[00:00:08]
EVERYONE, FOR YOUR PATIENCE. WE'RE GOING TO KICK START THIS. SO THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING TO DISCUSS OUR PARKS AND RECREATION BUDGET MEETING. SO WE'LL START WITH THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE, MISS GERLACH. HERE, MISS SANTOS HERE. MISS MOTA HERE, MR. NAPOLI HERE, MR. PONGO HERE. MISS SAFFA HERE. AND MR. BENDER IS ABSENT. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND SO TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON PARKS AND RECREATION FOR THIS MEETING. SO I'M GOING TO HAND THIS OFF TO MY COLLEAGUE CHAIR, NATALIE SANTOS, AND WHO CHAIRS PARKS AND RECREATION, AND TO WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ON THE BUDGET CONVERSATION. SO TAKE IT AWAY. THANK YOU. WELCOME, EVERYBODY, TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BUDGET MEETING. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF BILLS TO DISCUSS. THE FIRST ONE UP IS BILL 83 OR DID YOU WANT TO START? I THINK YOU HAD A PRESENTATION AS WELL. HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DO IT, WE CAN DO THIS FIRST. THAT'S TOTALLY FINE.
OKAY. ARE YOU YOU'RE OFF. THERE YOU GO. THE BILL FOR BILL 83 IS TO UPDATE THE LEGISLATION TO REFLECT THE EXISTING NAME OF THE DOG PARK. SO IT'S NOW THE JUDGE MEMORIAL DOG PARK. SO WE'RE JUST UPDATING THE CODE TO MATCH THAT. AND THEN ANOTHER IMPORTANT PIECE IS THAT CURRENTLY THE KEY FOB SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONING. AND IN ORDER TO KEEP IT FUNCTIONING, IT WOULD REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT. SO WE'RE PROPOSING TO REMOVE THE USE OF THE KEY FOBS AND UPDATE THE ORDINANCE RULES SO THAT IT'S STILL THE EXPECTATION THAT ALL DOGS ARE VACCINATED AND REQUIRED TO HAVE ALL THEIR LICENSING, BUT IT JUST WOULDN'T BE REGULATED THROUGH PARKS AND RECREATION. AND RECORD KEEPING AS WELL, IS RIGHT NOW KEPT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND REC. AND IT'S A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE WORK FOR US TO.
EXCUSE ME. KEEP UP WITH ALL THE DOGS THAT HAVE ACCESS TO THE DOG PARK. SO WE ARE SUGGESTING TO UPDATE THE LEGISLATION TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT ANYONE TO ACCESS THE DOG PARK NEEDS A KEY FOB. THANK YOU. ANY COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS ONE? I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO REGULATE DOGS THAT ARE VACCINATED AND SO ON AND SO FORTH? I UNDERSTAND THE REASON WE HAD THE FALL WAS BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE LEAVING THE DOGS AND THEN GOING SHOPPING AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. HOW ARE AND IS STILL NAMED JUDGE, RIGHT? YES. WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE NAME. WE'RE JUST CHANGE THAT. NO, NO, NO, WE THE SIGN SAYS JUDGE, AND WE'RE JUST UPDATING THE CODE TO REFLECT WHAT THE. SO IT'S UP TO DATE BASED ON WHAT WE RENAMED IT TO.
SO THAT'S KIND OF JUST A HOUSEKEEPING TYPE ITEM. MOST DOG PARKS ARE. THE ORDINANCE SUPPORTS. IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DOG OWNER. SO YOU. IF YOU'RE IN THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN, YOU HAVE A DOG. AND THEY REGULATE IT THROUGH ANIMAL CONTROL AS WELL. SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE LICENSES AND VACCINATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT EXPECTATION DOESN'T CHANGE. IT JUST TAKES THE BURDEN OF RECORD KEEPING OFF OF THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT. YEAH. BUT MY POINT IS, IF IT'S NOT THE GATES OPEN TO ANYBODY, I COULD BRING MY DOG. YOU WOULDN'T KNOW IF IT'S VACCINATED OR NOT. THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE FOB PREVENTED THAT. AND IN ORDER TO GET THE FOB, YOU HAD TO HAVE PROOF CORRECT THAT THAT THE DOGS WERE VACCINATED AND ABLE TO GO IN THERE. BUT WITHOUT THE FOB, THE GATES ARE OPEN AND ANYBODY CAN BRING THEIR DOG IN AND YOU CAN'T. THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN POSSIBLY TRACK DOGS THAT THAT ARE IN THERE THAT ARE VACCINATED OR NOT. SO IT IS A LOT OF DOGS AND IT'S A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN FOR THE PARKS TEAM TO KEEP TRACK OF ALL THOSE DOGS AND ALL THOSE VACCINATIONS. SO I THINK THAT TO PUT THAT RESPONSIBILITY ON THE DOG OWNER MAKES MORE SENSE.
AND THAT'S HOW MOST DOG PARKS ARE RUN. IT'S AT YOUR OWN RISK. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BRING YOUR DOG TO A DOG PARK, THEN IT'S YOU'RE ASSUMING THAT THE OTHER PEOPLE THERE ARE RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERS AS WELL. SO THAT'S THE EXPECTATION WORKING. IS IT A GATE OR IT'S NOT THE GATE? IT'S SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ACTUAL LIKE SYSTEM. SO WE'D HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SYSTEM. I DIDN'T HEAR YOU. WHAT THE SYSTEM LIKE THE WHATEVER MECHANISM THAT THE FOB COMMUNICATES WITH IN ORDER TO OPEN THE GATE, THAT WHOLE THING WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. AND DID YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT WOULD BE? I THINK IT'S MORE THAN $5,000. AND THEN WE'D HAVE TO GET A NEW SYSTEM, AND EVERY PERSON THAT HAS ACCESS WOULD HAVE TO GET A NEW CARD OR ET CETERA. ET CETERA. LIKE SO. AND THERE'S ALSO YOU'D HAVE TO REPLACE SOMETHING ON THE GATE TO MAKE IT COMMUNICATE WITH WHATEVER THAT NEW SYSTEM IS. SO IT'S NOT AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS
[00:05:03]
JUST DOING A REPAIR, WHICH WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. IT'S A LITTLE IT'S MORE INVOLVED THAN THAT. I'M CONCERNED. ALSO, IF THIS DOG ISN'T VACCINATED OR INVITES ANOTHER DOG OR BITES A HUMAN AND COULD WE GET SUED? THIS IS OUR PARK. WE DON'T HAVE REGULATIONS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO.SO THE REGULATIONS ARE STILL THE EXPECTATIONS ARE STILL THE SAME, THAT IF A DOG COULD GO IN THERE NOW AND THAT COULD STILL HAPPEN. SO THE EXPECTATIONS DON'T CHANGE THAT YOUR DOG IS VACCINATED AND LICENSED. THE FOB, SOMEONE COULD BORROW SOMEONE'S FOB, THEY COULD FOLLOW SOMEONE IN OR A DOG THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MANY THINGS COULD HAPPEN EITHER WAY. SO I THINK THERE IS AN UNDERLYING LEVEL OF RISK WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR DOG TO AN UNLEASHED DOG AREA, BUT MOST OF THEM ARE MANAGED JUST AT THE OWNERS HAVE NO INCIDENTS THOUGH, SO WE'RE.
YEAH, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY INCIDENTS, KNOCK ON WOOD. I HATE TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD BECAUSE THERE, THERE IS ALWAYS A RISK THAT SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING HAPPEN. OKAY. THANKS. YEAH. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS BILL 83? DO WE TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ONE? YEAH. NO. YES. OKAY. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON BILL 83? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL MEETING. THANK YOU. AND I'LL SECOND THAT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AND THIS WILL MOVE FOR THE FULL COUNCIL. NOW WE HAVE BILL 82. BILL 82, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN, COUNTY OF LEHIGH AND COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, ESTABLISHING THE GENERAL FUND, ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER FUND, RISK MANAGEMENT FUND, DEBT SERVICE FUND, EQUIPMENT FUND, GOLF FUND AND HOUSING FUND BUDGETS FOR 2027. SO THAT'S THE BUDGET FOR REFERENCE FOR THIS EVENING.
IT'S NOT A REAL BILL THAT YOU NEED TO FORWARD. GOTCHA. YEAH, THAT'S JUST THE BUDGET.
CONSIDERING THAT WHEN YOU REVIEW THE BUDGET. GOTCHA. ANY COMMENTS ON THIS SPECIFIC BILL.
SO THIS IS THIS IS THE PARKS AND REC BUDGET. I'D LIKE TO COMMENT. YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE DAYS BETWEEN BETWEEN THIS DEPARTMENT AND BETWEEN THE REST OF THE ADMINISTRATION. WE MAY HAVE GONE A LITTLE OVERBOARD IN THE CUTTING OF THIS DEPARTMENT. I SEE A LOT OF SUPPORTERS OF OUR PARKS SYSTEM HERE BEHIND ME. I'M SURE THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT. YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK TO MAKE SOME CUTS. WE MAY HAVE BEEN OVERZEALOUS. SO I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION'S PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO MAYBE ASK FOR YOUR HELP IN TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT WHERE WE CAN PLUG BACK IN SOME OF THE MONEY THAT I THAT I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED. WE HAD SOME CHANGES AFTER THE BUDGET SUBMITTAL. YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGED. SO MANNY'S GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT WITH YOU. BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE PERSPECTIVE, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A PROCESS FOR AN ADMINISTRATIVE FOR AN ADMINISTRATION ORIGINATED AMENDMENT IN YOUR IN THE AMENDMENTS, THE WAY THAT THE WAY THE BUDGET WORKS HERE. IF THERE IS, WE MAY PUT FORTH AN AMENDMENT OR PERHAPS WE CAN WORK WITH ONE OF YOU TO TRY TO, TO, TO, TO FIND A WAY TO RESTORE SOME OF THE SOME OF THE MONEY THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT NEEDS, WHATEVER THE PROCESS IS, WE'RE AMENABLE TO IT. GENERALLY, THE PROCESS IS YOU WOULD JUST SUBMIT A BUDGET MEMO WITH YOUR PROPOSED AMENDMENT, AND THEN COUNCIL WOULD ADOPT THAT AT THE BUDGET AMENDMENT MEETING. OKAY. WELL, MANNY'S GOING TO GO THROUGH THE PAIN POINTS WITH YOU, AND YOU HAVE MY APOLOGY THAT WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THIS BEFORE WE SUBMITTED. THANK YOU. I DID HAVE A PRESENTATION, IF THAT IS AVAILABLE. THANK YOU. SO BEFORE I AND IT IS A LOT OF INFORMATION, I'M NOT GOING TO DIVE INTO EVERYTHING INTO DETAIL, BUT. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK THE PARKS AND REC TEAM THAT'S HERE SUPPORTING. WE HAVE THE LEADS FROM EACH OF OUR BUREAUS. WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM PARKS MAINTENANCE. CHRISTIAN BIANCO IS HERE, PRISCILLA REYES FROM SPECIAL EVENTS DEPUTY DIRECTOR. LUCINDA RIGHT, OPS MANAGER. ROB RHODES, JOSH FROM THE GOLF. JOSH MOYER FROM THE GOLF COURSE. CHRIS HENDRICKS, WHO LEADS RECREATION. AND VERONICA WOZNIAK, WHO IS OUR CAPITAL PROJECT MANAGER AND OVERSEES AND OVERSEES SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS IN IN PARKS AND REC. I MISS ANYBODY.
SO OKAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THEM ALL OUT AND THANK THEM FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. SO
[00:10:05]
THE MISSION OF PARKS AND REC IS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR CITY BY PROVIDING AND MAINTAINING QUALITY PARKS, TRAILS AND GREEN SPACES, AND OFFERING ENRICHING RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND FACILITIES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES. THE WAY THAT THAT TIES INTO THE MAYORAL PRIORITIES IN THE BUDGET ARE PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH INCLUDES PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. SO THREE PHOTOS BELOW SHOW EACH OF THOSE WHERE PARKS PLAYS A ROLE IN THAT JOB READINESS. THROUGH OUR SUMMER SEASONAL HIRING, WHERE WE'RE TRAINING YOUNG PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN WHO MAY WANT TO BECOME TEACHERS OR WORK FOR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, AROUND 200 OR SO OF THEM EACH YEAR THAT WE ONBOARD EACH SUMMER, AND THEN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. I THINK THAT WE ARE ONE OF THE MOST FORWARD FACING DEPARTMENTS.I MAY BE BIASED, BUT I THINK WE'RE ONE OF THE MOST FORWARD FACING DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY, WHERE WE PROVIDE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS TO HAVE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CITY. THE DEPARTMENT PRIORITIES ARE TO INVEST EQUITABLY IN PARKS AND TRAILS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, PROVIDE DIVERSE RECREATION AND EVENT OPPORTUNITIES, CREATE A SAFE AND HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR THE STAFF, INCREASE STAFFING CAPACITY TO MEET NATIONAL STANDARDS, AND PRESERVE EXISTING PARK LAND FROM DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE. YOU KNOW THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS THAT WE ARE ALREADY DEALING WITH IS COMPARED TO NATIONAL STANDARDS. THE CITY IS OPERATING AT ABOUT 60% OF CAPACITY WHEN IT COMES TO STAFFING. SO COMPARED TO OUR SIZE FOR POPULATION, THERE'S ABOUT 40% MORE STAFF TYPICALLY TO TAKE CARE OF THE AMOUNT OF ACRES OF PARKS THAT WE HAVE. SO WE'RE ALREADY STARTING AT A POINT WHERE WE'RE IN A SPOT WHERE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF EXTRA PEOPLE TO SPARE OR EXTRA RESOURCES TO SPARE. AS WELL AS BUDGETING THE 7.3 MILLION OPERATING THE NATIONAL STANDARD FOR A CITY OUR SIZE IS 14, SO THAT'S NOT VERY THAT'S A PRETTY WIDE MARGIN. SO I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND THEN JUST GETTING BACK TO WHAT FRANK WAS SAYING EARLIER, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR OVERALL BUDGET, THE PICTURE REALLY IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NON-PERSONNEL. SO WHEN YOU TAKE PERSONNEL OUT OF THE EQUATION AND LOOK AT THE THE LINE ITEMS THAT ARE WHAT WE USE TO DO THE WORK THAT WE DO EVERY DAY IN PARKS, AND WE'RE GOING FROM 1.7 TO 1.4. AND THAT'S ABOUT $250,000, WHICH DOESN'T SEEM AS YOU KNOW, THAT SEEMS MAYBE TO SOME PEOPLE SEEMS REALLY HIGH, SOME PEOPLE DOESN'T SEEM QUITE AS HIGH, BUT THAT WILL FOR A SMALLER BUDGET, THAT REALLY AFFECTS THE ABILITY FOR US TO DO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN PARKS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THE NO NEW POSITIONS WERE ADDED TO THE BUDGET. THE EXISTING BUDGET HAS A DECREASE OF AROUND 250,000. AND ALL OF THESE DECREASES WERE MADE IN OUR NON PERSONNEL BUDGET. SO WE'RE ASKING FOR CONSIDERATION TO ADD BACK SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY PROVIDING. AND THE NUMBER I PUT ON THERE IS 172,000. AND THAT'S DETAILED LATER IN THE PROGRAM IN THE PRESENTATION AS WELL. SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS WHOLE LIST, BUT I JUST WANTED IT TO BE AVAILABLE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN HAVING A REALLY BUSY YEAR, A LOT OF PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD, MANY PROJECTS, SUCCESSES. THESE ARE CAPITAL PROJECTS. SOME OF THEM ARE LARGER, LIKE BOGERT'S BRIDGE, SOME ARE MORE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMMUNITY FACING SOME RESURFACING. WE HAVE PAVILIONS, WE'VE BUILT ITHACA PARK, WE'VE DONE A PAVILION AND RESURFACING, BUILT A MINI PITCH AT JORDAN. SO THAT'S A LIST OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE COMPLETED OR NEARING COMPLETION IN 2026, INCLUDING BOGERT'S BRIDGE, WHICH IS ALMOST COMPLETE. SOME OTHER SUCCESSES WE'VE SEEN ARE ACCEPTING MOBILE PAY AT OUR POOLS, WHICH SERVES OUR YOUNG, THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO THE POOLS AND WANT TO PAY WITH THEIR PHONE. WE HAVE ARBITER THAT WE'RE USING TO DO SCHEDULING FOR OUR OUR RECREATION, OUR REC LEAGUES.
AND WE ARE NEARING EVENT PERMITTING IN THE CITY SYSTEM, WHICH WE'RE HOPING TO LAUNCH IN JANUARY. ALSO, JUST SOME OTHER FUN THINGS. WE WERE. THE ROSE GARDEN WAS NAMED THE BEST PARK IN LEHIGH VALLEY SUSTAINABILITY HERO AWARD FROM. FOR LEE VALLEY NONPROFIT FROM THE LEHIGH VALLEY NONPROFIT COMMUNITY. THE ALLENTOWN GOLF COURSE WAS VOTED PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINNER OF 2026, AND WE ALSO WERE AWARDED A FAIRLY LARGE GRANT FROM THE BEZOS EARTH FUND FOR FRANKLIN PARK. THESE ARE JUST SOME PHOTOS OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR. YOU SEE THE THE NEW SIGNAGE AND SOME REPAIRS THAT WERE DONE TO THE ROSE GARDEN. THE TOP RIGHT IS THE MINI PITCH AT JORDAN PARK, BOGERT'S BRIDGE IN THE MIDDLE, AND THEN NEW ART THAT WAS PLACED DOWNTOWN. AND
[00:15:03]
OUR TEAM LED THE CONTRACT THAT REPAIRED THAT AND HELPED GET GET IT DOWNTOWN. NEXT PLEASE PHOTO OF FRANKLIN PARK. ALSO SOME FACELIFT TO LA PLACITA, WHICH IS THE TOP RIGHT. SOME OF THE PAVILIONS AND MURALS AND THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR LARGER TRAIL PROJECTS. NEXT, PLEASE. AND THESE ARE OUR COURTS, SO YOU'LL PROBABLY NOTICE THEM THROUGHOUT THE CITY. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME THAT WE'VE REALLY PAID ATTENTION TO THESE, BUT EVERY TIME I DRIVE BY, I SEE SOMEONE USING THEM. SO IT'S REALLY INCREASED THE VALUE TO PEOPLE THAT WANT TO PLAY PLAY IN OUR PARKS. NEXT, PLEASE. SOME OF THE GRANT SUCCESSES FOR 2026, WE'VE RECEIVED AN ADDITIONAL $7 MILLION IN OUTSIDE FUNDING TO DO MOSTLY CAPITAL PROJECTS. THERE IS THE UNUSUAL BUT HIGHLY VALUABLE PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT THAT SUPPORTS SOME OF OUR OPERATING PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUR MONDAY FUN DAY, WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE MORE HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATE, MORE INTERESTING ACTIVITIES, AS WELL AS A AN IMPROVEMENT TO ITHACA PARK, WHICH THEY HELPED FUND THE PAVILION THERE. WE ALSO HAD A PARTNERSHIP WITH EPSA YOUTH SOCCER THAT WAS ALLOWED US TO SERVE A LOT OF CHILDREN THAT WERE LEARNING HOW TO PLAY SOCCER. SO THESE ARE KIDS THAT ARE NOT ON A COMPETITIVE TEAM. THEY JUST WANT TO TRY IT OUT. SO THAT WAS SOMETHING NEW THAT WE DID THIS YEAR, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT THROUGH SOME PARTNERSHIPS. SOME OF THE OTHER ONES LISTED THERE ARE A GRANT, AN MTF GRANT AND AN LSA FOR THE FISH HATCHERY TO DO RENOVATIONS AT THE FISH HATCHERY, AS WELL AS THE $4 MILLION BEZOS EARTH FUND GRANT, WHICH WAS AWARDED TO THE ALLENTOWN PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL BE USED TO CONSTRUCT FRANKLIN PARK. RECREATION SUCCESS. THE RECREATION BUREAU OPERATED 16 PROGRAMS, RECORDING A TOTAL OF 13,493 PROGRAM VISITS. AND I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT THE THINGS THAT WERE NEW. I SORT OF MENTIONED QUICKLY THE SOCCER PROGRAM, AND THAT WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PAL, AND THAT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS. EVERY EVERY KID THAT WAS THERE WAS HAVING THE BEST TIME. IT REALLY WAS A REALLY FUN EVENT, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT IN THE FUTURE. WE ALSO INTRODUCED A YOUTH GOLF PROGRAM AT THE ALLENTOWN MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE, AND WE'RE HOPING TO GROW THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SOME OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND THE SAFETY AROUND WATER THROUGH THE SUMMER PLAYGROUND PROGRAM WAS ALSO A NEW AD, AND THAT WAS ABLE TO SERVE A LOT OF CHILDREN AND PROVIDE THEM SKILLS TO BE SAFE AROUND, AROUND WATER. THESE ARE JUST SOME PICTURES OF SOME FUN THINGS THAT WE GET TO DO ON A SEASONAL BASIS. YOU HAVE THE SOCCER PROGRAM, OUR SUMMER PLAYGROUND PROGRAM, BASKETBALL, THE MONDAY FUNDAY, AND THE BOTTOM RIGHT WITH THE ADDITIONAL FOOD OPPORTUNITIES, THE MIDDLE ONE IS A FIRESIDE CHAT, AND IT'S JUST A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WHERE WE SHOW UP IN PARKS AND JUST HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE THAT USE THE PARKS AND SEE WHAT THEY THINK, AND TRY TO TAKE THAT BACK TO THE OFFICE AND FIGURE OUT WAYS THAT WE CAN TRY TO IMPLEMENT THOSE THINGS IN THE PARKS. FROM WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM COMMUNITY. FOR AQUATICS, WE SERVED AS THIS IS A SAFETY AROUND WATER. AGAIN, 170 PLUS KIDS EACH WEEK OVER 11 SESSIONS. SO THAT'S A LOT OF WATER SAFETY, WHICH IS AMAZING. AND THAT WAS THE KIDS THAT SIGN UP FOR THE SUMMER PLAYGROUND. SO IT WAS A GREAT A GREAT FIT. WE PROVIDE FREE POOLS ON EXCESSIVE HEAT DAYS, ADULT LAP SWIM, WATER SAFETY, LIFEGUARD TRAINING, AND JUST GENERAL DAILY OPERATION. OF THE THREE POOLS AND CONCESSION STANDS. NEXT, PLEASE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, WE PROCESSED 97 PERMITS SO WE NOT ONLY DEAL WITH EVENTS THAT ARE ON IN PARKS, WE DEAL WITH EVENTS THAT ARE ANYWHERE IN CITY OWNED PROPERTY OR CITY RIGHT OF WAY. SO THERE ARE 97 OF THOSE. AND WE ARE THE THE COLLECTOR OF INFORMATION THROUGH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY. AND WE COLLECTED OVER 20,000 INVOICES, OVER 20,000 EVENT PERMIT FEES. AND THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE FEES THAT ARE ARE BILLED VIA OTHER DEPARTMENTS. THAT'S JUST STRICTLY PER EVENT PERMIT FEES.WE RAN SUCCESSFULLY RAN CITY RUN EVENTS WHICH ARE LISTED THERE. AND THESE ARE ONES THAT WE RUN FROM START TO FINISH. WE STAFF THEM, WE PLAN THEM, WE MANAGE EVERYTHING. FOR THESE EVENTS THAT ARE LISTED THERE. AND THEN WE ALSO MANAGE CONTRACTED AND PARTNERED CONCERTS. AND THAT IS THE UNION TERRACE CONCERTS WITH ARTSQUEST AS WELL AS BOMBA AT THE BEACH WITH PRCP. AND FINALLY, WE MANAGE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONTRACT, WHICH HELPS US TO ADDITIONAL EVENTS INCLUDING FIESTA BLUES, LIBERTY BELL TREE LIGHTING AND NEW YEAR'S EVE.
[00:20:05]
THIS JUST IS A DETAIL OF THE REACH, SO A LOT OF THESE EVENTS RANGE IN ATTENDANCE FROM 2000 ALL THE WAY UP TO 20,000. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ATTENDING EVENTS IN ALLENTOWN. DESPITE A NATIONAL TREND OF PEOPLE NOT GOING TO LARGE EVENTS. LIKE WE'RE STILL SEEING A GOOD TURNOUT TO OUR EVENTS. AND WE DON'T ALWAYS DEFINE THE SUCCESS OF AN EVENT BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ATTEND, BUT THE EVENTS THAT ARE LARGER, WE GET GOOD ATTENDANCE AND SOME OF THE SMALLER COMMUNITY EVENTS. WE GET REALLY GREAT ENGAGEMENT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT DO ATTEND. JUST SOME PHOTOS. THIS LIGHTS IN THE PARKWAY ARE WALKING MONDAY AROUND A CAMPFIRE EGG HUNT. WE HAVE BOMBA AT THE BEACH. PHOTOS THE UNION TERRACE CONCERTS, AS WELL AS THE HALLOWEEKEND, WHICH I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAD GONE THIS WEEKEND. IT WAS A GREAT EVENT, A LOT OF FUN. A LOT OF KIDS CAME OUT. IT WAS A WONDERFUL TIME. AND THESE PHOTOS ARE FROM THE MORNING CALL. WHO WAS THERE TO TO DOCUMENT IT? BUT IT WAS A REALLY GREAT, GREAT WEEKEND.FOR PARK MAINTENANCE. WE MAINTAIN 2000 PLUS ACRES OF PARKLAND AND 35 PARKS, AND THIS IS WITH 53 FULL TIME STAFF MEMBERS. THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THE MAINTENANCE TEAM IS LANDSCAPE AND PLAYGROUND MAINTENANCE, TRASH AND RECYCLING. WE DO A LOT OF RESPONSE TO VANDALISM AND ILLEGAL DUMPING RESTROOMS. WE MANAGE THE THE THE MAINTENANCE SIDE OF THE POOLS. ALSO, WE SUPPORT EVENTS AND RECREATION FOR THE BAND TRAILER, MOVIE SCREEN, DOWNTOWN DECORATIONS, LIGHTS IN THE PARKWAY. CAPITAL. PROJECT. CONSTRUCTION.
ARBORICULTURE. MANAGING TREES, CITYWIDE SNOW REMOVAL, PLANTINGS AND PLANTINGS AND MEDIANS AND ALONG HAMILTON. SO THAT'S JUST SOME PHOTOS FOR THE MAINTENANCE. WE HAVE OUR.
SUSTAINABILITY SUCCESS. AS I MENTIONED, LEHIGH VALLEY SUSTAINABILITY HERO AWARD. WE ALSO ARE WORKING THROUGH URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN AND PLANTINGS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND THAT'S IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY YOUTH CLIMATE ACTION. WE'RE ENTERING YEAR THREE, AND THAT HAS BEEN A GREAT PROGRAM WHERE EACH YEAR IT'S A CONNECTION WITH YOUTH IN THE CITY, GIVING THEM A CHANCE TO SHARE THEIR IDEAS ON HOW TO COME UP WITH PROJECTS THAT ARE RELATED TO SUSTAINABILITY. CURRENTLY UNDERWAY IS THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN. THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PUBLIC INPUT AND ENGAGEMENT THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, AS WELL AS EV FLEET PILOT, AND I DIDN'T PUT IT ON THE SLIDE, BUT WE HAD RECEIVED MONEY FOR A CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT FOR AIR QUALITY WITH COMMUNITY BIKE WORKS. THAT WAS A $16,000 GRANT AWARD, AS WELL AS $50,000 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT FOR ENERGY MANAGEMENT IN OUR CITY BUILDINGS. SO. AND THEN THOSE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF THE YOUTH CLIMATE ACTION. AND THEN THIS IS GETTING INTO THE DETAILS OF THE PAIN POINTS. SO THE HIGHEST DOLLAR CUTS IN OUR 2027 BUDGET, COMPARED TO 26 ARE IN THE SPECIAL EVENTS, OTHER CONTRACT SERVICES. AND THAT IS A DECREASE OF ABOUT 100,000, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 2,527% OF THAT LINE. THE NEXT IS CONTRACT SERVICES AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE, $50,000 DECREASE, WHICH IS ABOUT 24%. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR LIGHTS IN THE PARKWAY, WHICH IS A 23% IN THE OVER THE OVERALL TOTAL PROGRAM. AND MANY OF THESE ARE IN MAINTENANCE AND SUPPLIES. AND IF YOU CONSIDER INFLATION, IT'S MORE PAINFUL THAN JUST WHAT'S BEING DECREASED IN THOSE LINES. NEXT, PLEASE. SO IN SUMMARY, THE GROUND LEVEL OPERATIONAL CAPACITY SHRINKS EVEN THOUGH IF YOU LOOK AT OUR OVERALL BUDGET AMOUNT RISES SLIGHTLY DUE TO INCREASES IN PERSONNEL. SO YOU CAN'T WE CANNOT WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME BUYING CAPACITY FOR SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS OR TRAINING. SO OUR ABILITY TO KEEP STAFF CERTIFIED AND DO THE WORK WE NEED TO DO IS IS DECREASED. THE NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS THE THE OVERVIEW FOR FOR MAINTENANCE. SO THESE ARE ALL THE LINES THAT ARE BELOW PERSONNEL. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THAT THAT SHOWS THE 2026 COMPARISON TO THE 2027 PROPOSED.
AND THE LINES THAT WERE DECREASED. AND THE CHANGE IS AT $73,564 PROPOSED DECREASE. SO I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE ADD ABOUT $27,000 BACK INTO THAT IN ORDER TO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE OPERATING AT THE LEVEL THAT WE'RE OPERATING OR CLOSE TO IT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, FOR SPECIAL
[00:25:01]
EVENTS. AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THE HARDEST HITS, THE $100,000 CUT TO SPECIAL EVENTS IMPACTS, ABILITY TO DELIVER PROGRAMS THAT DRIVE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND CULTURAL VIBRANCY. SO A LOT OF THIS IS PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND SOME OF OUR CONTRACTED EVENTS THROUGH THE CHAMBER OR LOOKING AT DECREASING 4TH OF JULY OR JUNETEENTH EVENTS, REEVALUATING AND MAYBE SHRINKING SOME OF THE THOSE THOSE TYPE OF EVENTS. AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST THE ONE LINE, THE 46 OTHER CONTRACT SERVICES THAT WAS THE $100,000 DECREASE. LIGHTS IN THE PARKWAY.SO THIS IS A REVENUE NEUTRAL ACCOUNT BASED ON SPONSORSHIPS, BOTH IN-KIND MONETARY AS WELL AS TICKET SALES. SO THE TOTAL REDUCTIONS WERE 24%. MOST OF THAT WAS IN MARKETING, WHICH WE THINK WE CAN PRIMARILY MAKE UP IN SPONSORSHIPS. WE'RE HOPEFUL. BUT THE OTHER PART WAS IN MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES. SO THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE A NEW LIGHT DISPLAY FOR FOR THIS YEAR. PLEASE. SO THAT IS THE LIGHTS IN THE PARKWAY BUDGET SUMMARY.
SUSTAINABILITY HAS A VERY SMALL BUDGET. IT'S MOSTLY JUST PERSONNEL. IT'S ABOUT A $10,000 BUDGET. SO I THINK THAT ONCE THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IS COMPLETE, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO CONSIDER ADDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS IN THE SUSTAINABILITY BUDGET IN FUTURE YEARS. NOT NOT ASKING FOR THAT FOR 27, BUT MAYBE 2028. ONCE THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IS COMPLETE. NEXT, PLEASE. RECREATION. RECREATION IS. RECREATION. BUDGET IS IN A DECENT POSITION, AND THEY HAVE THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED PRIMARILY TO PROVIDE THE SAME REC OPPORTUNITIES IN 2027 AS 2026, WHICH IS A GOOD THING. AND WE WILL, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, ALWAYS LOOK BACK AND SEE WHICH EVENTS WE THINK ARE WHAT WHICH RECREATION PROGRAMS WENT REALLY WELL, AND IF THERE ARE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE, BUT NO MAJOR ISSUES WITH RECREATION. AQUATICS TRAINING WAS CUT. SO THIS WILL AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO COVER LIFEGUARD CERTIFICATION FOR YOUTH THAT WORK FOR US AND OUR LIFEGUARDS IN ALLENTOWN. SO WE OFFER THAT FREE FOR ALLENTOWN RESIDENTS ONLY. IF YOU'RE NOT ALLENTOWN RESIDENT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR YOUR CERTIFICATION. BUT THIS BUDGET LINE WAS TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE TO GET THEIR LIFEGUARD CERTS IN ALLENTOWN. AND ALSO OPERATING MATERIALS WERE REDUCED. AND PART OF THAT IS FOR OUR. WE USE OPERATING MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES TO BUY SUPPLIES THAT WE RESELL IN OUR CONCESSION STANDS. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ALSO A WAY TO INCREASE REVENUE IS THE MORE WE SPEND ON SUPPLIES, THEN WE RESELL THEM, RESELL THEM, AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE A PROFIT IN THE CONCESSION STANDS. SO THAT WAS THE GENERAL FUND. THE TREXLER FUND IS ITS OWN SEPARATE FUND.
AND IN 27 WE HAD PROPOSED ADDING ONE POSITION TO THE TREXLER FUND, FUNDED THROUGH THE TREXLER FUND. AND IN ORDER TO DO THIS, THAT THAT INCREASE IN PERSONNEL COSTS REQUIRED A DECREASE TO SOME OF OUR OPERATIONAL CAPACITY. JUST POINTING THAT OUT AS AS A NOTE, NOT NOT NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, A MAJOR ISSUE OR CHANGE, BUT JUST THAT IN ORDER TO ADD A POSITION, WE REDUCED OUR. OUR LINE 54 AND, AND 68. NEXT, PLEASE. AND THEN THE GOAL FUND, THE GOAL FUND IS DOING REALLY WELL. THEY ANTICIPATE THAT THE REVENUES WILL INCREASE NEXT YEAR. THERE IS A PROJECTED FEE INCREASE. AND EACH YEAR WE PUT ASIDE FUNDING FROM THAT'S FROM THE GOLF COURSE REVENUE INTO A CAPITAL ACCOUNT, AND THAT IS USED FOR IRRIGATION, NOT AERATION. THAT'S A TYPO. IT'S AN IRRIGATION PROJECT, WHICH IS IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW FOR DESIGN. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HOPEFULLY MOVE INTO MOVE TOWARDS CONSTRUCTION IN THE COMING YEARS FOR IRRIGATION REPAIRS AT THE GOLF COURSE, YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO A NEW GOLF SIMULATOR THAT'S HAPPENING THIS YEAR. AND ALSO THERE IS AN UPGRADE TO THE ASSISTANT GREENSKEEPER AND EQUIPMENT TECH THAT WILL BE HITTING THE GOLF COURSE FUND, LIKELY IN 20, EITHER IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR OR IN 2027. AND THAT'S BEEN PUT THROUGH PREVIOUSLY. OUR CAPITAL
[00:30:06]
BUDGET THAT LISTS THE PROJECTS THAT ARE BOTH GRANT AND OUTSIDE FUNDED, AS WELL AS THE 2027 ANTICIPATED NEEDS FOR THE CITY BOND, AND THAT WOULD BE FOR PARKS OPERATION FACILITY, WHICH SUPPORTS THE SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SAFE PLACE FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES TO WORK OUT OF. AND RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY, THAT'S WE DON'T HAVE THAT MAC POOL DESIGN, MLK TRAIL, FOUNTAIN PARK DESIGN, AS WELL AS SAFETY SURFACING. SO YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT CEDAR BEACH PLAYGROUND IS CLOSED. WE ARE REMOVING THE SAFETY SURFACING AND REPLACING THAT. SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SAME THING UP AT BUCKEY BOYLE AS WELL. SO AND I THINK THAT'S IT. THAT WAS A LOT. SORRY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THAT WAS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION. IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE IN PICTURES, LIKE ALL OF THE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT YOU GUYS DO AND HOW IT BRINGS EVERYBODY TOGETHER. SO A SHOUT OUT TO YOU GUYS FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN. AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT EXTRA FUNDING SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN KEEP MAKING IT HAPPEN TO THAT EXTENT. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? YEP. SO I JUST HAD TWO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I GUESS I'M CURIOUS BEING HERE FOR LIKE THE FIRST YEAR, I KNOW LIGHTS IN THE PARKWAY TRANSITIONED TO HAVING THE MONDAYS LIKE OPEN TO PEDESTRIANS. AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT. I'VE SEEN KIND OF THE INTERACTION WITH THE COMMUNITY THERE. I'M CURIOUS, WAS THERE ANY DROP IN ATTENDANCE AS A RESULT OF THAT, OR DO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE JUST AS BUSY AS BEFORE? AND THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY? I'M JUST CURIOUS.SO I DON'T KNOW. I CAN GET THE NUMBER FOR YOU. WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IN REVENUE FROM LAST YEAR VERSUS THIS YEAR FOR VEHICLES. WE DID NOT SEE A STRIKING DECLINE IN IN THAT, BUT I THINK THERE WOULD BE SOME PEOPLE THAT MAYBE CHOOSE TO WALK AND NOT DRIVE. AND THE WALKING IS FREE AND THE DRIVING HAS A COST. BUT I THINK THERE ARE DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS, QUOTE UNQUOTE. SO I, I FEEL THEY BRING DIFFERENT VALUE. AND IT HASN'T BEEN A VERY HARD HIT TO THE TICKET SALES AS COMPARED TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S I THINK IT BRINGS MORE ATTENTION AND MORE MARKETING TOWARDS IT AND MAY CONTINUE TO MAKE IT RELEVANT AND EXCITING AND NEW. AND IT'S A CHANGE. SO SOME PEOPLE DO BOTH. SO I CAN GET THE NUMBER OF WHAT THE IF IT'S INCREASED OR DECREASED FROM LAST YEAR, TICKET SALES. I DON'T HAVE THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I CAN FIND THAT OUT FOR YOU. SURE. NO, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I JUST I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT OPPORTUNITY THERE. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. I KNOW THERE'S THAT LIKE HOT CHOCOLATE TRUCK THAT'S OUT THERE. SO I KNOW THERE'S, I THINK THAT ALMOST COULD EVEN BE, YOU KNOW, BIGGER. BUT OBVIOUSLY I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR HANDS FULL. SO I'M JUST, I'M JUST CURIOUS. MY NEXT QUESTION WAS, I KNOW YOU ALLUDED TO THE $21,000 CUT FOR THE LIFEGUARD TRAINING PROGRAM. YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, COVERING THE COST FOR CITY RESIDENTS. NOW, IS THAT WHAT WAS ONLY COVERED BEFORE, OR ARE WE SAYING THAT THE CUTS FROM THIS YEAR WOULD MAKE IT SO ONLY CITY RESIDENTS ARE COVERED? AND OR IS EVERYONE HAVING TO PAY FOR THEIR CERT? WE ONLY. SO IF THEY WORK FOR US, WE PAY FOR THEIR CERT. BUT IF WE ALSO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR OTHER. LIKE SAY YOU WANT TO WORK IN BETHLEHEM AND YOU LIVE IN BETHLEHEM, YOU COULD COME HERE AND GET TRAINED, BUT YOU'D HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. SO WE LIKE HOST THAT TRAINING SO WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY CHANGES. IT'S JUST THAT'S THE LINE THAT WE USE TO DO OUR TRAINING. SO WE'VE ALWAYS OFFERED FREE LIFEGUARD TRAINING FOR PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR US. AND IF YOU DON'T WORK FOR US AND YOU LIVE IN ALLENTOWN AND SAY YOU, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO SUPPORT THAT AS WELL. SO IT'S NOT A CHANGE PER SE IN THAT LINE OF, OF HOW WE OFFER THOSE. SO IS THAT ACCURATE? I'LL BE ABLE TO WE'RE UNCLEAR IF WE'D BE ABLE TO FUND THE AMOUNT OF LIFEGUARDS THAT UTILIZE THAT FUND WITH A DECREASE. I'M SORRY. I KNOW YOU SAID SO. I SAID WE'RE UNSURE IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO FUND THE AMOUNT OF ALLENTOWN RESIDENTS AND YOUTH THAT UTILIZE THAT TRAINING WITH ANY DECREASE. WE HAD IT FUNDED BY A DEVELOPER THAT ALL RESIDENTS THAT WANTED TO NOT ONLY LIFEGUARD, BUT FOR FOR BONDING AND EVERYTHING ELSE FOR, FOR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HAVE HAD THE ALLENTOWN RESIDENTS. IT WAS FUNDED BY, I BELIEVE JB RILEY IS THE ONE THAT'S DELETED. THAT HAS BEEN. YEAH, THAT HAS BEEN FUNDED BY
[00:35:03]
THE GENERAL FUND IN THE PAST FEW YEARS. SO IF HE WOULD FUND AGAIN, THAT THAT THAT ELIMINATES ALL THE COSTS. NOW IF THEY'RE FROM OUT I'M SORRY, I. IF YOU'RE FROM BETHLEHEM OR PARKLAND AREA, WHATEVER WE THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. CORRECT. BUT ANTONIANS DON'T RIGHT NOW, IF WE CAN GET THAT FUNDED AGAIN, THAT WAS I THINK IT WAS $8,000 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. HE HAD HE HAD DONATED. I'M SURE IT'S DEPLETED BY NOW. IT WAS LIKE 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO. SO DID THIS START LAST YEAR THAT ALLENTOWN WAS PAYING FOR IT, OR WAS IT STILL FUNDED BY THAT? I THINK IT WAS PRIOR TO THAT. I WAS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AT THAT TIME, SO I CAN'T COMMENT ON WHEN THAT CHANGE OCCURRED. IN MY TIME IN PARKS AND REC, WE FUNDED OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, SO WE'LL WORK ON THAT WITH JB AGAIN. YEAH. SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, WE HAVEN'T. THAT WAS BEFORE MY MY TIME TOO. SO IT'S BEEN A LOT OF THE DEVELOPERS ARE WILLING TO SOMETIME FUND DIFFERENT THINGS IF WE REACH OUT TO THEM FOR THAT. AND I KNOW THAT PROGRAM WAS GREAT FOR ALLENTOWN KIDS WHO CAN'T AFFORD BEFORE THEY HAD TO PAY FOR IT. NOW THE CITY IS PAYING FOR IT, BUT IT WAS QUITE IT'S QUITE EXPENSIVE TO BE CERTIFIED TO BE A LIFEGUARD. I THINK IT WAS $3,400 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO THE MONEY THAT WE HAD THERE WAS, WAS REALLY NICE TO HAVE.I'M SORRY TO. IT ALSO HELPS US WITH, SINCE WE CAN HELP PAY LIKE IT ALLOWS US TO HIRE LIKE IT HELPS US TO HIRE LIFEGUARDS TO WORK AT OUR POOLS. SO IN YEARS PAST, IT'S BEEN LIKE, OH NO, WE DON'T HAVE LIFEGUARDS. LIKE KNOCK ON WOOD, WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN THAT POSITION BECAUSE WE PAY A FAIR RATE AND WE OFFER ASSISTANCE TO BECOME TRAINED, WHICH I THINK IS FITS RIGHT INTO THAT BUCKET OF LIKE SKILLS TRAINING AND, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. BASICALLY, THE REASON FOR. THE DONATION WAS BECAUSE WE WERE GETTING KIDS FROM OTHER LIKE PARKLAND AND SO ON AND SO FORTH, BECAUSE THEY COULD AFFORD TO BECOME THE LIFEGUARDS AND EVERYTHING. SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY INNER CITY KIDS. SO THAT'S WHY WE STARTED TRYING TO GET FUNDING FOR IT.
SO MAYBE WE'LL TRY AGAIN. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM. YES, MISS GERLACH, I THINK I HAVE 4 OR 5 QUESTIONS. OKAY. SO ON THE SAME KIND OF LINE OF THE LIFEGUARD TRAINING, IT WOULDN'T PROBABLY BE FOR THIS YEAR, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S GOING TO BE A CONTINUOUS KIND OF FISCAL GAP. SO MAYBE FOR THE FUTURE, ARE THERE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP WITH LIKE MORE URBAN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS LIKE RACIAL DISPARITIES AND THAT KIND OF STUFF WHEN IT COMES TO EQUITY, LIKE, AND THEY SPECIFICALLY FUND FOR THAT. ARE YOU THINKING FOR SOMETHING AQUATICS? YEAH, YEAH. FOR, FOR AQUATICS TO FUND LIFEGUARDS TO FUND MAINTENANCE. IF THE POOL IS PRIMARILY SERVING MARGINALIZED PEOPLE IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, LIKE MAYBE THERE'S A GROUP THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYONE. BUT YEAH, SO SAFETY AROUND WATER WAS, WAS SUPPORTED THROUGH THE ALLENTOWN PARTNERSHIP AND THEY FUNDED TRANSPORTATION AND SOME TRAINING FOR THAT PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY. BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT SPECIFICALLY FOCUSES ON EQUITY RELATED TO A SWIMMING. BUT WE KNOW THAT IT'S AN ISSUE. AND WE TRIED TO WORK WITH OUR EXISTING PARTNERS TO FOCUS ON THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT IS AN ISSUE AND WE WANT KIDS TO BE TO LEARN HOW TO SWIM. YEAH, I'M THINKING THERE'S GOT TO BE, THERE'S GOT TO, THERE'S YEAH, THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME NATIONAL ORGANIZATION. I DON'T KNOW OF ANY, BUT THERE'S, I JUST THINK IT'S AN ISSUE THAT'S KIND OF KNOWN WIDELY. SO THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME ORGANIZATIONS, MAYBE LIKE AN HBCU, SOMETHING THAT. YEAH. SO THAT'S MY FIRST THING.
AND THEN, OH, WAIT, I HAVE LIKE FIVE. OKAY. OR SIX. OKAY. THE CONTRACTS WITH THE CHAMBER, DOES THAT COST US MONEY? DO WE HAVE TO PAY THEM TO RUN THE EVENTS? AND IS IT CHEAPER FOR US TO MAYBE CONTRACT WITH A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION OR RUN IT OURSELVES? AND ARE THEY EFFECTIVE AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING? THAT'S A LIE. SORRY. NO PROBLEM. DOES THAT COUNT AS THE SIX OR NO, WE'RE UP TO TEN NOW. SO WE DO PAY THEM. AND I BELIEVE YES, THEY'RE EFFECTIVE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE EVENTS THEY'RE DOING FIESTA ON HAMILTON WAS A REALLY GREAT EVENT. REALLY. A LOT OF PEOPLE ATTENDED AND IT WAS PEOPLE THAT DID ATTEND WERE SPOKE VERY POSITIVELY ABOUT IT. THEY ALSO SUPPORT US THROUGH OUR TREE LIGHTING AND VARIOUS THINGS. SO
[00:40:07]
THE ISSUE IS CAPACITY. LIKE WE HAVE A REALLY SMALL TEAM AND SPECIAL EVENTS. SO WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO ALL THESE THINGS WITHOUT ADDITIONAL STAFF. SO IT'S A BARGAIN WHEN YOU THINK OF HAVING TO ADD MORE STAFF TO A PARKS AND REC TEAM IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE EVENTS. SO I THINK, YES, THEY DO A GOOD JOB, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE HARD FOR US TO DO IT OURSELVES BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE TWO AND A HALF PEOPLE ON OUR SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM, AND THEY ALSO DO A LOT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PERMITTED WORK, WHICH TAKES UP PROBABLY 50% OF THEIR TIME. SO ACTUALLY RUNNING EVENTS IS A PRETTY SMALL PIECE OF WHAT THEY DO AROUND ABOUT HOW MUCH DO WE PAY THEM. AND THERE'S BECAUSE MAYBE THERE'S SOME OTHER EVENT ORGANIZER THAT'S CHEAPER. THE CONTRACT, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE CHAMBER. WE PAY THEM 50,000 A YEAR TO RUN OUR EVENTS. AND IS THERE LIKE A NUMBER? OKAY, 50,000 GETS YOU X NUMBER OF EVENTS OR. YEAH, IT'S WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM. SO IT LAYS OUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT THEY WHAT SERVICES THEY PROVIDE. SO IT'S, I THINK FIVE, 5 OR 6 EVENTS THAT THEY HELP SUPPORT. OKAY.THAT'S MY LAST QUESTION. AND THEN. OPPORTUNITIES. OKAY. SO MORE MAYBE A BROADER QUESTION, MAYBE FOR MR. KANE IS. SO 10% CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD. AND WE'RE SEEING THAT IN SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE A SMALLER BUDGET THAT'S MORE IMPACTFUL. AND I AND YOU'VE SAID THAT YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO RESTORE SOME FUNDING AND, YOU KNOW, CREATIVE WAYS. IS THERE ANY THOUGHT OF INSTEAD OF HAVING 10% CUTS FOR EVERY, EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE MORE LIKE PROPORTIONATE CUTS? SO LIKE A 3 OR 4 PERSON DEPARTMENT, A 10% CUT IS SUBSTANTIAL VERSUS A DEPARTMENT. THAT'S LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF MONEY. THE IMPACT, THERE'S AN IMPACT, BUT MAYBE NOT AS SUBSTANTIAL. YEAH, 100%. I MEAN, WE, YOU KNOW, THESE AREN'T 10% CUTS. THESE ARE MUCH GREATER THAN 10% CUTS. WE CAME IN AND ASKED EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, PLEASE DO YOUR BEST TO IDENTIFY 10% THAT YOU COULD LIVE WITHOUT. AND SOMEHOW WE ENDED UP HERE WITH WITH LARGER CUTS BECAUSE THEY HAD OTHER, OTHER THINGS THAT CAME IN THAT THERE WERE CONTRACTS AND STUFF IN THE SYSTEM THAT WE THAT WE WEREN'T AWARE OF AT THE TIME.
WHEN I BECAME AWARE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS DEPARTMENT WAS GOING TO EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM, I MADE SURE WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY CAN LIVE WITH WHERE, WHERE WE HAVE SUBMITTED AND THEY CAN. BUT YEAH, I MEAN, THIS WHAT WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING IS WHAT I MEAN, IT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. I MEAN, THIS, THIS IS THIS IS FAR IN EXCESS OF 10%.
OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE LESS, BUT THEY'RE BIGGER. THERE'S THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT CAME IN AT 9.9% IN NON PERSONNEL CUTS WERE REALLY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH JUST KIND OF BY HAPPENSTANCE.
THE 10% WAS JUST TO IDENTIFY WHAT WHAT THEY COULD LIVE WITHOUT. BUT IT TURNS OUT THEY CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT AS MUCH AS, AS MUCH AS WE INITIALLY THOUGHT. BUT THAT'S WHAT WE WE'RE DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID. OKAY. YEAH. NO, BECAUSE I JUST I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE. AND INVESTMENT IN PARKS AND RECREATION IS INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC SAFETY. AND IT'S INVESTMENT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IT'S INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY, JUST LIKE THRIVING. SO LIKE, SURE, IT JUST SEEMS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO PUT TO TAKE MONEY FROM A DEPARTMENT THAT'S KEEPING KIDS OFF THE STREET AND FAMILIES LIKE, YOU KNOW, ENGAGED AND, AND HAPPY ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH. AND THEN ALSO WORRY ABOUT LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, SHOOTINGS AND PEOPLE STEALING AND JUST, YOU CAN'T CUT HERE AND THEN EXPECT BAD THINGS NOT TO HAPPEN. AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE MORE MONEY TO HIRE POLICE. SO THEN IT JUST, YOU'RE NOT WRONG. YEAH. NO, I MEAN, ABSOLUTELY WE, YOU KNOW, I LOOK, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS CUT WAS A LITTLE DEEP. WE'RE HERE TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO FIX IT. WE HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL DO IT TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE. BUT YEAH, I MEAN, WE AGREE. SO WITH THAT, MY LAST QUESTION IS WHAT DOES FIXING IT SO IT MAKES SENSE. LOOKS LIKE JUST THAT 27 K OR ALL OF THE 100 K OR WHAT. WHAT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO I BELIEVE THAT MANDY HAS IDENTIFIED $172,000
[00:45:04]
THAT THIS DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD. WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WHAT ELSE IS IN THE BUDGET AND WHERE THINGS ARE. AND LOOK, WE DON'T WANT TO CUT ANYWHERE. YOU GUYS COULD YOU GUYS COULD MAKE THE DECISION TO MAKE IT MAKE IT BE A 3.84% TAX INCREASE. AND WE COULD JUST RESTORE THIS. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OPTIONS LIKE THAT. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO EXPLORE THOSE THINGS. YOU KNOW, OR FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT'S ALREADY IN THE BUDGET THAT WE COULD TAKE FROM PERHAPS I LIKE THE IDEA OF FINDING SOME, SOME OTHER PLACE WHERE WE CAN GET THE MONEY, BUT THAT WOULD BE VERY UNFAIR TO THE TAXPAYERS. I MEAN, COME ON. I HEAR YOU, DOCTOR. NO. YEAH. NO, I JUST DEFINITELY LOOKING AT THE BUDGET AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S AREAS IN THE BUDGET THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE PLUMP THAN OTHERS AND MAYBE MAYBE FOCUSING ON THOSE AREAS. IF YOU FIND A PLUMP AREA, LET US KNOW. BUDGET.BUT PARTS THAT HAVE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET THAN OTHER AREAS. THAT'S, I THINK, ALL I'VE GOT. THANK YOU. OF COURSE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANKS. YOU KNOW, JUST BRIEFLY, I MEAN DISCUSSING I MEAN CONTRACTS. I KNOW ONE OF THE NEWER CONTRACTS WAS THE MUSIC SERIES. I'M JUST CURIOUS, WAS THERE ANY DATA COLLECTED ON THE. I BELIEVE IT WAS WITH ARTSQUEST AND HOW DID THAT GO? I THINK THIS WAS THIS THE FIRST YEAR OR THE SECOND YEAR? I THINK IT WAS IS THE SECOND YEAR FOR THAT CONTRACT. OKAY. AND IT'S WE DO HAVE THE NUMBERS. I DON'T HAVE THEM IN FRONT OF ME SO I CAN GET THEM, BUT THEY WHEN I GO, IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT THAT'S NOT A GREAT ANSWER. SO WE CAN FIND OUT FOR SURE. IT'S FINE. YEAH. I MEAN EYEBALL TEST, I THINK IT WENT WELL, BUT BUT I JUST, I WASN'T SURE IF YOU GUYS WERE ACTUALLY COLLECTING DATA AND JUST KIND OF SEEING HOW THAT WAS GOING FOR THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS. I CAN, I CAN DIG THAT UP. AND I KNOW THAT THE CONTRACT IS WITH ARTSQUEST AND THEY HAVE A GOOD WAY TO ESTIMATE CROWD SIZE, WHICH I'M NOT AS GOOD AT AS THEY ARE, SO WE CAN GET THOSE NUMBERS. I WAS MORE CURIOSITY, BUT I MEAN, I HAVE A YOUNG SON, SO I'VE BEEN AROUND WITH ALL THE STUFF YOU'RE DOING. I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. AND BETWEEN THE HALLOWEEKEND WAS FUN. HE AND HE GOES TO THE POOL, HE DOES ALL THE FUN STUFF. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS A DEPARTMENT, IT'S GREAT TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY. I DO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN ABOUT THE CONTRACTS, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S ACTUALLY CHEAPER TO CONTRACT SOME STUFF OUT JUST FROM A PAYROLL STANDPOINT. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK FINDING THAT BALANCE AND SEEING WHAT WE'RE GETTING AND KNOWING, YOU KNOW, HEY, THIS MAKES SENSE BASED ON HOW MANY EVENTS WE'RE GETTING VERSUS HIRING X AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES. SO I THINK FINDING THAT BALANCE IS IMPORTANT AND HELPING US UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, MAKE OBVIOUSLY MAKES OUR JOBS EASIER. SO, SO THANKS FOR DOING THAT. BUT NO, LIKE I SAID, FOR NOW, HE'S TOO COOL FOR MOVIES IN THE PARK ANYMORE. HE GREW OUT OF THAT, BUT PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ELSE HE'S STILL DOING. SO WE'RE STILL ENJOYING EVERYTHING. SO WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. YEAH. ONE ONE NOTE ABOUT CONTRACTED WITH LIKE THE CHAMBER OR ARTS OR OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS THERE. IT'S A LOT EASIER FOR THEM TO GET SPONSORSHIPS AS WELL FROM LIKE LARGE CORPORATIONS. IT'S NOT AS EASY FOR A CORPORATION TO SPONSOR A CITY AS IT IS FOR THEM TO SPONSOR A NONPROFIT. SO IT DOES LEVERAGE THAT DOLLAR AS WELL FOR OUR CONTRACTED EVENTS. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IT DOES.
YEAH. I GUESS JUST ON ANOTHER NOTE, I KNOW OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, WE'VE ADDED A COUPLE EVENTS AND I'D BE CURIOUS ON THE SIMILAR VEIN, I KNOW YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TODAY, JUST AS FAR AS WHAT SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL EVENTS HAVE, YOU KNOW, ADDED ON AS FAR TO OUR, YOU KNOW, COST LOAD FOR, YOU KNOW, RUNNING SOME OF THESE, CONTRACTING IT OUT. AND I CAN HELP YOU WITH THE NUMBERS IF THERE'S AT LEAST ONE, BECAUSE I WAS THERE. SO WE CAN START WITH ONE. BUT YEAH, NO, I JUST DEFINITELY BE CURIOUS. I THINK A LOT OF THESE HAVE A LOT OF POWERFUL COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. AND, AND I, YOU KNOW, I JUST WONDER HOW MUCH LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS FOR ONE OF THESE EVENTS AND ARE THEY ALL THE SAME? BECAUSE I KNOW SOME LIKE FIESTA ARE, ARE MAYBE NEWER OR LIBERTY BELL THERE'S LIKE NEWER AS COMPARED TO SOME OF THE LONG RUNNING ONES WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE GET A LOT OF FOLKS, BUT I JUST, I'D BE CURIOUS TO UNDERSTAND THAT. SO YEAH, THANK YOU. WHICH SO THE NEW EVENTS IN LIKE THE FIESTA AND LIBERTY BELL WERE THE ONES YOU'RE THINKING OF OR.
WELL, I MEAN, JUST IN GENERAL, LIKE OVER LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, YOU KNOW, HOW HAVE WE SEEN THE RETURN ON SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, FESTIVALS AND, YOU KNOW, DO WE SEE MAYBE VALUE IN GROWING SOME OF THE EXISTING ONES THAT WE HAVE? OR
[00:50:05]
IS THERE A SPECIAL NEED THAT WAS IDENTIFIED THAT WE'RE ACHIEVING WITH SOME OF THESE? ARE THERE OTHER EVENTS THAT WE COULD DO THAT YOU KNOW, WE FEEL WE'RE NOT DOING? I GUESS OVERALL, I'M WONDERING THE STATE OF OUR EVENTS AND DO WE FEEL LIKE THERE ARE AREAS WHERE MAYBE WE'RE UNDERPERFORMING VERSUS OTHER AREAS WHERE WE COULD BE DOING SO MUCH MORE IF WE HAD MORE? GOTCHA. I UNDERSTAND, THANK YOU. THANKS. ANYONE ELSE? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I BELIEVE THAT WAS IT, RIGHT. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE. OH WE HAVE OKAY PUBLIC COMMENT ON BRITNEY MILLER. HELLO. BEFORE I GET STARTED, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONTRACT EVENTS, BECAUSE I AM YOUR CONTRACTED PARTNER AT THE CHAMBER. I'M BRITTANY MILLER WITH THE GREATER LEHIGH VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND I OVERSEE THE ALLENTOWN CHAMBER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE CITY SPECIAL EVENT TEAM AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING ALONGSIDE. WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP, AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER. I ALSO, BEFORE I GET INTO EVERYTHING I WANT TO SAY, I HAVE TWO LETTERS FROM BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ATTEND OUR EVENTS AS VENDORS. ONE OF THEM IS AN ALLENTOWN RESIDENT. I AM HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE AS YOU'RE REVIEWING THE SPECIAL EVENTS BUDGET, IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THESE EVENTS MEAN TO THE PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY. I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING DIRECTLY WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, VENDORS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF MY JOB IS GETTING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER.I THINK ABOUT BEING OUT ON HAMILTON STREET EARLY IN THE MORNING, WHEN OUR VENDORS ARE UNLOADING THEIR CAR, GETTING READY FOR THE DAY, AND THEN A FEW HOURS LATER, LOOKING DOWN THAT SAME STREET, SEEING FAMILIES AND THEIR KIDS RUNNING, NEIGHBORS RUNNING INTO EACH, PEOPLE ENJOYING THE ENTERTAINMENT, DISCOVERING NEW BUSINESSES, AND HAVING A REALLY GREAT DAY IN ALLENTOWN. THOSE ARE THE MOMENTS THAT REMIND ME OF WHY I DO THIS WORK. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FIESTA ON HAMILTON BLUES BREWS AND BARBECUE, BACK TO SCHOOL BASH, NEW YEAR'S EVE, LIBERTY BELL TREE LIGHTING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER AND ENJOY THEIR OWN CITY. AND WE'RE DOING IT THROUGH EVENTS THAT ARE FREE TO EVERYONE TO ATTEND. YOU COULD BRING YOUR FAMILY, EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT CULTURES, LISTEN TO GREAT NITTI, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WORTH VALUING. THESE EVENTS CREATE MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. MILES, THE OWNER OF CO KITCHEN IN ALLENTOWN, RESIDENT, SHARED THAT THESE EVENTS HAVE BEEN A MAJOR SOURCE OF INCOME FOR HIS FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS THE PAST FOUR YEARS. THEY'VE HELPED GET TO KNOW HIS BUSINESS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY ALSO HELPED HIM GROW FROM A TENT TO A FOOD CONCESSION TRAILER. ORLANDO SANTOS, THE OWNER OF LATIN FLAVOR, HAS PARTICIPATED IN EVENTS FOR ALLENTOWN FOR SIX YEARS. HE SHARED HOW THESE OPPORTUNITIES HAVE HELPED SUPPORT HIS FAMILY AND KEEP HIS BUSINESS GROWING. HE ALSO RECOGNIZED HOW ACCESSIBLE OUR EVENT COORDINATORS HAVE BEEN OVER THE YEARS. THAT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY PRIDE OURSELVES ON. WE WANT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES TO FEEL SUPPORTED, HEARD AND LIKE THERE'S ALWAYS A PLACE FOR THEM. IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM THESE BUSINESS OWNERS BECAUSE BEHIND EVERY VENDOR ON THAT STREET, BEHIND EVERYONE THAT IS AT THAT FESTIVAL IS A REAL PERSON.
SOMEONE WHO'S WORKING HARD. TAKING A CHANCE ON THEIR BUSINESS AND HOPING THAT SOME.
THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT LASTS. AND THESE EVENTS GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. BEYOND THE BUSINESS IMPACT, THESE EVENTS DO SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ALLENTOWN. THEY CREATE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES. EVERY TIME SOMEONE COMES TO ALLENTOWN, ENJOYS THEMSELF, DISCOVERS A NEW RESTAURANT, OR MAKES A NEW MEMORY WITH THEIR FAMILY. WE'RE GIVING THEM ANOTHER REASON TO COME BACK TO ALLENTOWN. WE'RE ALSO GIVING THEM A REASON TO ENJOY THE CITY THAT THEY LIVE IN. WE'RE HELPING PEOPLE FEEL MORE CONNECTED, MORE PROUD OF WHAT OUR CITY HAS TO OFFER. AND THOSE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES ARE SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT IN BUILDING A CITY WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE, WORK, PLAY, INVEST. NONE OF THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK AND PARTNERSHIP BEHIND THE SCENES. OUR CHAMBER TEAM WORKS HAND IN HAND WITH THE CITY OF SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM, WITH POLICE, WITH FIRE, WITH STREETS AND SO MANY OTHERS. WE BRING TOGETHER THE VENDORS, THE PERFORMERS, THE SPONSORS, THE BUSINESSES, THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND THE CITY BRINGS THE RESOURCES, COORDINATION AND PUBLIC SERVICE THAT ALLOW THESE EVENTS TO HAPPEN. TOGETHER, WE'RE ABLE TO CREATE EXPERIENCES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. I KNOW THESE ARE DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO MAKE, AND I KNOW IT'S NEVER EASY WHEN IT COMES TO BALANCING A BUDGET. I RESPECT THAT I HAVE TO DO IT EVERY DAY, AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGING DECISIONS TO BE MADE. I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPORTANT NEEDS OF OUR CITY AND EVERY
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DOLLAR MATTERS. I HOPE THAT AS YOU'RE CONSIDERING THE SPECIAL EVENTS BUDGET, THAT YOU ALSO THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE BEHIND THESE PROGRAMS, THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO IS ABLE TO BRING HOME INCOME FOR THEIR FAMILY, THE CHILD EXPERIENCING THE FESTIVAL FOR THE FIRST TIME, A FAMILY ENJOYING AN AFTERNOON TOGETHER WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY THE COST OF ADMISSION. THESE THE RESIDENT WHO SEES THEIR COMMUNITY AND CULTURE CELEBRATED. THAT'S WHO WE'RE DOING THIS FOR. OUR CHAMBER TEAM CARES A LOT ABOUT ALLENTOWN. WE CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE AND THE BUSINESSES WHO MAKE THIS CITY SPECIAL. WE CARE ABOUT SHOWING UP AND DOING THIS WORK WELL, AND WE'RE PROUD OF WHAT WE BUILT TOGETHER. WE WANT TO KEEP CREATING THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION AND CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP. JOSE RIVERA. GOOD EVENING. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR PARKS AND REC TEAM.MANDY. LUCINDA, PRISCILLA, LORD HENDRICKS, SETH HANE HERE, AND MY BOY KYLE. BECAUSE WHEN I'M WITH THEM AND I'M OUTSIDE WHEN WE DO THE MONDAY FUN DAYS, THE HALLOWEEN, THE THREE KINGS DAY, AND JUST SEEING THE KIDS SMILE WHEN THEY SEE OUR PARKS AND REC STAFF, IT'S THAT THEY KNOW THEM.
THEY FEEL SAFE. AND SO I'M GOING TO START WITH, I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PROPOSED 27%, EVEN THOUGH HE SAID WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THAT REDUCTION TO PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT BUDGET.
THOUGH MY WORKING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, I'VE LEARNED THAT PARKS AND RECREATION IS MUCH MORE THAN RECREATION IN MY EYES. IT'S. IT'S ONE OF OUR CITY'S MOST IMPORTANT SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS. I THINK ABOUT THE WORK IN STEVENS PARK AND HOW WE HAD TO CREATE A SAFER SPACE IN THE EVENING HOURS. WE UNDERSTOOD THAT SIMPLY REMOVING PEOPLE FROM THE PARK WASN'T A SOLUTION. WE NEEDED TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, CONNECT PEOPLE WITH RESOURCES, CREATE POSITIVE ACTIVITIES, AND GIVE RESIDENTS A REASON TO RECLAIM THAT SPACE. THAT IS COMMUNITY SAFETY. THAT IS PREVENTION. WHEN THE BASKETBALL COURT WAS PUT THERE, IF YOU DRIVE BY STEVENS PARK NOW, YOU SEE THAT PARK FULL EVERY DAY BECAUSE THERE'S A FULL COURT BASKETBALL COURT. SO I ALSO THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN I SEE IN THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS. YOU SEE THE EXCITEMENT ON THEIR FACES. YOU SEE THEM PLAYING, LAUGHING, ENGAGING AND SIMPLY BEING KIDS. THOSE MOMENTS MATTERS FOR SOME OF THESE CHILDREN. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE STRUCTURE, POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS, AND A SAFE PLACE TO SPEND THEIR TIME.
PARKS AND RECREATION ALSO CREATES EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY ARE LIFEGUARDS, PLAYGROUND INSTRUCTORS, MAINTENANCE WORKERS. THEY ARE LEARNING RESPONSIBILITY, EARNING MONEY, DEVELOPING SKILLS, AND GAINING VALUABLE WORK EXPERIENCE. WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT YOUTH VIOLENCE AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO PREVENT IT, BUT WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT PREVENTION BY. WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT PREVENTION WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY TALKING ABOUT CUTTING THE VERY PROGRAMS THAT GIVE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES. I, I UNDERSTAND THE CITY HAS A FINANCIAL CHALLENGE, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE SAVINGS. WHAT WILL IT COST US IF WE. IF THESE OPPORTUNITIES DISAPPEAR, IF PUBLIC SAFETY, NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT, AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION ARE PRIORITIES, THEN PARKS AND RECREATION NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THAT INVESTMENT, NOT A CASUALTY OF BUDGET REDUCTIONS. WE CANNOT KEEP ASKING WHAT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH OUR YOUTH WHILE TAKING AWAY THE PLACES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT HELP THEM SUCCEED? I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THESE CUTS. INVESTMENT IN PARKS AND RECREATION IS INVESTING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR CHILDREN, AND THE SAFETY OF OUR ENTIRE CITY. THANK YOU. MIKE. EVENING, EVERYONE. WHILE I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT SOME OF THIS FUNDING WILL BE RESTORED. LET'S UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT IF THERE IS A FLAT BUDGET, THEY'RE TAKING A HIT WITH INFLATION AND WITH ADDITIONAL NEEDS THAT ARE COMING UP. THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE TRAIL WITH THE CAPITAL BUDGET. YOU'VE GOT A FRANKLIN PARK COMING ON BOARD IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. THAT'S GOING TO NEED MORE CITY RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN. ALL THE CAPITAL. GRANTS ARE GREAT, BUT THE NEED IS GOING TO BE EVEN GREATER. SO EVEN A FLAT BUDGET IS A CUT AND WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT. I'M NOT GOING TO ECHO WHAT JOSE SAID WITH ALL THE POSITIVE THINGS AND ALL THE OTHER BENEFITS AND COST SAVING THINGS THAT CAN COME FROM PARKS AND RECREATION. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE. IT'S IT'S GREAT THAT MAYBE WE'RE GOING TO RESTORE IT TO WHERE IT WAS, BUT THAT'S STILL A CUT. AND THEY'RE ALREADY UNDER-RESOURCED COMPARED TO OUR PEER CITIES. AND I KNOW HOW HARD THIS TEAM WORKS BECAUSE I WORK WITH THEM IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT CAPACITIES. I AM ALSO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE THE BOARD OF RECREATION, WHICH IS MEETING TOMORROW MORNING. SO I'LL GIVE THEM A FULL REPORT ON THE DISCUSSIONS TONIGHT. BUT JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONSIDER FULLY WHAT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT IS, EVEN WITH A FLAT BUDGET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. RUFFIAN TITMAN. THANK YOU. AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, WE'RE GRATIFIED. I'M WITH THE
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ALLENTOWN PARTNERSHIP, AND WE'RE GRATIFIED TO HEAR THAT THERE'S AN EFFORT TO RESTORE SOME OF THE FUNDING. I ECHO WHAT MICHAEL JUST SHARED WITH YOU THAT A FLAT CUT IS OR A FLAT BUDGET IS STILL A CUT. WE'VE HEARD FROM MANDY AND OTHERS THAT THIS IS A TEAM THAT'S RUNNING AT AN INCREDIBLY HIGH EFFICIENCY LEVEL. WE'RE AT STAFFING LEVELS WELL BELOW PEER CITIES. AND I'D LIKE TO PUT THAT IN CONTEXT OF ALLENTOWN'S VERY RICH IN THE SIZE OF ITS PARKLAND. SO THERE'S AN EXTRA STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH THAT. IT'S ONE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY ASSETS OF THE CITY. AND I THINK THIS DEPARTMENT DOES AN AMAZING JOB OF TAKING CARE OF THE PHYSICAL ASSET, WHILE CONTINUING TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS IN PARKS AND RECREATION. AS SOMEONE WHO DIDN'T GROW UP HERE BUT HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR PEOPLE'S STORIES ABOUT WHAT THE PARKS HAVE MEANT TO THEM AND WHAT THE PROGRAMING IN THOSE PARKS HAS MEANT IN A CITY THAT IS SO DIVERSE. BUT TO HEAR THAT PEOPLE OF WILDLY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS ARE SHARING SOME OF THOSE SAME EXPERIENCES, WHETHER THAT'S DIFFERENT AGES, RACES, SOCIOECONOMIC EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THE PARK PLAYGROUND PROGRAM, TO HAVE THE SWIMMING POOL, TO HAVE THESE PLACES WHERE THE CITY COMES TOGETHER. I REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL, AND I KNOW WE DO VALUE IT, BUT REALLY GIVE THIS DEPARTMENT THE SUPPORT THAT IT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO GROW. TAKE CARE OF THIS ASSET AND LEVERAGE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES LIKE WE HAVE AT FRANKLIN PARK AND SOME OF THE OTHER GREAT THINGS THAT WE'LL DO TOGETHER IN COMING YEARS IN THE CAPITAL WISE. SO THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME. AGAIN, WE'RE WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HEAR THAT SOME OF THE MONEY IS COMING BACK, BUT IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL TO SEE A FULLY FUNDED DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU FOR VÉLEZ. HELLO, EVERYONE. I UNDERSTAND MANAGING A CITY REQUIRES MAKING DIFFICULT FINANCIAL DECISIONS, INCLUDING REDUCING EXPENSES WHEN NECESSARY. HOWEVER, RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP IS NOT ONLY ABOUT CUTTING COSTS. IT IS ABOUT UNDERSTANDING.UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE WE SERVE. DETERMINE WHERE PUBLIC RESOURCES CAN MAKE THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIFE. TODAY, MANY FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH THE RISING COSTS OF LIVING. MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES AND THOSE WITH FEW FINANCIAL RESOURCES ARE FEELING THE PRESSURE OF HIGHER PRICES, INCREASING HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES AND EMOTIONAL STRESS, OR SIMPLY TRYING TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. I ASK THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL TO LOOK BEYOND THE NUMBERS AND CONSIDER THE HUMAN IMPACT OF THESE DECISIONS.
RECREATION, CULTURAL PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS ARE NOT UNNECESSARY LUXURY. THEY PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILIES TO CONNECT CHILDREN, TO ENJOY POSITIVE EXPERIENCES, AND RESIDENTS TO TAKE A BREAK FROM THE DAILY PRESSURE OF LIFE. SOMETIMES EVEN A FEW HOURS OF HAPPINESS, ENTERTAINMENT AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION CAN MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE'S LIFE. WE MUST ASK OURSELVES, ARE WE TRULY SAVING MONEY? IF, IN THE PROCESS, WE ELIMINATE PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE MEANINGFUL BENEFITS TO THE VERY RESIDENTS WHO NEED THEM THE MOST? I UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS SIDE OF MANAGING RESOURCES. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT IN THESE CHALLENGING, CHALLENGING ECONOMIC TIMES, WE MUST ALSO RECOGNIZE THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE TO OUR RESIDENTS. A CITY BUDGET SHOULD REFLECT NOT ONLY WHAT A CITY CAN AFFORD, BUT ALSO WHAT IS PEOPLE NEED. I SINCERELY ASK CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE HUMAN SIDE OF THIS DECISION, AND THE VALUE AND THE VALUE THAT RECREATION, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BRING TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN ALLENTOWN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR CONSIDERING THE VOICES AND NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. KYLE ROFSKY. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. MY NAME IS KYLE. I'M CHAIR OF ALLENTOWN'S ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL.
SO OUR ESTABLISHING ORDINANCE AND THE PURPOSE STATEMENT DEFINED THERE TOUCHES A LOT OF CITY GOVERNMENT. AND I CAN PROBABLY FIND A WAY TO TIE IT INTO EACH OF THE BUDGET PRESENTATIONS YOU HAVE HEARD SO FAR. AND WE'LL HEAR AS THIS BUDGET SEASON CONTINUES. BUT AS MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW, ORGANIZATIONALLY, THE A C LIVES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE
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PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE. ALSO, OUR PRIMARY LIAISON TO THE CITY ADMINISTRATION IS WITH THE SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR WITHIN THE SUSTAINABILITY BUREAU, WHICH ALSO PUTS US INTO PARKS AS WELL. NOW, THIS IS NOT RANDOM. IT IS BECAUSE IN OUR ROLE AS AN ADVISORY PARTNER TO THE CITY, OUR SHARED PURPOSE IS TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN ALLENTOWN, ENCOURAGE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND THE REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, PROTECT AND PRESERVE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, MAINTAIN THE POTENTIAL USES OF OPEN LAND, AND PROMOTE COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS. SO WE SHARE A LOT OF THAT WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE SAME GOALS THAT THEY HAVE. AND WITH THAT, I RECOMMEND THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND CITY COUNCIL RECONSIDER THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS AND WORK TOWARDS FULLY FUNDING THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IN THE 2027 BUDGET. IT PAINED ME LAST WEDNESDAY LISTENING TO MR. KANE DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THESE CUTS, PARTICULARLY WHEN HE REFERENCED THINGS LIKE TRASH NOT BEING PICKED UP IN A TIMELY MANNER. WE ALREADY UNDERSTAND HOW SIGNIFICANT LITTER AND ILLEGAL DUMPING CAN BE IN OUR PARKS AND NATURAL SPACES, REDUCING THE OPERATIONAL CAPACITY TO MAINTAIN THESE SPACES ONLY COMPOUNDS EXISTING CHALLENGES AND RISKS, UNDERMINING THE BENEFITS THEY PROVIDE OUR COMMUNITY. THESE SPACES ARE CRITICAL PIECES OF OUR CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE, JUST LIKE OUR ROADWAYS. THEY PROVIDE BENEFITS SUCH AS HELPING MANAGE STORMWATER, IMPROVING AIR QUALITY, MITIGATING URBAN HEAT, SUPPORTING BIODIVERSITY, AND OFFERING ACCESSIBLE NATURAL SPACES FOR RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH MANY OF THE THE GREAT RECREATION EVENTS AND PROGRAMS OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS WE HEARD ABOUT TONIGHT. WE APPRECIATE AND COMMEND THE EFFORTS MADE THUS FAR TO SUPPORT SUSTAINABILITY HERE IN THE CITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR SUSTAINABILITY BUREAU AND COORDINATOR, WHICH DELIVERED MANY OF THE ACCOLADES WE HEARD ABOUT TONIGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. I ALSO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO MENTION THAT SUSTAINABILITY IS ABOUT MEETING THE NEEDS OF CURRENT GENERATION, WHILE PRESERVING THE ABILITY OF FUTURE GENERATIONS TO MEET THEIR OWN NEEDS. AND WITH THAT CONCEPT IN MIND, WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THE SOON TO BE COMPLETED CLIMATE ACTION PLAN DOES NOT LEAVE YOUR RADAR AS YOU MAKE THESE BUDGET DECISIONS.THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SHARED OWNERSHIP, CULTIVATED THROUGHOUT ITS DEVELOPMENT, HAVE LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR A VARIETY OF MEANINGFUL PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES, MANY OF WHICH WILL COME WITH WELL JUSTIFIED INVESTMENTS THAT DESERVE THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR CITY. JEANNIE GARCIA. THANK YOU, CITY COUNCIL. EVERYBODY SAID WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, RIGHT? WE ALL FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT THE ABOUT PARKS AND RECS. I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE AMAZING EVENTS TEAM. THEY CARRY A LOT.
THEY'RE VERY QUICK WITH THEIR RESPONSES FOR PERMITS. THEY SHOW UP AT MOST OF THESE EVENTS.
THAT'S WHO WE SEE. THAT'S WHO WE SEE AT THE EVENTS WORKING EVERY SINGLE DAY. THE PARKS ARE A PLACE FOR COMMUNITY TO GET TOGETHER. GRANDPARENTS WITH THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, YOUTH, PEER TO PEER MENTORS, VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS TO MEET YOUTH WHERE THEY'RE AT. EVEN SHOOTING A BASKETBALL TOGETHER AND NOT SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE HAPPENS IN THE PARKS IN THE CITY. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO RESTORE OR RETHINK THE CUTS THAT MR. MATT TURK MADE TO THIS BUDGET. AND I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY OTHER PLACES WHERE THOSE CUTS COULD TAKE PLACE, LIKE WASTE AND FRAUD PAPER. I BET THERE'S A THOUSAND, THOUSAND THOUSAND DOLLARS OF PAPER FRAUD THAT CAN BE TAKEN AWAY TO GIVE BACK SOME OF THAT MONEY. PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THOSE SMALL LITTLE THINGS THAT CAN ACTUALLY REPLACE BUDGETS INSTEAD OF TAKEN AWAY. PLEASE THINK ABOUT THE PARKS. PLEASE THINK ABOUT THEIR BUDGET. PLEASE RESTORE THEIR BUDGET WITHOUT A TAX INCREASE. ON THE ON THE CITY RESIDENTS OF ALLENTOWN. IF WE LOSE THE PARKS OR WE LOSE MONEY AND THEY HAVE TO ALREADY SHRINK WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY DEALING WITH, WE'RE IN TROUBLE. WE'RE GOING TO SEE IMMEDIATE IMPACT, AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE LONG TERM IMPACT IN THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN. THANK YOU. ZELAYA. SIERRA. GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ALI SIERRA.
I COME TO YOU SIMPLY AS AN ADVOCATE FOR THE YOUTH OF THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN THAT I SERVED FOR SEVEN YEARS, WHERE I'VE HEARD THEIR NEEDS AND CONCERNS. AND TODAY I COME BEFORE YOU DISAPPOINTED. I'M HERE. I'M HERE BECAUSE BUDGET DECISIONS NEED TO REFLECT THE ACTUAL NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST NUMBERS ON PAPER. OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS ALREADY UNDER RESOURCED. THESE DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE MORE THAN RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
THEY CREATE SAFE SPACES, CONNECT NEIGHBORS NEIGHBORHOODS, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR YOUTH, AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE IN ALLENTOWN. IF WE CONTINUE REDUCING THESE RESOURCES AND THESE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE ALREADY STRETCHED THIN, WE'RE NOT ONLY CREATING IMMEDIATE CHALLENGES, WE'RE CREATING LONG TERM STABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY
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ISSUES, AND SHOWING OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH, HOW MUCH OUR CITY REALLY CARES.I ALSO UNDERSTAND US DISCUSSING OUTSOURCING FOR FUNDS, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE A CITY THAT WILL REDUCE AND TAKE AWAY RESOURCES SHOULD ALSO BE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE TO RESTORE AND REPAIR THE HARM THAT THEY MAY CAUSE. THE SAME WAY THAT WE EXPECT FROM OUR COMMUNITY, HOW CAN WE EXPECT OUR PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY SPACES TO GROW AND SERVE RESIDENTS WHERE THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO MAINTAIN THEM ARE CONTINUOUSLY LIMITED? WE CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE OVERLOOKING PREVENTION. WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT INVESTING IN OUR YOUTH WHILE REDUCING THE RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT THEM. PREVENTION IS AN INVESTMENT. RECREATION IS AN INVESTMENT, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE WORTH INVESTING IN. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY HAS FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES. TRUST ME, I UNDERSTAND. BUT I URGE COUNCIL TO LOOK BEYOND SHORT TERM SAVINGS AND CONSIDER THE LONG TERM COST TO OUR RESIDENTS AND HOW OUR YOUTH WILL LOOK AT OUR CITY. ALLENTOWN DESERVES A BUDGET THAT DOESN'T JUST BALANCE FINANCIALLY, BUT INVEST IN THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS CITY A COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SAM SKINNER. HELLO. I AM A VIDEOGRAPHER FOR PROMISE NEIGHBORHOODS OF LEHIGH VALLEY. AND THE FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY IS THAT MY JOB IS NOT JUST CREATING A VIDEO AND POSTING IT, BUT IT'S ALSO SHOWCASING WHAT THOSE MEMORIES ARE AND THE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN CREATE MEMORIES FOR GENERATIONS.
THEY'RE NOT JUST A SHORT TERM, YOU KNOW, WE THINK ABOUT IT AND THEN WE FORGET THE ISSUE. I BELIEVE THAT THE BUDGET HURTS NOT JUST BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING AWAY FROM THE YOUTH AND NOT LETTING THEM HAVE A SPACE, BUT BECAUSE THOSE SPACES HELP THEM. THEY CAN HELP THEM HAVE JUST A SIMPLE CONVERSATION WITH SOMEBODY. AND IF THAT MEANS THAT THAT CONVERSATION CAN LEAD THEM TO A GOOD PATH, THEN I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE INVESTMENTS FOR THE PARKS, AND THE YOUTH NEED TO JUST HAVE SPACES WHERE THEY CAN BE KIDS. SO THANK YOU. APRIL REDDICK.
HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS APRIL REDDICK. I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF ALLENTOWN. I'M COMING TODAY ON MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS. I UNDERSTAND YOUR PREDICAMENT IN WHICH YOU ARE IN.
IT'S NOT EASY. I JUST DEALT WITH IT. BUT I'M ALSO COMING TO YOU AS A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE.
I'M ALSO COMING TO YOU AS A YOUTH ADVOCATE. I AM CURRENTLY AT ALLENTOWN A'S FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS AS A COACH, LEAGUE COORDINATOR AND ALSO SECRETARY, BUT ALSO FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS, I'VE ALSO WORKED WITH THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN RECREATIONS WITH NUMEROUS EVENTS. I TOOK NOTICE THROUGH THE LAST 30 YEARS. THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN HAS CUT BACK TREMENDOUSLY ON A LOT OF EVENTS, EVEN PARKS AND RECREATION EVENTS COMPARED TO WHEN I WAS LITTLE, EVEN COMPARED TO 15 YEARS AGO. IT'S ALWAYS A BUDGET CUT, I GET IT. IT'S NOT EASY BALANCING THE BUDGET, BUT I ASK YOU TO TAKE TIME TO THINK OUT OF THE BOX AND LOOK FOR MONEY ELSEWHERE, INSTEAD OF TOUCHING THAT REASON WHY PARKS A SAFE SPACE FOR KIDS. I AM AT A PROGRAM THAT WE TEACH. IT TAKES A COMMUNITY. SO I'M ASKING YOU AS A COMMUNITY, TAKE TIME TO LOOK FOR THAT MONEY. AND THANK YOU FOR THINKING OUT OF THE BOX, THINKING OF HOW TO FUND THEM. AND THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
IT'S NOT EASY, I GET IT. BUT THEY DO AMAZING STUFF. I DEALT WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE THROUGH THEIR DEPARTMENT. I'VE SEEN PEOPLE COME AND GO, AND ONE THING I CAN SAY ABOUT PARKS AND REC ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THEM. THEY HAVE DONE THEIR BEST TO BE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE SPECIAL EVENTS, IT'S ABOUT THE PARKS. I'VE SEEN PARKS GET BUILT UP AND NOT AND GET LET GO BECAUSE OF LACK OF FUNDING. I CAN SEE IN THE LAST TEN YEARS THE PARKS BUILDING BACK UP AGAIN, BUT CUTTING THEIR BUDGET WOULD MEAN LETTING GO INTO PARKS IN ALLENTOWN IS KNOWN FOR ITS PARKS, KNOWN FOR SAFE SPACES FOR THE KIDS. SO I URGE YOU TO TAKE TIME TO LOOK ELSEWHERE WITHIN THE MONEY. AS MISS GARCIA JUST SAID, THERE'S. IT'S THERE. THIS IS IMPORTANT. IT'S VITAL. AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN EVENTS ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO EASTON AND BETHLEHEM EVENTS.
ALLENTOWN IS HALF OF WHAT THEY DO. SO I URGE YOU, PLEASE TAKE TIME TO LOOK. MAKE SURE TO KEEP
[01:15:01]
THE SAFE SPACES FOR OUR KIDS. MAKE SURE TO CONTINUE TO KEEP TO HAVE THE EVENTS GOING ON SO PEOPLE CAN COME TO THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN. MIND YOU, THE THIRD LARGEST CITY, WE'RE KNOWN FOR OUR EVENTS. WE HAVE PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER. I AM PART OF JUNETEENTH COMMITTEE. I AM ONE OF THE RECRUITERS THAT HELP GET THE PEOPLE TO COME IN FROM PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY. I'M ALSO ONE OF THOSE THAT HELP WITH THAT PARTNERSHIP. I'M A COMMUNITY PARTNER. I ASKED YOU AS AN ADVOCATE, AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, TAKE TIME TO LOOK OUTSIDE THE BOX OF CREATING POSSIBLE REVENUE FOR US AS WELL. SOMETIMES WE ALWAYS DON'T WANT TO TAX OUR RESIDENTS.SOMETIMES WE ALSO DON'T HAVE TO TAX. WE CAN THINK OUT OF THE BOX AND CREATE REVENUE. YOU HAVE THAT BENEFIT, WHEREAS TO SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THAT BENEFIT TO CREATE NEW REVENUE.
THANK YOU. AS SIMPSON. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PAT SIMPSON. I'M HERE BECAUSE THE PARKS IS WHERE WE PLANT THE SEED, NOT JUST A SEED FOR TREES, BUT A SEED FOR LIFE IN THE PARKS. WE HAVE OUR YOUTH GROW AND THE PARKS WE HAVE OUR BUSINESSES GROW THROUGH THE PARKS. IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, I'VE SEEN SMALL BUSINESSES GROW. I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HELP YOUTH WHO WERE GANG AFFILIATED GO FROM BEING GANG AFFILIATED TO OPENING UP ACTUAL BRICK AND MORTAR BUSINESSES IN OUR CITY. IF WE DON'T HAVE THESE SPECIAL EVENTS, THERE AREN'T THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE KIDS. AND THEN THERE AREN'T THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T KIDS. THERE ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE GROWING EVERY DAY. I KNOW MY FRIEND SANTO RIGHT THERE ONCE WAS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, SO HE KNOWS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO BE A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND WHAT IT TAKES FOR US TO GET STARTED AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. MOST OF THE THINGS I DO, I DO AROUND POP UP SHOPS IN THIS CITY, I DO AROUND CREATING EVENTS IN THIS CITY, I DO AROUND PARTNERING WITH THESE BEAUTIFUL WOMEN IN THESE CITIES. AND THEY'RE OUTSIDE. MY BROTHER KYLE, YOU KNOW, MY BROTHER OVER HERE, THERE'S SO MANY OF THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING GREAT WORK. WHEN WE CUT OUR PARKS AND RECREATION, WE ARE SAYING WHERE OUR INVESTMENTS ARE GOING, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE AND THE SAFETY OF OUR PEOPLE. I DON'T MIND TO CAUSE TROUBLE WHEN WE CREATE MORE TIME FOR MORE IDLE MINDS, WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM THE TIME TO CREATE WHAT THEY SHOULD BE CREATING. AND WE'RE NOT EVEN DOING AS MANY EVENTS AS OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES. WE'RE ALREADY BEING LABELED AS THE MORE DANGEROUS CITY. IF WE TAKE AWAY THE THINGS THAT MAKE US SEEM LIKE WE'RE PLANTING THE SEEDS FOR GREATNESS AND THINGS LIKE OUR PARKS AND RECREATION, WHAT ARE WE REALLY PLANTING A SEED FOR? WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES, CAN WE COLLABORATE? CAN WE DO OTHER THINGS THAN ALWAYS LOOK TO CUT AND TAX? THERE ARE WAYS TO DO CREATE REVENUE. THERE ARE WAYS TO REALLY START TO TALK TO OTHERS.
THERE ARE WAYS WHEN WE COME TOGETHER TO REACH OUT FOR OTHER MONIES FEDERALLY, STATEWIDE, BY CREATING MORE COLLABORATIVE SPACES, WE CAN CREATE MORE WAYS TO GET MONEY. BUT THE FIRST THING TO DO TO TAKE AWAY ONLY CREATES MORE DECREASE, RIGHT? AND DECREASE MAKES US THINK.
AND LACK AND LACK ONLY CAUSES MORE PROBLEMS. MY THOUGHTS. MARGARETA HAUSSLER VERY GOOD.
I'M IMPRESSED. HI. I JUST WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE DECREASE OF THE LIFEGUARD FUNDING FOR LIFEGUARD CERTIFICATION BECAUSE IT STRUCK A NERVE. OBVIOUSLY, I'M VERY COMMITTED TO THE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO DECREASE OR INCREASE THE ACCESS TO WATER AND WATER SAFETY FOR OUR URBAN YOUTH. AND I WANT TO SAY ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, WE WERE HAVING A REALLY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE ATTRACTING LIFEGUARDS, TRAINING LIFEGUARDS, GETTING OUR YOUTH INVOLVED. AND I THINK IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TRY TO RESTORE THAT FUNDING IN ANY WAY WE CAN, WHETHER THROUGH, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE FUNDING OR GRANTS, BECAUSE HAVING OUR URBAN YOUTH, BEING ABLE TO TAKE ON BEING LIFEGUARDS SERVE, YOU KNOW, ONE JOB TRAINING EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO, TO BE ROLE MODELS TO THE YOUTH OF ALLENTOWN, TO GET KIDS TO LEARN HOW TO SWIM, TO SEE WHAT IT CAN LEAD TO IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, TEENAGE EMPLOYMENT, ETC. I THINK IS JUST CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. SO LIKE I SAID, IT STRUCK A NERVE. I WOULD AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH MANDY TO LOOK AT OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. THANK YOU. RODNEY BUSH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
[01:20:11]
MY NAME IS RODNEY BUSH. I AM A VESTED MEMBER OF THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN. AND THERE'S A LYRIC THAT HOLDS DEAR TO MY HEART. IT IS SHE YELLS, SELLING'S A SIN. BUT SO IS TELLING YOUNG MEN THAT SELLING'S A SIN IF YOU DON'T OFFER NEW WAYS TO WIN. NOW, WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT CITIES THAT INVEST IN COMMUNITY, THAT INVEST IN COMMUNITY, EVENTS, THAT INVEST IN COMMUNITY SERVICES, THAT THEY'RE HAVING DRASTIC DROPS IN CRIME AND VIOLENCE. CITIES LIKE CHICAGO AND BALTIMORE AND DETROIT AND NEW YORK. IN FACT, WHEN YOU INVEST IN PARKS AND RECS AND CITY EVENTS, THERE IS A 18% DECREASE IN SERIOUS CRIMES, AS PER THE AMERICAN STUDY DONE BY THE AMERICAN FOR ARTS, THERE'S ALSO A 14% FEWER REPORTED REPORTS OF CHILD ABUSE, AND THERE'S ALSO AN INCREASE IN COMMUNITY UNITY. WHAT COMMUNITY EVENTS DO IT DOES A MAJOR JOB IN BUILDING SAFETY AND COMMUNITY FOR OUR CITIZENS OF ALLENTOWN. THE BROAD CONSUMER TRACKING SHOWS THAT 89% OF AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT LOCAL EVENTS ARE VITAL TO THE HEALTH AND THE WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. 89% OF AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT. WE'VE SEEN THAT WHEN THERE ARE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMUNITY EVENTS, THAT PEOPLE ARE 50% MORE LIKELY TO VOLUNTEER. AND THERE WAS A MENTION ABOUT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT. WHEN WE INVEST IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY EVENTS IN PARKS AND REC, RIGHT? FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT, YOU'RE GETTING A RETURN OF $144, $1.2 MILLION INVESTED GENERATES $177 MILLION TOTAL IN SAVINGS BY REDUCING LOCAL SHOOTINGS AND HOMICIDES FOR EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC COMMUNITY AND THESE COMMUNITY EVENTS, YOU'RE GETTING RETURN OF $41 FOR EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR INVESTED IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE ARE SAVING $41 IN COMBINED MEDICAL, COMMUNITY HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH AND CRIME AND LEGAL EXPENSES. SO I URGE CITY COUNCIL TO REVISIT THE COMMUNITIES BUDGET BECAUSE AGAIN, BUDGETS ARE VALUE STATEMENTS, RIGHT? WHERE I PUT MY MONEY AND MY HOUSEHOLD TELLS AND DICTATES THE LIFE OF MY WIFE, THE LIFE OF MY FAMILY, AND IN TURN IMPACTS THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. SO AGAIN, I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR TO RELOOK AT THE CUTS THAT THEY ARE MAKING IN OUR COMMUNITY, AS THEY HAVE DRASTIC IMPACTS ON OUR YOUTH. THANK YOU. THAT WAS IT. OKAY.THANK YOU. I BELIEVE WE STILL HAVE BILL 82 AND BILL 85. OR WAS THAT? OKAY? GOTCHA, GOTCHA, GOTCHA, GOTCHA. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FOR PARKS AND REC THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? I JUST WANTED TO SAY I'M REALLY BLOWN AWAY BY THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP TONIGHT. I'M SUPER GRATEFUL. I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT TO COME OUT ON AN EVENING, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I LOVE THE STATEMENT OF THE BUDGETS OR VALUE STATEMENT. AND I THINK THAT'S WAS REALLY GREAT TO HEAR THE VALUE THAT PARKS BRINGS TO THE TABLE. SO REGARDLESS OF LINE BY LINE BUDGETING, PARKS ARE VALUABLE. AND I'M GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS. AND I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH ANY QUESTIONS AFTER THIS MEETING AS WELL TO KIND OF JUST EXPLAIN AND BUT I DO THINK THE COMMUNITY EXPLAINED IT THE BEST OF THE VALUE THAT PARKS BRINGS TO THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT. AND I'M REALLY BLOWN AWAY AND IMPRESSED AND GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT BUDGET MEMO COMING UP. SO WITH THAT, I'LL ADJOURN THIS MEETING
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.