435 Hamilton Street  
Allentown, Pa. 18101  
Allentown  
Minutes - Final  
City Council  
Thursday, June 15, 2023  
6:30 PM  
Council Chambers  
Roll Call  
6 -  
Present:  
Candida Affa, Cynthia Mota, Daryl Hendricks, Ed Zucal, Ce-Ce Gerlach, and  
Natalie Santos  
1 - Santo Napoli  
Excused:  
Council President :  
This is a Special Council meeting to act on the initiative ordinance. To begin, we are  
going to follow the same format as the last meeting. The speakers can take no more  
than 45 minutes to provide testimony, we suggest they follow the same style and format  
the petitioners followed in their presentation. We thank them again for their  
presentation.  
The initiative ordinance is before us this evening for final action – Council has until June  
19th to act. We plan to have a vote on the initiative ordinance. If a majority of council –  
four or more - votes for the proposal, it is approved, it is not subject to a mayor’s veto. If  
the bill fails, the Clerk will forward the bill to the County to be placed on the November  
ballot to be decided by the voters.  
Accordingly, we will follow the same procedures pursuant to the charter and our rules  
prior to the vote. After the initial testimony is complete, we will take public comment.  
Please come to the podium, state you name and address, and address your comments  
to city council. We will place reasonable time limits on the comments.  
After Public Comment, City Council can make comments pursuant to Council Rules.  
The Clerk will then take the vote.  
Testimony  
A/C James Gress  
Sgt. Iobst  
APD CNT Assistant Commander Thomas Cunningham  
Mayor Matt Tuerk stated good evening. He spoke about a number of  
issues that you are going to here tonight. He has a major issue that he is  
going to raising regarding Bill 47. He stated that Council will hear from  
speakers tonight from his administration, members of the public and  
members of the Public Safety and Law Enforcement Community to talk  
about the Petition. They will mention the way that the Petitioners  
represented the details of the Ordinance and point out problems with that.  
There are other speakers that will point out the problems with enforcement,  
the problems with the costs. He talked about having a strong mayor form of  
government and prepare an annual budget. This takes $4 million off the  
top. We know with experience that programs that are successful you need  
buy-in and work with the Police Department, Health, Fire and EMS. He  
talked about speaking with the Center of Policing Equity. They are in  
support of this type of Ordinance. Their recommendation of the mayor of  
this city is to pursue but do it collaboratively. We do things through the  
budget process and establish our common priorities. He urged Council to  
reject the Ordinance as presented and the voters in the city of Allentown  
should reject the Ordinance when it is placed on the ballot. He thinks they  
should collaborate and seek the appropriate response.  
Assistant Chief James Gress talked about his roles and responsibilities  
are as Assistant Chief of Support Services. He stated that he graduated  
from the Allentown Police Academy in 1987. He was a policeman at 19  
years old with a nearby agency. He worked for a smaller department for a  
number of years and for the last 22 - 23 years he has been here with the  
city of Allentown Police. He oversees all the professional standards,  
accreditation programs (both state and national), oversee training of every  
officer that comes into this department, and the Police Academy and what  
they teach, and how they teach it according to state standards, oversee the  
Police budget, as well as the hiring process, any development of new  
technology that needs to be implemented in the city. He touched on the  
Mission Statement of the Allentown Police Department in reducing crime,  
contribute to the safety for those sworn to protect through collaboration with  
our diverse community. Mr. Spang talked about retuning police to the old  
form 2001 Community Policing. We embraced in 2000 the 21st Century  
community policing through geographic police, smart policing, and  
organizational transformation and through the CompStat process. He  
introduced Sergeant Benjamin Iobst to talk about some of our successful  
programs that we have partnered with.  
Sergeant Benjamin Lobst stated that they have a mixture of programs to  
help with Mental health issues (CIT - Crisis Intervention Teams: Fire, EMS,  
Police, Social Workers, and the Health Network) as well as the county. He  
talked about the CAHOOTs Model stating that it is not a 911 Diversion  
Program. It uses a non-emergency phone number. Eugene, Oregon has  
higher crime rates and the suicide rate is 21.2 people per 100,000. Here  
in Allentown, 12.5 per 100,000. The Crisis Intervention Team Model, all of  
the Police Officers in the city of Allentown received 36 hours of  
de-escalation training in the Police Academy. The Police has a Crisis  
Negotiation Team. He talked about the need of a Mobile Crisis Team.  
Lehigh County already has that. The county last year did 5,279 phone  
follow, and 1,485 mobile visits. They only arrested 33 people last year for  
mental health related issues and they were diverted to mental health  
treatment through the District Attorney's Team MISA (Mental Illness  
Substance Abuse). For substance use, all of the officers received Narcan  
and are trained to use it. In 2020, officers reversed 146 overdoses; 2021,  
174 overdoses; 2022 143 overdoses. Officers partner up with Treatment  
Trends to conduct the Blue Guardian Program. They have a lot of  
community partnerships with the Club House of the Lehigh Valley, the  
Conference of Churches, Treatment Trends, and working with Lehigh  
Valley Health Network and St. Luke's Health Network to come up with the  
best approaches for our people that have mental health issues. The stats  
that were given at the last meeting were completely wrong. Last year, the  
Police Department had 1,268 serious mental health incidents that were  
called into police. The police doesn't decide what they are labeled as. The  
public decides what they are labeled as. Out of those, officers made 906  
referrals to mental health services. There were 22 active (in the act of  
committing suicide incidents were stopped by Allentown Police officers.  
Twenty - two lives saved. There were zero people killed by the Allentown  
Police for mental health issues.  
Ms. Vicky Conte, Director of Community Based Mental Health Program -  
Pinebrook Family Answers stated that she has been a part of this program  
since its inception in April 2017. They have two community Intervention  
Specialist, Trauma informed and trained in de-escalation. CIS receives  
referrals from police officers who encounter individuals that appears to  
have mental health issues. CIS rides along with police officers when their  
schedules allow. With increased funding and a fraction of the $4 million  
proposed they can have a staff for 20 percent of that and staff 10 more  
Community Intervention Specialists to do the same job and have outreach  
in the community. APD Community Intervention Specialist serves an  
average caseload of 100 clients per month. During the fiscal year, they  
served 430 individuals. Only 11 individuals were subsequently  
incarcerated. In addressing Bill 47, she believes that Pinebrook Family  
Answers is already accomplishing many of the goals that this initiative  
focuses on. She stated that $4 million can go a long way in creating more  
affordable housing, and increasing funding to supports that are already  
currently in place.  
Ms. Candice Girandola, Community Intervention Specialist - CIS Program,  
stated that Ms. Flores is in the audience, but will not be participating. She  
talked about her experience with individuals and the CIS officers. She  
receives referrals that varies from individuals needing help with government  
assistance program, to families that want to get their children mental health  
treatment. The most common words from the individuals are thank you for  
caring. They listen to their unique stories and assist them in completing  
and acquiring documentation for eligibility of services that would help meet  
their needs. They have assisted in transporting clients to intake  
appointments as well as accompanying them to these appointments. Her  
experience working with CIT trained officers has been nothing but positive.  
The majority of officers that she worked with have been in fact been CIT  
trained officers. Unfortunately, there have been several instances where  
social workers that have been seriously injured and even killed by the  
individuals that they were trying to help in the community. On May 20,  
2020, Sylvia Bracamonte was stabbed to death by a teenager in a group  
home that she was dropping food off and supplies. There was no staff at  
the home and it was during COVID. July 2, 2021, a social worker in  
Massachusetts was stabbed in the upper torso by his client after the client  
jumped in the back of the workers car and asked if he was ready to die  
today. Fortunately, the social worker did survive. July 21, 2022, Palm  
Beach County, Florida, a social worker was held captive for 15 hours and  
repeatedly raped by the individual. She was providing services in his  
home. In 2021, she was asked to go to the home of a family who was  
looking for help with their adult son who was struggling with addiction. He  
was transmitted to the ER because he had made threats to his own life and  
the life of his family. The officers asked if she would be willing to go to the  
home to connect with the family and hopefully provide resources. She told  
the officer that she was available to meet with the family, got into her car  
and was driving to the home. She was a block from the home when her  
phone rang, the officer on the other line asked where she was. She stated  
that she was about a block from the home and he instructed her to stop her  
car and wait for officers to respond. He informed that the son had eloped  
from the hospital and was back at the home. The family had called police  
because they were fearful of their safety. Officers responded and  
transferred that individual to a different hospital. She was then contacted  
when he was secured at the hospital. She was then able to enter the home  
safely and provide support to the family. This individual successfully  
completed treatment and the last update she did receive was that he was  
doing very well.  
Mr. Jason Knight, Lehigh Valley Health Network, worked in Monroe County  
and stated that he is still a per diem paramedic for the City of Allentown.  
He has worked with many police officers in the busiest 911 trucks, and they  
handle a lot of mental illness and mental crisis. Went through the bath salt  
era and worked well with law enforcement. The worked together. Hand  
and hand, it is a safety issue to have police there with them. His crew does  
not go into a mental health crisis for dispatch. They wait for the state police  
to come which takes a good 40 minutes. They did not do a good job with  
mental crisis because they did not have much in place and worked with  
Ben to bring what they have in Allentown to Monroe County. They started in  
2022, bringing the same program that they already had and started to work  
this program up there. They were able to reach out to two EMS providers  
that were in mental crisis and get them the help they needed. They are  
both doing well in their recovery. They have been working with the District  
Attorney's Office doing roundtables and table talks. They have the backing  
of LVHN senior leadership.  
Mr. Daryl Hendricks asked if Thomas Cunningham here tonight.  
An audience member stated that he is not available tonight.  
Mr. Daryl Hendricks asked if Jeff Yanochko.  
An audience member stated that he is not here yet.  
Mr. Daryl Hendricks asked for Officer Bill Williams.  
Officer Bill Williams, vice president of the FOP and an Allentown Police  
Officer for 18 years, stated that the problems of this Bill are immense. He  
summarized the problems. The Bill claims that there are situations that  
cannot be adequately addressed by police, that they exacerbate feelings of  
distress and all the police can do is arrest, restrain, or incarcerate. Yet the  
data compiled at Cedar Crest College from the Center for Police  
Innovation and Community Engagement. He stated that a statement was  
made that one of the officers restrained someone just like George Floyd.  
Yet all one must do is look at both videos to see the differences are starkly  
apparent. He stated that Ms. Wirth spoke of three years of research and  
asked where is it? It was said that many conversations happened with  
various forms of government. He has spoken with the Chief, EMS, the  
Health Bureau, County Communications and our partners at Cedar Crest.  
No one has had any communication regarding the Bill. All these issues  
have not touched on the funding. He suggested them to write the grants  
and get the funds. The best argument against this Bill is good old common  
sense. He talked about good data and funding sources, a framework of  
preparation, a systematic plan of implementation, and a mechanism of  
feedback and improvement. Yet if what you have seen now is how the  
proponents supposedly accomplished these ends, then only disaster looms  
in its implementation.  
Mr. David Benner, president of the FOP - Lodge 10, stated that unlike the  
speakers here, his job is to represent the men and bring more realistic  
approach to this Bill. The Bill proposes workers to respond to mental  
health crisis and substance use and quality of life such as family and  
neighbor disputes. These are serious calls. These are not calls like a cat  
in the tree or something simple. Not everyone is going to cooperate on  
these calls. These are people that need to be handled by the police until  
the situation is stable, then you can bring in someone else that can possibly  
help. He talked about a WFMZ article and one of the advocates of the Bill  
stated never should the police be the go-to when addressing social,  
especially those that are public health issues when there are more qualified  
health professionals that could address these calls and be more effective.  
He asked if the police should not handle assault victims, or people with  
communicable diseases and that are high on drugs and sometimes need  
to be physically restrained to get them under control. Every time somebody  
calls 911, that call can result in a public health issue. Are these social  
workers are going to put themselves at risk, like the police do? He talked  
about in the Bill stating that no one with prior law enforcement can be hired.  
What if the Police Department said there could be no social workers to be  
hired in the Police Department. He did some research and the only  
organization that this Bill were where people with prior law enforcement  
could not join is a Motorcycle Gange. He talked about the Bill not running  
background checks. He gave examples of if a social worker goes to a  
home with a domestic violence scenario. He stated to Mayor Tuerk that he  
hopes that the city has a good insurance policy. God, forbid someone gets  
hurt or injured.  
Mr. Daryl Hendricks stated that next we have Vicky Kistler, Community and  
Economic Development Director.  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that she is not here to dispute the merits of a  
program such as this. She talked about the process. We all know how  
powerful words can be, but in this case it is what is not said that she has  
the biggest problems with. She was in the Franklin Park Neighborhood  
meeting when this issue was addressed. Unfortunately, she was there for  
three or four days after being out for a period of time. When she heard a  
program for the Allentown Health Department with the Allentown Police was  
in the process, she thought, heaven, something big happened while she  
was gone. Only later, to come back and learn although it was presented an  
APD department program. No one knew that the program was in the  
works. She saw people sign the petition after about one minutes of  
description. She knows people who have signed the Petition who now  
came to her and said they had no idea of what they were signing. She  
believes that many people who had signed that document did not read or  
know the whole thing and that was by intent. They quoted the woman who  
worked in this program, the Bethlehem's Health Bureau. They did not state  
that she does not work there anymore, and they did not ask her why. They  
quote how many people that were not killed, but did they quote how many  
people were injured or threatened or harmed or how long they stayed in this  
work. Prior to her 30 years of working in the city, she was a social worker  
and has a master's degree in Community Counseling at Lehigh University.  
She does not see a line of social workers saying that this is a great  
program. She does not see evidence coming from Lehigh County Children  
and Youth or any other program in our county hat employee a lot of social  
workers, but also has a huge number of openings with vacancies they  
cannot fill and caseloads they cannot manage. If you ask them why, it is the  
risk of the job in home visits in particular. To launch a program like this is  
irresponsible, unless they hear what was not said, along with what was and  
bring it to the table and come up with a viable solution.  
Mr. Mehmet Barzev, Chief of EMS under the direction of Fire  
Administration, stated he is responsible for the bureau with 43 full-time  
employees, 15 vehicles and $6.2 million budget. With that money, they are  
projected answer approximately 19,000 EMS calls this year. Very few are  
related to mental health. If they look at neighboring agencies, they are the  
exception and not the rule. They have a fundamentally good process in the  
city of Allentown. He comes from a very small county, rural where EMS was  
the catchall for disruptive or any type of calls, including mental health where  
they would be sent for someone threatening suicides and somebody that is  
out of control and wait for the state police to arrive and take care the patient  
and transfer them to the hospital. All of this with very minimal training in  
social work, mental health, conflict resolution and zero de-escalation  
training. It is not what EMS does. Emergency Medical Services is there for  
emergency medical services and don't emphasize mental health, but for  
some reason EMS is mentioned in this Bill. He found out about the Bill in  
the spring and as he started to digest it and unpack they content of the Bill,  
this one thing kept ringing in his head. The devil is in the details. Where  
we looking at what supposed to be a collaboration, EMS was not asked  
any input. Having worked in Allentown since 2010, and having been  
himself injured on calls by out of control individuals. Having co-worker have  
career ending injuries while dealing with calls mentioned on this Bill. He  
questioned why here, why now and how do we pull this off without further  
injuring people. Impairment overdose calls come in many different ways.  
When they get an unknown problem, it is a roll of the dice. If it is an  
unconscious overdose, why would we delay the appropriate resources. If  
for some reason, a person does not receive proper care quickly, who is  
responsible. Who has to foot the Bill of the lawsuit when it is a delay in  
care. He did provide a letter to Mike Hanlon for distribution amongst  
Councilpersons and provided 500 pages of research.  
Mr. David Synnamon, Director of Health, stated that this was never brought  
to the Allentown Health Bureau. It was never discussed with his staff. They  
knew nothing about this. If it would have been brought to them, he would  
have said crisis intervention is not the work of public health. First response  
is not the work of public health. He knows that the Petitioner said on  
Tuesday that Bethlehem Health Bureau had something similar to this. They  
do not. He just spoke to their Health Director several hours ago. They do  
have social workers on staff. He asked how often do your social workers  
respond by themselves. They don't. He asked how long do your social  
workers respond in conjunction with your police department. Less than 15  
percent of the time. The majority of their program is after incident referrals  
the next day, the next week, the next month.  
Mayor Matt Tuerk stated that he thinks that he failed to do in his opening is  
to demonstrate profound appreciation for Public Health and Public Safety  
employees. As you saw tonight and heard from a number of committed  
and caring public health and public safety professionals that take their job  
and their work of serving the city's residents incredibly seriously. They  
gave you not the whole story, but a more complete story that has been  
presented in the past. He stated that they need more of the story to do the  
work. When he did talk to the Center of Policing Equity, another  
recommendation that they made was working together, but building  
solutions based on the data that is present in the community here. You  
previously received and there is data in the ordinance that refers to trends  
that are happening nationally. They really need to build legislation and build  
rules and policies around what we experience on the ground in the city of  
Allentown. What is in front of Council now is a solution, looking for a  
problem. It does not fit for the city and it does not respect the work that  
these tremendous men and women do.  
Mr. Daryl Hendricks asked Mr. Hanlon if he has something to read into the  
record.  
Mr. Michael Hanlon stated that he assumed Mr. Hendricks would read his  
memo into the record.  
Assistant Chief James Gress stated that he has a letter from Mr. Richard  
D. Molchany and Chief Roca. He stated that Chief Roca is out of the  
country and apologized that he could not be here. He read Chief Roca's  
letter that the proposal was done in the dark without any collaboration from  
any stakeholders. The proposal is fundamentally aligning with Police  
Abolitionist goals and objectives as well as Defund the Police Rhetoric. He  
read Mr. Molchany's email and stated that it would have been most  
beneficial if it was read to City Council by A C Gress stating that he fully  
supports the need to have mental illness and drug and alcohol and social  
services available to police and emergency responders in the city of  
Allentown. He does not support the dispatch in lieu of police and  
emergency responders and will support the city as they continue to provide  
additional Crisis and Intervention Specialists along with one that already  
paid for by the county with at least one or even two for each platoon. The  
goal is to prevent future 911 contacts and the police dispatch by having this  
CIS continued supporting at need residents to achieve their individual  
goals. Mr. Gress stated that on Tuesday evening, that this program or  
other similar program is in effect in other places throughout the country and  
that no one had ever gotten hurt. We heard a little differently tonight from  
some other people. It is our responsibility to make sure that nobody ever  
gets hurt. He stated that the police department has the 8 Can't Wait in their  
policies and procedures long before the George Floyd incident. Someone  
mentioned that Sergeant Leonard stated that the most common call that  
Allentown has is stolen vehicles and by enacting this program will free up a  
lot of police time to investigate those calls. That is not accurate. He thinks  
it was misinterpreted. The most common calls are theft from motor  
vehicles. He stated that he talked to the Assistant Chief in Bethlehem  
about this program, having five CIS workers with a couple being part-time.  
They all have other full-time jobs. He got a call from Jordan Westerman  
stating that after reading Bill 47, she was not in support of this and feels  
that she was misquoted. He talked to his friend that is an Assistant Chief  
Jason Lando in Frederick, Maryland and taught many continuous courses  
that require police training. They have a program with a police officer in  
soft clothes, a paramedic and a social worker together in a vehicle  
responding to assist the police on mental health calls. It is a very  
successful with a team approach and collaboration.  
Mr. Daryl Hendricks stated that he has a letter prepared by himself and vice  
president Mota that he wishes to read: We thought it appropriate to  
commit some observations to writing on the initiative being considered.  
City Council and the Mayor share mutual goals noted in the bill introduced  
under the initiative provisions of the charter - a community response model  
that serves residents and achieves better outcomes that is also an efficient  
use of taxpayer dollars. We are all there. The Police Department has been  
incrementally working on a crisis intervention model with Pinebrook Family  
Services. They are in the process of evaluating the program with the help of  
Cedar Crest College. The Public Safety Committee is committed to  
looking at city data to see where armed responses are not needed and to  
work with appropriate staff and agencies to develop an appropriate model  
that works for Allentown. The Community and Economic Development  
Department is always looking at public health and strategies to deal with  
such issues. We look forward to moving forward and exploring options on  
the issue. However, we see this an inappropriate vehicle for getting to our  
goals. He gave some background.  
Mr. Michael Hanlon stated that he has a letter from the District Attorney Jim  
Martin stating that he is unable to attend the City Council meeting. He wrote  
about his concern about the proposed Ordinance stating that in his opinion,  
the proposed Ordinance is potentially a very dangerous proposition and  
should not be enacted. He urged City Council to reject the proposal.  
Mr. Daryl Hendricks thanked Mr. Hanlon and opened the meeting up from  
public comment.  
Mr. Nicholas Butterfield, 223 S. 13th Street, stated that he has been a  
social workers and worked in a lot of emergency services. Social Services  
in the daytime, a lot of support. When you get to 5:00 or 4:30, you are on  
your own. You don't have the support. They could actually move somebody  
or make somebody move and go to a hospital and get the right treatment.  
He is very much in favor of police and services interaction. Lehigh County  
runs and owns 911, and we do not. It is out of our control. If he was a 911  
dispatcher, he would not know from a cell phone call if it is a resident or  
somebody form the other part of the county. Who gets the service and who  
doesn't. He does not see any pot of gold. He doesn't think the city has a  
surplus of services. The proposal is a good intention, but it has not been  
worked out.  
Ms. Rachel Osborn, 223 S. 13th Street, stated that she wrote these  
remarks and timed them. She has been a taxpayer and resident in the city  
of Allentown for 37 years. She is a homeowner, residing at 223 S. 13th  
Street. This is one of the most frightening proposals she has seen in those  
37 years. It may be well intentioned, but believes the effects could be  
disastrous. It puts her, her husband and many others living and working in  
this city at terrible risks. When she calls 911, all she wants to know they will  
dispatch somebody in a qualified team to help with that situation  
immediately. Who does it put at risk? Every employee in 911. She asked  
Council to please vote no.  
Ms. Sharon Finnegan, 299 Schantz Road, stated that it would help to clarify  
and put to rest the misconception about the proposed program. They  
heard charges that the alternative 911 model itself was anti-police, Police  
Abolitionist and part of defund the police. When there are many programs  
that get their funding from the department of Health and Human Services  
across the country. The funding does not have to come from the Police  
budget at all. The programs across the country have cut down the  
emergency room visits. She talked about the referendum process itself.  
There is an unmet need. Social Workers are amazing and should be  
applauded and there should be more heavily funded, but that does not  
mean this isn't a valid program. This is the first response and first contact.  
Mr. Jon Irons, 1204 W. Market Street - Bethlehem, stated that he is a  
volunteer canvasser who collected signatures and supports Bill 47 because  
he has seen the impact of using police as mental health responders. As a  
case manager for Communities and Schools, he encounters students  
struggling with mental illness who told him stories about police called to  
their homes because of they or their parents were in crisis. The impact  
was traumatization, distrust of law enforcement and a lack of wraparound  
services to support the ongoing treatment and management of mental  
illness. To him the need is clear for why we need alternative responses.  
Mr. John Favini, 211 E. North Street - Bethlehem, stated that he has family  
members in Allentown and in law enforcement throughout the Lehigh  
Valley. He was one of the folks that helped collect signatures for this  
Ordinance. His fellow canvassers and he hit the streets going to church  
services, school board meetings, parades, and flag raisings enduring rainy  
afternoons. Besides, reaching people in public spaces, they knocked on  
thousands of doors and meeting the people in Allentown in their own  
homes. They were not hiding or hiding their advocacy in private, behind  
closed doors. He stated that this is what the people of Allentown wants.  
Mr. Ronald Johnson, 1537 Washington Street - Easton, stated that this  
evening they heard many misrepresentations from both law and fact  
coming from some of our commentators. Even worse, coming from the  
Mayor of Allentown and Council President. He explained that a Charter  
Initiative granting residents the Right to Grant Public Health and Safety  
Ordinances. For over two decades, the people will have the power to and  
the Pennsylvania courts have reaffirmed that the Charter Initiative is the  
proper mechanism for enhancing citizen participation in municipal  
government. He read what is in the law for the Charter itself. He stated that  
the recognize the workload of police officers and chiefs across the country  
and are advocating for reforms like this because they are asked to do too  
much. If passed, the Bill will open and offer 24/7 response which is crucial.  
They would be able to be deployed and trained teams.  
Mr. William Carver, 2535 Jeannette - Easton, Chief Officer for 32BJ  
representing the paramedics, stated that there was some misinformation  
that was presented earlier that nobody has been hurt responding to mental  
health issues. He lost two of his colleagues since he started working in  
2018 from injuries sustained while responding to mental health crisis where  
they were no longer able to provide the job responsibilities. Lat week, he  
was assaulted in the middle of Lehigh Street while responding to a call for  
substance abuse. It happens and it happens regularly. He does not believe  
this model provides good protection for EMS providers. From a 32BJ  
standpoint, this is a unsafe working condition for the EMT's that will be  
represented.  
Mr. Daryl Hendricks stated on behalf of himself and his colleagues want to  
commend our emergency services. He knows that they have been taking a  
lot of heat over the last couple of days. Too often you are under  
appreciated. It goes for police, fire and EMS. All the emergency services.  
He asked if there were comments from his colleagues.  
Ms. Candida Affa stated that perhaps the people that signed this Bill, had  
the same opportunity as you all here and the way and the opportunity that  
Council had to hear the testimony and the data. They did not have the  
opportunity. Maybe had they heard it or had the opportunity to hear it, they  
could make an objective opinion. They did not hear what we are hearing  
tonight. It was amazing what she as a Councilperson, living in Allentown for  
over 50 years did not realize how well our city is handling these things. Our  
mayor brought up a very good point. There was no collaboration. We don't  
do that here. We like to collaborate. She said let's get to the $4 million.  
Your taxpayers' money. Personally, she would prefer this to go to Public  
Safety. She would love to shore up the police department, the paramedics,  
our fire department. They are doing a good job. We have CIS and  
Pinebrook. The city is doing due diligence with mental care. She is not  
voting on this Bill in any shape or form.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated that we heard from the good side, the bad side and  
those in the middle. However, as Council we have an obligation to the city,  
to the voters, to pass legislation that is both good for the residents as well  
as for those who visits this city. He is asking the Solicitor since that is who  
we pay to guide us and give us his opinion.  
Attorney Charles Smith stated that he is happy to go over some of the legal  
issues that he sees in the proposed Ordinance/Initiative. A lot of them have  
been accurately stated by people who have spoken already. Some of the  
issues that he sees or violates the Home Rule Charter budget process. It  
is the responsibility of the mayor to propose a budget. It is the  
responsibility of the Council to make any amendments prior to adoption. It  
is the responsibility of the of Council and the administration to adopt a  
budget by December 31. By the end of the calendar year. This proposed  
ordinance in the form of an initiative authorizes the expenditure of $4 million  
in violation of the Home Rule Charter. Second, he thinks the proposed  
legislation is beyond the scope of authority and power of the Allentown City  
Council to enact. The legal term is ultra vires. If you try to put it in practical  
terms, the city and Council could not initiate an ordinance that would direct  
county 911 Emergency Communications Operations. That is the county. In  
2015, there was legislation enacted on a state level. The 911  
Communication Emergency Services Act and as a result of that, the Lehigh  
County took over the city's 911 operations. The city does not have a 911  
Center and the 911 Dispatch for the city is handled by the Lehigh County.  
Furthe  
CIS Workers  
Vicki Conte  
Ellie Flores  
Candice Girandola  
St. Lukes & LVHN Public Safety Liaisons  
Jason Knight  
Jeff Yanochko  
Bill Williams and David Benner  
Mehmet Barzev, EMS Manager  
Public Comment  
Vote on the Bill 47  
Initiative  
15-5995  
15-5854  
Letter from DA Martin  
Memo from Council President and Vice President  
Attachments: DH CM PHPP  
Letter from DA Martin 06-14-23  
Bill 47  
An ordinance introduced as an initiative pursuant to the Home Rule Charter  
of the City of Allentown approving the creation of a public health pilot  
program providing alternative first response to calls for service involving  
mental and behavioral health, substance use, welfare checks, and "quality  
of life" complaints such as family and neighbor disputes, issues related to  
unhoused persons, and calls about suspicious persons; authorizing the  
expenditure of four million, eighty two thousand dollars ($4,082,000.00) and  
calling for a Request for Proposals to be issued.  
Attachments: Bill 47 Public Health Pilot Program  
Bill Public Health Pilot Program  
Citizens' Rights and Participation (3)  
Sufficient Signatures for Petition  
2 - Ce-Ce Gerlach, and Natalie Santos  
4 - Candida Affa, Cynthia Mota, Daryl Hendricks, and Ed Zucal  
1 - Santo Napoli  
Yes:  
No:  
Absent:  
ADJOURNED: 8:23 PM