
Actually
so
is.
C
That's
a
good
question:
my
family
always
had
a
garden
growing
up.
My
dad
has
about
like
a
quarter
of
an
acre
or
so,
and
we
always
had
huge,
huge,
probably
like
somewhere,
like
nine
parking
spots,
large
garden,
so
I
think
it
possibly
started
there.
I'd
help
out
a
lot
when
I
came
to
the
city,
pittsburgh
isn't
always
known
for
its
its
large
yard
space
with
great
sun.
So
I
just
kind
of
moved
the
plants
indoors.
A
Brilliant
and
but
do
you
literally
have
a
green
thumb
or
are
they
still
the
the
complexion
of
the
rest
of
your
skin.
C
They're
they're
still
they're
still
tan.
Sometimes
they
are
brown
with
dirt,
though,
depending
on,
if
it's
repotting
day.
C
Yeah,
so
I
think
last
time
we
talked,
I
was
an
intern
still.
You
were.
C
C
Exactly
I
was
fortunate
enough
january
of
2020
right
before
the
pandemic,
I
was
able
to
successfully
find
full-time
employment
with
the
city,
as
you
mentioned
earlier,
in
the
department
of
innovation
and
performance.
C
I
am
on
the
innovation
team,
as
a
civic
innovation
specialist,
which
essentially
is,
is
kind
of
like
a
project
management
role,
but
very
narrow
in
scope.
C
I
got
two
main
ones
on
my
bucket
now
one
is
the
pgh
lab
program
for
those
that
are
familiar.
It's
the
city's
kind
of
urban
testing
lab
we
work
with
startups,
bring
them
in
and
hopefully
identify
some
type
of
resolution
for
a
city
challenge
or
issue
either
at
the
city
proper
or
the
authorities,
and
then
my
second
bucket
is
called
what
works
cities,
we're
actually
gearing
up
right
now,
fingers
crossed
to
become
silver
certified
for
that
one.
C
Essentially,
it's
this
big
bloomberg
philanthropy.
It
puts
forth
45
different
standards
on
how
cities
can
better
govern
using
data
and
evidence
and
then
there's
kind
of
different
levels
of
certification.
Based
on
how
many
criteria
you
achieve.
C
Exactly
it's
a
lot
of
emails,
a
lot
of
coordination,
there's
like
a
whole
online
process
for
submitting
the
documentation,
so
that's
kind
of
one
of
those
project
management
aspects
that
come
in,
but
I
do
provide
support
for
the
folks
kind
of
with
the
legs
on
the
ground
physically
doing
the
work
kind
of
digging
up
examples.
Those
types
of
things.
A
C
Actually,
originally
it
was
an
astronaut
and
my
goal
is
to
still
go
to
space
before
I
die.
C
You
know
just
it's
all
about
the
network
right,
get
myself
in
front
of
jeff,
bezos
or
elon,
but
no,
I
I
don't
know
I
just
kind
of
ended
up
in
the
project
management
role,
I
would
say,
is
as
kind
of
a
passion
that
developed
over
time.
I
was
always
the
one
that
they
told
to
pack
the
car
so
kind
of
like
a
big
game
of
tetris
for
me
and
that
translated
pretty
well
as
I
kind
of
developed
more
of
a
professional
life,
both
in
college
and
then
post
college.
C
C
A
C
Well,
that's
that's
still
the
goal,
my
little
tiny
corner
of
it
but
yeah,
I
think,
probably
one
of
the
largest
benefits
and
learnings
I
got
from
the
environmental
science
background
is:
is
kind
of
how
to
parse
out
ecosystem
ecosystems
and
and
make
changes
within
those,
and
by
that
I
mean,
if
you
take
the
city
of
pittsburgh,
for
instance,
we
have
all
these
surrounding
municipalities
and
counties
et
cetera
around
us,
but
if
you
look
at
it
from
the
ecosystem
perspective
working
at
the
city,
we
are
just
focused
on
what
pittsburgh
can
achieve
within
our
borders
right
so
kind
of
looking
at.
C
C
Ohio,
I
was
yeah.
I
was
actually
born
here
in
sewickley
pa,
but
I
have
family
both
in
pa
in
ohio,
so
summers
in
pennsylvania
and
school
years
in
ohio.
A
So
you
didn't
necessarily
and
plan
on
ending
up
with
a
job
in
city
government,
but
you
got
the
internship
and
one
thing
led
to
another.
C
Essentially
yeah,
originally
the
idea
was
to
do
some
type
of
research
or
some
you
know,
throw
your
body
on
the
tracks,
environmentalism
work,
but
through
the
kind
of
the
internship
I
realized
that
there
are
multiple
pathways.
I
would
say
towards
achieving
more
what
I
consider
lifelong
goals.
So
my
objective
here
is
to
kind
of
use
this
platform
really
that
I've
been
given
here
at
the
city,
to
kind
of
highlight
that
and
kind
of
have
my
little
piece
where
I
can.
A
C
Oh
definitely
it's
something
that
I
again
we
kind
of
talked
about.
This
didn't
really
see
myself
in
perhaps
when
I
was
younger,
but
again
through,
like
the
internship
and
and
more
so
now
in
my
full-time
role,
there's
a
lot
of
different
ways
to
give
back,
and
I
would
say,
even
on
the
most
difficult
days
I
can
kind
of
like
walk
away
with
you
know.
C
Perhaps
I
didn't
make
some
earth
shattering
change,
but
you
know
I
moved
the
needle,
perhaps
two
ticks
in
a
more
positive
direction
and
government,
especially
city
government,
it's
local
level,
so
you
kind
of
see
that
immediate
change
in
your
daily
life
and
there's
so
many
facets
of
it
that
really
no
matter
where
your
passions
lie.
You
can
normally
find
a
home
to
to
really
make
change.
A
And
normally
I
ask
if
you
have
any
hobbies,
but
I
guess
we
already
know
the
answer
to
that.
Or
do
you
things
other
than
plants.
C
Plants
and
then
I
guess
swimming
slash
running,
not
not
so
much
with
this
snow.
That's
coming
down.
I
know
there's
no
windows
where
you're
at,
but
it's
it's
accumulating
out.
There.
C
Yeah
good,
I
will
say:
if
it's
going
to
snow,
I
prefer
a
lot
of
snokes.
Then
at
least
it's
something
nice
to
look
at,
but
you
know
we're
still
in
a
hybrid
scheduling
here
at
the
city,
so
I
don't
always
have
to
go
in
if
the
weather
is
awful.
That
is
a
nice
caveat.
A
C
I
think
it's,
I
think
it's
a
little
too
early
to
tell.
I
definitely
see
myself
in
government
for
for
a
good
while
here,
but
I
never
like
to
box
myself
off
so
we'll
see
long
term.
What
happens
be
that
you
know
serving
on
a
private
board
or
something
or
maybe
continuing
with
government
for
a
while,
I'm
enjoying
what
I'm
doing
now
so
just
kind
of
learning
what
I
can
and
taking
the
punches
that
come.
C
Stay
warm
be
careful.
It's
getting
icy
out
there
summer
is
coming
eventually
and
yeah.
I
kind
of
you
mentioned
this
like
check
out.
What's
going
on
in
your
local
government.
You
know
we
have
job
postings,
you
never
know
you
might
be
the
next
big
trevor,
stahl
or
mayor
who
knows,
but
yeah
keep
your
options
open
and
never
be
afraid
to
take
a
challenge.