Harrisburg City Council Legislative Session - 03/11/25

our legislative session to order I'd

like to conduct our legislative caucus

where we review our meeting agenda so I

will call the meeting to order Mr Parker

will lead our roll call I will lead the

invocation this evening followed by the

Pledge of Allegiance which will be led

by vice president green who is

participating

virtually for communications we are

joined by Todd Vander Woody executive

director of the downtown improvement

district regarding the annual St

Patrick's Day Parade we will then move

to Courtesy of the floor followed by the

approval of minutes for the legislative

session that occurred on February 25th

2025 next reports of committees I will

deliver the first report on behalf of

the administration committee on the work

session of March 4th

2025 next vice president green will

deliver the next committee report on

behalf of of the budget and finance

committee on the work session of March

4th

2025 and the final committee report uh

that you will hear this evening will be

delivered by councilwoman Daniels on

behalf of the community and economic

development committee on the work

session of March 4th

2025 we do not have any ordinances for

first

reading ordinances for Amendment we have

two Bill one of

2025 uh and Bill two of

2025 Bill 3 of 2025 I will note during

the legislative session as well that

requires additional publication and some

additional uh

hearings we have two ordinances for

final passage that's Bill one of

2025 which we will vote upon and Bill

two of 20 20 25 which we will vote

upon again Bill three we will address at

a later time it will remain in the

community and economic development

committee resolutions resolution 11 of

20125 uh we will suspend the rules for a

brief discussion uh and then we will

vote

upon resolution 12 of

2025 we will vote upon res resolution 13

of

2025 we will vote upon resolution 14 of

2025 we will vote

upon resolution 15 of

2025 will move to the parks recreation

and enrichment

committee and resolution 16 of

2025 will move to the community and

economic development committee is there

any old business for discussion council

members okay councilman

Jones any other old

business

okay new business councilman Jones and

councilwoman Ross any other new business

yes councilman Rodriguez

okay any other their new

business okay and then we will

adjourn okay good evening again everyone

the time is 6:04 p.m. I'd like to

officially call our legislative session

to

order Mr Parker could you please call

the role Miss

Daniels M Davis

present Miss

green miss Mr Jones

here M RS present Mr Rodriguez present M

Bowers

present I just wanted to confirm that

both councilwoman Daniels and vice

president green are participating

virtually this

[Music]

evening I will lead the

invocation I would just ask if we could

please keep the following residents

families and friends in our thoughts and

prayers in the weeks and months

ahead uh Terrell C Jackson was a

graduate of Harrisburg High School class

of 1990 he was employed as a bus driver

and he enjoyed fishing basketball and

watching the best team the Philadelphia

[Laughter]

Eagles shaia thoron was a graduate of

Harrisburg High School she was employed

by UPMC Lower Paxton Family Practice in

her Leisure she enjoyed basketball

dancing and

drawing April roess was dedicated to

extreme hip hop stepping it became a

journey that empowered her and those

around her April is remembered by her

family and friends as a source of

strength and

guidance Calvin Cobb was affectionately

known as champagne he received his

formal education in the Harrisburg

School District he was a proud member of

the class of

1982 he enlisted in the United States

Navy in 1984 serving four years on the

US s s kid he was honorably discharged

he was a Phillies fan an Eagles fan good

guys and a Lakers fan Calvin is

remembered by his family and friends as

a warm and caring person if you all

could please join me in a moment of

silence as we remember the lives and

Legacies of these

residents thank you vice president green

uh will lead us in the Pledge of

Allegiance thank you if all

rise I pledge allegiance to the flag of

the United States of America and to the

Republic for which it stands one nation

under God indivisible with liberty and

justice for all thank

you thank you vice president green for

communications this evening we are are

joined by Todd Vander Woody uh executive

director of the downtown improvement

district he will share information

regarding the upcoming annual St

Patrick's Day

Parade thank you very much appreciate

the opportunity to be here this evening

beautiful day outside and we're thinking

uh St Patrick's Day here right around

the corner so uh Happy to be here again

to uh make a

presentation uh St Patrick's Day parade

is already on this Saturday uh March 15

and um this Year's parade is presented

by The Brew Barons beer trail and it

starts at two o'clock uh two o'clock

this Saturday uh again the root of the

parade is the same as the holiday parade

uh the um people participating line up

on the Market Street Bridge uh they go

um to Second Street turn left there uh

go up Second Street to North Street and

then come down uh to Front Street and

finish up right there on the Market

Street Bridge again um a map of the

Parade route and a list of all the road

closures can be found on on our website

there which is Harrisburg stpatrick day

parade.com uh to kick off the day uh

again we're we're fortunate to have the

uh

2025 uh lucky charm Four Mile race uh

which kind of opens the Race season here

in Harrisburg and the surrounding area

and it's a it's a run through really the

capitol uh City uh the race starts at

noon and it kind of kicks everything off

here on Saturday um it starts and

finishes right at the uh parade stage

which is right out front of the city

government center here um it's kind of a

unique race where they they start and

they run up Second Street and they

uh run around State Street uh to front

and then across to city island uh come

back on to uh across the W Street bridge

and then uh right down Second Street uh

again they they Loop right on around and

it's great to see um we have some great

photos last year on the website of the

runners coming right down Second Street

um to finish up right at the parade

stage uh each Runner will receive a

medal and a customized race t-shirt

as well as a gift certificate to Fleet

Feet uh Mechanicsburg the race is

limited to a thousand participants and

they are very close to filling that up

right now uh again it's uh this is

probably going to be the largest race

crowd that we've had um here in

Harrisburg for the lucky charm for Four

Mile uh again we'll do some uh awards

for the uh age groups uh for the

finishers probably about 1 115 um

typically the race will uh um there's a

lot of walkers in there uh usually

finish up around that time and then

we'll use the um as we're getting set up

for the parade on the Market Street

Bridge we'll we'll go ahead and do some

race Awards um one thing that's great

about the the St Patrick state parade is

that there's so many amazing groups that

we have participate uh we are looking at

probably the most groups we've ever had

um since we've been putting on the

parade uh for many years and a lot of a

lot of the uh fan favorites out there

the Blue Moon Cruisers which are the old

cars U people love to see those couple

of dance groups uh the McGinley School

of Irish Dance and the Carro School of

Irish Dance uh they do a great job uh a

pipe band Keel Nave uh pipe band uh

Notre Dame Club of Harrisburg uh

Harrisburg Senator baseball club they

always participate of course they start

their season here in a month feels like

they could play out there today but they

start next month uh the per County old

iron collectors which is a fancy name

for all those old tractors that uh

participate each and every year uh

people love seeing those the Steelton he

Spire marching band zro Shrine uh nitty

Highland pipe band they come down from

State College Area to to perform for us

and then of course for the kids uh the

fire trucks many many fire trucks from

the from the entire area uh participate

in the parade of course we couldn't we

couldn't do the parade or put it on

without our G and our sponsors and I

just like to mention a few of them I've

already mentioned the presenting sponsor

this year the The Brew Barons beer trail

uh we also have other sponsors Ace

Distributing explore hbg Cargill uh

Bourbon Street Saloon JB love drafts

micro Pub and nocturnal uh Capital boot

cross uh sheets zmes the Pennsylvania

skill games and Capital Vending mcgraths

madm sturis Speak Easy Park Harrisburg

and the Fleet Feet

um again sound will be provided this

year again by Ross Productions uh we're

very fortunate to have them uh provide

sound again um they've helped us out and

the city out with the holiday parade

each and every year so we want to thank

them uh little little word about street

closures uh there' be from 9:00 am until

4 pm on this Saturday uh March 15th uh

the mark Street bridge will close around

11:00 a.m. uh until 4 pm uh just for

setup and also the race runs right down

the the far Lane of Market Street also

which is which is kind of neat as we set

up the runners go by uh parking is

available at the market square garage at

the corner of second and Chestnut uh

special event parking fee of $10 thanks

to park Harrisburg and again the

Harrisburg uh the website is Harrisburg

stpatrick day parade.com and again I

appreciate the opportunity to be here

and we look forward to seeing everyone

uh downtown on this

Saturday thank you thank you very much

thanks

we will move forward with our meeting

agenda next we have courtesy of the

floor um I just have a few housekeeping

notes before we begin um if you're

interested in offering public comment

you'll uh come to the microphone um to

my right and you will have four minutes

to share your comments if you could

please state your name and your address

for the meeting record if you don't feel

comfortable sharing your address please

share the vicinity in which you live

live within the city Mr Parker will

serve as our timekeeper I will begin to

my right is there anyone that would like

to offer public

comment hi uh

Council uh my name is Eric Smallwood uh

I'm the creator of a local event called

the singer Lounge um we just celebrated

our ninth year anniversary

uh this year in conjunction with yplc I

intend on planning the first ever parade

in this city centered around

African-American culture on June 14th

the parade route will March around the

capitol complex and especially past the

city's historic eighth Ward

presentations will happen at the Capitol

steps I'm here to ask for City council's

support in this endeavor any support the

council could give would be greatly

appreciated as a lifelong resident of

Harrisburg I look forward to showcasing

the beauty and resilience of this City's

African-American CI citizens as we pay

um homage to the great legacy of our

ancestors I look forward to seeing a

beautiful display of

solidarity I'm proud to Black and I'm

Proud to be black and from Harrisburg I

think everyone who is also black and

from harrisberg should also be proud I

think this parade is exactly the morale

boost this city needs and I'm looking

forward to working together with

everyone to ensure that this event is a

success thank

you thank you is there anyone else my

right that would like to offer public

comment uh my name is Jeff Glatt I live

at 322 North 2 Street I've lived there

since September of last year prior to

that I was is 23 years uh in another

very large apartment building this is my

sixth opportunity to use courtesy of the

city council thank you very much I was

here in June July September and last

month my ma my message has basically

been the same each time out of the out

of state landlord is getting special

treatment and the Tenant is bearing

risks I filed tenant landlord complaints

on two buildings I was living in at the

time one building with 360 apartments

and another with 165 both buildings had

landlord ties to a very small New York

Hamlet of 30,000 and half habitants for

some reason this Mony New York Rockland

County uh address has an oversized

footprint on Harrisburg

apartments on the Harrisburg apartment

Market

for the two complaints I filed no City

citation was was written without a

citation there is no possibility for a

fine or dollar penalties to be assessed

to the landlord in a letter I wrote to

the Patriot news titled compassion for

landlord the editorial staff at Patriot

news changed the title to Harmony Tower

should be cited the letter was published

otherwise unchanged on February 27th

2025 I do not understand why Harrisburg

City seems to favor an outof State

landlord over the well-being of hundreds

and hundreds of Harrisburg

tenants yesterday March the 10th the

tenants of my current building were

given a notice in the

afternoon um that affective the previous

Friday March March the 7th the building

was put into receivership this

represents a new level of risk for those

of us of older years or

disability thank

you thank you is there anyone else to my

right that would like to offer public

comment seeing and hearing no one anyone

in the middle section

good evening I'm Doug Hill I'm president

of the capit area greenv Association I

live at 709 Green Street here in the

city and I'm here tonight in support of

resolution 15 of

2025 uh which is a Grant application of

$150,000 to

dcnr uh for uh Trail funds to help us in

our project to reconnect the trail in

South Harrisburg uh the Grant

application would augment the million

dooll application the city submitted on

our behalf to dced back in November uh

for an LSA Grant I understand it's going

to be referred to the parks recreation

enrichment committee we look forward to

working with the committee to move that

other than that I will end my remarks

but when you get to that in the agenda

I'd be happy to answer any questions you

have thank

you thank you is there anyone else in

the middle section I would like to offer

public comment

sure hello my name is Veronica rice I

live in the city at 26 North 13th Street

and I'm here today to speak about an

organization that we are involved with

and we are very active in the Allison

Hill Community we don't have a lot of

members now but we're growing we are

nonprofit

organization we

um

nonpartisan and we are primarily

involved in voter

registration we have some other things

going on like last year we had this

um event going on it was called um light

the hill and we went around checking for

all the um street lights that were out

and we got a lot of help from

ppnl uh I don't have the exact number

right now but we repaired a lot of we

were in we were able to get

participation to replace a lot of broken

lights and it made a lot of difference

because there are blocks in this city

that have no street lights at all and it

get very dark and night and sure you all

know there's a lot and lots of crime

going on in the

city um we have some other things going

on which Kate will tell you about but we

want to um let you all know that because

we're very uh we're trying to get more

volunteers uh we want to have some

things going on in the summer to make

this a safer city um this just a lot

going on but this is where we start and

we wanted to bring our attention to you

all and was you we're talking about how

the city tends to favor out of

town uh people that are moving and

buying these properties in the

neighborhood where I live it is really

something has to be done I mean this is

like the airplanes falling out the sky

I've lived in my property for 20 years

it is going this is in the area I live

on 13th Street between market and

walnut we have people moving in they

have bought up the first block they

bought almost the complete block of B

street they're turning their homes

they're turning three bedroomroom homes

those are very small

properties they got 15 and 20 people

living in those small

homes they are running

businesses they're repairing cars in

their backyard when they moved um this

house next door to where I live they had

um the first night that they moved in

they took my complete fence

out that separated my property from

theirs they put it back when they got

ready I called here spoke to so many

different people but I w't talk to you

about that but I don't want to get away

from what we're talking about we want to

introduce you all the power to

the this Kate Hi in those wonderful

porch parties can't forget the porch

parts and

June my name is Kate calden I live at H

135 Penn Street um I have been involved

with power to the hill since 2020 I

believe we've been around since 2017

correct um and I have firsth handedly

witnessed the impact that this

organization has had on Alison Hill

Community my um personal role in it is

to help with the app and collect data um

because on a monthly basis we are going

out there and walking the streets

knocking on our neighbors doors um and

trying to get them to actively engage um

in their in citizenship um by informing

them of the benefits of um being

registered to vote in voting every

single election cycle not just um in the

major uh National Cycles um and in that

same lean um this year we're going to

actually be putting together um a city

council uh candidate panel for those of

you running for office again um to get

that conversation closer to the

community up there um because while it's

great down here not everybody's able to

um access this location easily so we

will be hosting that on May 1st which is

a Thursday from 6 to pm. um and that

will be at Christ Lutheran Church on

13th Street so um would love to have

some of our city council members who are

um running uh come out there to really

actively engage with that Community

because uh being out in that Community

they um do feel a little bit like those

kinds of Elections and local elections

don't matter which we all know to not be

true so really showing up for that

Community um and letting them know that

you're there listening and things that

you may be working on would mean a lot

to them and hopefully increase uh voter

engagement come this election like go so

thank you thank you thank you guys for

the uh service I've done work with Miss

Lita Bean um and I love the project of

light the hill so we can light up our

city and and try to deter some of these

uh crimes that are happening but keep up

the good work because we need it and

you're right all politics are local so

thank

you thank

you good evening everyone uh Leland

Nelson 1721 State Street Harrisburg head

coach Harrisburg Creer wrestling program

me member of the Harrisburg Youth Sports

Association is new so you'll hear more

about it soon myself Michael Simpson um

at the Harrisburg Youth Sports

Association our mission is to empower

the inner C youth by providing

scholarships to participate in City

Sports esport programs and Community

Center membership our members currently

are the Harrisburg cougar

Football and cheerleaders the Harrisburg

baby cougar wrestling club boys and

girls Harrisburg baby Cougar's

basketball Capital 4Runner track and

Bill YMCA Boys and Girls Club our

pillars of this program are academic

performance commitment to study hall and

ongoing participation requirements we

know our kids can run and play but when

they get to that ninth grade year the

GPA matters right and for for a long

time you can run jump and play and then

your GPA matters and you this is the

first time ever hearing it so we want to

start the pipeline that we do in our

wrestling program with the Harrisburg

Youth Sports Association it's about 400

kids already that will already already

be in the program and it helps to

subsidize um the cost of involvement

because our wrestling program is

$8 the Football uh baby um cougar

football maybe $225 can we get it down

by um partnering with parks and wreck so

we're asking you to support um

resolution

11225 to support parks and wck and other

cities like Baltimore parks and W is a

part of all the sports programs so you

help to subsidize get the kids is

involved they do pay a membership so

when they pay that membership we

synergize our whole community so now

when um coach Michel talks to that that

student that student athlete they also

talked to me because he's a wrestler and

he's a football player I see a lot of

cross-pollination happening that will

help our city get better so um Michael

you want to talk about the

budget thank

you how you doing so I'm Mikel Simpson I

live at 1416 uh Fourth Street um so like

you said I'm part of the association um

and I'm just go down the numbers on how

this could benefit our youth um so right

now if you look at the youth football

program it's for new members $225 for

returning 200 for new cheerleaders 345

and for turning uh 100 so we're looking

to cover 25 in each of those categories

which is 100 kids um benefiting to play

football uh we look at the capital um

forerunners program um with their cost

being

$150 uh 25 kids will be able to

participate that and that would only

cost us

$3,700 uh we talk about the um baby uh

cougars basketball program which is

already established for a few years um

and they're doing very good what we want

to do is come in and be able to provide

jerseys and trophies um to kind of eaten

that burden on the the participants in

that program because it is a free

program um and lastly uh we definitely

want to um grow our wrestling program

and right now we can't because we don't

have scoreboards to host meets which is

going to actually you know benefit

financially for us so we would like to

provide uh four scoreboards at a cost of

$2,000 per scoreboard um and then when

we look at um our community centers our

YMCA and our boys and girls club if you

look at the memberships for our youth

they're down right so we want to come in

and provide 100 memberships to the YMCA

and 100 memberships uh to the Boys and

Girls Clubs for our youth that way

they're ultimately um engaged fouryear

Circle not just within that moment of

their sport quick question yes so the

the fee for this I heard you say free

but I thought at one point it would be

like $100 and they'll be able to do dual

Sports is that so the fee for a parent

to buy into the program is $50 but what

I'm saying is the baby Pro uh baby uh

cougars basketball program is already

free so their cost will come in for

jerseys and trophies and that's where

we'll step in and ease that burden

gotcha I just wanted to make that clear

we'll suspend the rules for further

discussion but thank you both for um for

sharing in in the event that other

council members have questions that we

can have a longer dialogue no problem

thank you thank you is there anyone else

in the middle section that has uh that

would like to offer public comment

excuse me okay seeing and hearing no one

anyone to my

left good evening my name is Evelyn hunt

and I live in the 1800 100 block of

State

Street uh the first thing on my

list parking around

here a few weeks ago y'all had a special

meeting on Wednesday night and I really

wanted to attend that meeting I drove

around three different times I couldn't

find parking on Riverside which I call

front that you call Front Street there

was no parking on Market Street or this

Second Street and we're having to and we

only have one handicap parking spot and

that's in front of the restaurant next

door even if you don't uh get parking

for people who are not disabled one uh

handicapp parking spot is not

enough

um oh when I uh because I couldn't come

to that meeting I decided I would go and

um make Capitol Regional water happy

that night and I went to their meeting

instead what they uh uh mentioned was

not everybody in Harrisburg has gotten

the new meters and if you have not

gotten the new meters they're going to

be putting a uh sum of money on your

bill which they will take off once you

get the new

meter

okay part parking

enforcement next year when you do the

budget please give those people more

people parking

enforcement at best is not good and

there's no enforcement of parking after

3:00 people have trouble getting out

onto Main Streets because people are up

against the

corners that's

dangerous okay sidewalks

when the lighting is

poor a lot of these sidewalks it's not a

matter of them needing to be replaced

they need to be

lifted uh I see money being uh for other

things in uh the city but we also need

to get these sidewalks lifted so it's

safe for people to walk especially in

areas where the lighting is not good now

my my favorite thing is

after 18th

Street the engineers that were here back

in the 50s 40s or whatever forgot about

from 18th Street up to the City Line we

have no curving on Walnut Street we have

no sidewalks or the sidewalks that are

there are scarce people should not have

to walk in the street to go up wall wut

street we have no

curbing you can find money to put fancy

curbing going up Seventh Street up uh

Front Street can't we get something up

in Allison

Hill

okay oh the man that spoke about um St

Patrick's Day did you say or

whoever oh well did he say was it free

parking that

day oh no I'm not going to be there okay

um okay the next thing this is a

question this is not a

statement um earlier no I think it was

last year we had a major storm in

Harrisburg it did a lot of damage up in

Reservoir Park along the state hospital

grounds who do these properties belong

to and was did we get any funding from

uh the county or anyone because it's a

hot mess when you drive through

reservoir park or you go down um uh what

do you call that the

bypass whose property is that well I

don't know who everybody's property it

is but I know Bellevue got hit bad so I

had some information from some meetings

but we didn't get any funding because

the damage wasn't as

significant but I know for biew parkyard

put out a thing come help biew Park I

didn't hear the same come help a

reservoir park or come help the state

hospital grounds and that that that's

just as important I agree oh and Ada you

ma'am I'm sorry but your time has

expired but they still don't have a rail

up going into the park Ada listen to me

because you don't want me to call the

feds thank

you is there anyone else that would like

to offer public comment okay you're

welcome to come to the microphone please

no no go

ahead that was so inspiring I'm Vivie

Vivian brandler 258 verbeck Street

Harrisburg Pennsylvania you only get one

chance to make a first impression right

so here goes nothing okay must words for

a day like today today when temperatures

reach 70 degrees when sparrows sing in

chorus and Blackbird call announces

Springs on its way in toting maybe

melting away returned to warmth of

wonderment and softened by the sway a

respit in the sun face absorbing heat we

look for connections places we can meet

at six o'clock tonight I go to city

council to present these petitions of

community will and voices now announcing

we want and need Community we want our

safe third place we meet with every

person in this special place by speaking

to those they there we understand

everything we strengthen neighborhood

and Community peace and common grounding

so please if you may feel

this know how truly we would miss a

place to gather hugs and songs to eat

outside in Bliss we call together

strongly we petition you to hear we beg

for understanding your power to be clear

could change the course tomorrow could

save our happy place and build a common

ground filled with peace and Grace save

our Broad Street Market

Courtyard and here are our petitions

signed by over 460 people and do I have

any time left you have two minutes and

30 seconds okay to whom it may concern

and who is that who's concerned in my

opinion our whole Community who's our

community our residents including the

unhoused public servants nonprofit org

organizations creatives government small

business owners religious organizations

and even those who come into Midtown to

visit and shop at the Broad Street

Market and local

establishments this plea this request

this letter I hope reaches anyone who

cares about the future of the Broad

Street Market as the resident of

Harrisburg and co-owner of my little

Gallery um fortunate to live only one

block from the market in fact my partner

and I got it years ago blah blah blah

blah I'm not going to read that whole

thing this leads me to the true purpose

of my life letter or some would say

proposal after attending the town hall

meeting hosted by the historic

Harrisburg Association I was compelled

to create a public petition calling for

the preservation of the community free

space between the two Broad Street

Market buildings historically this has

been a place where folks gather as

mentioned above and where local farmers

creatives and others have sold their

goods these days efforts like excuse me

efforts like this are described as

popups or startups begin in small ways

selling for example heirloom tomatoes

mushrooms soaps candles even craft beers

not everyone beginning a business has

been able to afford a full-time lease at

the market as a vendor and I can attest

to the success of many small businesses

that start out in public areas like the

Broad Street Market community space

parking lots Parks or art vests in in

Harrisburg popularity of barter exchange

and trade still exist and folks often

bring their goods to the free store or a

community Gathering Place at the market

where they can get things for free and

build community I'd like to circulate

this letter to the community members

have them sign to establish the space

for future and then bring the petitions

to yall and to the city council

honorable mayor and to the Broad Street

Market Alliance our hope is that the

powers to be will commit to and Grant

this community the space for free in

their renewal and future plans

respectfully submitted and I signed it

I make the time you did you had 14

seconds left and there and there it is

right there there's all the signatures

and I have more

petitions I had asked Miss Vib to come

because I didn't know when it came to

petitions what she um should do with

them so I wanted to see legally where

does she go from here with the petitions

that she got signed

okay

thank

okay okay so if she gives them to Mr

Parker does Mr Parker then make copies

and give copies to the mayor keep copies

in his office and then we proceed from

there okay thank you so you will give

them to Mr Parker excellent thank you

for that help thank

you yeah she scanned them in I saw she

emailed them to herself she's got them

she did well thank you very much and we

will add them to our meeting record as

well is there anyone else that would

like to offer public

comment hello I'm Robert Williams 1630

North F

Street um I'm here to in support of the

cleak ordinance I really believe that

our police lacked oversight and I think

that the ordinance I didn't get a chance

to look at it I've usually read

everything I didn't get a chance to look

at it but I really think it needs as

much power the cleak needs as much power

as possible subpoena power policy power

and the reason I'm saying this is

because on January

27th I was unlawfully seized from my

home from officer

be I was brutalized in front of my

son and I reached out to the city I

reached out to the district attorney for

body Canam footage which is exculpatory

evidence that absolved me from crimes

that I was charged with that our

unlawful and malicious prosecution and

I've been met with nothing but

roadblocks from the law solicitor's

office obtaining trying to obtain

this body cam footage that will

exonerate me I've been they have used

act 22 as a weapon to hide things I put

in act 22 request they wait till the

last day to deny it we need more

oversight I'm full I'm in full complete

support of cleak having as much power as

possible under PA Law because this is

ridiculous that someone that didn't do

anything wrong is ripped from their home

home and it's on body

Cam and I get a call from IIA internal

Affair detective Fetzer who is so

incompetent at his job that three weeks

after this happens to me he calls me on

a casual call riding around on a cell

phone he speaks to me and it doesn't

seem like he's trying to do anything but

help me at all he sounds like he's on a

reconnaissance mission to see what I

have against the city to protect the

against this

liability and he asked he asked me

questions that he should have done

himself he asked me do I have footage do

I did I speak to the neighbors what do

they have what did my son do he's asking

me things that he should investigate

when I ask him the process how does this

process work even though I know how the

process works so after you're done with

your

investigation officer feter what's the

process his response I don't know I just

do an investig I have too much on my

hands to do more than that so I asked

him have you ever seen the process

through to this finale he says

no not one time no I don't believe that

to be true but that's what he tells me

our whole conversation was nothing more

than him trying to discourage me from

holding these police officers

accountable officer applebe an unknown

sergeant and another

officer so I could go on is for the

whole four minutes but I'm going leave

it at this and I would love to speak

with the public safety chairman and I'll

Y for the rest of

us thank you is there anyone else that

would like to offer public comment I

don't want to miss anyone if there

is okay seeing and hearing no one we

will move forward with our meeting

agenda next we have the approval of

minutes for the legislative session s

that occurred on February 25th

2025 council members are there any

revisions to those meeting

minutes okay seeing and hearing none the

minutes stand

approved next we will have reports of

committees I will deliver the first

report on behalf of the administration

committee on the work session of March

4th

2025 on Tuesday March 4th 20 20 25 the

administration committee met to discuss

two bills and three

resolutions first bill 1 of 2025 is an

ordinance amending chapter 2- 515

citizens law enforcement advisory

committee of title 2 administrative code

to Grant City Council exclusive

appointment authority over the citizens

law enforcement advisory

committee Bill one of 2025 was drafted

at the request of Harrisburg city

council I Shar background information

regarding the citizens law enforcement

advisory committee or cleak council

members share comments in support of the

bill council members feel uh the

citizens law enforcement advisory

committee will build and repair

relationships with the Bureau of police

the citizens law enforcement advisory

committee will provide accountability

and Authority the delay and appointments

on behalf of the mayor has been

frustrating council members are

supportive of the effort and movement

the time has come an effort to get this

done began with former councilman

Cornelius Johnson the community service

AIDS are supposed to work hand inand

with the members of the cleak

board next we discussed Bill two of

2025 an ordinance forgiving and

discharging 2024 or city real estate

taxes including interest penalties and

costs and striking off tax leans for

certain historically tax exempt

properties city solicitor Neil Grover

was present on behalf of the

administration the bill originates out

of the law Bureau um there was a

paperwork error for at least three

churches traditionally exempt um so it's

to exonerate pastor du taxes the

Harrisburg School Board voted on two of

the three properties but they're in

agreement uh with au three the Dolphin

County Commissioners have taken action

on all three of the properties so the

city of Harrisburg would be

next council members ask the following

questions what is the value what is the

dollar amount being forgiven are there

any properties refunded for

2024 are all three properties the same

ENT

and do we expect more more

requests um there was also a request

made uh regarding additional details on

each of the

properties resolution 12 of 20125 a

resolution authorizing the city of

Harrisburg to negotiate and enter into a

Professional Services agreement with

Conrad seagull Incorporated to provide

acarial uh services to assist the city

in negotiations of certain collective

bargaining agreements city solicitor

Neil Grover was present on behalf of the

administration uh the asme and fop

contracts expire on December 31st

20125 council members asked the

following questions how far does this

relationship span uh solicitor Grover

responded that the relationship spans

prior to

2014 following a series of receiverships

resolution 13 of 2025 is a resolution

authorizing the city of Harrisburg to

negotiate and enter into a landowner

grantee agreement with the Dolphin

County Conservation District in

furtherance of the 2024 countywide

action

plan uh reparan buffer

project Eric nugus of the Dolphin County

Conservation District and Josh Clark of

the countywide action plan serves as the

countywide action plan coordinator for

Dolphin County shared that there is a

time restraint for Grant funds related

to 219 Gibson Boulevard um there's a 2

acre lawn that the county has maintained

uh since two or excuse me since

1996 a lawn to Meadow conversion will

occur the conversion will improve water

quality going to Spring Creek

the the conversion is a part of the

countywide action plan and it's also a

part of a larger D Grant council members

ask the following questions um

clarifying the portion of the County's

comprehensive plan that is addressed

water quality improvement uh community

members plans for reviewing um the plan

water quality and Spring Creek facility

there was clarification that it is

Spring Creek the creek not Spring Creek

the uh senior citizen

facility resolution 14 of 2025 is a

resolution authorizing the city of

Harrisburg to negotiate and enter into a

memorandum of understanding with the

Susana Township School District for the

purpose of the continued use of a salt

Dome storage facility and the removal of

solar panels city solicitor Neil Gro was

present on behalf of the administration

solicitor Grover shared that the

property belonged to the Harrisburg

School District for

decades on January 31st 2025 the

property transferred ownership the solar

panels uh must be removed within 90 days

of closing or no later than April 30th

2025 council members asked the following

questions are these the same panels from

wildart that were moved in 2020 which

solicitor Grover confirmed that they

were the same panels but they are not

very useful um would we be able to

utilize uh Public Works to assist in the

movement

um wrapped and stacked value in Parts um

we would need someone qualified to

render an opinion as to the as to why um

the panels are valuable it would be a

$100 fee for one year um and this will

be covered under our general liability

that we already have um there was

a discussion rather about the

restoration plan for Governor

Square

um for

222 units uh Federal uniform location

act temporary payment um must be made to

the tenant process to find the receiver

was underway Midtown Property Management

has been selected there was a question

regarding a funding source and the

funding source is the arpa affordable

housing program funding which totals

$250,000 I encourage my colleagues to

support Bill one of

2025 to finish what we started in 2020

to Foster greater relationships between

the Bureau of police and residents in

each Police District I encourage my

colle colleagues to support Bill 2 of

2025 to encourage the city of Harrisburg

to ensure excuse me that the city of

Harrisburg is not the only entity that

has not taken action um on the exemption

I encourage my colleagues to support

resolution 12 of

2025 to assist in the city's negot

negotiations of both the asme and fop

collective bargaining agreements I

encourage my colleagues to support

resolution 13 of 2020 25 to assist dolin

County in carrying out their

2024 countywide action plan and finally

I encourage my colleagues to support

resolution 14 of

2025 to ensure the continued use of ass

salt Dome uh storage facility by the

public works department and the removal

of nonuseful solar panels this concludes

the report of the administration

committee the next report you will here

will be delivered by vice president

green our budget and finance committee

chair on the work session of March 4th

20125 thank you president Bowers during

the work session of March 4th of 2025

the budget and finance committee

discussed one piece of legislation

resolution 11 of 2025 resolution 11 of

2025 is a resolution approving the

second proposed 2025 budget reoc

appropriation and allocation of certain

funds it is proposed that the city will

direct

$250,000 as an initial funding

commitment to Governor Square in order

to appoint a qualified receiver over

those properties operating as residents

at Governor Square we had a presentation

by solicitor Grover who explained that

this was the first step in a long

process but it would allow for work to

begin to be done for residents living in

this property solicitor Grover did share

that the city would recommend a local

company Midtown property prop management

to assume this role but it would

ultimately be up to the courts this

money would be coming from the $8

million that was originally arer funds

that counts to direct it towards

affordable housing development my

colleagues expressed their understanding

for the need for these funds as well as

the need for a receiver to ensure we

take care of the residents who are still

residing at Governor Square solicitor

drover did note that the city would be

able to recover these funds in the

future from the owners of the property

the second part of this resolution was

for $500,000 to be moved to c shortterm

litigation obligations and commitments

uh council president Bowers did also

note that she would be offering an

amendment to fund the Harrisburg Youth

Sports Association this concludes my

report and I will recommend my

colleagues support this resolution thank

you thank you vice president green the

final committee report you will hear

this evening will be delivered by uh

chair Daniels on behalf of the community

and economic development committee on

the work session of March 4th to 2025

chair

Daniels thank you the uh community and

economic development committee met on

March 4th to discuss Bill three hyen

2025 uh which is an ordinance that

amends the location 640 Al Street uh

from it changes it from an industrial

zoning uh to residential medium density

uh the home is a residential brick home

um but because of I guess um GIS

oversight it was included in the

industrial Zone there are several other

homes that are similarly situated and

because of its industrial zoning it has

made it difficult for the owner to um

sell or use the property to its full

capacity um so because this is a

rezoning um it does have additional um

notice requirements that the public so

we'll will'll follow those in terms of

um proceeding to corre

that this error for this property and

perhaps other properties that are

similarly situated and that concluded

the business for the committee on

Tuesday thank you chair Daniels we do

not have any ordinances for first

reading ordinance for Amendment we have

two Bill one of 2025 Mr Parker could you

please read it into the record yes Bill

one of 2025

an ordinance amending chapter 2-

515 citizens law enforcement advisory

committee of title two administrative

code to Grant City Council exclusive

appointment authority over the citizens

law enforcement advisory

committee thank you Bill two of 2025 Mr

Parker could you please read it into the

record yes Bill two of

2025 and an ordinance for giving and

discharging 2024 City real estate taxes

including interest penalties and costs

and striking off tax leans for certain

historically tax exempt

properties thank you and if you're

following along with our agenda as we

noted Bill three of

2025 will remain in the community and

economic development committee for

additional

discussion next we have ordinances for

final passage Bill one of 2025 Mr Parker

could you please read it into the record

Bill one of 2025 and ordinance amending

chapter 2-

515 citizens law enforcement advisory

committee of title two administrative

code to Grant City Council exclusive

appointment authority over the citizens

law enforcement advisory committee thank

you council members are there any final

questions comments or concerns related

to Bill 1 of

2025 okay seeing and hearing none Mr

Parker could you please call the vote

Miss

Daniels

yeah M

Davis yes M

green yes Mr

Jones yay M RS yes Mr Rodriguez

yes Miss Bowers yes Bill one of 2025

passes unanimous unanimously with a vote

of seven y to zero Nays thank you next

we have Bill two of 2025 Mr Parker could

you please read it into the record Bill

two of

2025 an ordinance for giving and

discharging 2024 City real estate taxes

including interest penalties and costs

and striking off tax leans for certain

historically tax exempt properties thank

you council members are there any final

questions comments or concerns related

to Bill two of

2025 okay seeing and hearing them Mr

Parker could you please call the vote

Miss

Daniels yes Miss Davis yes Miss

green yes Mr Jones

yay Miss rolls yes Mr Rodriguez yes Miss

Bowers yes Bill two of 2025 passes

unanimously with a vote of seven Ys to

zero Nays thank you and again Bill three

of 2025 will uh remain in committee for

further discussion we will now move to

resolutions the first resolution for

consideration this evening is resolution

11 of 2025 5 Mr Parker could you please

read it into the

record resolution 11 of 2025 a

resolution approving the second proposed

2025 budget reallocation appropriation

and allocation of certain

funds thank you I will entertain a

motion to suspend the rules for

discussion so move is there a second

second thank you uh I will defer vice

president green I know you can't see us

but I'm going to invite uh Mr Leela

Nelson and Mr Mikel Simpson to join us

for further discussion on the Harrisburg

Youth Sports

Association okay I'll lead the uh

discussion um due to vice president

green not being able to see us um this

isn't her committee though okay would

you like

to me to lead the

discussion you can lead the discussion

okay all right so thank you guys I know

you both shared information um during

the public comment portion related to

the mission um if you could please speak

to uh the budget a little bit more and

what the funds would be utilized for I

think that would be helpful

can you hear me so we go down um the

budget item list um for new football

players uh 225 is the fee that will

cover 25 participants that would be a

sum of $5

5,625 um if we provide scholarships for

25 returning kids at $200 fee that comes

to a total of

$5,000 um for 25 new cheerleaders at a

cost of 345 will give us a total of

$862 um if we provide scholarships 25

returning cheerleaders at $100 that

leaves us

$2,500 um if we go to the track program

for capital for runners and we um

provide 25 scholarships at $125 that's a

total of

3750 uh we go down to the baby cougars

uh program if we provide 100 trophies at

$15 a trophy

$1,500 uh baby cougar Jersey for

basketball1 at $12 per shirt will give

us a cost of$ 1,200 um for the baby

cougars wrestling scoreboards a total of

four of them at four uh 2,000 a piece

will give us a total of

$8,000 um for art marketing and

advertisement purposes we put a budget

of $5,000 and that would include apparel

and different things that we can give to

the kids uh memberships to the YMCA 100

at

$120 per year so this is membership for

kids for the entire year not the month

uh that will come out to

$122,000 um for the boys and girls club

if we provide a hundred at there is $20

for the year that would be $2,000 uh and

then we left ourselves $3,800 for end of

the year award celebration um and that

gives us a grand total of 59,000 so in

total we break it down for football cost

it will dish out

21,750 for wrestling 8,000 for track

3,700 for basketball

$2,700 and the Y memberships for a year

of $112,000 for the YMCA and boys and

girls club two uh

$2,000 thank you um I wanted to clarify

I guess two things you mentioned the

academic component so there is a study

hall built in for all participants is

that correct yes so um what would happen

is conversation um has begun with the

YMC and boys clubs because these are the

after school programs that these

children will be attending before they

go into their Sports um so if they are

honor Ro student it is required two

study halls per week if they're non

honor Ro student it's required four

study halls per week so that's pretty

much Monday through Thursday to have

Friday off um so that gives the chance

of these kids who need extra help extra

attention to get that in after school

and it's also an encouragement to make

them want to do better um so when we

talk about this um I coached the

Harrisburg youth football program and

for the pony level I coach that so what

I implemented was a Monday man to study

hall and film session and all the kids

brought their work they got help there

and what I did that kind of drove kids

to want to do better in school because

every Monday they had to bring the test

and quizzes from that previous week if

there were A's or B's on it they

received a Paul print sticker helmet so

I wasn't given sticker helmets for

touchdowns interceptions no it's

academic so now the typically when you

show up to the game you see a kid's

helmet full of stickers you think he's

naturally the best player well I

reversed it now that's the smartest

player so now the kids typically to be

honest that are better ones they kind of

slack off in school because they think

they can get by as athletes well now

they're looking at themselves in the

mirror I don't have any stickers so you

start to slowly see some of the kids who

are problems in school slowly start to

turn it around but like I said we only

had kids for three months so now we're

looking at having these kids 12

months thank you my other question was

um and and I think Mr Nelson you spoke

to it when you talked about um

students being able to participate in

multiple Sports I think that was a

discussion from the beginning with the

membership fee depending on the season

they could participate is it up to two

sports is that what they yes it's up to

two currently but okay it depends on um

you know the we'll talk to every team

okay how you turn the mic on just just

move it clo or speak closer or you can

use this one that oh that one has a

light easier there we go there we go

there we go up to two sports up to two

sports so um but um or a discount for

every sport they want to be in if you

have have a parent that wants to do

track football and wrestling or

basketball a combination of those three

or four because they are member they get

discounts to every um every U season

every sport and we're working out with

with all the coaches right now but what

you'll see is um this money helps to

subsidize the cost that we have like if

we need new clocks we kind of kind of

got to cover that with the fundraisers

and the the admission cost you know the

registration fee but we have that

covered by this this grant we can cover

and that's a one time you know that that

those clocks are used for 10 years we're

not going to use them every year they're

not they're not disposable like that but

it allows us to scale our our

organization and our tournaments like

that so um when they have that

membership that's their buying that's

the matching funds for this grant so um

it shows some skin in the game for the

parents too they're it's not like we're

not just giving everyone you see the

cover of 25 kids but they're doing

something for that it's not just because

we know you give them a scholarship to a

a football team and then they don't come

at they're not dedicated as much so

we'll play it as as we hear the need you

know um and we have that just to cover

those kids that really want to play and

they they show some hardship and then

we'll we'll find another way either do

fundraiser or or matching funds to cover

that U registration fee and and also I

want to um highlight too uh the YMCA and

the Boys Club they have Esports programs

in their facilities with monitors and

game systems um if you visit no kids are

really there right so now these

scholarships will cover those kids who

have interest in not just the physical

sports but also the Esports so we have a

different population now of kids right

so that's what they're into it gives

them that exposure because kids aren't

going to walk by the YMCA and say hey

let me stop in and see if they have a e

sports program right now we're bringing

it to them um their friends naturally

talk because they'll be a part of the

program so I think and naturally grows

and ultimately what it does is it

benefits our youth um community centers

right so now uh the YMCA won't have just

just throwing us out there 25 members

for youth now they automatically have an

extra hundred coming in for the same

thing for the boys and girls club so

it's ultimately helping everyone

involved that's have their hands

involved with

kids thank you I don't have any other

questions I am going to open the floor

to my colleagues who may have additional

questions I'm going to start with our

budget and finance committee chair vice

president green do you have any

questions thank you president BS I don't

have any questions um I definitely think

this is a wonderful program that will

help our residents and our youth um give

them some opportunities to to have

different things to do uh as well as not

put so much financial burden on parents

so um I definitely support this thank

you uh councilwoman Davis any questions

yes thank you president Bowers um I

think it's a great program too uh

anytime the kids can can get involved

with sports keep them occupied have

great leadership um I did want to ask

when does the season start when will it

start there's always a season starting

so you know depends on the sport yeah

depends on the sport we just ended

wrestling but now track and baseball's

happen Okay so

ongo so it's on going so we look at the

beginning of the year basketball's

wrestling's in then you transition into

track and then you transition into

football so yeah so the kids will be

active but these memberships also them

to go when it's their offseason so it's

not hey you're just playing football so

you have dis Advantage no if that's the

only sport you play you still have

access to these facilities for the next

seven eight months until your sport

comes back okay okay and so the

cheerleader also coming in for the

summer yeah so this is all boys and

girls this isn't like just strictly boys

and then how soon are you looking

to uh receive the scoreboards as soon as

possible I mean for our scoreboards we

have about five or six months before we

need them but okay um we have some now

but this helps us scale our um

tournaments our tournaments bring in 500

kids to the city of Harrisburg John

Harris Campus um Council R knows about

this is all day we welcome you out

coming at 7 AM and stay till about 5:00

P PM but it's a great time and we're

able to host in in those tournaments so

you have to have a certain amount of

scale to do that and um that would limit

that's limited us um to date but we'll

get it with these scoreboard we can

actually go out there for those bigger

tournaments in the area okay thank

you thank you uh councilwoman Ross any

questions thank you president Bowers um

good evening to you both I'm glad you're

here to speak on this

um I just want to remind Council that we

already said yes to this um during

budget season when we made amendments to

the budget um so it's our chance to

bring it back up because it had got

vetoed um so now we can um actually do

what we need to do and bring this back

because it's it's essential to our

community

um I if I will say this if we look in

our surrounding Community um there's

districts that already do that susqu Han

has a a a youth uh Sports Association a

lower dolphin East pinbo there's many of

them that have this so it's just our

time to to do this it's way past that

and U my daughter wrestled this year uh

if you haven't watched girls or women's

wrestling please it is so exciting but I

see the hard work that um Mr Simpson and

Mr Nelson put into the program and all

the coaches so um I think that uh we see

what's happening with our youth and I

always say you all always hear me scream

from the mountain tops about Youth and

um programming and giving them these

opportunities so um I'm in full support

I don't have any questions I'm just

excited um I can't wait to see it grow

and the many sports you will bring into

it such as volleyball maybe even

competitive swimming um there there's

just it's well we do need to get we got

Jackson lit let's put it to work for now

well so we do have continuing Sports to

grow as the year grows as the funding

grows but these are kind of the four

Sports pillars in our community right

now that we can actually get high

numbers of participation and actually

fully use this funding and next year

definitely want to incorporate different

programs based on what the interest of

the kids want not us right no I love it

um I'm all for it so no um thank you and

and I hope we all can come to agreeance

on this and continue to um get our youth

involved in the not just the community

but in the things that they love to do

give them this opportunity so thank you

that's it for me thank you councilman

Rodriguez any questions thank you madam

president thank you both for joining us

this evening um it's just phenomenal to

see being in excuse me on the earlier

conversations at the Civics and me event

with uh Coach Johnson and then you know

getting into the early procedures with

Coach coach on a few early meetings it

just was phenomenal to see not only

develop but to see where it is now um

but let's keep in mind sports are

amazing but we have to really remark and

highlight the discipline the Academia

the self-respect the time management the

self-awareness we won't see kids getting

into things on the streets anymore

because they'll be with Coach Simpson or

coach Nelson or you know probably up at

the high running steps like raan and

other guys do I'm I'm a wrestling Dad

I'm a sports dad as well go cougars and

it's just amazing I'm I'm I'm just

thrilled that Council support this and

unfortunately we had a few hiccups but

that doesn't stop us that just means we

have to try another way right so I

really support this and I can't wait to

um because this is just the first step

right I mean we still have to Lobby the

county the state we got to get other

legislators at the initial meeting at

Civics and me at the farm show um both

commissioner Hartwick and state R Matson

said they would love to take part so we

still have some you know upper inclines

de climb but I look forward to seeing

the budget the awareness and the

athletic um count grow so thank you I

commend you guys for all you're doing

and I look forward to seeing this get

established thank you thank you

councilman Jones any questions uh no

mine is my questions were pretty much

answered but first I will say to

everybody in this room right now we need

to give these brothers a standing

ovation this is phenomenal

[Applause]

this is what we mean when we're talking

about taking pride in our community and

stepping up instead of complaining about

things and doing something about it um

you guys have a great group of people

with you um hanif Johnson your The

Honorable hanif Johnson amichi Walker Mr

Michel juice Simpson uh Mr Leland Nelson

these guys are very athletic and not

only that they are highly educated and

this is what we mean by uh giving back

to our community you guys have the

passion I know it Mel you've been at

this for a very long time and you're

very passionate about our youth and the

sports but the greatest thing is as

councilman Rodriguez talked about is the

AC the academics um you know what our

reading levels are like you know what

our our graduation rates are like and

you guys have been there you've went to

college you played Sports in college

you've taken your careers to other

levels this is phenomenal and again I

commend you guys on this and you

definitely have our full support so

thank

you thank you I don't want anyone to

think I missed councilwoman uh Daniels

it looks like she exited from the

meeting she was on virtually so I didn't

miss her um are there any other final

questions or comments council members I

I just wanted to Echo those sentiments

again and when the residents is saying

why not do something for the Youth why

not we hear you we're taking action and

this is that very first step so thank

you guys thank you

and thank you again do you have contact

information I also wanted to because I

think you're a business owner aren't you

don't you have um who's it dirty dog um

yes those seeds of um wealth and

Entrepreneurship can also be dropped

into our

children's that's another asset I would

love to see that done and I know you're

going to do

it thank you

thank you thank you thank you for your

time thank you um at this time I'll

entertain a motion to resume our

legislative session no moved is there a

second second thank you so before us we

have resolution 11 of 2025 Mr Parker can

you please read it one more

time resolution 11 of

20125 a resolution approving the second

proposed 2025 budget reallocation

appropriation and allocation of certain

funds solicitor Grover um just just for

the clarity of it um this amendment was

not um vetoed it's in the budget it just

didn't have who the money was going

towards so this is a language only

amendment to the to the resolution um

where the council's uh providing its

preference uh directing with the mayor

where they want the money to go um and

then we would work with um the applicant

to get the information to put it into a

document uh so the money would be then

have details to it it it does have to

have some level of detail into it it

seems like the applicants had an awful

lot of detail tonight to work with um

but it then it has to go into a to an

agreement that goes to there for the

process so but that it's it's not

unusual for the way we've done grants

over the years that's referring to like

the fiduciary who's going to be taking

care of the yeah who who's the account

who's the technical contct contract

holder who what is is it an association

what is it you know what and what is the

money appropriated for specifically and

that's a pretty typical with a grant

where you have to lay out what it's for

and and the time period to be spent and

how the report comes in and things like

that but we've done a number of them

over the years with the

organizations may I proceed with my

Amendment or yes I just wanted to

clarify because there was a to this feto

there's no new appropriation you need

you just need need to direct it was this

was um a portion of the municipal host

fee funding so it had to be

reallocated but thank you for

clarifying okay so before us we have

resolution 11 of

2025 um I move

to uh amend the resolution to include an

appropriation of

$59,000 uh for the Harrisburg Youth

Sports

Association is there a second second

thank you are there any questions or

comments related to the

amendment okay seeing in hearing none Mr

Parker could you please call the

vote now this vote will be on the

amendment Miss

Daniels misss Davis yes Miss M

green yes Mr

Jones yay Ms

rolls yes Mr Rodriguez yes Miss Bowers

yes the vote on the amendment of

resolution 11

2025 has passed unanimously six y to

zero

Nays with including one absence uh with

including one

absence thank

you so we don't need another Vote or

resolution as amended well the way you

did it you you need to have one as

amended yeah I did if if we' sent it

down in writing already would have

substituted so okay thank you for

clarifying so now we have resolution 11

of

2025 as

amended Mr Parker could you please call

the vote Miss

Daniels Miss Davis

yes Miss

green

yes Mr Jones yay M

RS yes Mr Rodriguez yes Miss Bowers yes

resolution 11 of 2025 in its amended

form has been passed um unanimously

unanimously 6j to zero Nays thank you

next we have resolution 12 of 2025 Mr

Parker could you please read it into the

record resolution 12 of 2025 a

resolution authorizing the city of

Harrisburg to negotiate and enter into a

Professional Services agreement with

Conrad seagull Incorporated to provide

Actuarial services to assist the city in

negotiations of certain Collective

bargaining agreements thank you council

members are there any final questions

comments or concerns related to

resolution 12 of

2025 seeing and hearing none Mr Parker

could you please call the vote

Miss Daniels

Miss Davis

yes Miss Miss

green Mr Jones

yay M rolls yes Mr Rodriguez yes and

Miss Bowers

yes resolution 12 of 2025 passes

unanimously with a vote with a vote of

five y to zero Nays including two

absences thank you next we have

resolution 13 of 2025 Mr Parker could

you please read it into the

record resolution 13 of 2025 a

resolution authorizing the city of

Harrisburg to negotiate and enter into a

landowner grantee agreement with the

Dolphin County Conservation District in

furtherance of the 2024 countywide

action plan riparian buffer

project thank you um council members are

there any final questions comments or

concerns related to resolution 13 of

2025 seeing and hearing none Mr Parker

could you please call the

vote Miss Daniels

Miss Davis yes Miss

green Mr Jones yay Miss RS yes Mr

Rodriguez yes Miss Bowers yes

resolution

13 passes unanimously with a vote of

five Ys to zero Nays including two

absences thank you uh next we have

resolution 14 of 2025 Mr Parker could

you please read it into the

record resolution 14 of

2025 a resolution authorizing the city

of Harrisburg to negotiate and enter

into a memorandum of understanding with

the subsquent Township School District

for the purpose of the continued use of

assault Dome storage facility and the

removal of solar panels

thank you council members are there any

final questions comments or concerns

related to resolution 14 of

20125 seeing and hearing now Mr Parker

could you please call the

vote Miss

Daniels Miss Davis yes Miss

green Mr Jones yay M rolls yes Mr

Rodriguez yes Ms Bowers yes resolution

14 of

2025 passes unanimously with a vote of

five Ys to zero Nays including two

absences thank you next we have

resolution 15 of 2025 Mr Parker could

you please read it into the

record resolution 15 of

2025 a resolution authorizing the

submission of a Grant application to the

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation

and natural resources Community

conservation partnership program

non-motorized Trail grant program in

conjunction with the Capital Area Green

Belt Association for up to

$150,000 for funds to re for funds to

relocate a portion of the Capital Area

green belt in South Harrisburg thank you

resolution 15 of 2025 will move to the

parks recreation and enrichment

committee our final resolution for

discussion this evening is resolution 16

of 2025 Mr Parker could you please read

it into the record resolution 16 of 2025

a resolution approving the preliminary

slf final land development plan for 1103

South Front Street submitted by Eden

Villages of Harrisburg to construct a

transitional housing development for

homeless individuals featuring 32

individual tiny homes a 2400 square foot

Community Center offering services for

residents and Associated site and access

improvements thank you resolution 16 of

2025 will move to the community and

economic development

committee old business councilman Jones

Thank You president Bowers so uh um you

know in light of a lot of the things

that have been happening in um the

around the city of Harrisburg um I've

been getting and I'm sure my colleagues

as well have been getting a lot of

inquiries um about constituent services

so I just um have a prepared statement

that I want to share with the community

and make sure that they know um exactly

what's happening and why some of those

things aren't happening um restrictions

on Direct Communications with City

departments are slowing down constituent

services

when Harrisburg residents reach out to

their elected officials elected City

Council Members with

concerns uh where it's about potholes

whether it's about potholes Public

Safety or trash collection um they

expect action they trust that their

representatives can communicate directly

with the right departments to get

answers and solutions but behind the

scenes a troubling roadblock is making

this process far more difficult than it

should be

Harrisburg mayor has restricted city

council from communicating directly with

Department directors meaning that when

residents rais concerns coun council

members must first go through the

mayor's office instead of speaking with

the employees Who oversee this issue at

hand this policy is not just inefficient

it undermines the way local governments

is supposed to work why this matters to

you city council members are public

elected officials meaning that we work

ly for the people of Harrisburg we are

the only part of the city government

that residents elect to represent their

interests one of their most important

roles in handling constituent Services

taking Community concerns finding

answers and helping residents navigate

through the city government by requiring

all communication to First go through

the mayor's office this policy uh

effectively slows down response times

for residents issues

by adding unnecessary layers of

bureaucracy prevents council members

from getting direct answers from City

departments it turns basic city services

into Political battles where action may

depend on approval from the mayor weaken

weakens the role of city council

removing its ability to serve the public

effectively in short if a resident

reports an issue to their council member

that council member should be able to

pick up the phone and call the

appropriate department and get an answer

forcing everything through the mayor's

office makes government slower less

responsive and less accountable to the

public so I just want everybody to be

clear a lot of the things that you guys

come to councel with uh we definitely

try to reach out and solve a lot of your

issues but as I stated um there's a lot

of roadblocks and I think you guys

should be made aware of that thank

you thank you new business councilwoman

RW thank you president Boward

um this uh before our uh session today

at 6 6 o' our legislative session um

myself and a few other council members

had a press conference about two newly

positions that are coming to the city uh

senior and Junior youth commission

advisors so just in case no one caught

the press conference or you may not see

it I don't know what everybody's um

technical um ability is or who watches

what TV I wanted to make sure I said

something at tonight's meeting to

announce these positions are open um you

can apply at Harrisburg PA I want to

make sure I'm saying right yes

Harrisburg pa.gov careers um and you

would be direct mentors with our uh

youth in ages 11 to 18 or I would say

Middle School to high school level uh

where you will be helping them engage in

their civic duty within the community

and understanding that they are a future

fut leaders uh we have to pass the Paton

and what no what better way but to start

doing that now and getting them to

understand what their civic duty is so

if you are interested please apply the

application is live now um city council

is so thrilled to have implemented these

two newly part-time positions so thank

you thank you councilman Rodriguez thank

you madam president just wanted to

announce we are gearing up for Hotspot

Saturday season um it be a great

initiative coach Simpson have some of

the players out um coach Nelson brings a

few out we have wrestlers out and things

so if they need community service so you

just want them to engage more it'll be a

great opportunity for them um the dates

would be April 19th the ethu alley May

10th Midtown June 14th the Uptown area

July 26th North Harrisburg August 23rd

South Allison Hill and September 13th we

will conclude at Southside Harrisburg

all cleanups are 10:00 a.m. to 12: and

for further information please Reach Out

R Rodriguez harrisburgpa

dogovor and take part in this

award-winning uh hotspot illegal dumping

mitigation initiative thank

you thank you councilman Jones thank you

I'm back

again this time with some uh new

business and more uh in light um to kind

of piggyback off what we just did with

uh resolution 11 um this is another

opportunity for our youth and and in the

community to get involved in find

something else to do um building up

their skill set so I just want to read

this out so you guys are aware enroll

now in W SB s wbsc is construction

management class in Harrisburg are you

ready to take your career in

construction to the next level the

Watson bat School of constructions which

stands which is uh abbreviated

wbsc is bringing our next construction

man management class to Harrisburg

running from March 20th to May 8th of

2025 on Thursdays evenings at UPMC uh

campus from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. this

program is designed for aspiring

construction professionals small

business owners and anyone looking to

build a future in Industry learn

essential skills in project management

and scheduling cost estimating bidding

strategies construction law and

Contracting OSHA safety uh standards

Business Development certification MBE

dbe y

wbsc um yes BSC we don't just teach

construction we create opportunities

pipelines to wealth and Pathways to

success in an industry that shapes our

communities uh the location again will

be at uh UPMC campus um the dates are

from March 20th to May 8th of 2025 the

time is from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. um

make sure their limited spots are

available so make sure sure you can

secure your seats and if you need to

reach out to anyone um you can

definitely uh email me at um ljones at

Harrisburg pa.gov again ljones atpa

harrisburgpa dgov I think this is

something that's very important for our

youth this is all free and once they are

um completed this these courses they

definitely will be have a a pathway to a

career if this if they choose so if not

other than um entrepreneurship so this

is something that I wanted to get out to

the community again feel free to reach

out to me or my colleagues uh we'll

definitely have the information to guide

you thank

you thank you um I just have some

scheduling updates uh Harrisburg city

council will not meet next Tuesday March

18th

2025 or the following Tuesday March 25th

2025 instead Harrisburg city council

will host both a work session

immediately followed by a legisl session

on Monday March 24th

2025 beginning at 5:30 p.m. the time is

7:35 p.m. I will entertain a motion to

adjourn motion toour oh and we have