435 Hamilton Street  
Allentown, Pa. 18101  
Allentown  
Minutes - Final  
City Council  
Wednesday, February 23, 2022  
6:00 PM  
Council Chambers  
Roll Call: President Mota  
7 -  
Present:  
Candida Affa, Cynthia Mota, Daryl Hendricks, Ed Zucal, Ce-Ce Gerlach, Joshua  
Siegel, and Natalie Santos  
15-4926  
ARPA Draft Procedures  
Attachments: Draft Policy and Procedure  
Mr. Leonard Lightner stated that what they submitted was a draft form plan.  
They provided an application and a scoring process and the state and local  
recovery fund. THey are trying to mirror the CDBG process. Every  
organization or entity has to fill out the application. He went over the  
process on going to the scoring team. He broke down the guidelines. The  
city has to report the quarterly, outcomes, capacity and record keeping.  
Ms. Cynthia Mota asked Mr. Lightner what do you mean with record  
keeping.  
Mr. Leonard Lightner stated that they have to report back. If the nonprofit or  
organization state, they are going to use the $1 million and they are going  
to build housing. The city has to have that documentation to show where  
that money went.  
Ms. Cynthia Mota asked how long does the nonprofit have to be in  
existence.  
Mr. Leonard Lightner stated that they did not put that in place. The normal  
requirement is that they have to have at least two years and show your  
990s or tax returns.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated that he read through to pretty closely and did not see  
any criminal penalties if the money is misused.  
Mr. Leonard Lightner stated that they did not put it in the guidelines. He  
would have to ask legal on how to go for someone who misappropriation of  
the funds.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated that it would save them down the road if it is not  
accurately used. He stated that Council has some ideas and he read the  
plan and it is actually really good. He stated that he understands that  
people are familiar with that. He talked about the actual expenditures  
categories. He stated broadband and housing. If it is housing, would it be  
affordable housing or rentals. He asked about the range of funding. He  
asked if there is a spot on the application for their prior income and funds  
they received from another source.  
Mr. Leonard Lightner stated he and the mayor discussed it as a draft. The  
wanted to make sure that they were able to allocate at least $15 million.  
He stated that is one thing they can look at based on their score and need.  
It is good judgment based on the committee coming together. He stated  
that they can put it on there and can asked for that information.  
Mr. Ed Zucal suggested to have a few public meetings to get the pubic  
input on some of their ideas.  
Mr. Leonard Lightner stated that they have a public hearing just like they  
have with CDBG. They will do a Public Notice and they have x number of  
days to apply. Then there will be a Public Hearing. There is a timeline. He  
asked if the forms will be in Spanish and English.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated that Mr. Lightner touched on the scoring process and  
touched on the audit part and the Controller's roles.  
Ms. Ce Ce Gerlach asked about an expenditures category for affordable  
housing. What are the other ones? She stated that in a previous meeting  
they talked about the scoring rubric. She asked about giving additional  
points to organizations that are doing right by Allentown and have majority  
of residents working in Allentown. Their boards are people in Allentown.  
Their executive level staff are consumed by Allentown residents. Give  
points to organizations that have people from marginalized communities  
actually leading and running those organizations and the people that they  
are serving tend to be from marginalized communities. That is not  
mentioned anywhere in the scoring rubric and that would be great. What  
she gathered reading from the documentation from the federal government,  
that is kind of what it is supposed to do. Address systemic inequalities.  
Mr. Leonard Lightner stated that they know that housing is an issue. Cost  
has gone up. They are looking at how many units to go online.  
Ms. Cynthia Mota thanked Ms. Gerlach and stated before she makes a  
motion, are there any questions from the dais.  
Mr. Leonard Lightner stated that they can go back to the drawing board.  
They did change the rubric.  
Attorney Charles Smith stated that he was thinking about Mr. Lightner's  
comment about the Public Hearing. There will be an announcement for  
example: $15 million will be available for public housing and they will have  
so many days to apply then a Public Hearing will be held. Is that Public  
Hearing held after the applications are received or on the front end to  
determine if they want to submit an application.  
Mr. Leonard Lightner stated that they hold a 30-day comment period and  
then send out an application for interested parties. The applications are  
reviewed and scored within 14 days of submittal.  
Ms. Cynthia Mota asked what is the plan that you may have to let the  
community know that this is a certain amount of money the city has, and  
they are able to apply.  
Mr. Leonard Lightner stated that there will be public notice and they will do  
social media. The city will notify their partners and let them know they can  
put it on the website as well.  
Ms. Cynthia Mota stated including radio and different newspapers.  
Mr. Daryl Hendricks stated that for those that are interested, the draft form  
is available now o the city's website. Keep in mind, it is just a draft. It is not  
the finished document.  
Mr. Seth O'Neil stated that it is safe to say that the mayor and the  
administration is committed to much like a bond to creating long-term  
capital assets viabilities. It is something that this body should consider. It  
is maximizing the lifespan. Mr. Ed Zucal stated that when we are doing this,  
as far as application scoring is that they need to give the money to those  
organizations that would be able to sustain themselves in the future and not  
rely on the city to give to them again.  
Ms. Cynthia Mota asked Mr. Zucal to explain it. She said like what.  
Mr. Ed Zucal stated that if Joe Blow nonprofit has an operating budget of  
$80,000 per year, but they provided very good application to prove they  
needed money for something else. They are not going to depend on us  
two years from now to continue that project. They already have enough  
funding.  
Ms. Cynthia Mota stated that she wanted to make sure that it is recorded.  
A motion was made by Ed Zucal, seconded by Ce-Ce Gerlach, that any discussion  
on ARPA allocations be Tabled at this time, including any presentations this  
evening until the Rules and Procedures are approved by the City Council in a  
form of a Resolution which will include items referred to the above as well as  
items presented by the administration and recognize the final allocation must be  
by Ordinance. The Ordinance will follow the same format as the allocations that  
are made to social organizations with the CDBG funding.  
7 -  
Yes:  
Candida Affa, Cynthia Mota, Daryl Hendricks, Ed Zucal, Ce-Ce Gerlach, Joshua  
Siegel, and Natalie Santos  
15-4781  
R215 Refer to Special Committee next year  
Preliminary sketching out some principals, thoughts, and procedures for  
dealing with ARPA Funding that will be further developed and put into a  
workable form.  
Attachments: R215 ARPA Funds  
15-4908  
Bill 11  
Amending the 2022 ARPA Fund Budget to provide for a transfer of Two  
Million Seven Hundred Thousand ($2,700,000) Dollars for the Little Lehigh  
Project.  
Administration  
Sponsors:  
Attachments: Bill 11 ARPA - LITTLE LEHIGH  
LITTLE LEHIGH PROJECT DESCRIPTION  
ADJOURNED: 6:23 PM