City Controller responds to claim that she did not pay city fleet services vendor amid trash buildup

PITTSBURGH — Trash troubles continue in the City of Pittsburgh.

Channel 11 first told you Tuesday about garbage that had not been collected in Oakland and other neighborhoods.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Trash piling up in Oakland; sources say multiple garbage trucks were out of commission

Wednesday, the Gainey administration responded to our request for information, blaming “mechanical issues” and the city controller.

We received a statement saying in part:

“One of the greatest barriers we are facing to addressing mechanical issues with our Fleet is that City Controller, Rachael Heisler, has declined to issue full payment to our fleet services vendor for the first six months of 2025 [...] The result has been delays that directly impact both residents and front-line workers.”

Channel 11 sat down with City Controller Rachael Heisler, who says that’s not true.

“We are up to date on all of the bills,” she said.

So, what is the statement referring to? It could be payment of invoices to the contractor that does repairs on the city’s aging fleet of vehicles.

Under the current contract, the city pays a flat monthly fee of more than $706,000. The invoices the controller received for the first half of 2025 were bare. There were no details listed for what work had actually been done.

“If you or I got an invoice for work done at our home and our vehicles and a bill for $200, would you pay it if you didn’t know what they did? Probably not,” she said.

Heisler said she requested itemized invoices, which turned out to be less than the $706,945.31 that had initially been billed.

“You don’t pay for work not done and I don’t think the city should be doing that,” she said. “We’ve decided we are only paying for work done at the city garage.”

Through June, she says that decision has saved the city more than $400,000.

The reason trucks aren’t on the road, she believes, is all about age.

“Forty of the 61 trash packers have been through the city garage in July of 2025,” she said, adding it’s time to invest in the fleet.

“We can use that $405,000 we’ve saved so far this year to buy new vehicles. That’s the question. Why aren’t we doing that?”

Heisler has requested legal guidance from the law department. She says she hopes the contract can be re-worked.

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