Laurels & lances: Special elections and open bids

Tribune-Review
Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023 5:38 p.m. | Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023 5:38 p.m.

Go Ad-Free Today!

Connolly photo courtesy of the campaign; Powell photo courtesy of campaign

Left: Erin Connolly Autenreith; right, Lindsay Powell

Laurel: To getting things done. The two sides in Harrisburg may have trouble getting things done, but they can be good at getting things set up on their own.

The Allegheny County Democratic and Republican committees have picked their candidates to vie for the 21st District state House seat. That position opened up with the recent resignation of Sara Innamorato, the Democratic nominee for Allegheny County Executive, as she focuses on that campaign.

Lindsay Powell, 32, of Lawrenceville, is the Democrats’ choice. She is director of workforce strategies at InnovatePGH and says she will focus on affordable housing, childcare investment and student debt.

Erin Connolly Autenreith, 65, is the GOP’s candidate. She is the chair of the Shaler Republican committee. Her priorities are education and jobs, including where they intersect in areas like job training and apprenticeships in schools.

The Sept. 19 special election will be the latest in a series of special elections that were set up from the moment the November 2022 votes were tallied. The election also could affect partisan control of the House, which is narrowly in Democratic hands.

Lance: To an unsurprising result. Well, the Hempfield Area School Board might have been surprised by the numbers when they opened bids for the high school renovation project, but they shouldn’t have been.

When architects from SitelogIQ delivered the news Wednesday, the numbers were more than 12% higher than anticipated. In June, the estimate was $132 million. The contractors’ bids came in at $150 million as outlined and $148 million with alternatives, leaving the district with a bill $16 million to $18 million higher than expected.

SitelogIQ blamed labor shortages and increases on the cost of materials like steel and concrete for the difference. Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said the board will vote on rejection of the bids Monday. That throws a big wrench in plans for this school year as the project was due to begin this month.