County Council selects replacement for Simms

Allegheny County Council appointed an East Liberty community activist on Wednesday to complete the term of the council's former president.

Council voted 11-0 to name Louis "Hop" Kendrick, 71, a Democrat and former director of the county's minority business office, to serve the remaining 8 ¹ / ₂ months of James Simms' term. Kendrick is not a candidate in the May 20 primary for a full term.

The move avoided influencing this year's election by not appointing one of the two Democratic candidates seeking the post, council Democrats said.

The District 10 position has been open since March 11, when Simms, a Schenley Heights Democrat, resigned to run for county controller.

The county's home rule charter requires council to fill a vacancy within 30 days of a resignation and requires the appointee to be of the same political party as the person who resigned.

Councilman Wayne Fontana, of Brookline, chairman of council's Democratic caucus, said Democrats, by consensus, had decided to remain neutral in the Democratic primary race to replace Simms. They selected Kendrick as someone who was qualified for the post but not to be a primary candidate, he said.

Fontana described Kendrick as "someone who has been active in the 12th ward for many, many years."

"He's a community activist, a member of the NAACP, and someone very active with the issues of concern of the residents of the east part of the city," Fontana said.

Kendrick, who is black, was director of the county's Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business program for four years before he was fired in December 1999. He was an unsuccessful candidate for City Council in 2001.

District 10, council's only black majority district, is composed of East Liberty, Homewood, the Hill District, Lincoln-Larimer, North Point Breeze, Wilkinsburg and part of Oakland.

Former state Rep. Bill Robinson and union organizer Marlene Russell -- both of the Upper Hill District -- had petitioned council for the appointment to Simms' seat. Robinson and Russell also are candidates for the council position in the primary, seeking the nomination for a full four-year term that starts in January.

Council President Rick Schwartz, a Plum Democrat, said Kendrick did not attend yesterday's meeting because of a prior commitment.

Councilmembers Thomas Shumaker, Vince Gastgeb and Doug Price, all Republicans, were absent.