Agenda Items

Select an Agenda Item to Comment on. Or, Register to Speak at the Public Meeting.

Public Comment Provisions during Covid: The meeting will be live streamed. The link to the meeting can be found on the city website with the agenda and legislation at https://www.allentownpa.gov. Council will receive comments on the legislation prior to the meeting and will consider all comments from city residents. All comments must include your name and address, including your city, and be emailed to Michael.Hanlon@AllentownPa.gov by 2 PM on the date of the meeting. Comments can also be registered using the ecomment provision on each agenda item found on the city website. Comments received from city residents by that deadline will be forwarded to the Mayor and Council members prior to the meeting and will also be noted at Courtesy of the Floor or Public Comment periods of the meeting. These timely received comments will also be posted on the City's webpage as a supporting document to the meeting. Any comments received on the meeting day, after the 2:00 pm deadline, will be forwarded to the Mayor and Council as soon as practicable. In addition, if you would like to speak during the meeting, please send your name, address, including municipality, and telephone number to the email address above indicating what issue you would like to speak on or call the office at 610.437.7555 and do the same, and you will be called during the meeting.

Invocation:

Pledge to the Flag

Roll Call

Courtesy of the Floor Courtesy and Privilege of the Floor Rules Hi Mr. Hanlon, I am a resident at 958 W. Walnut Street and I am getting in touch about the proposed garage along Walnut that is coming up for a vote. I have been a parking subscriber in the Fountain Lot for 14 years. My main concerns are: Where will we be able to park during garage construction? Can the Parking Authority create zone parking in our neighborhood while this takes place? In the 900 block of W. Walnut there are just 3 properties with off-street parking out of dozens of homes and rental units. Plus the buildings on Jackson St have zero street parking so parking is quite limited in the neighborhood. And as a subscriber, will we be given preference to obtain a permit for the new garage? I fear the new apartments will be given priority for garage spaces and those of us in the neighborhood might miss the chance before it fills up. My household works entirely from home and 24-hour parking is important to us. Thank you for considering my comments and concerns. Sincerely, Sarah Fulton c- 570-249-0131 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello, this is being submitted to be read aloud for public comment at council tonight. I'm Ashleigh Strange, she/her, I live on S. Front St in Allentown and I'm the organizer for Lehigh Valley Stands Up. Back in February, members of the community spoke at city council to say that council needs to look into the dealings of the ANIZDA board before they can progress any further with appointment. The minutes are here. https://allentownpa.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=761604&GUID=2D8FE406-955D-4FA9-A3A7-CA8C526CF9D3&Options=info%7C&Search=anizda# Council made a promise that they would look into this and by proceeding with the appointments, you are allowing a corrupt board to continue promoting gentrification in Allentown. The ANIZDA board is one of a kind in many ways, but most prominently it is an authority with no oversight and very little input from the community. I ask again that you delay the appointments for new ANIZDA board members until a date is firmly set that they will answer for their misdeeds to council. Ashleigh Strange -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The e-mail this morning from Michael P Hanlon directed to Steven Bamford, Executive Director of ANIZDA, has been forwarded to me as Solicitor for response. The ANIZDA board does not select its members nor does it establish criteria. The members of the board are selected by Senator Browne, Mayor O'Connell, and Representative Schweyer applying criteria they believe to be appropriate. The Chairperson of ANIZDA simply forwards their selection to the Mayor who then makes the appointment subject to the concurrence of City Council. If any member of City Council has questions regarding selections, those questions would best be directed to Senator Browne, Mayor O'Connell, and Representative Schweyer. As for the changes to the ANIZDA bylaws made in January 2020, the amendment was requested, reviewed and agreed upon by Senator Browne, Mayor O'Connell, and Representative Schweyer and was intended to codify the process that had previously been used to select appointees to the ANIZDA board. The amendment requires unanimity among the 3 elected officials who each have 3 selections to the nine member ANIZDA board. I have attached a copy of the current By Laws. Please refer to Section 2.11 for clarity. Thanks. If you have any further questions, please let us know. Jerome B. Frank, Esq. on behalf of Steve Bamford Executive Director

Approval of Minutes:

15-3968 September 16, 2020 City Council Contract Approval

Legislation Text September 16, 2020 City Council Contract Approval Meeting Minutes

15-3963 September 16, 2020 City Council Meeting Minutes

Legislation Text September 16, 2020 City Council Meeting Minutes

15-3969 September 30, 2020 Special Council Meeting on Bill 20 Meeting Minutes

Legislation Text September 30, 2020 Special Council Meeting on Bill 20 Meeting Minutes

Old Business

Communications City Council held an Executive Session on December 15, 2020 at 2:00 pm with members of the Administration to discuss information, strategy and negotiations as to the collective bargaining agreement with the IAFF. The subject matter of this meeting is an exception to the open meeting requirement under the Sunshine Law.

REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES: Budget and Finance: Chair Siegel, Guridy, Mota The committee met this evening; there are no future meetings scheduled. CEDC: Chair Guridy, Gerlach, Affa The committee has not met since the last council meeting; there are no future meetings scheduled. Human Resources, Administration and Appointments: Chair Gerlach, Mota, Zucal The committee has not met since the last council meeting; there are no future meetings scheduled. Parks and Recreation: Chair Mota, Gerlach, Siegel The committee has not met since the last council meeting; there are no future meetings scheduled. Public Safety: Chair Affa, Hendricks, Zucal The committee has not met since the last council meeting; there are no future meetings scheduled. Public Works: Chair Zucal, Affa, Siegel The committee has not met since the last council meeting; there are no future meetings scheduled. Rules, Chambers, Intergovernmental Relations and Strategy: Chair Hendricks, Guridy, Gerlach The committee has not met since the last council meeting; there are no future meetings scheduled. Controllers Report Administration Report

15-3981 Controller Reports

Legislation Text Accts Payable Check Review 10/31 - 12/04 Wellness Incentive Gift Cards Sept Bank Rec

APPOINTMENTS:

15-3955 Dr. Rajika Emily Reed, Health Board, 01/02/2026 (Replacing Dr. Stephen K. Katz)

Legislation Text Dr. Rajika Emily Reed, Health Board