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City Council

May 20, 2026 ·6:30 PM Final

Council Chambers

Agenda PDF Minutes PDF 📹 Watch video Official record ↗

Agenda — 35 items

  1. 1 Invocation: ▶ jump to 0:09
  2. 2 Pledge to the Flag ▶ jump to 0:53
  3. 3 Roll Call ▶ jump to 1:17
  4. 4 Courtesy of the Floor Please observe the Rules of Council when given privilege of the floor. A copy of the Council Rules can be found on the council agenda on the website. If you would like to speak, we are asking that you fill out a card – they are on the back table provide them to the clerk before speaking. Include your name and address. When speakers have the privilege of the floor, personal insults, attacks, name calling or other behavior that is inconsistent with the purpose of conducting official business will not be tolerated. Courtesy of the Floor is meant to provide public comments on items that are not on the agenda. Public comment during consideration of ordinances, resolutions and motions are limited by topic – your comments must be relevant to the subject matter of the proposed legislation. Public comments are taken before council votes on legislation. You are given the privilege of the floor to provide public comment; it is not a question and answer session. State your position clearly and concisely for consideration. If you speak on behalf of yourself, you have three minutes and if you are speaking on behalf of a group that has several members present, you will be given five minutes in place of everyone coming to the podium. Please address the Council President not individual councilpersons or city staff. Refrain from insulting or defaming staff, officials, and the public; refrain from using offensive language, cursing, and making noises while other people are speaking. Please be aware that comments and/or behavior in violation of these rules will result in a forfeiture of all remaining time and you will be asked to return to your seat. ▶ jump to 1:35
  5. 5 Contract Approvals ▶ jump to 16:52
  6. 6 R65 Authorization of Cooperative Contract(s) in an amount greater than $40,000.00 to provide the City with various goods/services, for HT Lyons, Miller Flooring Company, and Shafnisky Electric Inc. 15-8437 approved Pass ▶ jump to 17:29
  7. 7 Minutes of Previous Meeting ▶ jump to 17:47
  8. 8 May 6, 2026 City Council Meeting Minutes 15-8446 approved Pass ▶ jump to 17:50
  9. 9 Communications ▶ jump to 18:11
  10. 10 Old Business ▶ jump to 18:21
  11. 11 REPORTS President Napoli: Council is continuing meeting with our partners stating so far they have met with Lehigh County, Allentown Parking Authority, Allentown Economic Development Corporation, and ANIZDA to learn about their initiatives serving Allentown interests and looking for potential opportunities for collaboration. He stated our next two: Allentown Housing Authority stating that is going to be 5/27 6:30 PM. It was originally scheduled for 6:00, but it was moved to 6:30 PM on May 27; The Allentown School District Workshop is 6/25 at 6:00 PM and that is a Thursday. He stated that he is just calling it out. Also, a Public Hearing has been scheduled for June 3 at 6 PM on Bill 20, which adds regulations on data center use. Council will consider for possible adoption the legislation at the Council meeting that follows. Budget and Finance: Chair Pungo, Mota, Gerlach The Committee has not met since the last Council meeting; the next meeting is currently scheduled for June 3 at 5:30 PM. Community and Economic Development: Chair Gerlach, Binder, Napoli The Committee met on May 14th and forwarded a couple of items on this evening's agenda; there are no future meetings scheduled at this time - there is a bill relating to vacant property registration that is still being considered by the committee. Human Resources, Administration and Appointments: Chair Binder, Santos, Affa The Committee has not met since the last council meeting; the next meeting is scheduled for May 27 at 5:30 PM to review legislation being introduced this evening, the mayor's travel expenses, options related to creating rules for city travel and an update on the development of the personnel manual. Parks and Recreation: Chair Santos, Pungo, Binder The Committee met this evening; the next meeting is not yet scheduled, but they do have quite a few Bills forwarded to tonight's meeting. Thanks. Mr. Santo Napoli stated thank you. Public Safety: Chair Affa, Mota, Santos The Committee met this evening and they went over the Quality of Life Taskforce. She stated that they don't have another meeting until June 3; the next meeting is scheduled for June 3 at 5:45 PM. Mr. Santo Napoli stated ok. Thank you. Public Works: Chair Mota, Pungo, Affa The Committee met this evening, the next meeting is not yet scheduled. Rules, Chambers, Intergovernmental Relations, and Strategy: Chair Napoli, Mota, Gerlach The Committee has not met since the last Council meeting; there are no meetings scheduled at this time. Mr. Santo Napoli stated moving on to the Controller's Report. He stated our Controller was unable to attend this evening, but he has submitted an Accounts Payable Report which is attached to our City Council meeting schedule in Granicus which you can find online and stated that if anybody had any difficulty accessing this Report, please reach out to us. He stated moving on to Ordinance for Final Passage. He stated that they will start with Bill 32. Controller's Report: The Controller has submitted one report (attached) since the last council meeting. Mayor: No submission. ▶ jump to 18:29
  12. 12 Controller Report 15-8453 ▶ jump to 21:10
  13. 13 ORDINANCES FOR FINAL PASSAGE (To be Voted On): ▶ jump to 21:31
  14. 14 Bill 32 Amending § 425-15. Alcoholic beverages, controlled dangerous substances, solicitation and gambling by prohibiting smoking or vaping any substance within 25 feet of playgrounds, recreational fields and courts (including but not limited to baseball, basketball, football, handball, softball, tennis, volleyball, etc.). 15-8421 approved Pass ▶ jump to 23:46
  15. 15 Bill 34 Amending the 2026 General Fund budget to amend the Fixed Cost Distribution (FCD) for two (2) employees within DCED to change the portions of their salary and benefits expensed to the Grant Fund Recompete Program budget to reflect work performed under the grant. 15-8405 approved Pass ▶ jump to 29:40
  16. 16 Bill 35 Amending the 2026 General Fund budget to accommodate the upgrade of the part-time Clerk III in the Office of Compliance and the upgrade of the two (2) part-time MWI-Custodial positions in Building Maintenance within the Department of Public Works. The part-time Clerk III, currently M08, would be upgraded to an Administrative Assistant at a proposed pay grade of S07 to better align the job duties and responsibilities of this position. The two (2) part-time MWI-Custodial positions will remain in the same paygrade (M06) but be upgraded to full-time positions to better align job duties and allow for consistent staffing in Building Maintenance. 15-8406 approved Pass ▶ jump to 30:58
  17. 17 Bill 36 Amending the 2026 Capital Fund Budget to provide for an increase of One Million Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($1,650,000.00) to fund the reconstruction on Lehigh and Union Street as part of the Congressionally Directed Spending Grant the City was awarded. This grant is partially reimbursable and requires match funding. 15-8407 approved Pass ▶ jump to 31:50
  18. 18 Bill 37 Amending the 2026 Capital Fund and General Fund Operating Budgets to provide for a supplemental appropriation of One Hundred Thousand ($100,000.00) Dollars from the Allentown Parknership to support improvements to Ithaca Park and Recreational Programming. This is a reimbursement from the Parknership. 15-8408 approved Pass ▶ jump to 32:41
  19. 19 Bill 38 Amending the 2026 Capital Fund Budget to provide for a transfer of Fifty Thousand Eight Hundred Forty-One Dollars and Forty-Five Cents ($50,841.45) from accounts associated with the completed Dixon Street Pedestrian Bridge and Parks Master Plan projects to the Bogert’s Bridge Rehabilitation project. 15-8409 approved Pass ▶ jump to 33:34
  20. 20 Bill 39 Amending the 2026 Capital Fund Budget to provide for a supplemental appropriation of One Hundred Six Thousand Three Hundred Twenty-Nine ($106,329.00) Dollars from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to support construction of the Dixon Street sidewalks. 15-8410 approved Pass ▶ jump to 34:38
  21. 21 Bill 40 Amending the 2026 Capital Fund Budget to provide for a supplemental appropriation of Eight Hundred Thousand ($800,000) Dollars from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) LSA grant to support construction of the MLK Trail Extension Phase 1. 15-8411 approved Pass ▶ jump to 35:27
  22. 22 Bill 41 Amending the 2026 Capital Fund Budget to provide for an increase of One million Nine Hundred and Five thousand dollars ($1,905,000) to fund the approved Parks Capital Projects as part of the 2026 Capital borrowing. 15-8412 approved Pass ▶ jump to 36:15
  23. 23 Bill 42 Amending the 2026 General Fund budget to provide for One Hundred Thirty-Six Thousand Three Hundred Nineteen Dollars ($136,319.00) from the General Fund unappropriated balance to the Fire Department operating budget for additional costs to support a second Fire Academy in 2026. 15-8414 approved Pass ▶ jump to 37:05
  24. 24 CONSENT AGENDA ▶ jump to 37:23
  25. 25 RESOLUTIONS FOR FINAL PASSAGE (To be Voted On): ▶ jump to 37:25
  26. 26 R66 Approves the submission of the Action Plan to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. 15-8439 approved Pass ▶ jump to 37:53
  27. 27 R67 Bryne Heffner-Bair, Arts Commission, 5/21/2031 15-8443 approved Pass ▶ jump to 38:28
  28. 28 ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION (To be referred to Committee with public comment prior to referral) ▶ jump to 38:45
  29. 29 Bill 43 Amending the 2026 General Fund Budget to provide for a supplemental appropriation of Fifty Thousand ($50,000) Dollars from Bloomberg Philanthropies to administer a third round of the Youth Climate Action Fund. 15-8440 ▶ jump to 38:48
  30. 30 Bill 44 Amending Part I Administrative Legislation, Chapter 12 Authorities, Boards and Commissions, Article XV Council of Youth by updating its purpose and practices. 15-8442 ▶ jump to 39:14
  31. 31 Bill 45 Amends Chapter 19, Civil Service Board, of the Codified Ordinances, titled “Rules of the City of Allentown Civil Service Board Governing the Appointment and Promotion of Police Officers and Firefighters” by removing “Failed to register with the Selective Service System” as a disqualifier for the Civil Service Test. The proposed Bill approves the City of Allentown Police and Fire Civil Service Board’s repeal of its Rules that automatically disqualify an applicant for police officer or firefighter from examination for or selection from an eligibility list if the applicant has failed to register with the Selective Service System. The Bill modernizes the Board’s Rules and harmonizes the Rules with both Pennsylvania law and recently enacted Federal law 15-8447 ▶ jump to 39:38
  32. 32 RESOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCTION (Can be voted on or Referred to Committee): ▶ jump to 40:11
  33. 33 NEW BUSINESS ▶ jump to 40:14
  34. 34 GOOD AND WELFARE ▶ jump to 40:17
  35. 35 ADJOURNED: 7:10 PM ▶ jump to 41:00