435 Hamilton Street  
Allentown, Pa. 18101  
Allentown  
Minutes - Final  
City Council  
Wednesday, November 2, 2022  
5:30 PM  
Council Chambers  
This is a Special Council Meeting to Review the Proposed 2023 Budget and Conduct other General  
Business. The City Budget documents can be found on the city website:  
https://www.allentownpa.gov/Government/City-Budget.  
Roll Call  
7 -  
Present:  
Candida Affa, Cynthia Mota, Daryl Hendricks, Ed Zucal, Ce-Ce Gerlach, Joshua  
Siegel, and Natalie Santos  
Community and Economic Development Budget Review  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that hopefully they will come up with an answer or  
get back to Council as soon as they can soon after. She went over the  
budget before Council as the mayor has explained is a zero-based budget.  
Some of the programs within this budget are grant funded programs. They  
took all of the line items from the grant and fully explained them in the detail  
for Council. They placed those line items on the budget line so that Council  
can easily and hopefully identify the grants within the budget. The  
community housing and development program that is better known as the  
Lead Program. There are 100 units that will be completed before the end  
of the year in rehab for Lead Abatement which is an amazing  
accomplishment. They have 210 units in the queue for the next year and a  
half. They will be more than doubling that program as well as the staff has  
applied for additional grants. Two of which have been awarded. Two of  
them, the department is crossing its fingers that it will be awarded. They  
are very pleased with the results and that is one of the reasons why they are  
asking for a Lead Project Manager. She stated that 210 units are a heavy  
burden to get that done in a year and a half, but we have confidence that we  
will be able to do that, but we are asking for a Lead Project Manager in that  
program to assist in managing those units. They have their business  
expansion/attraction and retention known as (BEAR). That team is  
continuing to meet with our existing businesses as well as interested  
businesses coming into the city or individuals who wants to start their  
business. Are Planning and Zoning is before Council tonight. In that  
department, the remaining staff in that department have worked tirelessly  
on our major and minor land department projects as well as our Zoning  
rewrite or wayfinding initiatives. That department they have before them a  
reorganization. Currently, we have a Chief Planner position vacant for  
almost two years. That position is currently graded at a 13. To align the  
department, we would like to elevate that position to a 15 as a Chief  
Planner, rename our HARB Planner as a Senior Planner so that the  
individual can do both HARB work and regular Planning work. Elevate a  
Senior Planner to a 13 as well and take one of our Senior Planner  
positions and demoted to a 10 so that they have a hierarchy. We have a  
Planner, a Senior Planner, a Chief Planner and a Planning Director. It is  
their hope to bring a candidate for Planning Director before you at the  
meeting on the 16ht of November. Also, in our Planning and Zoning, our  
Zoning Supervisor was upgraded in the reclassification process so that  
one grade change is before you. The Building Standards Department, they  
are continuing the work, we are inspecting, we are responding to new  
developments, to nuisance complaints to all sorts of situations with a very  
skeletal crew and preparing for the launch of Intergov. The launching of our  
electronic inspection and permitting systems. That is a very busy and very  
short staff department. They are asking for Council to consider a $33  
change to a position to make one of our building inspectors a combo  
inspector since they do possess the certifications that we would be able to  
respond better to electrical and plumbing inspection request. They are  
also asking for a Building Construction Superintendent who will again, go  
out on the complicated or be at the counter for the very complicated  
questions that come into us. They were unable to recruit a second Plans  
Examiner. This position can assist with some Plans Examination, but can  
also manage some of the more complicated cases and some of those  
more complicated responses. Also, in Building Standards they are hoping  
to bringing onboard a Workflow Coordinator that would be shared between  
the rental and the building departments. That Workflow Coordinator when  
Intergov goes live is going to be able to in real-time take inspections that  
are scheduled, but there is a no show or a schedule that there is a problem  
and funnel another inspection right through to the workforce to keep them  
working in the field. A real-time scheduler to keep the system efficient.  
The Rental Department continues to respond to many, many nuisance  
complaints and we again are asking to add a Nuisance Property Manager  
so we can stay on top of and paid out of the Rental Fund to stay on top of  
those chronic nuisance complaints. Many of them require 10 or more visits  
from beginning to end to get them resolved. They are looking to expand  
the staff. Also, the supervisor in that department who supervises 18 people  
is currently a 13N in the Reclass Committee was approved to become a  
14N and that is also before you. The HUD Grants department is  
astounding how much money this department has been managing and now  
will take on hopefully an additional $800,000 in RACP funding and coming  
through the state DCED. There are managing about $12 million a year  
between CDBG Home, CDBG HUD, state DCED money and emergency  
shelter grant and taking on more and more and more. They would like to  
reorganize. HUD has approved that reorganization. You will see moving  
our Homeless Service Coordinator and our two currently called Clerk IIIs  
both into HUD compliance to align that department. That will all be covered  
by grant funds. Last, but not least our Health Department. Our Health  
Department continues to respond to request for Covid vaccinations, for  
Monkey Pox vaccinations, for Flu shots, as well as, back to school  
vaccines. All the while investigating communicable disease. We have  
been successful with our Opioid Prevention grant that they have been  
approached with grant funds to expand that part-time position to a full-time  
position, totally billable to the grant. Our Office Manager has really  
morphed into an Operations Assistant. The operations in Alliance Hall  
have really changed pretty dramatically. They no longer have a Building  
Management Company. Taking on more and more responsibility for the  
upkeep of the building, the logistics of all the supplies for Covid and also  
preparing for some of the emergency preparedness deliverables. Council  
will see in the budget that is covered by emergency preparedness grant.  
Those are the highlights of the major position changes and some of the  
major work that they are going to be taking on and haven't taken on in  
previous years. She stated that she would like to go right into their  
questions and clarify anything they can for them.  
Ms. Ce Ce Gerlach stated wonderful. Does anybody have any questions,  
Mr. Zucal.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated that he sees that she has her fan club as usual which is  
good. That Phillies hat there. Don't let Chuck see that. It might disappear  
before the end of the night. He commended Ms. Kistler as usual. Any time  
you bring up a budget before us it is bare bones, you are always trying to  
save where you can save, and to start with Page 139, right at the top for  
permanent wages under Community Development it is about $45,000  
savings right there. He commended her for that. If you drop down to line  
item 15, Employee Healthcare, he is going to assume that is for those who  
choose not to take the city's healthcare.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated yes.  
Mr. Ed Zucal asked how many employees are we roughly talking about for  
that. It is not a lot of money. It is only $2,500.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that she thinks it is actually one.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated one person and so each person who chooses gets a  
$2,500 bonus.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that she believes so, yes.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated that the health insurance has obviously dropped  
because of the city's new program. He stated then the Printing, Item 26  
went from $7,000 to $1,000. Is that because we are doing in-house more?  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated yes, we are doing everything we can in-house and  
this for anything that isn't of standard size that can be printed in-house.  
Mr. Ed Zucal went to Page 140 in the Detail Book, for the Training and  
Development for Line Item 34. How do we come up with these numbers,  
do we know what schools these people are going to already.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated yes. We actually researched all the numbers and  
confirmed also by our Finance staff. We looked into what was attended  
last year and looked at the actual registration costs.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated very good, thank you. Down on Page 141, under 46  
Other Contract Services, Number 1, the implementation of city owned Art  
Maintenance Plan to be bid. There is $100,000. How do we know it is  
going to cost that?  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that basically, they have a current contract for  
maintenance and that has been typically what we needed to spend. There  
is a Plan that is done by the Arts Commission for the hierarchy of what gets  
repaired.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated that says implementation which means to him a new  
program.  
Ms. Vicky Kitler stated what happens is that we acquire art, we acquire  
murals, and then we implement the plan based on what we acquired years  
before.  
Mr. Ed Zucal asked about Item 56, Uniforms. There are new shirts for CD  
for the current branding. It is $4,200. How many shirts are we talking?  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that they are talking 107 people.  
Mr. Ed Zucal asked about Page 143, and stated that he sees there is  
nothing in the budget scheduled for a 2023 for Lights in the Parkway,  
correct.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that Special Events have been moved to the Parks  
and Recreation Department. She stated that she does not have anything in  
this budget for Special Events.  
Mr. Ed Zucal asked about Page 144, and stated that would be first next  
question. It definitely has a zero there as well. He stated that the same  
thing moved.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that they will address that in the Parks budget.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated 145, right below, the Training and Professional  
Development, is that something that is a grant or can be put into a grant?  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that this is 100 percent. This is the Lead Grant.  
The reason that they have so many staffers, is that they are cross-training  
Housing Inspectors, Rental Inspectors, as well as, outside Contractors  
within that grant.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated good because that was his next question if 46 would  
be a grant. He asked about Page 151, under item 04. Lehigh University  
Fellows to assist with a Survey. What type of survey are we doing for  
$16,000?  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that they are really hoping that they are going to get  
closer to not just the points, but closer to the community health needs  
assessment. Closer to bringing data all together. She is hoping to engage  
the Fellows form Lehigh University to assist us with gathering data will  
connect our Housing Study our Community Health needs assessment, our  
Zoning re-write and blend everything all together.  
Mr. Ed Zucal asked about Page 152 under Line Item 46, Active Mobility  
Plan, $175,000 and asked Ms. Kistler to explain that.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that Vision 2030 requires an active Mobility Plan.  
It was budgeted last year and they simply did not have the staffing to get it.  
We are hoping that when we reorganize the department that the positions  
will be more inline and will be filled and they can take that on. We will be  
completing and implementing the results of the wayfinding, the signage.  
We think now it is important to look at how our people get around, how  
assessable our community is and how we move people from one area of  
the city to another area of the city.  
Mr. Ed Zucal asked about Page 158, there is another $30,000 for a  
Historic Survey.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that is HARB. That is the HARB they started,  
going to be completing the HARB in 2023 and that will help us to complete  
the study.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated that a couple of years ago, they spent some money on  
someone to do a survey on the properties to determine whether or not they  
were HARB related.  
Mr. Mark Hartney stated that there are very limited areas within the city that  
has been surveyed. These surveys will be to survey other portions of the  
city to determine what other historic resources are out there that are  
undocumented. This is something that can take several years to get  
through.  
Mr. Ed Zucal asked about Page 160, he believes that they spoke a little bit  
about this yesterday under Item 46, # 6 the Third - Party Contract for  
Inspections and Plan Review. He asked for a brief overview.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that they are actually going to be reaching out in an  
emergency situation right now to implement this in 2022 because we are  
so short on Building Inspectors. This is the expectation that will continue to  
2023.  
Mr. Ed Zucal asked about Page 166, at the bottom under Repairs and  
Maintenance, Number 3 UPS Repairs and Maintenance, $500. What kind  
of maintenance that we do for UPS?  
Mr. David Synnamon ? stated that it is a universal power source for the  
vaccine.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated that it is not UPS, the delivery service. He stated that  
he was trying to figure out what the city does for UPS.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated no, an uninterrupted power supply.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated Page 170, Number 1 in Temporary Wages. Is that the  
update on the full-time position you were talking about?  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that yes, if that is updated it would come out of  
temporary wages and would into permanent wages.  
Mr. Ed Zucal asked is that the same job Mr. Grimm used to do.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated no. It is similar, but more in-depth with this grant.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated that he one more question on Page 171, under Item  
50. It is three quarters of the way down, Item #1. That is grant funded since  
it is part of the Opioid process.  
Ms. Ce Ce Gerlach asked if there were any other questions from Council.  
She asked Ms. Mota if she should asked if there were any members of the  
public with questions or comments on the CED Budget. She asked Ms.  
Kistler if there was anything else.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated no, if there are no other questions.  
Ms. Ce Ce Gerlach thanked Ms. Kitler and stated that she is especially  
excited and she is sure Ms. Affa is to when it comes to attacking those  
Nuisance properties, the slumlords.  
Ms. Candida Affa stated that she knows it is not an easy process. We are  
still working on that.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that they are still working on that and Intergov is  
going to help tremendously because they are going to have more  
comprehensive data and an easier way of pulling all that data together by  
landlord or by property-owner and to be able to address it  
comprehensively. She stated that she is really hoping that they will be  
coming back to Council to change some Ordinances and well as to change  
some fees once they really see what they are facing with Intergov.  
Ms. Candida Affa stated to put something out there and it is getting worst.  
A couple of weeks ago and she did see in the budget that the city do pay a  
lot for rentals when it is red tagged. She stated that they should be liable  
for that. She stated that she knows there are a lot of legal stuff and Ms.  
Kistler is working hard on it. She thinks it is so important for the city to do  
something with these slumlords.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that they hear Council. It is a tremendous burden  
on the staff, a tremendous impact on the community, it's a tremendous  
problem for the citizens. She stated that we hear you loud and clear.  
Ms. Candida Affa stated that it would save them a whole lot on inspections.  
They are blatantly doing what they want to do.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated to keep pulling an inspector from the routine work  
and constantly going to the same place is just chaotic for Kelly and for  
Heidi. She stated that they are really working with this new position and  
really hoping that will be the pitbull on the nuisance properties and everyone  
else will keep moving forward with the systematics.  
Ms. Candida Affa stated that she thinks it is a good budget, Ms. Kistler and  
you are doing a good job. Council needs to help her out as much as they  
can. We are asking you to take over quite a job here. You will need the  
tools and the people to complete that job. She stated that she is for one  
that will have her back because it is an important department and knows  
how hard she is working to straighten things out. There is a lot of  
straightening things out to do. She thanked her for the work and a good  
budget.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that many of the managers behind her, plus the  
ones who could not be here are working diligently to address the things that  
Council is asking. She stated that she really thinks that they put forth a  
budget that will support them and will help them in their efforts.  
Ms. Candida Affa thanked the managers out there too.  
Ms. Ce Ce Gerlach stated that the work that is done in CED that is how you  
address the root issues of violence. It is really public safety that is being  
done in CED.  
Ms. Ce Ce Gerlach stated that the work that is done in CED is how you  
address the root issues of violence. It is really public safety that is being  
done in CED. If there are no other questions or comments, she will adjourn  
this meeting and will move on to the regular Council meeting at 6:30 PM.  
15-5389  
Budget Information  
Attachments: Budget Schedule  
Building Standards and Safety - Rental  
APD proposed Budget 2023  
2023 EMS BP V2  
2022 Police PP 1  
2010 NIST Study  
Cedar Crest College - Police Summary of Services Report  
Human Resources Department Current Organizational Structure  
Human Resources Department Proposed Organization Chart  
COA Active Litigation Nov 2022  
Legal fees for the 2019 through 2022  
ADJOURNED: 5:49 PM  
Budget Bills at play:  
15-5399  
Bill 77  
An Ordinance of the City of Allentown, County of Lehigh, and  
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, adopting the Liquid Fuels Fund Budget  
for 2023.  
Administration  
Sponsors:  
Attachments: Bill 77 2023 LIQUID FUELS  
15-5400  
Bill 78  
An Ordinance of the City of Allentown, County of Lehigh and  
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, adopting the Trexler Fund Budget for  
2023.  
Attachments: Bill 78 2023 TREXLER FUND  
15-5401  
Bill 79  
An Ordinance of the City of Allentown, County of Lehigh and  
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, establishing and adopting the Solid  
Waste Enterprise Fund Budget for 2023 and amending Article 1131,  
Municipal Waste Storage, Collection and Disposal by maintaining the  
Solid Waste Fee at Three Hundred and Seventy-Five ($375) Dollars.  
Administration  
Sponsors:  
Attachments: Bill 79 2023 SOLID WASTE FUND AND FEE  
15-5402  
Bill 80  
An Ordinance of the City of Allentown, County of Lehigh and  
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, establishing and adopting the Stormwater  
Fund Budget for 2023 and amending Article 393.15 – Stormwater Utility  
Fee by maintaining the Stormwater Utility Fee at Twenty ($20) Dollars per  
Five Hundred (500) square feet of impervious surface.  
Administration  
Sponsors:  
Attachments: Bill 80 2023 STORMWATER FUND AND FEE  
15-5403  
Bill 81  
An Ordinance of the City of Allentown, County of Lehigh, and  
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, establishing and adopting the Rental Unit  
Licensing Fund Budget for 2023 and amending Article 1759 – Landlord  
and Rental Fee by maintaining the Residential Rental Fees.  
Administration  
Sponsors:  
Attachments: Bill 81 2023 RENTAL UNIT FUND  
15-5404  
Bill 82  
An Ordinance of the City of Allentown, County of Lehigh, and  
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, adopting the American Rescue Plan Fund  
Budget for 2023.  
Administration  
Sponsors:  
Attachments: Bill 82 2023 ARPA FUND  
15-5405  
Bill 83  
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 Hamilton Street Dam Maintenance Fund  
Budgets for 2023.  
Administration  
Sponsors:  
Attachments: Bill 83 2023 BUDGET AND TAX RATE