We are not a stand-alone entity. None of our work could be done without our members, friends, and partners who work collaboratively every day for the benefit of the residents of our communities.
Go to: People
CONNECT members are municipalities, not individuals. Each member municipality designates 1-3 elected and appointed officials to be representatives of the municipality to CONNECT. To be a member of CONNECT, your municipality must share a border with a current member. Meanwhile, we welcome many partners and “friends of CONNECT” that attend our meetings and events.
Municipalities become members by paying a modest annual dues amount relative to their population. For many, this is a way to show the value they feel they receive from being a member of CONNECT.
To learn more about CONNECT or to become a member community email sarahdowning@pitt.edu.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is all our members’ municipal representatives — the elected and appointed officials. The Executive Committee meets bi-monthly to discuss a full agenda of various, relevant policy issues. While every meeting will have an agenda with key speakers or moderators, we encourage as much participation as possible to hear a variety of municipal perspectives. The substance of our work comes from hard questions and candid conversations with one another.
Board of Officers
CONNECT has seven representatives who sit on the Board of Officers: the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, Manager Representative, the City of Pittsburgh Representative (always the Mayor), Allegheny County Representative (always the County Executive), and Immediate Past Chair. All officers are on the Executive Committee. These representatives are appointed annually via a nominating committee that takes nominations and input from the whole Congress and produces a slate to be voted on at the annual Legislative Session & Reception. Officers meet on a regular basis to discuss the direction and decisions of CONNECT.
Partners
We partner with nonprofits, authorities, and businesses whose missions align with our work. We also work with governments and governmental agencies at the county and state levels.
What will I get out of CONNECT?
CONNECT provides a framework for continued interaction and collaboration between neighboring municipalities while respecting the borders in place. We understand that our fragmentation causes unique challenges that sometimes can be addressed through innovative, cross-boundary solutions and communication, and we work together towards finding and implementing those solutions. Change happens at the speed of trust, and ultimately, CONNECT builds trusting relationships between the leaders who make those changes, through shared knowledge and experiences.
Feel free to use our 10-minute PowerPoint Slides to tell people about CONNECT.