What you probably think of as Pittsburgh is actually a patchwork of 90-something mostly tiny municipalities, each with its own police force, fire department, and local government. Whereas “The City of Pittsburgh” has a population of only about 300,000, the greater Pittsburgh area - not including outlying suburbs - is closer to 2.7 million.
I live in a borough called Emsworth. Emsworth, with a population of roughly 2,500, sits on the Ohio River, on the northwest side of the city, about five or six miles from downtown.
At last month’s borough council meeting, one of the councilmen resigned his post. I had considered running for council last November but didn’t for mostly dumb reasons. So when I heard there was a vacancy in January, I submitted a letter of interest. The seat was to be filled at the next meeting, which was last night. In a 4-2 council vote, I was selected to fill that seat. I was sworn in and got a stack of papers to study as homework, a seat and a mailbox at the borough building, and some peppermint patties to get me through my 3-hour first meeting as a councilman.
Everyone says all politics is local. I live literally three doors away from the Emsworth borough building, so I expect that platitude to be especially true for me now. If you know me, you know I believe pretty strongly that we are obligated by democracy to participate as public servants at some point, to the extent our lives allow. I delayed this level of participation for many years because the demands of raising a family felt too great to find room for sustained public service. Last night, as I tromped down my snowy street to my first council meeting, my boys waving me off and wishing me luck, promising to clean the dinner dishes and shower and call if there were any emergencies, I could really feel that time having passed. It’s not like they’re all grown-up or whatever (Jack tried to prank-call me* as I was being sworn in*), but they’re closer. And besides, I can now issue empty-but-convincing threats of legal and/or police trouble should they step too far out of line.
Anyway, totally a local politician.