Harrisburg City Council Meeting 6/18/2024

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be good good evening everyone uh the

time is 5:30 p.m. I'd like to be mindful

of everyone's time this evening so I'd

like to call our work session to

order Mr trusdale could you please call

the role Miss

Daniels here Miss Davis present Miss

green present Mr Jones here Miss Rose

present Mr Rodriguez present Miss Bowers

present thank

you we have one order of committee

business this evening for our work

session it is uh the business of the

administration committee Bill three of

2024 Mr trusdale could you please read

it into the

record Bill 3 2024 an ordinance amending

title two of the codified ordinances of

the city of Harrisburg known as the

administrative code at chapter 277

police retirement system by deleting

portions thereof in order to satisfy a

legal resolution reached between the

capitol city lodge number 12 the

Fraternal police order of the Fraternal

Order of Police and the City of

Harrisburg thank

you solicitor Grover will you be

speaking to this bill I I will be uh

Madam president uh in December

2021 uh the last meeting of the year the

council approved a

modification to the police pension plan

which had gone out for an

RFP had gone through the police pension

board um we brought in tax Council to do

it uh they made a number of changes to

bring the plan into compliance with the

IRS code um after its adoption uh the

fop voiced a concern that a provision

that was worked in to satisfy a

different

resolution uh that the council had

approved for retention of managers uh we

added that to the pension plan provision

as well um they filed an action on

January 31st of 2022 in the county court

challenging those two sections of the

law and we have been back and forth now

with our outside Council their outside

Council ultimately we came to the

conclusion um that their the

Pennsylvania pension provision for

police uh left open the

question um of who was right uh and

therefore we couldn't really predict an

outcome of the matter and it did not

seem worth fighting about because

there's other ways to address the same

problem so the city and the fop through

our outside Council stipulated to a

settlement and withdraw the case by the

fop if we would delete two specific new

subsections of the pension plan um these

sections go directly to um uh managers

were author authorized or the mayor was

authorized to enter into a negotiation

to retain police management or to have

officers step up into be promoted into

management because at the time of all

this occurred every manager was eligible

to retire immediately um so what they

did is three of the managers negotiated

individual contracts on a form the

council had approved by resolution with

the mayor uh for their own retentions we

now simply have to do a different

mechanism through HR to honor those

three agreements but those three

Agreements are binding on the city of

Harrisburg um I don't want to publicly

go through uh the individuals because

it's really Personnel related but happy

to have that discussion

offline um the mechanism is still being

put in place I will say the three

contracts are different from each other

what was valuable to one officer one

leader member of leadership something

different might have been a value to a

different member so they each got to

negotiate what they thought was a value

for retention related to their pension

and benefits um one of you know we will

have to talk about funding them I think

that comes uh some are very easy to fund

because because they are just you know

another $2,000 a year towards their

pension every year and we just have to

discuss with each one how they want to

uh um receive that now do they want to

do they want to get an annuity and pay

it out do they want to get an annual

annual payment how do they want to do it

but that's going to be an individual

discussion for their own preferences

some of the larger ones are the

retention of things like sick and uh

vacation leave Banks and that's a more

involved discussion about how to how to

do that um but those are the there's

only three of them on the books right

now that have there um it's an open

question whether

other uh officers could enter into such

an agreement with the mayor I don't

think there's been a decision yet by the

mayor how she wants to handle that um at

least upon my last discussion with her

um but there is a resolution authorizing

it from the council and the purpose was

frankly to keep people who have have

experience so they don't leave uh and

when this was happening the police

pension had a one-time benefit that

those individuals would have lost for

them and their family if they stayed

here so this benefit was to help them

financially not lose a benefit and us

not to lose our entire Senior Management

staff in the police Bureau

okay thank you sure thanks for providing

that background um I don't have any

questions I'll defer to our Public

Safety chair uh to begin questioning

from my colleagues councilman Jones

Thank You Madame President I don't have

any questions thank you sir yes sir

thank you councilman Rodriguez any

questions um no questions thank you okay

councilwoman R any questions good

evening and I don't have any questions

thank you vice president green any

questions I don't have any questions for

you thank you thank you councilwoman

Davis any questions no questions thank

you councilwoman Daniels any

questions yes so just to be clear we're

deleting section CND D

MH I couldn't hear I I I couldn't quite

get your question what about C and D oh

I said I just wanted to be clear that

we're deleting section c and d on page

two yes of section

70715 yeah yeah okay um and then so

we're going to develop a similar

mechanism just outside of this process

yes essentially we're going to pay on

the contracts right and the question

that the the contracts are have

different terms the three of them they

the same framework and we just have to

work through honoring the three

contracts so will our um retirement

payouts obligation

were not expecting that number to change

at the end of the day

no okay that's it for me thank you thank

you this time we will open the floor for

public comment not sure if anyone is

present but we'll just review 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

you'll have four minutes to share your

comments and Mr trusdale will serve as

our timekeeper is there anyone to my

right that would like to offer public

comment seeing and hearing no one anyone

in the middle section seeing and hearing

no one anyone to my left seeing and

hearing no one we will move forward with

our agenda there's no further discussion

the time is 5:38 p.m. our work session

stands adjourned oh I'll entertain a

motion to adjourn sorry is there a

second

second thank you we stand

adjourn I talked to him about 215 he

he's he's going to be here a little bit

earlier than that he's going to

try

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time is 6:00 p.m. I would like to call

our special legislative session to

order Mr trale could you please call the

role Miss

Daniels here Miss Davis present Miss

green present Mr Jones here Miss Rose

present present Mr Rodriguez present

Miss Bowers present thank you the

invocation this evening will be led by

councilman Rodriguez followed by the

Pledge of Allegiance which will be led

by vice president green thank you madam

president uh just wanted to take a time

um and a moment to reflect on uh current

situation that had happened involving a

13-year-old in an 18-year-old where

unfortunately a life was lost and also

we are breaking records now for

something we can be proud of but a

13-year-old is now out the county

potentially going to serve his life in

prison and my heart goes out to both

families and Citywide as we begin the

process of healing and just the

continuance of trying to battle gun

violence and um a lot of the detriment

in our community if we all could have a

moment of silence

please thank

you thank you councilman Rodriguez vice

president green thank you

I pledge Al to the flag of the United

States of Amer to the for stands one

nation under God indivisible withy

andice

all thank you vice president green next

we have courtesy of the floor um if you

weren't present during our work session

just a few housekeeping notes 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

within the city you'll have four minutes

to share your comments Mr trusdale will

serve as our timekeeper and I will begin

to my right is there anyone that would

like to offer public

comment seeing and hearing no one anyone

in the middle

section seeing and hearing no one anyone

to my

left thank you we will move forward with

our meeting agenda as

printed next we have resolutions there

is one resolution this evening for

consideration resolution 40 of

2024 Mr trusdale could you please read

it into the record resolution 40 2024 a

resolution authorizing the city of

Harrisburg to negotiate and enter into

an intergovernmental cooperation

agreement with the Harrisburg housing

authority to support the 2024 summer

growth programs environmental team Corp

and a related allocation of

funds thank you council members I will

entertain a motion to suspend the rules

for

discussion so moved sove thank you is

there a second second thank you I

believe we're joined by Mr singor mans

sir Clarence Watson if you wouldn't mind

joining us

good evening all right good evening

everyone good

evening if you gentlemen wouldn't mind

introducing yourselves and providing a

brief overview of the program um it's

not new to us but we haven't seen you in

a in a little while so if you wouldn't

mind just introducing yourself and

sharing that would be helpful sure um

let let me start if you don't mind I'm

Sor mans I'm the chief executive officer

and president of the Harrisburg Housing

Authority um our headquarters is at 351

uh Chestnut Street

17101 um we I want to first thank if you

don't mind um just indulge me I want to

thank the council for being so proactive

this as I see is a special legislative

session and um you know the phone calls

that you all got are the same phone

calls that I probably received as well

and but I'm not the person with the

power you all are and you acted so

swiftly and so definitively um on on

behalf of and for the benefit of the

children and families of the city of

Harrisburg um to be sure this is a

program as all of you know um over the

nine years has been a staple summer

program for at least the kids between

the ages of 13 and 16 and um saved Co we

didn't do the co year um and and with

that program and of course I'm let Mr

Watson speak here um but with that

program what we've now seen in the

maturation of those folks that those

kids that started out with us early on

is that they've now become productive

citizens for this city and abroad and so

we now understand not just the value of

the program in its immediate sense but

now we actually have with nine years of

data and information

really the benefit that has occurred

because now almost a decade's worth of

time and attention has been paid and so

we know the benefit of these programs

and you obviously this Council and the

mayor's office I want to thank the city

um in the mayor's office for being so

proactive as well we know now that this

is something that we should all invest

in and be a part of and support and so I

thank you uh once again for being so

proactive and so supportive

um I I really actually don't have enough

words to thank you quite frankly to make

sure that this happened

today all right thank you very much all

right my name is Clarence Watson I've

been the um the program director for the

last nine years and when singor gave me

the call that we weren't going to do the

program um I immediately called mon

Jones and talk to him about it and he's

the one person who know the ins and outs

of what we do he's been a speaker for

the last seven years his kidss have been

in our program he also had a kid as a

mentor and he went behind the scenes and

did some work that would allow us to do

it this year for our 10th year um within

the system but I wanted to share a

couple things I don't know if a lot of

you know that what we really do but um

you know 10 years ago you know this this

teenage Workforce started as a pilot

program that wasn't expected to work and

10 years later it's one of the most

powerful employers for inner city teens

probably in the state of Pennsylvania

and again I want to thank you guys the

city council especially the Harrisburg

Housing Authority who put their money

with the mouth for us and um we're going

to have a a Very Good Year celebrate our

10th year and today since the

applications are going out already I

talked to the guy down at the projects

well down at MW Smith homes yeah oh who

my fault I'm sorry I'm sorry

can you SC scratch that word right um uh

MW Smith Holmes I called him in an hour

he said man we gave out 25 applications

already so it's a very popular program

and um our goal is to chase Excellence

not money we want to bring up the best

in our kids and our kids are so diverse

and what I want to do is leave you with

one thing I think it's on

page um

on page eight I'm just going to read

that to you to let you know that what

the true impact of our program

is uh Corte which is they call him

Buddha he spent he said Corte spent four

years in the program because of a mentor

for two years and is now a junior well

he just graduated from Harrisburg

University and guess how he got to Har

University during the program he did not

know that we had this opportunity in

right in our backyard he was at another

College he said shot I'm want to take

advantage of this and he took advantage

of it and graduated last year from

Harrison University so U with that being

said he said these this essay below was

written during his last year the

program what I've gotten from this

program for the last four years was

nothing but positive educational and

most of all that four-letter word love

through these years I've learned how to

manage money become a better team and

most importantly be a better citizen of

Harrisburg through the years it's been

nothing short of fun I enjoy coming to

work which a lot of people don't I enjoy

coming to work and seeing and meeting

different people I'm definitely going to

miss coming to this program every summer

and learning and growing more and more

each year but I guess it's time to take

a step into the real world but thanks to

this program I am equipped with the

tools and knowledge the average person

doesn't have so I'm glad I've served my

community for the past four years and I

feel Etc has made a huge impact on not

only the city but sooner than

later the world so Mr Watson keep doing

what you what you do and continue to

change lives because this program truly

Chang mind etc for life thank

you thank you I just wanted to share

some of the texts within the resolution

just so everybody's clear on what we're

doing

tonight

uh this resolution is a resolution

authorizing the city of Harrisburg to

negotiate and enter into an

intergovernmental cooperation agreement

with the Harrisburg Housing Authority to

support the 2024 summer growth programs

environmental team Corp and a related

allocation of funds uh through the

program Etc members gain summer

employment that provides education on

the importance of environmental issues

within the community with a focus on

life and Leadership skills such as

responsibility and accountability while

helping to beautify the city of

Harrisburg the author estimates the cost

to run the summer growth program for the

summer of

2024 to be

$300,000 uh the city council of the city

of Harrisburg authorizes the city to

contribute 200,000 to fund the program

with the authority to Bear the

responsibility to fund the remaining

program costs consistent with their

responsibilities outlined in an

intergovernmental cooperation

[Music]

agreement within the city's host fund

there exists sufficient uncommitted and

unspent funding to underwrite this

commitment to the summer growth

program

um and I

believe Miss Marita Kelly and Mr Brian

McCutchen are present to share the

city's Financial

portion if you wouldn't mind just so

everybody's clear on

[Music]

how that portion will go and I will

defer to our budget and finance

committee chair vice president green to

lead any

questioning on the financial

end thank you president Bowers um thank

you all for being here and thank you to

the city's Finance teams for being here

if you could just go over I believe it's

exhibit B that's attached to this

resolution yes U thank you chair green

thank you uh president hours um Mr

McCutchen our County Manager um he's uh

stepped in to where a budget had also

the last couple days because our budget

manager's been at a conference very

worthwhile conference but nonetheless um

so thank you to Brian for taking that

extra effort he will explain the uh the

uh uh e execution of the uh the funding

and uh we will'll take any questions

thank you Mr McCutchen

I might have to speak up a little bit

here uh good evening everyone um Brian

McCutchen accounting manager uh I had

Jared hand uh pass out a handout it's on

one page I think you've seen that

already and what's been distributed to

you through the law Bureau

um uh president Bowers as you mentioned

the the current ask is for the

200,000 uh from the host fund and that's

what this schedule reflects and it's a

combination budget uh adjustment

reallocation we're in we're uh through

talking with the mayor and the

department that oversees that has some

oversight within this fund is

comfortable with moving budget uh of

$16,000 from the the miscellaneous

contracted Services

line and the other piece is the

$94,000 utilizing the funds fund balance

cash fund balance at the beginning of

year so the two the two combined moves

there equate to the $200,000 to to

populate the appropriate line the the

grant distribution to local units in

within the host

fund and again this is this pertains to

the uh uh the involved uh summer youth

program that's been

presented thank you I don't have many

questions I do have one uh just looking

at the estimated Cash carryover Line it

shows that we'd be moving 94,000 I think

it's just um a typo error because it

doesn't show it's moving because it

shows it's still 94,000 available at the

end oh it it it's it's a reflection of

the methodology when it comes to that

that line that 94,000 at the beginning

of this year when we did the budget for

the host fund there was no appropriation

of fund balance because for for for this

particular fund so this 94,000 it's it's

added there within that line which is

really it's not a revenue it's a source

so the the host fund is balanced for

2024 without the use of fund balance but

now this 94,000 is needed so that's why

you're seeing like zero at the start

right no appropriation but we're asking

for to appropriate the the

94,000 okay so it's pretty much going to

move twice it's moving into it and then

it's moving into the grant distribution

line and a good way to look at in the

proposed budget amendment

column the the two accounts that start

with a four the the 429 and the 462 they

n to a redu um of of an increase in

expense of 94,000 so so we what we do

then is to accommodate the to balance

that expenses going up 94 so how do we

do that we increase the source right

fund balance that's what this schedule

illustrates

okay all right that's the only question

I had about it I'll start to my far left

uh councilman Jones any questions no no

no questions at the moment councilman

Rodriguez uh no no questions currently

thank you councilman Ross thank you vice

president green I just had two um my

first question was how do um other uh

youth residents get an application I

know you say you you had handed some out

um but if is there any contact

information to give if they were like an

application

well what we do is we have a we have a

website where um they can download the

application from the website and on the

we have a flyer that goes out to tell

the people where to go get the

applications at at the Housing Authority

locations okay would you be able to

maybe email us the website to I don't

know if we're allowed to share it or how

that works okay oh we are okay so would

you be able to just email it um to us

and we can then share it out okay thank

you very much my second question it

might not be for you I think it's an

Administration one

um I'm guessing we're hoping to make

sure we give money to this program every

year making sure it's funded do you know

if that's been a conversation just so

this doesn't have to be come up again as

an issue interestingly that you're

answer asking this this has been a

program in the past right um and

budgeted through the city through the

host fund correct um I think Co kind of

through things a little Helter Skelter

so to speak but now um if if that's the

desire of well Sasha green manages this

account that who you're her you're her

city council member it's actually the

housing does when I checked it wasn't

with me anymore after the reorganization

cuz I actually asked Miss Ross and then

it went to Harrisburg housing authority

and they said it wasn't under me anymore

but I'm not from a city of Harrisburg

perspective it would be okay so I was

told it wasn't so I'll correct that then

yeah so we'll just work with Miss uh

Ross to um make sure it's in her budget

that it's a programmatic effort in the

budget that the mayor's budget when she

presents it so make a note that that is

to be added to the host fund as project

okay so thank you if I may speaking with

um the mayor um this is some this is a

discussion that um her and I had that um

that I would be asking the same question

can this be funded and this is something

that she's willing to do moving forward

so um I think it will come down to the

budget and make sure it's there so I

just wanted to let my colleague know

that this is something that's going to

we're going to continue to uh support

and the nice thing is that historically

in the past has been funded here so it's

not brand new to our team so we're happy

to accommodate and work with you as a

finance team thank you for answering I

just wanted to make sure I know it had

been funded in the past just making sure

moving forward I know Co stopped a lot

lot of things but not allowing this to

stop you know so thank you that's all I

have thank you president Bowers any

questions on the schedule no thank you I

don't have any questions and

councilman Davis any questions on

schedule B no questions councilwoman

Daniels any

questions um yes just quickly for my

edification how many students this

summer

yeah about we're at about

100 100 yeah about 100 we have uh 15

mentors okay and um and will this be a

trunked program since we're starting in

June or are you guys set to start right

away oh they we're star to set at the uh

the normal time um the kids normally

start we have orientations on July 10th

and 11th and the kids actually start on

July

15th okay okay thank you that's it for

me councilwoman Daniels so the program

historically with the exception of the

first year um is a six week program I

think it was the first year only right

where it's four weeks then beyond that

it was six weeks and we thought it was

important that this year be no different

um so it'll be six six weeks as well the

the goal is to have a start date that

essentially runs through the six week

period that ends just before school

starts so we we keep the kids active and

keep their attention up until school

starts for for obvious

reasons thank you I don't have any more

questions on the F oh I'm just over

talking any more questions councilman

Daniels no that was it thank you thank

you chair green thank you

and back to you president vows thank you

I did want to note that after the

conclusion of the program The Authority

shall deliver to the mayor and city

council a written post program report

accounting for program activities and

expenditures on or before September 1st

of

2024 and in the past we've had very

spirited presentations with videos and

music and the students have come alumni

of the program have come so we're

expecting something great this year too

that's why I'm smiling like that's

that's a given we're gonna put on a show

okay September 1st though because we

usually have our our our banquet

when yeah we should be okay okay well we

can we can coordinate we'll be flexible

in that but as long as we have some

level of of report of of how the program

faed year um I don't know if any other

council members have any other questions

the one I had regarding the timeline of

the program um was asked and answered

and then you're going to email us either

the flyer or the um website link that

way we can share it and promote oh one

question with the applications what is

the deadline for the applications July

July 1 okay councilman Jones did you

have yeah just more of a um a comment um

to you gentlemen um you know as you said

Mr Watson um I've spent several years in

the program speaking and working with

the youth however um I just appreciate

this a lot what you guys doing how how

it's grown there were some other people

involved as well from my understanding

like M rafika Muhammad other people like

that that were involved in in growing

this out but um I commend you on um

providing this this was very important

not only to myself but I'm sure to my

colleagues as well because as we know

there are so many things going wrong in

the city of Harrisburg with our youth so

to remove something like this would be

vital you know um um it's vital to keep

it in place I'm sorry you know but uh

the work that you guys do I enjoy

watching the program and even um to your

point Mr mans when I see some of the

youth in the community all I see is

those green shirts right they never know

Mr Watson I tell you never know who's

watching and um and I'll see them

somewhere and I say what's the seven

habits and they can and they can uh uh

you know get it out pretty it's pretty

well verse so um I like some of the

curricula a lot of the curricula that

you guys have so this is a very powerful

program and um we look forward to

continue and to support this so I just

wanted to take that time and say thank

you for the work that you guys are doing

that's

it thank you um um we know the benefit

of the program we've seen it through

both the alumni that have been present

and the uh students that participated

annually uh prior to covid so we're

hoping we can bounce back even better um

and not only are the teens and young

adults learning about um environmental

stewardship within the city that they

call home right but leadership skills um

the seven Habits of Highly Effective

teams that's one of my favorite books as

an adult uh so I uh I've taken heed to

some of those uh principles and

practices and um so I imagine how trans

formative it could be for our teens um I

will entertain a motion to return to our

legislative session if there no further

discussion I'd like to take a moment to

also thank you president Bowers just

touch on the uh curriculum um as a nurse

I really really appreciate the uh Health

aspect of the program um teaching the

the youth the importance of eating

healthy foods I mean we are what we eat

and the food that we eat is going to

feed our brains and help us to think

better and so I was just getting excited

to after listening to president Bowers

it's just wanted to say something um

thank you for everything you're doing

and one other question is this program

for um the Housing Authority uh youth

that live in the Housing Authority

primarily only or is it for the entire

city both oh both oh okay I wasn't sure

thank you so I would say on average

probably about 40% of the program

participants teens are from the Housing

Authority other 60% non housing so it's

a combination combination great all

housing was all housing the first year

and then it got popular

and yes I was reading and it kind of led

me to ask the question I wasn't sure so

yes that's even better thank you it

didn't change our intensity for the

program thank

you okay thank you I will entertain a

motion to return to the legislative

session don't moved is there a second

second thank you so we have before us

resolution 40 of 2024 Mr trale could you

read it U Back Into the record one more

time

please resolution 40 2024 a resolution

authorizing the city of Harrisburg to

negotiate and enter into an

intergovernmental cooperation agreement

with the Harrisburg housing authority to

support the 2024 summer growth programs

environmental team Corp and a related

allocation of funds thank you

Madam president yes uh consistent with

the sunshine act because we're doing

this out of order it's important to

provide public comment before a vote of

the council yes I was getting ready to

offer that opportunity thank you for the

reminder um we will offer public comment

uh regarding resolution 40 of 2024 at

this time uh same rules apply if you

have a comment you'd like to share

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

within the city you'll have 4 minutes to

share your comments Mr trale will serve

as our timekeeper and I will begin to my

right is there anyone that would like to

offer public

comment we'll take your shoes off and

then go upstairs uh

oh

okay anyone to my right seeing and

hearing no one anyone in the middle

section seeing and hearing no one anyone

I left seeing and hearing no one we can

resume uh council members are there any

uh final questions comments or concerns

related to resolution 40 of

2024 seeing and hearing them Mr trusdale

could you please call the

vote Miss

Daniels here uh yes

sorry Miss Davis

yes Miss green yes Mr Jones yay Miss

Rose

yes Mr Rodriguez yes Miss Bowers yes

resolution 40 2024 passes by vote a 7 to

zero thank you we'll now move to Old

business uh council members is there any

old business for

discussion no seeing and hearing none

any new business I just want oh one okay

I just wanted to remind everybody um

about the wild PC celebration tomorrow

at City Island for we're celebrating um

juneth and there will be a jubilee at

City Island from 12: to 5 12:00 to 5:00

p.m. uh there will be games for kids

there will be uh free um water golfing I

believe it was also so a Kids Corner and

everything so a lot of stuff going on

tomorrow so please come celebrate with

everybody juneth Jubilee thank you

C Jones yes um just again I want to

remind everybody else uh this Thursday

12: to 4: p.m. Harrisburg University and

if you would um look in the Berg I think

the Berg just printed it about the gun

violence Symposium that's being held um

um also made it available for people to

stream it through YouTube so if you go

to the the the Berg magazine you there's

a link provided there so you can watch

it if you can't attend so that's it

thank you um if there's no further uh

business for discussion the time is 6:30

p.m. I will entertain a motion to

adjourn so move is there a

second I second that thank you we stand

a jour