Agenda - City Council

435 Hamilton Street

Allentown, Pa. 18101

Allentown

Meeting Agenda - Final

City Council

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

6:30 PM

Council Chambers

Invocation:

Pledge to the Flag

Roll Call

Courtesy of the Floor Rules and Privileges

Our complete set of council rules are posted online and also stapled to the

meeting agendas located on the back table of council chambers.

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Council Rules have established a three-minute time limit for speakers.

Speakers are asked to state their name for the record.

Speakers shall direct their comments to the President of Council, rather than to

individual Council members, Council staff, members of the City’s Administration, or

members of the public.

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During this public meeting, speakers are expected to treat all individuals with

dignity and respect. Comments that demean, harass, threaten, or discriminate

against an individual or group based on characteristics such as race, color,

ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual

orientation, disability, age, or other protected status are not appropriate during

public comment.

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Speakers must follow the direction of the Council President and refrain from

interrupting or disrupting the meeting. Failure to comply may result in the speaker

forfeiting the remainder of their time at the podium and being asked to return to their

seat. Continued interruption of the meeting may result in the speaker being

removed from council chambers

Courtesy and Privilege of the Floor Rules

Contract Approvals

R103

Authorization of Cooperative Contract in an amount greater than $40,000.00 to provide

the City with various goods/services, for CDW Inc

Sponsors:

Administration

Attachments:

R103 - Costars CDW

R106

Authorization of Cooperative Contract(s) in an amount greater than $40,000 to provide the

REPORTS

President Napoli: Allentown City Council has scheduled a special meeting on

September 9th at 6:30 to discuss Bill 46 - Amending Part 1 – Administrative

Legislation, Chapter 75 – Pensions and Retirement, Article III – Police Pension Fund,

by adding a new section 75 53 “Limited Deferred

Retirement Option Plan”.

Budget and Finance: Chair Pungo, Mota, Gerlach

The Committee has not met since the last Council Meeting; we are looking at some

dates to review the monthly finances and the 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial

Report as prepared by Maher Duessel, as required by the Home Rule Charter. We

would like to thank our auditors for completing this and we especially appreciate the

work of our staff to make this happen: Director Patel; Erica Strohler, Treasury and

Accounting Manager; and the rest of their team: Michael Sinclair – Senior

Accountant, Sheri Young – Accountant, Xuemei Lu – Senior Accountant and Hector

Rodriguez – Accountant. We understand all the work that goes into this and look

forward to reviewing the report soon. The reports are included as part of the agenda

on the city website for review.

Community and Economic Development: Chair Gerlach, Binder, Napoli

The Committee met August 26th at 6 PM to discuss city policy related to the housing

fund and draft legislation on affordable housing; the next meeting is scheduled for

September 16th at 6:00 PM to review Bill 63 – legislation promoting the development

of workforce housing.

Human Resources, Administration and Appointments: Chair Binder, Santos, Affa

The Committee met this evening; the next meeting is scheduled for September 9th at

6 PM to review Bill 61, a $6.5 million transfer into the Risk Fund to cover health care

costs.

Parks and Recreation: Chair Santos, Pungo, Binder

The Committee met this evening; there are no future meetings scheduled.

Public Safety: Chair Affa, Mota, Santos

The Committee has not met since the last council meeting; the next meeting is

scheduled for September 30 – time to be determined for an update on the

quality-of-life committee, discussion of budgetary priorities and a review of City’s

‘flock’ technology. If you have specific questions on the Flock system, please

forward them to the Clerk prior to the meeting. (CC has provided some already,

verbally.)

Public Works: Chair Mota, Pungo, Affa

The Committee has not met since the last committee meeting; the next meeting is

scheduled for September 16th at 5:30 PM to review Bill 62, discuss budgetary

priorities and options on the stormwater fee issue.

Rules, Chambers, Intergovernmental Relations, and Strategy: Chair Napoli, Mota,

Gerlach

The Committee has not met since the last Council meeting; there are no future

meetings scheduled.

Controller's Report – welcome the new controller!

Mayor: No submission.

Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

Attachments:

COA ACFR 2025

COA Communication Letter 2025

COA Management Letter 2025

ORDINANCES FOR FINAL PASSAGE (To be Voted On):

Bill 59

Amending the 2026 Equipment Fund Budget to provide for an increase of Forty-Eight

Thousand Nine Hundred Eighty-Five Dollars ($48,985.00) for the purchase of 1 electric

passenger vehicle. The City was awarded $120,070 from the US Department of Energy’s

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program and $60,000 funded

Pennsylvania Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) program. The majority of this grant

funding has been spent on 6 vehicles in 2025, but an additional $24,652.85 between both

programs remain. The available funding allows the City to purchase 1 additional electric

vehicle with the remaining funds.

Sponsors:

Administration

Attachments:

Bill 59 - Parks Vehicle Appropriation

Bill 60

Amending the 2026 Capital Fund and General Fund Operating Budgets to provide for a

transfer of Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000) from the 2026 Parks & Recreation

Aquatics Operating Budget into the Ithaca Park Capital Budget for the purchase and

installation of a new pavilion at Ithaca Park.

Sponsors:

Administration

Attachments:

Bill 60 - Ithaca Park Appropriation

CONSENT AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS FOR FINAL PASSAGE (To be Voted On):

R107

Authorizes a lease agreement between the City of Allentown and the Allentown

Parknership for the Tack Barn, located near Bogert’s Bridge on Park Drive, City of

Allentown, County of Lehigh, Pennsylvania, which is a building located in Lehigh Parkway.

Sponsors:

Administration

Attachments:

R107 - Tack Barn Lease Agreement

Lease Lot Plan

Lease Agreement - Tack Barn

R108

Authorizes and Approves the Engagement of Maria Montero, Esquire, to Provide Legal

Services to Allentown City Council Pursuant to the Allentown Home Rule Charter and

Administrative Code.

Sponsors:

Affa and Mota

Attachments:

R108 Council Solicitor - Maria Montero (one of the two one-year renewals)

Maria Montero- LOE Allentown City Council 2026

ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION (To be referred to Committee with public

comment prior to referral)

Bill 61 Human Resources, Administration and Appointments

Amending the 2026 Risk Fund by transferring Six Million Five Hundred Thousand

($6,500,000) Dollars from the General Fund unappropriated balance to the Risk Fund for

the payment of healthcare claims, drug prescription benefits, and other employee medical

costs for the remainder of the year, as well as for insurance costs, and property and auto

losses. Amounts for healthcare claims are significantly higher this year and certain losses

have been experienced at rates higher than expected.

Sponsors:

Administration

Attachments:

Bill 61 - Risk Fund Transfer

Bill 62 Refer to Public Works Committee

Amending the 2026 Capital Fund Budget to provide for an increase of One Million One

Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,100,000.00) to fund the implementation project on

Tilghman Street and Union Boulevard as part of the SS4A Implementation Grant the City

was awarded. This grant is partially reimbursable and requires match funding.

Sponsors:

Administration

Attachments:

Bill 62 - SS4A Implementation Grant Appropriation

Bill 63 Refer to Community and Economic Development Committee

Amending the Allentown City Code by adding Chapter 653, Workforce Housing to

promote the development of workforce housing in the City of Allentown by requiring certain

multifamily housing projects benefiting from public funding or tax incentives to include

housing units affordable to moderate-income households.

Sponsors:

Binder, Gerlach and Mota

Attachments:

Bill 63 Affordable Housing

RESOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCTION (Can be voted on or Referred to Committee):

NEW BUSINESS

GOOD AND WELFARE