Aug 05, 2026 City Council

[00:00:02]

ON WALL STREET AND THE AI REVOLUTION. OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO KICK OFF OUR NEXT MEETING,

[Invocation:]

[Roll Call]

MR. PONGO HERE. MISS SAFFA HERE. MR. PRESIDENT, YOU'RE ALL HERE. GREAT. THANK YOU. SO WE'RE

[Courtesy of the Floor Courtesy and Privilege of the Floor Rules]

OKAY, SO, SANTOS, I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE I WAS ARRESTED JANUARY 6TH BY THE ALLENTOWN POLICE. OKAY. AND DURING MY ARREST, I WAS ASSAULTED AND THERE WAS A RACIALLY HOMOPHOBIC SLURS SAID BY AN ALLENTOWN POLICE OFFICER, TO BE EXACT. HE SAID, EDDIE, YOU ARE A. EDDIE.

YOU ARE A. AND ALLENTOWN POLICE OFFICER SAID, MR. SPEAKER, WHAT? HE SAID, YOU DON'T KNOW. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CONTROL THE FLOOR. IT'S GOING TO BE ME. NOW YOU'RE GOING TO LISTEN, BECAUSE WHAT I'M HERE FOR IS THE STATEMENT FROM YOU, BECAUSE THE INVESTIGATION BY INTERNAL AFFAIRS HAS BEEN CONDUCTED. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE PUBLIC, MYSELF, THE VICTIM OF THIS HATE CRIME, WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHICH OFFICER WAS DISCIPLINED, HOW MANY OFFICERS WERE DISCIPLINED AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OFFICER BECAUSE WE FILED A RIGHT TO KNOW. IT WAS DENIED. WE FILED AN ACT 22 TO RELEASE THE BODY COUNT. IT WAS DENIED. OKAY. SO BY YOU COVERING THIS UP, SANTOS, BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, ESPECIALLY YOU BEING A GAY WOMAN AND YOU SUPPOSEDLY A GAY WOMAN, SHOULD BE STANDING UP FOR THESE RIGHTS AND YOU'RE NOT.

I OBJECT, YOU'RE USING MY NAME IN COUNCIL, MR. VELEZ. POINT OF ORDER, MR. VELEZ. MR. VELEZ.

MR. MR. MR. MR. VELEZ. SORRY. YOUR TIME. YOUR TIME. YOU'RE GOING TO SAY IS THIS. DON'T TOUCH ME. YOU CAN'T ATTACK. YOU CAN'T ATTACK MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. SHE JUMPED IN THE WAY TO TELL HER. SHUT UP! IT'S MY TIME AND IT'S MY TIME TO TELL HER TO SHUT UP. OKAY? YOU GONNA TELL HER TO SHUT UP? THEN I'LL SHUT UP. SIR, THIS IS YOUR WARNING. PLEASE FOLLOW OUR RULES. PLEASE FOLLOW OUR RULES. THAT'S YOUR FIRST WARNING. YOU'RE NOBODY TO FOLLOW OUR RULES. I AM HERE FOR THE ANSWER AND FOR THE STATEMENT FROM CITY COUNCIL. BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS LAWSUIT. SANTOS, FOR THE COVER UP. OKAY. AND THIS IS A FEDERAL HATE CRIME. OKAY, SO THAT OFFICER SHOULD NOT BE A POLICE OFFICER HERE IN THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN, AND YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO COVER IT UP. WE'RE NOT COVERING UP. MR. SO WHERE ARE YOU STAYING? I DON'T HAVE I DON'T HAVE THIS INFORMATION. WHY DON'T YOU? THE INVESTIGATION IS DONE. I DON'T HAVE THE INVESTIGATION. 30 DAYS. WHY DON'T YOU GOT THAT STATEMENT? I DON'T HAVE IT AVAILABLE. IT'S AN EMBARRASSMENT TO US. I CALLED YOU, DIDN'T I CALL YOU CHRISTIAN? YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO GET ME NANCY TWO WEEKS AGO. WHERE'S YOUR ANSWER AT, MR. NO, YOU'RE GONNA LISTEN. MR. MR. MR. VELEZ. I'M SORRY. NO, I DON'T HAVE THIS. YOU ARE AN EMBARRASSMENT. YOU ARE A PART OF THIS COVERUP. WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION. I'M SORRY.

ARE YOU GOING TO GET ME MY ANSWER? I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE AVAILABLE TO HAVE THE INFORMATION. THE INVESTIGATION IS DONE. I'M MR. VELEZ, DON'T TALK TO ME. I'M TALKING. YOU KNOW WHAT? MR. SANTOS, WHEN AM I GOING TO GET A RESPONSE FROM THE INVESTIGATION FROM CITY COUNCIL? YOU MADE AN INVESTIGATION. YOU MADE A STATEMENT A MONTH AGO. I ALL I SAID TO YOU, MAKE A STATEMENT A MONTH AGO. CAN I TELL YOU WHAT I SAID? SHUT UP. NOBODY'S TALKING, MR. VELEZ. THAT'S THE LAST TIME. MR. VELEZ. COME ON, COME ON. JUMPING IN. CAN I ANSWER THE QUESTION? ALL I SAID WAS. I WAS AWARE THAT INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED. YOU

[00:05:01]

FACTS ARE IN THEIR LAW WAS STATED IN THERE AND OUR CITY COUNCIL CAN'T EVEN GIVE THE COURTESY OF A RESPONSE BACK. WHY ARE THEY IN THEIR POSITIONS? THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU EVEN GET INFORMATION IN A CITY OF ALLENTOWN YOU FILE FOR THE INFORMATION ON IT, YOU ALSO FILE AN ACT 22. YOU GET A RESPONSE FROM OUR CITY SOLICITOR'S OFFICE THAT STATES IT INVOLVES STUFF THAT'S STILL IN INVESTIGATION. OUR POLICE CHIEF SAYS THE INVESTIGATION WAS OVER, DISCIPLINE WAS DONE, BUT WILL NOT DISCLOSE WHAT HAPPENED AND WHO THE OFFICER OR THE OTHER SIX THAT STOOD BY AND WATCHED SOMEONE BEING CALLED A POLICE, POLICE WORDS. YOU'RE A. IT WHERE YOU SIT AND LOOK AT THE LAWS. OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD OF ACCOUNTABILITY. ME AS A GAY MAN, I FIND THAT EXCESSIVELY OFFENSIVE. AND THEN WHEN THEY SIT THERE AND SAY THAT THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETED, THEY DIDN'T EVEN CALL THE WITNESSES WHO WITNESSED THE ACT HAPPEN. THEY DID NOT CALL FOR MEDICAL RECORDS. THAT HAPPENED WHEN I TOOK HIM TO SAINT LUKE'S FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT. AFTER WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT INCIDENT, WHEN HE WASN'T RESISTING ARREST, BEING UP. SO I GET A RESPONSE BACK FROM OUR CITY SOLICITOR. I CAN'T GET THIS INFORMATION BECAUSE THERE'S STILL AN INVESTIGATION ONGOING. I'M BEING TOLD BY THE POLICE CHIEF THAT THIS INVESTIGATION IS DONE.

DISCIPLINE WAS GOING OVER. OKAY, RELEASE THE BODY CAMS, WHICH NOBODY WANTS TO DO WHAT THEY SAY. YOU CAN TAKE THE DENIAL. GIVE THESE GUYS ANOTHER $125. SO IN 30 DAYS, YOU CAN SAY WE'RE DENYING YOU. THAT'S CORRUPTION ALL IN ITSELF. YOU GUYS SHOULD BE HOLDING OUR POLICE ACCOUNTABLE. THE MAYOR WON'T EVEN GIVE A CALL BACK. HOW'S THE CITY RAN? IS IT THE WILD WEST IN ALLENTOWN? OUR POLICE, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.

THAT'S. IT'S CRAZY. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, I WANT TO BE VERY, VERY CLEAR. THIS IS A FEDERAL LAWSUIT. OKAY? OKAY. AND IF YOU DON'T GO DO RIGHT BY THIS, ALL RIGHT? YOU WILL BE INCLUDED.

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, INCLUDING YOU. OKAY. PRONOUNCE MY NAME RIGHT. YOU. MR. HE'S ALLOWED TO DO THAT, MR. PRESIDENT. YOU'RE EGGING HIM ON. THANK. MR. MR. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY. WELL, GOOD. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS KYLE ROSKI. I'M CHAIR OF ALLENTOWN'S ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL. WITH THOSE IN THE ROOM HERE ARE INTERESTED HOPEFULLY IN PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND WATCHING. I WANTED TO ELEVATE TWO CLIMATE RELATED ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES GOING ON RIGHT NOW HERE IN THE CITY. FIRST, WE HAVE THE THIRD ROUND OF THE YOUTH CLIMATE ACTION FUND. WE HAVE $50,000 TO SUPPORT YOUTH LED ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE PROJECTS THROUGH MICROGRANTS OF 1 TO $5000 AND THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS. THESE GRANTS HAVE SUPPORTED PROJECTS RANGING FROM COMMUNITY GARDENS AND TREE PLANTING TO CLIMATE EDUCATION, LITTER REDUCTION, ENVIRONMENTAL ART AND OTHER CREATIVE LOCAL INITIATIVES. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CHECK OUT THE STORY MAP ON THE CITY WEBSITE TO SEE WHAT'S BEEN ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR BY OUR YOUTH HERE IN THE CITY. ELIGIBLE TEAMS MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST TWO YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 15 AND 24, AND A PARTNERSHIP WITH A SPONSORING ORGANIZATION SUCH AS A SCHOOL, NONPROFIT, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION OR PUBLIC AGENCY.

[00:10:03]

[Contract Approvals]

UPON WRITTEN AGREEMENT FROM THE CITY. THIS CONTRACT MAY BE EXTENDED FOR UP TO TWO ADDITIONAL TWO ONE YEAR TERMS BEYOND THE CONTRACT EXPIRATION PERIOD AT THE SAME ANNUAL TERMS OF THE INITIAL TERM. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING R 89 FROM MY COLLEAGUES OR THE PUBLIC. OKAY. MR. BENDER YES, MISS GERLACH YES, MISS. YES, MISTER. YES.

MISS SANTOS. YES. MR. NAPOLI. YES. MISS SAFIR. YES. MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE SEVEN DAYS AND NO NAYS. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, R90R90 IS THE AUTHORIZATION OF COOPERATIVE

[00:15:07]

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE DAIS ON E ON R 90 OR FROM THE PUBLIC? OKAY, MISS GERLACH. YES, MISS. YES, MISTER. YES. MISS SANTOS. YES. MR. NAPOLI. YES. MISS SAFIR. YES. AND MR. BENDER.

YES. MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE SEVEN YEAS AND NAYS. OKAY. AND LAST ONE IS LOOKS LIKE R 91. R 91 IS THE AUTHORIZATION FOR CONTRACT WITH PENN MOUNT STONE LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF $108,127 TO COMPLETE THE REPLACEMENT AND REPAIR OF THE EXISTING FLAGSTONE LANDING SURROUNDED THE GENERAL TREXLER MONUMENT. THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE FOUR FLAGSTONE STEPS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PLATFORM. FOUR BIDS WERE RECEIVED, ONE WAS REJECTED. THE CONTRACT SHALL COMMENCE UPON FULL EXECUTION AND SHALL CEASE SIX MONTHS THEREAFTER. THIS CONTRACT CAN BE EXTENDED UP TO AN ADDITIONAL SIX MONTHS BEYOND THE CONTRACT EXPIRATION PERIOD. AT THE ANNUAL SAME TERMS OF THE INITIAL TERM. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON R 90 FROM MY COLLEAGUES OR THE PUBLIC? I'M SORRY. R 91. CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE VOTE FOR R 91 MISS.

YES, MISTER. YES MISS SANTOS YES. MR. NAPOLI YES, MISS SAFIR YES. MR. BENDER. YES. MISS GERLACH. YES. MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE SEVEN YEARS AND NO NAYS. OKAY. NEXT UP ON OUR

[Minutes of Previous Meeting]

MISS. SAFIR. YES, MR. BENDER. YES. MISS GERLACH. YES. MISS MOTA. YES, MR. PRESIDENT OF SEVEN YEARS AND NO NAYS. OKAY. AND NEXT IS JUNE 24TH. IS THIS FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING INTRODUCING BILL 52 DATA CENTER USE MINUTES, MR. PONGO? YES. MISS. SANTOS. YES. MR. NAPOLI.

YES. MISS. SAFIR. YES. MR. BENDER. YES. MISS. GERLACH. YES. MISS MOTA. YES. MR. PRESIDENT,

[Communications]

ANY OLD BUSINESS? OKAY, NEXT UP, WE'RE GOING TO REPORTS. FIRST, I WANT TO MENTION THAT CITY

[REPORTS ]

THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE MET ON JULY 22ND. THE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR 6:00 ON AUGUST 19TH. THANK YOU. YOU, HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATION APPOINTMENTS, CHAIR BENDER.

THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THE COMMITTEE HAS NOT MET SINCE THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING. THE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR 6 P.M. ON AUGUST 12TH. GREAT. THANK YOU. PARKS AND RECREATION CHAIR SANTOS. THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE HAS NOT MET SINCE THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, AND THERE ARE NO FUTURE MEETINGS SCHEDULED AT THIS TIME. PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR. THE COMMITTEE HAS NOT MET SINCE THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING. THERE ARE NO FUTURE MEETINGS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. PUBLIC WORKS CHAIR, VICE PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THE COMMITTEE MET THIS EVENING. THE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR 5:30 P.M. ON AUGUST 19TH. OKAY. IN RULES CHAMBERS INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS AND STRATEGY, THIS COMMITTEE HAS NOT MET SINCE THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, AND THERE ARE NO FUTURE MEETINGS SCHEDULED AT THIS TIME. I DO WANT TO MENTION COMPTROLLER'S REPORT. THERE IS A BANK RECONCILIATION REVIEW FOR THE MONTH OF MAY 2026 THAT IS AVAILABLE ON THE AGENDA ONLINE ON GRANICUS. YOU CAN ACCESS IT

[ORDINANCES FOR FINAL PASSAGE (To be Voted On): ]

[00:20:05]

I CALLED AN EMERGENCY SPECIAL MEETING FOR THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24TH, TO INTRODUCE BILL 52 AMENDMENTS, AND THAT MEETING WAS FOLLOWED BY CHAIR GERLACH D COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE THEY WERE DISCUSSED. THE CITY COMMITTEE FORWARDED IT TO THE ALLENTOWN PLANNING COMMISSION AND LEHIGH VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION, AND BOTH WERE RETURNED FAVORABLY.

I'D LIKE TO THANK BOTH THE APC AND LVP FOR TURNING THOSE REVIEWS AROUND QUICKLY SO WE CAN MEET OUR GOAL FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING. LEGAL ADS WERE PLACED JULY 7TH AND 13TH TO ADVERTISE TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING. I DO WANT TO MENTION ALSO PENDING ORDINANCE TOOK EFFECT JUNE 24TH.

THIS MEANS THAT IF BILL 52 PASSES THIS EVENING, THE REGULATIONS WILL HAVE BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE JUNE 24TH. SO WE'RE COVERED. AS OF THAT DATE, I'M HAPPY TO SEE. LASTLY, I'M HAPPY TO SEE THE COOPERATION OF THE ADMINISTRATION, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER COLLEAGUES, ALLENTOWN PLANNING COMMISSION, AND LEHIGH VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSION AND OUR STAFF, FOR MOVING SO QUICKLY TO GET THIS LEGISLATION TO A VOTE TONIGHT. THIS LEGISLATION WILL FURTHER STRENGTHEN DATA CENTER REGULATIONS AND PROTECT THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN. SO THAT SAID, WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE DAIS ON BILL 52. MR. BINDER, GO AHEAD. YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO JUST SAY THANK YOU SINCERELY TO THE PUBLIC WHO CAME OUT MULTIPLE TIMES WHO'VE GIVEN INPUT AND FEEDBACK TO GET US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. I WANT TO MAKE A SINCERE THANKS TO JEN GOMEZ, TO MIKE HANZO AND THE ALLENTOWN PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

THIS WAS A REPRESENTATION OF FAST MOVING PROFESSIONALISM TO GET US TO WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, THIS IS, THIS IS THIS IS GOOD GOVERNANCE AND HOW IT'S WORKING.

AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO THANK THE LEHIGH VALLEY AND ALLENTOWN PLANNING COMMISSIONS FOR GETTING THIS ON THE SCHEDULE, IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER AND JUST REALLY GETTING US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. SO I JUST, I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK OF EVERYONE WORKING TOGETHER TO GET WHERE WE ARE. SO THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. BENDER. MR. PRINGLE, GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. JUST SAME THING AS COUNCILPERSON BENDER. I THINK THERE IS SO MUCH PASSION, SO MUCH CONSIDERATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY FROM EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN AT THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS, AND I. AND I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN SEE WE ARE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THE BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY HERE. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A TESTAMENT TO SAY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THAT HEARING THE 17TH PUT THIS THROUGH ON THE 24TH. AND NOW WE'RE STANDING HERE POTENTIALLY WITH THE POTENTIAL TO APPROVE THIS AND MOVE IT FORWARD. AND I WANT TO SAY IT'S IN A THIRD OF THE TIME OF 180 DAYS. SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR MAKING THAT POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. OKAY. MR. GERLACH YEAH.

JUST TO ECHO THOSE SAME SENTIMENTS, THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, DOCTOR MOTA, YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME, MISS. YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE. DURING MY SIX YEARS, I'VE NEVER SEEN A PIECE OF LEGISLATION GO SO QUICKLY. IN A GOOD WAY. NOT LIKE IN A RUSHED WAY, BUT USUALLY IT TAKES LIKE THIS. MONTHS AND MONTHS OF A BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS. BUT THIS, THIS MOVED, AND, AND, AGAIN, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE SHOWING UP. SO, I, I MEAN, I TEND TO THINK OF THINGS IN THE CONTEXT OF OTHER THINGS. SO LIKE, SOMETIMES IT'S EASY AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO FEEL LIKE WE DON'T HAVE POWER TO FEEL LIKE NO ONE'S LISTENING. WELL, YOU DO HAVE POWER. PEOPLE ARE LISTENING, EVEN IF IT'S JUST THIS TIME IT WORKED. SO MAYBE NEXT TIME IT MIGHT WORK. SO KEEP SHOWING UP AND KEEPING, KEEP MAKING NOISE, KEEP DOING RESEARCH. BECAUSE AS IT'S BEEN SAID HERE, AS IT'S BEEN SAID BY OUR ADMINISTRATION, THIS IS, THIS IS EVOLVING, YOU WILL READ AN ARTICLE SOME ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN VIRGINIA AND THINK, OH, WOW, WE NEED TO ACT ON THAT HERE IN ALLENTOWN. COME BACK. IT'S NOT

[00:25:02]

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS. IT'S WHEN YOU GOVERN WITH PEOPLE, NOT FOR THEM. WE'RE GOVERNING WITH YOU.

SO THANK YOU FOR GOVERNING WITH US. THANK YOU. OKAY. WELL SAID, MISS MISS GERLACH, THERE'S POWER IN NUMBERS. I TELL YOU SOMETHING. I'M JUST GLAD THAT IT'S NOT THAT THIS IS OVER WITH.

BECAUSE I THINK THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING. BUT I WOULD JUST. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GO TO THE SUPERMARKET, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE LIKE, OH, WERE YOU THE ONE WHO VOTED FOR THE DATA CENTER? BUT THE GREAT THING WAS, LISTEN TO ALL THIS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT WAS KIND OF HARD, YOU KNOW, FOR ESPECIALLY FOR ME, BECAUSE I'M EVERYWHERE HERE IN CENTER CITY. PEOPLE GOT EDUCATED AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT. BILL 20 AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THERE'S, THERE'S POWER IN NUMBERS. AND WHEN PEOPLE GET EDUCATED AND PEOPLE COME TO CITY COUNCIL, THE FIRST, THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPEN. AND THIS IS AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE BEGINNING. DEFINITELY. THERE'S GOING TO BE DATA CENTERS TRYING TO POP UP. BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE. WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE TO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH TO THE DIFFICULTIES, YOU KNOW, THAT DATA CENTERS BRINGS. YEAH. TO THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE DAIS? OKAY. WE'LL NOW TAKE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE SOME CARDS. SARAH LEIDEN. HI, SARAH. I JUST HAD SOME LIKE, NITPICKY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BILL 52. AS I WAS READING THROUGH IT. I REALLY LIKE THAT THERE IS FAIR. SORRY, I'M SPACING RIGHT NOW. THAT THERE IS NO CONFLICT OR, FOR THERE'S, THERE'S COMMENTS ABOUT THIRD PARTY EXPERTS BEING DETERMINED AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW THAT IS GOING TO BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT, THERE'S NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST. AND IF WE COULD ALSO EXPAND THAT TO THE SEWER AND WATER LISTINGS AS WELL, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST WRITTEN THAT A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER CAN MAKE THAT DISTINCTION TO WRITE THOSE REPORTS COULD, I GUESS YOU GUYS WOULDN'T BE COMMENTING. YEAH. WE, IT'S USUALLY NOT A QUESTION AND ANSWER, BUT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TAKE THE FEEDBACK AND CONTINUE TO WORK ON AMENDMENTS IN THE FUTURE IF NEEDED. BUT I KNOW, THEY PUT A LOT INTO THIS BILL, RIGHT? YEAH. THIS IS JUST KIND OF A NITPICK PICKY QUESTION, BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO EXPAND TO MAKE SURE THAT, NOT JUST A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER COULD BE THERE, BUT SOMEBODY WHO IS THIRD PARTY AND THERE'S NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST THERE. THANK YOU. THAT'S FAIR. THANK YOU. KYLE. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS KYLE. I'M CHAIR OF ALLENTOWN'S ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL. TO START, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE PROCESS THAT BROUGHT US HERE AND ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED, IN PARTICULAR OUR AMAZING TEAM AT THE BUREAU OF PLANNING AND ZONING FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE DISCUSSION SURROUNDING DATA CENTER REGULATIONS GENERATED AN EXTRAORDINARY LEVEL OF PUBLIC INTEREST AND PARTICIPATION HERE IN ALLENTOWN, RESIDENTS AND EVEN INDIVIDUALS OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY ATTENDED OUR MEETINGS, SUBMITTED COMMENTS, CONDUCTED RESEARCH, AND SHARED THOUGHTFUL PERSPECTIVES ON HOW THIS EMERGING INDUSTRY SHOULD BE REGULATED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS SUMMER, THE EAC WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE ASSISTANCE OF A SUMMER INTERN, THE MUHLENBERG COLLEGE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM HEARD FROM HIM EARLIER THIS EVENING ABOUT HIS FINAL REPORT, WHICH WE HOPE WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE AS BOTH A CHRONOLOGY OF THIS PROCESS AND A RESOURCE FOR FUTURE CONVERSATIONS. NO HELP. REVIEW AND ANALYZE THE THEMES THAT EMERGED THROUGHOUT THIS PUBLIC DISCUSSION, AND HIS WORK WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN INFORMING THE SUPPLEMENTAL PRIORITY LETTER, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA. THAT LETTER IDENTIFIED FOUR AREAS WHERE WE BELIEVED ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION WOULD STRENGTHEN THE CITY'S APPROACH, USE AND LOCATION, OPERATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY, OPERATIONAL IMPACTS AND RESOURCE CONSUMPTION. WE'RE ENCOURAGED THAT MANY OF THE PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED BY THE AAC AND MANY OF THE CONCERNS CONSISTENTLY RAISED THROUGHOUT THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, ARE PRESENT IN BILL 52. THESE ALL REPRESENT IMPORTANT STEPS TOWARDS PROTECTING OUR CITY'S ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH. WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT DATA CENTER TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY PRACTICES AND FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, AND FUTURE REFINEMENTS MAY BE APPROPRIATE AS NEW INFORMATION AND BEST PRACTICES EMERGE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING CONVERSATIONS AROUND ISSUES SUCH AS HEAT MITIGATION, WATER CONSERVATION, RENEWABLE ENERGY, PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN THESE PROTECTIONS. AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL TO CONTRIBUTED HERE IN THIS

[00:30:04]

THANK YOU. OKAY, SO THAT CONCLUDES, COME ON UP, MA'AM, AND JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. DONNA DOCHERTY, SOUTH ALLENTOWN CITIZEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE. I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING IN BILL 52 YET, BUT I KNOW YOU'RE TRYING TO PROTECT US AS CITIZENS, AND I'M WONDERING IF WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT, THE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON PROPERTY VALUES IN NORTH VIRGINIA. STUDIES HAVE BEEN DONE THAT SHOW THAT IN THE ZIP CODE SURROUNDING DATA CENTERS, PROPERTY VALUES ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED. AND APPRECIATION OF THE PROPERTY VALUES ARE SLOWED. AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF DEVELOPERS COULD, HELP OUT WITH THAT. THAT'S A PRETTY STICKY WICKET FINANCIALLY, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE SAID WE'RE GOING TO EVOLVE IN THE PROTECTIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. I THINK THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT. AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE $4 MILLION THAT IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT INTO REVENUE TO THE CITY, THAT ONLY TAKES 80 OF US HOME OWNERS LOSING VALUE OF $50,000 ON OUR PROPERTY, WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY LOWER OUR PROPERTY TAXES. I WOULD THINK.

SO. I REALLY WANT US TO THINK ABOUT THAT GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON BILL 52? OKAY. CAN YOU CALL THE VOTE, PLEASE, MISS SAFIR? YES, MR. BENDER.

YES, MISS GERLACH. YES, MISS MODA, YES. MR. PONGO. YES. MISS SANTOS. YES. MR. NAPOLI. YES.

MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE SEVEN DAYS AND NO NAYS. OKAY. NEXT UP, BILL 53, BILL 53 AMENDS THE 2026 GENERAL FUND BILL TO PROVIDE FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION OF $50,000 FROM COMMUNITY ACTION LEHIGH VALLEY AS REPAYMENT OF A HUD APPROVED LOAN ISSUED IN 2025 TO PROVIDE FOR THE INSTALLATION OF NEW ROOFING FOR QUALIFYING OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES IN THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES ON BILL 53? YES. CAN YOU CAN SOMEONE SPEAK, ON BILL 53? I JUST WANT A LITTLE BIT OF MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THAT.

CERTAINLY KALVI WAS AWARDED A HOME IMPROVEMENT GRANT FROM THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN. THAT GRANT IS A REIMBURSEMENT GRANT. THEY HAVE TO DO ALL OF THE WORK, AND THEN WE WOULD REIMBURSE THEM, DUE TO, TIGHT SCHEDULES AND DIFFERENCES BY CONTRACTORS. MANY OF THE ROOFERS WERE ASKING FOR A THIRD OF THE COST OF THE PROJECT PAID IN ADVANCE. THE CITY LOANED AHEAD OF TIME, THE 50,000 TO CALVI SO THAT CALVI WOULD HAVE THE DOWN MONEY TO ALL THE ROOFERS. AND THEN AS SOON AS THE JOB WAS COMPLETED AND THEY RECEIVED PAYMENT, THEY CAME BACK TO THE CITY TO REPAY THAT $50,000 ADVANCE. SO IT WASN'T REALLY A LOAN, IT WAS, OR A GRANT. IT WAS AN ADVANCE TO THE GRANT THEY WERE AWARDED. AND AS A RESULT, 14 CITIZEN ROOFS WERE REPLACED UNDER THE PROGRAM. THIS IS SIMPLY THE HOUSEKEEPING MECHANISM TO DEPOSIT THAT 50,000 BACK INTO THE USABLE FUNDS. THANK YOU. I AM I AM GLAD TO HEAR THAT. SO 1414 ROOFS FOR LOW TO MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS WHO APPLIED WERE DONE BECAUSE THE MONEY WAS ADVANCED. OH, THAT'S THAT'S AWESOME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE DAIS? ANY ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. OKAY. CAN YOU CALL THE VOTE, PLEASE, MR. BENDER? YES.

MISS GERLACH, YES. MISS MOTA, YES. MR. PONGO. YES. MISS SANTOS. YES. MR. NAPOLI. YES.

MISS SAFIR. YES. MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE SEVEN YEAS AND NAYS. OKAY, GREAT. NEXT UP IS. LOOKS LIKE BILL 55. BILL 55 AMENDS PART ONE, ADMINISTRATIVE LEGISLATION, CHAPTER 75 PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT. ARTICLE THREE POLICE PENSION FUND BY ADDING A NEW SECTION PENSION SERVICE CREDIT FOR PRIOR SERVICE WITH A POLICE DEPARTMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU.

[00:35:05]

THANK YOU FOR THAT BACKGROUND. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? BILL 55, MISS AFFLECK, GO AHEAD. AS I STATED AT THE LAST TIME WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, I RODE WITH THE POLICE OFFICERS MORE THAN ONCE IN THE PAST TEN YEARS, AND IN THOSE TEN YEARS, NOTHING HAS CHANGED. WHAT HAS WE HAVE, WE NEED POLICE OFFICERS. WE NEED TO GIVE THEM ANY KIND OF INCENTIVE TO SHORE UP OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE ABOUT 300 POLICE OFFICERS. WE HAVE LIKE 212. AND RIDING WITH THE OFFICERS, I NOTICED WHAT A DIFFERENCE POLICE PRESENCE MAKES JUST DRIVING ALONG, DRIVING ANYWHERE. AND AND IF WE CAN GIVE ANY INCENTIVE, ANY INCENTIVE, ESPECIALLY THIS ONE WHERE WE CAN GET, SEASONED OFFICERS TO COME AND SHORE UP OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO VOTE YES FOR THIS. OKAY. THANK YOU, MISS HOFFA. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YEAH. HOW MANY OFFICERS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THIS? WELL, ANY OSTENSIBLY THAT HAVE FIVE YEARS WORTH OF SERVICE TIME WITH OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS, WE'VE HAD A FEW APPLY. I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY ARE ELIGIBLE. SO THE PROCESS IS THAT THEY HAVE TO APPLY FOR THIS THEN. YEAH, THEY HAVE TO, THEY HAVE TO GET A LETTER FROM THE MUNICIPALITY WHERE THEY WORK THAT SAYS THAT THEY'RE NOT ENTITLED TO OTHER, TO A PENSION FROM I MEAN, THEY CAN'T BE ENTITLED TO A PENSION FROM A DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITY. AND ALSO BY TIME HERE. SO WE HAVE TO VERIFY ALL THAT. I DON'T KNOW, WE'VE HAD TEN ISH OFFICERS APPLY, I THINK SINCE SINCE WE, SINCE IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, LET'S SAY. WHEN WILL THIS KICK IN? IF WE VOTE YES FOR THIS? WELL, IT'LL KICK IN WHEN YOU WHEN YOU VOTE FOR IT. TONIGHT, THIS THAT'S THIS IS WHAT IT ALL ENABLES US TO CHANGE THE, THE ORDINANCE TO ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN. SO WE HAVE PEOPLE, SOME NUMBER AROUND TEN WAITING RIGHT NOW. OKAY. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? REGARDING BILL 55 ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? OKAY. CAN YOU CALL THE VOTE, PLEASE? MR. NAPOLI YES. MISS SAFIR YES. MR. BENDER. YES. MISS GERLACH, YES, MISS. YES. MR. PONGO. YES. MISS SANTOS. YES. MR. PRESIDENT, SEVEN YEARS AND NO NAYS. OKAY. AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE LAST ONE FOR, TO BE VOTED BILL 56. BILL 56 AMENDS PART TWO, GENERAL LEGISLATION, CHAPTER 400 NOISE, SECTION 406. SOUND LEVELS BY RECEIVING LAND USE TO ADD REGULATIONS FOR CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING USES AND SECTION 407 REGULATIONS TO ADD A COMPLIANCE VERIFICATION METHOD. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? MR. BENDER, GO AHEAD. YEAH. I WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS, JUST TO IS NOW THE TIME TO DO THAT? SO THIS IS JUST BECAUSE WE DIDN'T FULLY, I THINK WE COULD HAVE, WE NEEDED TO DEFINE WHAT A CONTINUOUS OPERATING NOISE IS. SO I'M LOOKING TO ADD FOR, SECTION D ONE, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING NOISE SOURCE IS DEFINED AS A NOISE SOURCE THAT OPERATES CONTINUOUSLY OR NEARLY CONTINUOUSLY ON ALL THE ON AN ONGOING BASIS THROUGHOUT ALL THE HOURS OF THE DAY AND THE NIGHT. AND THEN THAT SAME SECTION D ITEM TWO FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, A CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING USE IS DEFINED AS A NONRESIDENTIAL USE THAT OPERATES CONTINUOUSLY OR NEARLY CONTINUOUSLY ON AN ONGOING BASIS THROUGHOUT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.

THIS IS JUST TO DEFINE WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS, SINCE IT COULD HAVE BEEN. OKAY, SO THANK YOU. I'LL SECOND THAT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, TO, CLARIFY DEFINITIONS OF CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING NOISE SOURCE. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES ON THAT MOTION. OKAY. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THE MOTION OF JUST DEFINING THE

[00:40:03]

NO, I'M JUST THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE EFFORTS THAT GO IN TANDEM OF US USING OUR LEGISLATIVE ARM AND THE WAY THAT WE CAN. SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE USE FOR ZONING. AND THIS KIND OF EFFORT GOING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE DATA CENTER AND JUST, A FULL OVERVIEW OF OUR INDUSTRIAL LAND USE. YOU KNOW, OPENED US TO THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, OUR NOISE ORDINANCE COULD USE SOME WORK NOT JUST IN RELATION TO DATA CENTERS, BUT TO ANYTHING WITHIN THE ZONE. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS OF THIS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY UPDATE. THE WAY THAT WE'RE HANDLING SOME OF THESE HEAVIER INDUSTRIAL USES. I KNOW THERE'S CONCERNS FOR SOME OF THE LARGER PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, COMPRESSORS, GENERATORS, STUFF LIKE THAT. AND UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK SHE STEPPED OUT. BUT THERE WAS SOMEBODY WHO MENTIONED EARLIER IN PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT, INFRASOUND AND CONCERNS IN THAT DEGREE AND THIS ORDINANCE, KIND OF UPDATE ADDRESSES SOME OF THAT, CREATES THE PARAMETERS FOR IDENTIFYING SOME OF THOSE THAT AREN'T JUST, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT ARE AUDIBLE TO THE HUMAN EAR, BUT THINGS THAT ARE FELT AND THAT HAVE IMPACTS. SO, AGAIN, JUST COMMENDING THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE PUT THE WORK IN TO GET THIS THROUGH. AND AGAIN, THIS IS A NET POSITIVE FOR EVERYONE WHO LIVES POTENTIALLY CLOSE TO THESE INDUSTRIAL ZONES AND CAN HAVE SOMETHING TO RELY ON AND PUTS THE ENFORCEMENT EMPHASIS, EMPHASIS ON THE LANDOWNERS IN THESE AREAS. SO THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. MR. BENDER, GO AHEAD. AND JUST JUST FOR CLARITY. UNLIKE THE BILLS BILL 20 THAT WAS JUST PASSED AND BILL 52 WAS WAS WELL, BILL 20 WAS PASSED A WHILE AGO ON BILL 52 THAT WAS JUST PASSED. THIS, ACTUALLY DOES IMPACT ANY, ANY FACILITY THAT'S RUNNING RIGHT NOW, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY'VE APPLIED IN THE PAST OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO I'M JUST, JUST TO CONFIRM THAT THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY THIS WORKS. SO, SO THAT WILL BE THAT. WITH THAT SAID, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ONE ON EMMAUS. YOU KNOW, ANY INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY THAT, THAT THAT THIS HAS IMPACTED FROM. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT FOR CLARIFICATION. GREAT. THANKS FOR POINTING THAT OUT. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS AND ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON BILL 56? NO CITY NOISE ORDINANCE. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS KIROVSKI. I'M CHAIR OF VALENTINE'S ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL.

I'LL BE BRIEF HERE. I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION ONCE AGAIN FOR THE COLLABORATIVE AND RESPONSIVE PROCESS THAT BROUGHT US HERE WITH THIS. THIS BILL IS A DIRECT RESULT OF CONCERNS RAISED THROUGH THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

RESPONDING THOUGHTFULLY TO THOSE CONCERNS, I ALSO THINK IT'S WORTH RECOGNIZING THAT THIS ORDINANCE HERE TONIGHT IS SPONSORED BY EVERY MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION. SO IT SPEAKS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ISSUE AND THE SHARED COMMITMENT TO GETTING IT RIGHT BY STRENGTHENING THE CITY'S NOISE ORDINANCE TO BETTER ADDRESS CONTINUED CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING NOISE SOURCES AND ESTABLISHING A FRAMEWORK FOR INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION AND COMPLIANCE. BILL 56 REPRESENTS ANOTHER MEANINGFUL STEP TOWARDS PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY, OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR PUBLIC HEALTH. SO SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? BILL 56. COME ON UP TO THE PODIUM, SIR. HI. MY NAME IS OWEN LEVINE. I'M FROM SLATINGTON. BUT I'M WITH FOOD AND WATER WATCH. I JUST HAD A QUESTION IN TERMS OF, WHICH BILL, TAKES PRECEDENT OVER THE OTHER. SO, IS, IS BILL 56 MORE STRICT THAN BILL 52? AND I KNOW THIS ISN'T GENERALLY LIKE QUESTION AND ANSWER, BUT IS BILL 56 GENERALLY STRICTER THAN BILL 52? AND WOULD THAT TAKE OVER BILL 52 OR ARE THEY ARE THEY AT THE SAME LEVEL OF, OF STRICTNESS AND, AND REGULATION? I BELIEVE BILL 52 ACTUALLY POINTS TO BILL 56. CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT. BILL 52 ADDRESSES THE ZONING CODE SPECIFICALLY. AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF DETAILS ABOUT NOISE THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO DATA CENTER USES. THIS ONE IS FOR ALL CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING USES. SO IT WILL ACTUALLY GO FAR BEYOND JUST DATA CENTERS. ANYONE, ANYTHING THAT'S THAT'S REALLY 24 OVER SEVEN. SO THE ZONING BILL POINT HAS ALL OF ITS OWN REGULATIONS AND POINTS TO THIS

[00:45:01]

THAT WAS MY ONLY QUESTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO BILL 56 WE'RE GOOD ON COMMENT.

PUBLIC COMMENT. SO WE CAN CALL VOTE. MR. PONGO YES. MISS. SANTOS. YES. MR. NAPOLI. YES.

MISS. ZAPPA. YES. MR. BENDER. YES. MISS. GERLACH. YES, MISS MODA. YES, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU

[CONSENT AGENDA]

MR. BENDER. YES. MISS. GERLACH. YES, MISS. MODA. YES. MR. PONGO. YES, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE

[RESOLUTIONS FOR FINAL PASSAGE (To be Voted On):]

START WITH R 98. R 98. APPROVES TWO TRANSFERS. STREETS AND STORMWATER AND PARKS AND RECREATION SPECIAL EVENTS. OKAY. ANY COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? R 98. OR FROM THE PUBLIC? OKAY.

MR. NAPOLI YES, MISS SAFIR YES, YES. YES, MISS GERLACH. YES, MISS. YES, MISTER. YES. MISS SANTOS. YES. MR. PRESIDENT. YES. SEVEN YEARS AND NO NAYS. OKAY. NEXT UP IS R 99. R 99.

AUTHORIZES THE ADMINISTRATION TO SELL A PARCEL LOCATED AT 532 NORTH LAW STREET. OKAY. ANY COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES, MISS GERLACH? GO AHEAD. YEAH, I JUST HAD SOME QUESTIONS. SO I'M LOOKING AT THIS RESOLUTION THAT SAID THAT WE ENTERED INTO A HOMESTEADER CONDITIONAL OPTION.

WHAT IS THAT? DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PEOPLE IN HOMESTEAD OR CONDITIONAL OPTIONS? HOW MANY AND JUST SOME DETAILS ABOUT THAT YEARS AGO. WHAT, WHAT WE DISCOVERED SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND WHAT I BELIEVE WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT IN THE PAST WITH COUNCIL AND IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, IS THAT APPARENTLY THERE WERE THREE INDIVIDUAL HOMESTEADING AGREEMENTS THAT WERE INITIATED YEARS AGO. TWO OF THEM WERE MUCH OLDER IN THE WHAT I'LL CALL THE 20 TEENS, AND ONE OF THEM WAS FAR MORE RECENT. WITHIN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE HOMESTEADING AGREEMENTS APPARENTLY WERE A PROGRAM THAT WAS PILOTED AND THEN RESURRECTED BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION STAFF, WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL HAD TWO YEARS AFTER THEY WERE VETTED AND PLACED IN THE HOME, THEY HAD TWO YEARS TO BECOME BANKABLE, SECURE A MORTGAGE, AND TRANSFER THAT MORTGAGE TO A BANK VERSUS THE CITY, AND THAT THE CITY WOULD RETAIN OWNERSHIP OF THE HOME UNTIL THE MORTGAGE WAS PAID, AND THEN THE INDIVIDUAL WOULD OWN THE HOME.

I THINK IT WAS A PILOT PROJECT BACK IN THE DAY. THE TWO THAT WERE DONE IN THE TWEENS ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS DUE PAY ON A MORTGAGE. ONE FAIRLY CAUGHT UP, ONE IN ARREARS. AND WE'RE WORKING WITH FINANCE AND LAW TO DETERMINE HOW WE MOVE THE CITY OUT OF A MORTGAGE HOLDER SITUATION, SINCE THAT'S NOT TYPICALLY ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE DONE BY CURRENT CITY DEPARTMENTS. THE THIRD ONE, WHICH IS 532 NORTH LAW, THE INDIVIDUAL NEVER BECAME BANKABLE AND NEVER RECEIVED A MORTGAGE AND THEN FELL INTO ARREARS, APPARENTLY WITH THE CITY DURING COVID, RECEIVED SOME COVID RENTAL ASSISTANCE MONEY, WHICH WAS APPLIED TO THE AMOUNT OWED TO THE CITY BUT NEVER MADE A SUBSEQUENT PAYMENT. AND AS WE HAD BROUGHT TO COUNCIL, GRANTED IT WAS SOME PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE HAD

[00:50:04]

NOW WE FINALLY HAVE AN EMPTY HOME WITH A A LOT OF RENOVATION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF DAMAGE DONE TO THE HOME. SO OUR REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IS WILLING TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE, AND WE ARE WILLING TO TRY TO INCORPORATE THIS HOME INTO A FIRST TIME HOME BUYER FOR LOW TO MODERATE INCOME INTO OUR HOUSING STUDY PROCESS, OR THE RESULTS OF OUR HOUSING STUDY. BUT BEFORE WE CAN DO THAT, WE REALLY NEED TO GET THE PROPERTY INTO THE HANDS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, GET THE PROPERTY BROUGHT INTO CODE COMPLIANCE, BROUGHT INTO A STATE WHERE IT CAN BECOME PART OF A PROGRAM. AND THEN WE DO HAVE A GRANT THAT I DISCUSSED WITH YOU PREVIOUSLY, AN APPLICATION INTO FHFA FOR A FIRST TIME HOME BUYER OR A LOW INCOME HOME BUYER PROGRAM THAT, IF APPROVED, WE COULD DO THIS WITH A NUMBER OF HOMES. SO THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN TRANSFERRING THE PROPERTY OVER TO RAQQA. THANK YOU. AND I'M RECALLING THAT EXECUTIVE SESSION. DO WE STILL HAVE THIS HOMESTEADER CONDITIONAL PROGRAM? DO WE STILL PICK THE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PUT THEM IN A HOME? NO, NO. SO WE'RE DONE DOING NO, NO, NO, WE'RE DONE DOING THAT. OKAY. THAT HASN'T HAPPENED TO MY KNOWLEDGE SINCE THIS LAST ONE MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AGO. AND THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE ONES THAT LIKE THE LEADERS OF THE NONPROFITS AND FORMER POLICE CHIEFS. THIS ISN'T WHAT THEY DO. OH, NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT.

THOSE THEY ARE LIVING IN A HOME. THOSE ARE CITY OWNED PROPERTIES IN A HOME THAT WERE RENTED TO INDIVIDUALS OR WHATEVER. THIS WAS A HOME IN THE MIDDLE OF A STREET THAT THE CITY ACQUIRED AND PUT INDIVIDUALS IN THE HOME. GOTCHA. THAT'S. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. YOU FINISHED? YEAH. I'M GOOD. YEAH. WELL, NOT GOOD, BUT YEAH. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO'S GOING TO BE PAYING FOR THIS RENOVATION. WE'RE GOING TO USE SOME OF THE HOME RENOVATION FUNDS WE HAVE. IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE A TON OF WORK, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE MOSTLY COSMETIC AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO GET THE HOME TO THE POINT. SO THAT MEANS THAT THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN IN THE CITY EVER AGAIN.

IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN UNDER MY WATCH. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO. YEAH. OKAY. YEAH.

A BIG MESS. AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU WITH DISPOSITION OF THE OTHERS AT SOME POINT WHEN WE COME UP WITH A BETTER STRATEGY OF WHAT TO DO. THANK YOU. OKAY, MR. BENDER, GO AHEAD. YEAH. FOR THE. SO THERE'S THESE THERE'S THREE FOR THE HOMESTEAD. ONE IS GOING TO BE IF PRESUMING THIS PAST MOVES ON. THE OTHER HOUSES THAT ARE CITY PROPERTY, BUT ARE, ARE RENTING, LIKE I GUESS WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS RIGHT NOW WE'RE, I'M GOING TO SAY WE'RE AT THE TOP OF THE MARKET, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE THINGS HAVE CHANGED A LOT. AND I GUESS IS THERE A PLAN TO MOVE US OUT OF HOME OWNERSHIP? I CAN TELL YOU MY PART OF THE PLAN DCED HAS TAKEN OVER MANAGING THE LEASES. SO THE LEASES WERE PREVIOUSLY HELD IN FINANCE AND FINANCE MANAGED THE LEASES CED HAS NOW TAKEN OVER THE LEASES. AND WE HAVE OUR STAFF PERSON WHO HAS A REAL ESTATE. SHE'S A REALTOR, DOING FAIR MARKET ASSESSMENT, COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS, AND THEN DETERMINING THE FAIR MARKET RENT OF A PROPERTY. WE CAN'T, THROUGH FAIR HOUSING, GO FROM THE PREVIOUS CITY RENTS, RIGHT TO THE FAIR HOUSING RATE. IT'S TOO BIG OF A JUMP TOO FAST. SO WE'VE DIVIDED IT INTO INCREMENTS. AND EVERYONE WHO'S CURRENTLY STAYING IN THAT PROPERTY KNOWS THE HIGHEST INCREASE WE CAN GIVE TO MEET FAIR HOUSING IS GOING TO BE GIVEN AND SUBSEQUENTLY GIVEN EACH YEAR TO BRING THE PROPERTY TO A FAIR MARKET POSITION AS THE D, C, D POSITION. AND WE'VE BUILT LEASES THAT NO LONGER, SAY THE WORK YOU DO TO THE HOUSE COUNTS AS THE RENT OR THOSE KIND OF THINGS. WE'VE CLEARLY DELINEATED THAT THIS IS A RENTAL AGREEMENT. WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT TO MAKE IT A MORE EQUITABLE HOUSING SITUATION AND PUT ALL CURRENT TENANTS ON NOTICE. HOWEVER, ANY PROPERTY THAT HAS BECOME VACANT, THE LEASE HAS EXPIRED, THEY'VE BROKEN THE LEASE, THEY'VE MOVED OUT OR WE'VE EVICTED THEM, ARE IN THE HANDS NOW OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS, WHOSE DIRECTORS ARE DOING A DISPOSITION PLAN FOR THOSE PROPERTIES. WHAT IS THE BEST USE? SHOULD THEY BE A COMMERCIAL RENTAL? SHOULD THEY BE A MEETING SPACE? SHOULD THEY BE, NOT UTILIZED UNTIL SIGNIFICANT WORK IS DONE TO SOME OF THEM? SO THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT PLAN AND WE'RE MANAGING THE LEASE AGREEMENTS. I GUESS WITH THAT, WHAT I'M MORE SPECIFICALLY ASKING IS, ARE SOME OF THESE, CAN WE JUST SELL THEM? LIKE, DO WE NEED TO

[00:55:03]

OKAY. INTERESTING. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANKS. ANY OTHER COMMENT FROM THE DAIS? OR THE PUBLIC? OKAY. WE'LL CALL THE VOTE, PLEASE, MISS SAFIR. YES. MR. BENDER? YES, MISS GERLACH.

YES, MISS. YES. MR. PONGO. YES. MISS. SANTOS. YES. MR. NAPOLI. YES. MR. PRESIDENT OF SEVEN

[ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION (To be referred to Committee with public comment prior to referral) ]

OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON BILL 57? OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO REFER THIS TO CHAIR, OFFICE, COMMITTEE, PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. AND NEXT UP IS BILL 58. BILL 58 AMENDS THE 2026 CAPITAL FUND BUDGET TO PROVIDE FOR A TRANSFER OF $277,683 FROM THE TREXLER BUDGET INTO ROOSEVELT, FOUNTAIN PARK AND WPA CAPITAL PROJECT ACCOUNTS.

THESE FUNDS WILL BE UTILIZED FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE SPRAY PARK AT ROOSEVELT BATHROOM AND PARK DESIGN AT FOUNTAIN AND WPA PROJECT MANUAL FOR PONDS AND WALL AT WPA. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ANY ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON BILL 58? OKAY. THIS WILL BE REFERRED TO CHAIR SANTOS COMMITTEE, PARKS AND REC. THANK YOU. AND WE DO NOT HAVE ANY RESOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCTION. ANY NEW BUSINESS THIS EVENING. GOOD AND WELFARE. I DO WANT TO MENTION ALLENTOWN

[GOOD AND WELFARE]

ANYONE WITH QUESTIONS CAN REACH OUT TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.