Full Transcript

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Harrisburg City Council - Work Session 10/07/2025

1:57:53941 summary words · ~5 min readEnglishBy The City of Harrisburg - WHBG20Transcribed Jun 15, 2026
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Summary

Harrisburg City Council reviewed key civic appointments to transportation, housing, and law enforcement advisory boards, while also addressing a downtown office-to-apartment conversion and the city's regional hazard mitigation plans.

This meeting highlights critical local infrastructure challenges, from a $2 billion ADA compliance gap and regional nuclear evacuation route updates to developer accountability and the limits of municipal power under state preemption.

Section summaries

0:00-2:57

Call to Order & HATS Committee Introduction

optional

President Hill opens the work session and introduces Resolution 55 of 2025, nominating Muhammad M. Bilah to the Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (HATS). Bilah introduces his background as an environmental engineer and former EPA administrator.

It consists mostly of procedural introductions and early resume summaries.

2:57-20:39

Bilah's HATS Nomination & ADA Compliance Discussion

watch

Bilah details his extensive project management experience with Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO). He highlights the city's urgent need to address 10,000 non-compliant ADA ramps by April 2026, estimating a $2 billion gap in funding.

This section contains vital, concrete statistics regarding the city's massive ADA infrastructure funding liabilities.

20:39-26:33

Bilah's EPA Challenges & Administration Vote

optional

Bilah describes past engineering challenges he resolved in Puerto Rico, managing a $1.8 billion infrastructure project, and his role as a Ground Zero 9/11 environmental responder. The committee advances Resolution 55 to the legislative agenda.

While highly interesting, it focuses on biographical history rather than active Harrisburg policy.

26:33-53:06

Resolution 56: Housing Authority Nomination

watch

Sharon Horn is questioned regarding her nomination to the Harrisburg Housing Authority (HHA) board. She outlines her plans to push for HUD waiting list transparency, address safety issues, and improve communication via quarterly resident newsletters.

Horn identifies specific administrative and systemic communication failures within local public housing.

53:06-1:01:57

Resolution 60: 315 N. Second Street Land Development

watch

Planning Director Jeffrey Knight presents plans to convert a vacant office complex into a 10-unit residential building. Council members express deep frustration that the developer failed to show up to the session to answer demographic and participation questions.

This details a major commercial-to-residential adaptive reuse project and explains why council is delaying its approval.

1:01:57-1:13:45

Resolution 65: Hazard Mitigation & TMI Planning

watch

Fire Chief Brian Enterline reviews the 2025 regional hazard mitigation plan. He explains how the plan enables FEMA reimbursement, supports the $100 million Paxton Creek de-channelization, and outlines emergency plans for the Three Mile Island restart in 2027.

Critical infrastructure plans, flood mitigation, and regional nuclear disaster evacuation logistics are discussed.

1:13:45-1:25:33

Mitigation Plan Logistics & Language Translation

optional

Council questions Chief Enterline regarding a disputed 7% population decline projection within the hazard document and requests information on making the multi-page hazard plan accessible in Spanish and other community languages.

Most of the discussion centers on statistical minutiae and theoretical document formatting.

1:25:33-1:43:15

CLEAC Board Appointments

watch

Dominique Commodore and Robert Jennings III present their goals for joining the Citizens Law Enforcement Advisory Committee (CLEAC). They discuss mentoring youth, reforming bad policing practices, and maintaining community peace. Solicitors outline the board's legal reporting guidelines.

This introduces key community figures taking over the city's highest-profile law enforcement oversight body.

1:43:15-1:49:09

Public Comment: Handicap Parking Preemption

watch

Robert Jennings III questions why the city does not restrict public handicap spaces to the assigned resident placard. Council and legal staff explain that Pennsylvania state law preempts local authority, meaning anyone with a valid placard can park there.

It offers an important legal explanation of how state law preempts municipal parking codes.

1:49:09-1:55:03

Public Comment: Neighborhood Crime & Adjournment

optional

Uptown resident Joyce Munz describes open drug dealing and vehicle speeding at 4th and Emerald, begging for speed bumps. Resident Libby Profit comments on public housing reform. Council adjourns at 7:31 p.m.

Contains emotional public pleas, but does not feature actionable policy deliberations or legislative steps.

Key points

  • Harrisburg's Enormous ADA Compliance Gap — Project manager Muhammad M. Bilah notes that Harrisburg has approximately 10,000 ADA ramps requiring modification. Making all of them compliant with federal Department of Justice (DOJ) standards would cost close to $2 billion, which is impossible to fund directly through the city's $150 million annual budget.
  • Hazard Plan Unlocks Federal Funding for Massive Flood Mitigation — Adopting the 2025 Dauphin County Hazard Mitigation Plan is legally required under the federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. For Harrisburg, maintaining an active plan is a prerequisite to securing millions in federal grants for the $100 million Paxton Creek de-channelization project, which aims to remove 400 acres of city land from the active floodplain.
  • Nuclear Emergency Preparedness for TMI/Crane Clean Energy — The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire is coordinating with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Dauphin County for emergency evacuation plans ahead of the Crane Clean Energy (Three Mile Island) reactor restart in 2027. Traditional evacuation locations like the Scotland School are no longer functional, shifting focus to regional centers like Shippensburg University.
  • Unchecked Adaptive Reuse Trends in Downtown Harrisburg — A proposal by Brenamman Properties LLC seeks to convert an underutilized 1980s office complex at 315 North Second Street into a 10-unit residential apartment building. This adaptive reuse represents a broader, long-term trend of transforming vacant downtown office spaces into high-density residential properties.
  • Reviving CLEAC to Bridge the Police-Community Divide — The appointments of Dominique Commodore and Robert Jennings III to the Citizens Law Enforcement Advisory Committee (CLEAC) aim to build dialogue between city residents and the police bureau. The board will focus on public accountability, analyzing safety data, addressing youth violence, and offering formal policy recommendations.
If I want to modify everything to make it ADA compliance we need close to $2 billion. Does the city with 150 million annual budget has that capability? For sure no. Muhammad M. Bilah
Without this plan, uh we're unable to get any of those federal dollars to assist with that mitigation efforts. Brian Enterline (Fire Chief)

AI-generated from the transcript. May contain errors.

0:31

if shoes. But the time is 5:34 p.m. I

0:35

would like to call our work session to

0:37

order.

0:41

>> Mr. Trudale, could you please call the

0:43

role?

0:44

>> Miss Daniels,

0:46

>> here.

0:48

Miss Davis

0:49

>> present.

0:50

>> Miss Green

0:51

>> present.

0:51

>> Mr. Jones

0:52

>> here.

0:53

>> Miss Rolls

0:56

>> present.

0:58

>> Mr. Rodriguez

0:59

>> present.

0:59

>> Miss who?

1:00

>> Present. Thank you. Um

1:04

we have three committees that you will

1:08

hear from this evening. We will begin

1:10

with the administration committee. We

1:12

have two resolutions for discussion.

1:15

Resolution 55 of 2025 and resolution 56

1:20

of 2025.

1:22

Mr. Trudale, could you please read

1:24

Resolution 55 of 2025 into the record?

1:28

>> Resolution 55 2025. Resolution

1:31

appointing Mr. Muhammad M. Bilah to

1:34

serve on the coordinating committee and

1:35

as an alternate member of the technical

1:37

committee of the Harrisburg area

1:39

transportation study.

1:42

>> Thank you. Um Mr.

1:44

are you present?

1:46

>> Okay, if you wouldn't mind.

1:48

>> Thank you.

1:51

>> I would just ask that if you could

1:53

please um move the microphone very close

1:56

to you so that everybody can hear you.

1:59

Thanks for joining us. If you wouldn't

2:01

mind introducing yourself.

2:03

>> Uh thank you. Good evening everybody.

2:06

Mohammad Baha. I'm a new employee with

2:09

the city. This is my fourth month and

2:11

I'm coming from the Fed. I was with the

2:14

US EPA for 21 years and with four

2:17

different three different state for six

2:19

more years. Technically I'm still a fed

2:22

because I'm still on the federal peril

2:24

because I took the fork in the road. Uh

2:27

they call it voluntary deferred

2:29

resignation.

2:31

Uh till December 31st I'm still on the

2:34

EPA payroll but they're allowing me to

2:36

work for the city with approval from the

2:39

office of the general council. I took

2:41

that opportunity and I really appreciate

2:43

city of Heritage giving me the

2:44

opportunity to work for the city.

2:47

Appreciate. Thank you. My background,

2:49

I'm a I'm an I'm a I'm an engineer,

2:51

environmental engineer with strong

2:54

management background. I have beside my

2:56

two engineering degree, I also have an

2:57

MBA. I I'm also like the federal PPM

3:01

level three that is the program and

3:04

project management highest level in the

3:06

federal government. So I have tons of

3:08

experience in the project and program

3:10

management. I used to manage the largest

3:12

wastewater program for the US EPA that

3:14

is called combined sewer overflow and

3:16

Harrisburg is a CSO communities. Just

3:19

give you an example this small city like

3:21

Harrisburg your long-term contra is

3:23

$1.43 billion. So nationwide combined

3:28

overflow program infrastructure value

3:29

was $200 billion and I managed that

3:32

program for 21 years for EPA. So not

3:36

only EPA outside the world also people

3:38

I'm known as the expert in the waste

3:39

weather control like I I help city of

3:42

Barcelona city of London Chinese program

3:44

European Union commission of the

3:46

environment I advise almost all over the

3:49

world so I'm known in that field not

3:51

within the the USA all over the world I

3:54

advise almost everybody like I like to

3:57

do voluntary work also I'm a member of

3:59

the FEMA search capacity force I'm also

4:02

a member of the EPA response support

4:04

corp I have been almost everywhere in

4:06

the emergency situation starting from

4:08

the 911. I was one of the first civilian

4:10

responder walking to the ground zero

4:12

after the 911 incident and I did the air

4:14

quality monitoring in and in and around

4:16

ground zero for over a year and a half.

4:19

I was almost everywhere COVID 19

4:21

hurricane Maria Rita Katrina all over

4:24

the world I was traveling. So I'm making

4:26

it short. My background I'm an engineer

4:28

with a very strong management

4:29

background.

4:33

>> Okay. Thank you. Thank you so much. Um,

4:36

so this appointment this evening is to

4:39

serve on the coordinating committee and

4:41

as an alternate member of the technical

4:44

committee of the Harrisburg Area

4:46

Transportation Study or HATS. Um, just

4:49

for your reference, the Harrisburg Area

4:51

Transportation Study or HATS was created

4:54

in response to the Federal Aid Highway

4:56

Act of 1962,

4:58

which mandated regional transportation

5:01

planning as a condition for receiving

5:03

federal funds for transportation

5:06

projects. The Harrisburg area

5:09

transportation study agreement was made

5:11

and entered into on February 11th, 1965

5:15

by and among the Department of Highways

5:17

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the

5:20

county of Cumberland, the county of

5:22

Dolphin, and the city of Harrisburg. The

5:24

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has ruled

5:26

that there were

5:29

um

5:31

a statute that where a statute gives

5:35

appointment power to the governing body,

5:37

such appointment shall be made by the

5:39

mayor with the advice and consent of

5:41

council.

5:43

Okay. So, we do have your

5:49

resume before us as an exhibit to this

5:51

resolution, but you've shared your

5:53

extens extensive um career and

5:56

background

5:58

um in both environmental engineering,

6:02

civil engineering, and project

6:04

management. So, thank you. So, you serve

6:06

as a project manager for the city of

6:08

Harrisburg. Yes, I'm I'm the project

6:10

manager for the traffic and engineering

6:13

the bureau. Uh I'm actually take

6:16

supervising all the traffic and

6:18

engineering program and I'm working

6:20

under Joel and Joel is my supervisor.

6:23

Actually, I'm taking care of the traffic

6:25

and engineering project for the city of

6:26

Harrisburg. Yes.

6:29

>> Great. Thank you. Um I just have one

6:31

question before I open the floor to my

6:33

colleagues who may have additional

6:35

questions, but what impact do you

6:37

believe that you will be able to make um

6:40

serving at on the coordinating committee

6:43

and as an alternate member of the

6:45

technical committee of hats?

6:47

>> Wonderful question for sure. I was

6:50

always on the other side of the desk

6:53

that I was giving money to the people.

6:56

This will be the first time I'll be

6:58

representing city to take the money. So

7:01

I understand how the money work giving

7:05

and taking. I managed just before

7:08

leaving EPA I was involved in $2 billion

7:12

infrastructure grant money for the

7:14

state. I was I was I'm also a a project

7:19

officer for the EPA grants. I'm one of

7:21

the senior project officer. So I

7:23

understand very strongly how the federal

7:26

grant program works. I also work with

7:29

the three state. I also understand that

7:32

how state grant program works. I work

7:35

for the state of New York. I work for

7:37

the state of Maryland. I work for the

7:39

state of California. So I understand how

7:42

the grant program or the loan program

7:44

that the state works. And I have very

7:47

strong understanding of the federal

7:49

grant programs because I was one of the

7:52

senior grant officer for the US EPA. I

7:55

handled millions and billions dollar

7:57

grant for the EPA for even just before

8:00

moving out. I was a project officer for

8:02

the two big grants for two communities

8:05

in Maryland. So I understand the

8:07

process. So I understand how the whole

8:10

things work. Only difference is I was on

8:12

the other side of the desk. This time

8:14

I'll be this side of the desk asking for

8:16

the money taking the big chunk whatever

8:18

possible for to help the city to better

8:20

fund it for our infrastructure project

8:22

for the capital improvement project.

8:24

What is our priority like example giving

8:26

you you must have as honorable member

8:29

city council you must have some priority

8:31

that you're looking for me that will be

8:33

I'll be going down there and grabbing

8:35

the money from them to help your your

8:38

goal and your objective and ultimately

8:40

helping the city. So like like I

8:44

understand how things work. I'm an

8:46

engineer like I always as an engineer I

8:49

understand 2 plus 2 equals to four. At

8:51

the same times as a program manager

8:54

project manager with my MBA background I

8:56

understand 2 + 2 sometimes three or

8:59

sometimes five. You need to make the

9:01

justification.

9:04

Playing grant is that kind of things.

9:06

How can you make the justification where

9:08

the city need the money? YC city is the

9:11

right right place to invest the money,

9:13

get the grant, get the loan, whatever

9:15

needed. And I'm pretty sure I'm a very

9:17

strong candidate for this position. I

9:20

also understand I very capable candidate

9:22

for this position.

9:25

>> Thank you very much. Um, I will now open

9:28

the floor to my colleagues who may have

9:30

some additional questions for you. Um,

9:33

I'd like to begin with our public works

9:36

committee chair, Councilman Rodriguez.

9:39

Any questions?

9:40

>> Thank you, Madam President. Uh, thank

9:42

you, uh, Mr. Balau for joining us. Mr.

9:44

Ciders as always. Um, I actually see Mr.

9:47

Joel and Jeffrey Knight are currently

9:49

um, sitting members. Is that correct?

9:53

>> So, I'm a sitting member of both the

9:55

technical and committee and then Mr.

9:57

Knight is a sitting member of the

10:01

committee.

10:01

>> Technical committee.

10:02

>> Technical.

10:03

>> Yep. Yep. You're both listed under the

10:04

technical committee. So, um, but thank

10:06

you, uh, for your willingness to serve

10:08

in your capacity. What, uh, of course

10:10

with your extensive background, it's

10:12

pro, it's pretty much obvious what you

10:14

can bring and the benefits of having

10:16

you, but what's some things you're

10:17

looking forward to accomplishing while

10:19

you're sitting on the committee.

10:20

>> Uh,

10:23

I'm working very closely with Joel to

10:26

better understand the city. Like example

10:29

I can give you like one of the situation

10:32

that city have is the American with the

10:33

disability act what needed to be done

10:37

like if I look at the numbers

10:40

>> right now city has close to 10,000 ADA

10:43

amps 10,000

10:45

if I want to modify everything to make

10:48

it ADA compliance we need close to $2

10:50

billion does the city with 150 million

10:53

annual budget has that capability

10:56

>> for sure no so my my understanding how

11:01

can I play a role that city can be in

11:04

compliance with the DOJ ADA requirements

11:07

how can I like example right now like

11:10

Joel never asks me nobody asked me I'm

11:14

taking initiative of 2010 ADA

11:17

requirements for the city I'm taking a

11:19

look I just gave him a three-pager

11:22

yesterday ADA that what the what we're

11:25

missing here

11:26

>> so what I'm trying to Being here for the

11:28

city is my expertise as an as an

11:31

engineer plus as an MBA with extensive

11:35

program and project management

11:38

background. How can city move forward?

11:40

>> Absolutely.

11:41

>> Not backward because understand the 2010

11:44

ADA requirements by the city deadline is

11:48

next year April 26, 2026.

11:51

We need to come up with something that

11:53

city can say yes DOJ we are doing

11:56

something. My goal is making sure city

12:00

is doing everything that needed to be

12:03

done to serve the population of the city

12:06

more effectively, efficiently. Joel

12:08

knows like every time someone call me

12:12

>> I do not just answer the call. Joel

12:15

knows me. I go there. I talk to the

12:17

person. What is your problem? How can I

12:19

help you? It's my responsibility to go

12:21

there. That is my goal. how we all can

12:25

serve the city population more

12:26

efficiently, more effectively, more

12:29

appropriately

12:30

and my goal in that role will be how can

12:33

we build a better infrastructure that we

12:35

can serve it better.

12:36

>> Absolutely. So for for sure it's a long

12:40

way to go but it doesn't mean that we

12:42

need to stop we need to start walking

12:45

one single step moving forward that is

12:48

what I'm trying to bring for the city

12:50

that how can we better serve as a whole

12:52

for the population of the city serving

12:54

the city

12:55

>> I appreciate that too showing how

12:56

proactive you can be not waiting around

12:58

to be asked um plus we know ADA

13:01

compliance is

13:02

>> like example I can give you like I we

13:04

have a ADA situation right now Okay.

13:07

>> Because I I my like I had major surgery

13:11

in my ear because of a vehicular

13:14

incident.

13:16

>> So I use hearing aid but my hearing for

13:19

certain some reason doesn't work in this

13:21

room. I do not know why.

13:23

>> Wow.

13:24

>> So is there any alternative we have? For

13:27

sure we have alternative to resolve the

13:28

situation. That's what I'm thinking

13:30

right now. How can we make the city

13:32

better?

13:32

>> Yeah.

13:33

>> For the future.

13:34

I appreciate you being so transparent.

13:36

Thank you for that. Uh, no further

13:38

questions.

13:39

>> Thank you, Councilman Jones. Any

13:42

questions?

13:43

>> Uh, thank you, President Hill. Um, thank

13:45

you, Mr. um allowed to your willingness

13:48

to serve um you have a very extensive um

13:52

resume and I'm just wondering after

13:55

dealing dealing with billions of

13:57

dollars. What's the interest here? is

13:59

just because you live here. I heard a

14:01

little bit of the passion, but you know,

14:03

I'm asking you specifically, what was

14:05

the interest in wanting to fulfill um

14:08

these these works and in this position?

14:12

>> I'm sorry.

14:14

>> All right.

14:29

Oh, why I picked up? Okay, telling you

14:32

frankly my situation right now I'm still

14:36

a federal employee. Actually, I'm

14:38

getting two paycheck. One from the fed,

14:41

one from the city.

14:43

I was not thinking to do anything

14:45

because if I work 20 years with the

14:48

federal government, I can leave with my

14:50

full federal retirement benefit and I

14:53

have 21 years. I'm getting my full

14:55

federal rate benefit telling her frankly

14:58

if I do not do anything I'll be making

15:01

more money than what I'm making right

15:02

now with the city. I'll be making more.

15:05

But only reason I'm doing it like

15:08

my wife Eva called me workaholic.

15:13

And she also called me OCD

15:16

because of the workaholic situation. I

15:19

wake up 4 in the morning. So because I

15:22

cannot leave not doing anything. So I

15:25

thought that I need to do something. Do

15:26

anything. My wife said do okay. If you

15:28

want to do something, do anything. Go

15:29

get pump gas, go to the grocery store,

15:31

do anything. Then suddenly

15:34

I don't know why I opened up the

15:37

Harrisburg web page and I saw they're

15:39

hiring a project manager. I thought it

15:40

sound interesting but the salary is

15:44

difference is pretty big with the fed

15:46

and my salary the city is pretty big

15:48

it's less than half telling you frankly

15:50

it's less than half but I applied why is

15:54

my friend

15:57

your human resource deputy

16:00

>> she left okay he called me Muhammad we

16:04

we are we we want to interview you and I

16:07

came here I talked to Joel and Dave

16:10

and they almost hired me on this spot.

16:12

Then I got stuck. What should I do? I

16:14

said, "Yep, I love city of Harrisburg.

16:17

Joel is a wonderful person. Dave is a

16:19

wonderful person. The reason I love

16:22

because I EP I was going to work suited

16:24

and booted, which I never like. I like

16:27

this and this shirt." Okay. And Joel was

16:30

wearing the city engineer shirt. Dave

16:33

was wearing the, you know, the director

16:35

shirt. And I said, "Oh man, this is the

16:37

place I want to work. This is the place

16:40

I'm more comfortable. Dur I left EPA

16:43

FedEx. I was tired tired of twisting the

16:47

fact tired of making the story. I was I

16:52

was planning to leave anyway if there is

16:55

a this situation like forcing people out

16:59

or not. So I thought okay I was planning

17:02

to leave. I'm not losing anything.

17:03

Getting my 100% benefit getting one

17:06

years of salary free doing nothing.

17:08

Absolutely. If the city Joel offer me a

17:11

job day, it's a wonderful opportunity.

17:13

I'll take it because I like to work. I

17:14

love to work. It is better than pumping

17:16

gas. And I took that way. I said, "Okay,

17:19

I'll take it." And on the top of that

17:21

one, the environment I was still

17:25

confused first couple of month. But more

17:29

I'm learning, more I'm falling in love

17:31

with the city. I realize I told you that

17:35

my federal salary is more than two times

17:37

what city is paying me right now. Money

17:40

cannot make you happy all the time.

17:42

Coming to work smiling going back going

17:45

back home smiling is a situation that

17:48

you you want as a professional. After

17:51

working 27 30 years I have nothing to

17:53

achieve. I did almost everything in my

17:55

life I could do. Like I have a wonderful

17:57

story you can see in the FEMA homeless

18:00

search capacity force. When I first came

18:02

to this country on the very first day I

18:04

was homeless. My uncle didn't show up at

18:06

the airport. I came here when I was 14

18:08

years old. He didn't show up at the I

18:10

was homeless. From there I came all the

18:12

way here. All the way here. So I

18:16

realized that happiness is different

18:18

things. How to be happy and that's why

18:20

actually I accepted the job. First of

18:23

all, first my impression of Joel and

18:25

Dave,

18:27

city engineers, director public

18:30

department and I love I work this for

18:33

project manager. That is the answer to

18:35

you.

18:36

>> Thank you. Uh was very detailed. Um

18:39

again I just you know just for my own

18:41

edification just wondering um you know

18:44

how'd you land here? I always ask people

18:46

how did they find Harrisburg and on the

18:49

map, but uh I would just say that man

18:52

your your your background um speaks

18:55

volumes that um this is your wheelhouse.

18:57

You know, this is definitely your

18:58

wheelhouse and and again the the passion

19:01

is jumping off the page and I really

19:03

don't have any other questions. I again

19:05

tell you uh thank you for your

19:06

willingness to serve.

19:07

>> Thank you.

19:09

>> Thank you Councilwoman Ross. Any

19:11

questions?

19:13

>> Well, good evening Mr.

19:14

Mr. Cider, thank you both for being

19:16

here. Um, your answers were very

19:19

detailed that every question I've had,

19:21

you answered it for me. Um, you seem

19:24

very proactive. I feel like you already

19:25

know what you want to do for Harrisburg

19:28

and that's what we need because we do

19:29

need to move forward. um we're stuck in

19:32

the past a little bit and we need those

19:34

minds here that see the whole city and

19:38

are ready to implement a plan and you're

19:40

ready for that and and Joel is great and

19:43

I can already see that you all got

19:44

things cooking up there. So I will not

19:46

get in the way and um just thank you for

19:49

coming here tonight and just loving the

19:51

city honestly. Thank you.

19:53

>> Thank you. Just to let you know just I'm

19:55

I'm not answering your question that I'm

19:57

giving you some information. I'm a very

19:58

people person like one of my

20:01

responsibility was actually training EPA

20:04

region and the state and the permites

20:06

and some of my workshop was five days

20:08

long week long and I was the only

20:11

speaker

20:12

>> just you can imagine that I like to talk

20:15

>> yes you do

20:17

>> but it's good you give so many detailed

20:19

answers that it doesn't leave people

20:21

wondering but it leaves people thinking

20:24

I can't wait to see what he's going to

20:27

do so and that's what I love. So,

20:29

>> thank you.

20:29

>> You're welcome. No, thank you. That's it

20:31

for me.

20:32

>> Thank you, Vice President Green. Any

20:34

questions?

20:35

>> Thank you for being here, Mr. Balau. Uh,

20:37

I don't really have any questions for

20:38

you. I believe you've given pretty

20:40

extensive answers so far. Um, you seem

20:43

like you're really passionate about what

20:45

you do. Uh, and I can always appreciate

20:47

that. Um, if you love the city of

20:50

Harrisburg now, you'll just love it as

20:52

you continue on. um not just for the

20:54

city and everything that it has to

20:56

offer, but also um in every position

20:58

with the city, you'll have a variety of

21:00

tasks to deal with um and and issues

21:03

that you'll be a part of solving. So, I

21:05

think your personality will fit right in

21:07

and you'll be a great asset to us. So,

21:08

thank you very much for being here.

21:10

>> Thank you for being Miss Green.

21:12

Appreciate

21:14

>> Thank you, Councilwoman Davis. Any

21:17

questions?

21:18

>> Thank you, President Hill. Good evening,

21:20

Mr. Ciders, Mr. Balo. Thank you for

21:23

being here and your resume is

21:27

exceptional.

21:29

Um, and I like to talk too, but I think

21:32

you got me beat.

21:33

>> Yep. Yep. Then we could talk a sideburn.

21:40

>> Can you um tell us about a challenge in

21:46

your career or

21:49

uh a job that was very challenging? um

21:52

in how you solve the problems.

21:56

>> Wonderful question. I love challenges

21:58

because first the eology man can realize

22:02

is problem is the solution of everything

22:04

in disguise. So I always look for

22:07

problem. I'm a problem maker. Give me a

22:10

problem, I'll find out the solution. I

22:13

have and fortunately

22:17

EPA used me as a problem solver a lot.

22:22

a lot when there was a situation people

22:27

was lost. I was there. Example I can

22:30

give you Puerto Rico used to issue

22:35

Puerto Rico was a combined SE overflow

22:38

communities like Harrisburg long time

22:41

ago. Back in 1980s Puerto Rico took some

22:44

federal funding to separate their

22:46

combined sewer system into the separate

22:48

sewer system. So Puerto Rico EPA field

22:52

office suddenly realized the system was

22:55

not properly separated because whenever

22:57

it was raining San Juan downtown Puerto

23:00

Rico was having basement backup.

23:04

So they try to the field office engineer

23:06

actually he was trying to pursue to the

23:10

region two that okay Puerto Rico may not

23:13

be totally separated community region

23:16

two ignore him because the challenge was

23:19

actually Puerto Rico took federal money

23:21

EPA money to separate and EPA certified

23:25

that one region couldn't agree because

23:27

of the legal situation Puerto Rico field

23:30

office reach out to me that Muhammad we

23:32

need your help the way the infra

23:34

structure work the city goes to the

23:36

state state goes to the region region

23:38

goes to the headquarter to me with the

23:40

issue when he reached out to me said

23:42

okay I'm coming down to Puerto Rico to

23:45

take a look what's going on I went down

23:48

there have a tour and realized the

23:50

system was not effectively separated my

23:53

challenge was actually convincing PRAA

23:56

Puerto Rico field office and EPA region

23:58

the system was not effectively separated

24:01

because of the political situation the

24:03

it was playing the role of the g taking

24:05

money for the federal government. So

24:07

what I did I did nothing. I didn't push

24:10

it. I said okay I'll be going down to

24:12

Puerto Rico couple of times for the week

24:14

long and training everybody what is CSO

24:16

combined server overflow how it works

24:18

what is the control requirement and

24:19

everything. So I did that I did that

24:22

multiple time going down to Puerto Rico

24:25

training people advising people what

24:27

needed to be done. At the very end they

24:29

realized that actually Puerto Rico

24:31

system was the properly separated. Their

24:33

infrastructure was totally broken old

24:34

system like Harrisburg had the same

24:36

kinds of situation. Harrisburg

24:38

infrastructure is almost like 150 years

24:42

old especially the S system. Puerto Rico

24:43

has the same situation and it was a big

24:45

success. That means ultimately almost

24:48

year and a half region 2 realized the

24:50

Puerto Rico EPA region 2 realized Puerto

24:52

Rico is still a combined SE system and

24:54

PRASA was on board and and I was lucky

24:57

enough that actually I was I was able to

25:00

get another grant for the Puerto Rico

25:02

$1.8 billion to make sure they can

25:04

effectively now separate the system that

25:07

will not cause the basement backup in

25:09

the Sanan Puerto Rico downtown Sanan

25:11

Puerto Rico.

25:12

many many time like another example I

25:15

can give you it is little bit out of the

25:18

things of my challenge like I do I do I

25:21

told you that I also do the emergency

25:23

response the first day I walk into the

25:26

ground zero after the 911 horrific

25:28

incident I knew nothing absolutely

25:31

nothing what needed to be done because

25:33

that kind of incident we environmental

25:35

engineer never faced what needed to be

25:38

done I walked in with one asbesttor

25:41

sampler tiny little 1 PM10 sampler

25:46

and knowing nothing. Ultimately I

25:49

accepted the challenge and I realize

25:52

that this tool do everything. We set up

25:55

28 different environmental indicator

25:57

sampler inside the ground zero just

26:00

outside the ground zero just out to the

26:02

city to compare the basement baseline

26:05

condition of the ground zero with other

26:06

outside. So I took challenges like this

26:09

almost throughout my career. My life was

26:13

a challenge. I told you that I started

26:14

as a homeless here in this country and I

26:17

realized I need to accept the challenge

26:19

and I did it. I can give you I can talk

26:22

to a sidebar

26:24

long time if you want what kind of

26:26

challenges I took.

26:27

>> Thank you Mr.

26:28

>> I know the time is short.

26:29

>> Thank you for the examples though. I

26:31

appreciate it. Thank you president.

26:34

>> Thank you Councilwoman Daniels. Do you

26:37

have any questions?

26:40

>> Yeah, thank you.

26:41

>> Okay. Thank you. Thank you for your

26:44

presence here this evening. I move to

26:46

add resolution 55 of 2025 to our next

26:51

legislative session agenda for a formal

26:53

vote. Thank you.

26:54

>> Thank you. Thank you everybody.

27:03

Next we have resolution 56 of 2025. Mr.

27:07

Trudale, could you please read it into

27:09

the record?

27:10

>> Resolution 56, 2025, a resolution

27:13

appointing Sharon Horn to serve as a

27:15

member of the board of the Harrisburg

27:17

Housing Authority.

27:18

>> Thank you, Miss Horn, if you wouldn't

27:20

mind joining us.

27:44

Good evening. I'll ask or remind you of

27:46

the same thing if you could please move

27:48

the microphone very close to you so that

27:50

those listening and watching are able to

27:52

hear. if you wouldn't mind taking a few

27:54

minutes to please introduce yourself.

27:56

>> Okay. My name is Sharon Horn.

27:59

Um I've been living in Harrisburg all my

28:01

life. Um I have worked for Department of

28:04

Environmental Protection for 36 years.

28:06

I'm retired. Um doing administrative

28:09

work. I did a lot of other work too. So

28:12

I just don't want to I'm going to be

28:13

mindful of the time. I just don't want

28:14

to take a whole lot of time. But I did a

28:15

whole lot of work far as um payroll, you

28:19

know, customer service and stuff like

28:21

that. And also I went to school for

28:23

criminal justice. But um that's about

28:26

it. I I mean just like helping people um

28:30

u just like I said I help 14 people get

28:33

healthc care services. Um and that's the

28:35

type of work I like to do. Just help

28:38

people when they in a need or they're

28:39

trying to get information to get them to

28:41

the right place. Um writing letters for

28:44

them you know just walking with them and

28:46

sitting with them make sure they get

28:48

through whatever their situation they

28:49

need to get through.

28:53

Okay. So, just as a reminder, this

28:55

appointment is to serve as a member of

28:57

the board of the Harrisburg Housing

28:59

Authority.

29:00

>> Um, the city of Harrisburg formed the

29:02

Harrisburg Housing Authority in 1938 in

29:06

accordance with the Housing Authorities

29:08

Law. The Housing Authorities Law, as

29:10

amended, provides for a five member

29:12

board made up of residents of the city

29:15

who shall serve staggered five-year

29:17

terms. Under the statutory framework

29:20

provided through the Harrisburg or

29:22

excuse me through the housing

29:24

authorities law, the current staggered

29:27

terms of board seat should expire in

29:30

2025, 2026,

29:33

2027,

29:35

2028, and 2029.

29:39

What makes you interested in this

29:40

appointment, Miss Horn?

29:42

>> Because I used to work for housing

29:43

authority back in 19 1979.

29:47

So, um, back then I'm seeing ins and

29:49

outs is it's a little bit different

29:51

today than it was back then. Um, a lot

29:55

of times the managers would go out and

29:57

communicate with the comm their

29:58

residents. Um, walk the premises and,

30:01

you know, just to, you know, get

30:03

acquainted with the re the residents.

30:06

Um, I just feel the reason why I really

30:10

would um like to be on a committee

30:12

because it needs some transparency. It

30:16

needs some things needs to be changed.

30:19

Um

30:21

to make sure you know those who are

30:23

waiting on a list, they have a list and

30:26

people been on that list for four or

30:28

five and six years. Then you have and

30:31

and trying to get into a larger units,

30:34

right? And they can't get in larger

30:36

units because they're seeing if somebody

30:38

else takes presidents over what what

30:40

they've been on the list all the years,

30:42

get presidents over them. We don't know

30:45

the emergencies. So, I think they need

30:47

to be transparent with that. Um people

30:51

um residents have children that's of age

30:53

that should not be in the same rooms

30:55

with their siblings. Um they need that

30:58

needs to be changed. Um something needs

31:01

to be done about that. Why should

31:03

somebody be on six years and somebody

31:05

else come in and just get presence over

31:08

them? I understand they have rules and

31:10

regulations of what they need to do, but

31:12

still yet

31:14

what what what presence they take was

31:17

over them that for them to be able to

31:18

get be their unit the larger unit and

31:21

they still in the smaller unit. So it

31:24

just need to be a lot of transparency

31:25

there to make sure you know those a on

31:27

list are being treated fairly. Um also

31:30

um the resident services would I want to

31:33

know are the residents are being

31:35

provided with supportive services to

31:36

improve self-sufficiency,

31:39

employment, education outcomes for

31:40

residents? Um are they providing them

31:43

the services that they say they are they

31:45

have listed? I would like to see um

31:48

Harrisburg Housing Authority create a

31:50

community resident newsletter to send

31:52

out to the tenants, you know, regarding

31:54

th those services they say that they

31:57

have and how can they receive these

31:59

services providing the service um the

32:00

resident with updates, you know,

32:02

whatever kind of programs they have for

32:04

the residents. Um I think that will be

32:06

good to educate our residents. Some of

32:09

them, you know, have a program of

32:11

teaching them how to budget if you're

32:13

trying to move them forward out to to um

32:16

to get out of, you know, because really

32:18

you should use them them the homes, the

32:21

projects I call them, you know, the the

32:23

housing that if you're trying to move

32:25

them out, then educate them so they can

32:28

be able to move out. Um I the Harrisburg

32:31

Housing Authority has a thing as far as

32:35

um the employment. Oh, I'm going use me

32:38

for example. One time I said, "Well, I

32:40

wanted to go back." Cuz I was retired,

32:42

so I wanted to go back. And I said, "Let

32:44

me see." Cuz they had a a position open.

32:46

I said, "Well, let me go see if I can

32:48

get in." I could not get in. I can even

32:51

put an application in. And no

32:53

disrespect, but they said because I was

32:54

a bilingual. So, you know, you have they

32:58

go, they have a lot of bilingual in the

33:01

offices. Is nothing wrong. Everybody

33:02

needs a job. Don't get me wrong.

33:04

Everybody needs a job. But I'm saying it

33:06

should be fair practices because

33:08

sometimes you have people that commu

33:10

community that may not commu can

33:12

communicate with those that speak about

33:15

they want to communicate with someone

33:17

else. So I think it should be a fact a

33:21

factor in there that they should be able

33:23

to get a job. I mean back then they had

33:25

translators you know people that was in

33:27

there that would be able to translate

33:29

and then you had your English too. So

33:31

you know that's another factor. it's

33:33

hard for them to get jobs in housing

33:35

authority. So, cuz I seen when I went

33:38

there and how it was I have helped um

33:42

uh a young lady who was facing eviction

33:46

um did everything try to help her been

33:48

in the went to the meetings with her

33:49

went back to back with her to make sure

33:51

you know things was being done in the

33:53

perspective and decency order but she

33:56

and she did not get evicted because she

33:59

did everything she needed to do. I

34:00

helped her do everything that she needed

34:01

to do. She was able to get section 8.

34:04

She got section 8, which was good. I was

34:07

really glad for that. But, you know, um,

34:10

they waited two year. I helped her clean

34:12

up her place. They waited two years to

34:14

give this girl a maintenance bill.

34:18

How's that? How you wait two years to

34:20

give somebody a maintenance bill? So, it

34:22

just think things need to be changed. I

34:24

think things need, you know, a lot of

34:26

changes need to be done in Harrisburg

34:29

housing authority. I think um with the

34:31

management how I have instances when

34:35

people have moved out of of out of a

34:38

residence and the same people moved back

34:40

in the same residence. I seen that my

34:42

mother-in-law was living out there. Um

34:44

it was one next door to her and it was

34:47

one across the street for her that did

34:48

that. So I'm like how can you move out

34:50

and come right back in the same place

34:52

when people are on the list waiting to

34:54

get in? So I just think it needs to be

34:56

some transparency. need things need to

34:58

be some changes done and I think you

35:00

know and I and I go back to back I will

35:02

you know fight hard for the residents

35:04

the residents need to know that it's

35:06

somebody there that's going to help them

35:08

that's going to back help back them

35:10

because I'm not saying all residents are

35:12

you know where they need to be but there

35:14

some are that you know that needs help.

35:16

So you know that's what I would like to

35:18

do to try to get in there and try to

35:19

make some changes.

35:21

>> Thank you. I just wanted to uh note just

35:23

a few things. Um, the Harrisburg Housing

35:26

Authority operates independently from

35:28

the city, but its work is essential to

35:31

community stability, economic

35:33

opportunity, and neighborhood

35:34

revitalization.

35:36

>> The general functions of the authority

35:39

include public housing management owns,

35:43

manages, and maintains public housing

35:45

developments within the city. Housing

35:47

Choice Voucher Program administers

35:50

section 8 vouchers to assist income

35:52

eligible families in securing affordable

35:55

rental housing. Redevelopment and

35:57

modernization undertakes projects to

36:01

rehabilitate, modernize or replace aging

36:04

housing stock. Resident services provide

36:07

supportive services to improve

36:09

self-sufficiency, employment, and

36:11

educational outcomes for residents.

36:14

Partnerships works with federal, state,

36:16

and local agencies as well as private

36:19

developers to expand affordable housing

36:22

opportunities, financial powers

36:24

authorized by state law to issue bonds,

36:27

apply for federal housing funds, and

36:30

collect rents or service charges, and

36:33

governance directed by a board of

36:35

commissioners appointed under provisions

36:38

of the housing authorities law. So, I

36:41

just wanted to note that.

36:43

I do have a question for the law bureau.

36:46

Um I believe Miss Horn would be

36:50

replacing an individual there one term

36:53

has expired

36:56

finishing a term.

36:57

>> I believe that when this originally came

37:02

>> okay wait

37:05

>> my bad.

37:06

>> Can you hear me now?

37:07

>> Yes.

37:08

>> There we go.

37:08

>> Thank you. So, I believe when I

37:09

originally sent it down, the terms were

37:12

in there, but I did not. It's set in

37:15

committee, so I don't remember off top

37:16

of my head. If not, I can get it.

37:18

>> I have it. Hold on.

37:20

>> I thought so.

37:20

>> Okay. So,

37:23

yes, this was in June that you sent

37:25

this, but I got you. Okay. So, um,

37:30

Miss Gloria Martin Roberts was appointed

37:32

through resolution 28 of 2024 and her

37:36

term expires June 30th, 2029.

37:40

Miss Sheila Bennett was appointed

37:41

through resolution 46 of 2022 and her

37:45

term expires June 30th, 2027.

37:49

Mr. Ja Zachary Jackson was appointed

37:52

through resolution 29 of 2024 and his

37:56

term expires June 30th, 2026.

38:00

Um, two openings will end in 2025 and

38:04

2028. Whoever is appointed to 2025

38:09

should also be appointed to the term

38:11

ending in 2030 as their term for 2025

38:15

would only last 5 days. Okay.

38:20

Okay. So, um this is a fiveyear

38:25

appointment.

38:26

>> Okay.

38:26

>> So, just so you know that. Okay. I don't

38:29

have any other questions. I'm going to

38:31

open it up to my colleagues who may have

38:34

additional questions for you. I'll begin

38:36

with our building and housing committee

38:39

chair, Councilwoman Davis. Do you have

38:42

any questions for Miss Horn?

38:45

>> Thank you, President Hill. And good

38:47

evening, Miss Horn. How are you?

38:49

>> I'm fine. Thank you. Thank you for your

38:50

willingness to serve. Um

38:54

and thank you for um noting all of the

38:58

things that you would like to do, things

39:01

that you observed and that you realize

39:04

that there needs to be some support and

39:06

some additional help there. One of the

39:09

things that I was concerned about as the

39:11

building and housing chair

39:13

>> is the safety of the residents. Um, I

39:16

guess I could take the time right now to

39:18

thank uh Chief Eterling Line and the

39:22

deputy uh fire chief. Also, the fire the

39:27

evacuation system for the residents at

39:31

the various facilities um under the

39:34

Harrisburg Housing Authority. I like to

39:38

um this you can note make sure that

39:42

every building is safe and that everyone

39:46

knows how to evacuate

39:48

>> right

39:49

>> in case of an a fire um or something.

39:53

So, I know that our fire department has

39:57

been working on ensuring that uh the

40:01

evacuation system is up to date, but I

40:04

just thought I would mention that to

40:07

you. So, you can kind of oversee if you

40:11

get selected for this.

40:13

>> Okay.

40:13

>> To make sure that Yeah. Because we had a

40:16

couple of residents come down here

40:19

>> to talk about their concern.

40:22

um and their concern for being safe in

40:25

the facility.

40:26

>> Okay.

40:27

>> So, once we went through, you know,

40:30

checking with the logs and everything,

40:33

the fire department actually realized

40:36

that the um evacuation system was not up

40:40

to par and helped to make the correction

40:43

at that particular facility. So,

40:47

we can never be too safe,

40:49

>> right? We want to make sure that our

40:51

residents know how to get out in case of

40:54

a fire. So,

40:56

>> right.

40:57

>> That's uh

40:58

>> my own those are my only statements.

41:00

>> Do they do they give them any kind of

41:03

like

41:03

>> I have no idea. I don't know. I just

41:07

>> kind of

41:08

>> Yeah, because you know

41:09

>> followed up based on uh a resident who

41:12

came two residents that came down here.

41:14

>> Okay. So, um I did report back to our

41:18

director, Director Gloria Martin

41:20

Roberts, um and the housing authority, I

41:24

guess, um the new president or director

41:27

of the housing authority. I can't

41:29

remember his name right now, but

41:31

>> I did, you know, follow up with them as

41:33

well. So, um that was just one of the

41:37

things that came to mind, the safety of

41:40

the residents,

41:41

>> the Harrisburg house Housing Authority

41:44

in the facility. So, thank you for being

41:46

here again and thank you.

41:48

>> Welcome.

41:50

>> Thank you, Councilwoman Daniels. Do you

41:52

have any questions?

41:57

>> Just for the conflicts of interest.

42:02

>> Conflicts of interest. You broke up a

42:04

little bit, but I think that's what you

42:05

were asking.

42:08

>> Yes.

42:11

>> Do you have any conflicts of interest?

42:13

>> No. No, I'm trying to, you know, I have

42:15

no confident interest at all.

42:21

>> That wasn't perfect. Thank you.

42:23

>> Thank you, Vice President Green. Any

42:25

questions?

42:26

>> Thank you, President Hill. Uh, first,

42:28

thank you for being here tonight. Um,

42:29

and thank you for your willingness to

42:31

step up, uh, you know, even outside of

42:33

the election to to still follow through

42:35

and say, I want to to be a part of the

42:36

change and and help the city in any

42:38

capacity possible. So, thank you for

42:39

that.

42:40

Um my only question is how did you hear

42:42

about the position and what made you

42:44

want it?

42:45

>> Because um I I wanted to be on a

42:48

committee, you know, something do

42:49

something in house, you know, try to

42:52

help somebody. I mean, you know, cuz I

42:54

did run for city council, but you know,

42:57

just to to help some, you know, just to

42:59

help. Yeah.

43:01

>> And how did you find out about it?

43:02

>> I found out um who somebody was telling

43:05

me about that. Was it was

43:10

I don't want to put I don't like putting

43:12

people's names out there like that, but

43:15

you know what I mean. I found out. Okay.

43:19

So, um don't want to put people's names

43:22

out there. I'm not that type of person.

43:24

Okay. I'm respectful to people who, you

43:28

know, to just like I'll be respectful

43:29

for you to you. So, I don't do that. So

43:32

I was I was informed about committees

43:34

that was being open and and I and they

43:38

named some of the committees and that

43:39

was one of the committees I chose.

43:41

>> Okay. So they told you about several

43:43

different positions that were open

43:45

couple a couple committees was open and

43:49

I

43:51

wanted to be on one.

43:52

>> Okay. Um, I don't ask it in any

43:55

disrespectful way or ask you to call out

43:57

anybody's name. No, but more in the

43:58

sense of, you know, when people come

44:00

before us, people always ask, well, how

44:01

did so and so get on that committee? How

44:03

did that get filled? How did people even

44:04

know these were available? So, I like to

44:06

be able to say, well, someone approached

44:08

them or they just took the initiative

44:09

and got on the website or they were

44:11

listening to a city council meeting.

44:12

>> I do get on your website.

44:13

>> They listened to last week's meeting and

44:15

heard about all the empty positions. you

44:17

know, like we like to figure out how

44:19

people find out about these cuz there

44:20

are lots of positions that are open and

44:22

we're always trying to fill them. Um,

44:25

and we we also know that it's impossible

44:27

for every position to be filled by

44:29

someone going specifically to someone

44:31

and saying, "Hey, I think you'll be a

44:32

fit for this committee." So, it's like

44:34

what's the best way to get people

44:36

engaged? because that's the only way we

44:37

can really move our city forward if we

44:39

have different perspectives and

44:40

different ideas and different

44:42

backgrounds because the city itself is

44:44

diverse and we can't have the same

44:45

thought processes uh picking and

44:47

choosing who's on every board. So, no I

44:49

appreciate

44:50

>> I go on your I go online I'll be

44:52

checking I'll be looking. So,

44:54

>> Okay. Yeah.

44:55

>> Well, I'm glad to hear that that you're

44:57

continuing to be engaged and that you're

44:58

always looking for ways to be involved

45:00

in the city. So, I appreciate you being

45:02

here tonight and I appreciate your

45:03

willingness to serve the city and the

45:05

residents.

45:06

>> Right. Thank you.

45:08

>> Thank you, Councilwoman Ross. Any

45:10

questions?

45:11

>> Thank you. Thank you for being here

45:13

tonight and thank you for um being

45:15

willing to serve and showing your

45:17

commitment even outside of

45:19

>> um the race and saying, you know, I

45:21

still want to help the city in some way.

45:23

So, thank you. Um one of my questions

45:25

were already um asked about how did you

45:27

hear about the position? So my other

45:29

question was just

45:31

>> um how do you think you will be a leader

45:33

that will promote change um on this

45:36

board because it is a very important

45:38

board. So

45:39

>> how do you think you will be a leader

45:40

that will promote change?

45:41

>> You know first of all you got to do

45:44

things of decency and order. You know

45:46

you have to have like mind. You have to

45:48

work together on a committee. I don't

45:50

care what committee you're on work it

45:52

work together. Everybody's not going to

45:54

be agreement but this you just agreed to

45:56

come to an agreement. I mean, you know,

45:58

just do what I know how to do and lead,

46:02

you know what I mean? So, that's where

46:04

I'm at.

46:05

>> Thank you. Thank you, Miss Horn. That's

46:07

it for me, President Hill.

46:09

>> Thank you, Councilman Rodriguez. Any

46:11

questions?

46:12

>> Thank you, Madam President. Thank you,

46:13

Miss Horn, for joining us this evening.

46:15

Great to see you again. Um, I just

46:17

thought, uh, Madame Vice President's

46:19

question was so important because a lot

46:21

of times we never know where a lot of

46:23

these individuals come from and in the

46:25

capacities they like to serve in and we

46:27

just want to make sure we're handpicking

46:28

the best of the best as you've always

46:30

been engaged. Um, sometimes we never

46:32

know what behind the scenes and behind

46:34

the veil brings. So, the question was

46:36

just very transparent also was one of my

46:38

questions as well. So, I just wanted to

46:39

kind of um, beat on that. But also, if

46:42

you could uh create anything innovative

46:44

for HHA, what would that thing be or

46:47

what would you advocate for as a new

46:49

board member?

46:50

>> I would advocate for try to get, you

46:53

know, like that um the residents in that

46:56

community to come together and try to

47:00

put something together. what what they

47:02

want fixed or what what is needed what

47:05

you know what what is what is express

47:07

their concerns about what's going on

47:09

where they live at you know what I mean

47:11

and try to get that information and to

47:14

see what you we can decipher out of it

47:16

and see what we can do about helping

47:18

them with their their um their

47:20

situations. That's what I would like to

47:22

hear more or less from the community

47:25

just to see where they're at and see

47:26

what's going on. I know cuz some of

47:29

them's I I have heard some of them is

47:31

not too happy about certain things that

47:33

goes on. So, you know, I mean, things

47:35

need to be addressed. It always have

47:37

been needed to be addressed. They're not

47:39

being addressed. Um I just wonder if all

47:42

these programs or policies they're

47:44

doing, are they really informing the

47:47

residents of what, you know, what's

47:49

going on? You know, like I have read,

47:51

you know, um the services, the support

47:53

services they have. Are they really

47:56

letting them community know that these

47:58

services are available?

48:01

>> And that's why you mentioned the

48:02

newsletter previously.

48:03

>> They should have a kind of you don't

48:05

have to do it every month. You could do

48:06

it every quarter. You know what I'm

48:07

saying? Just get something out there to

48:09

the to the residents to let them know,

48:11

you know, you know, you're involved with

48:13

them. You want to make sure they in the

48:14

know, you know, and you know, they have

48:16

a lot of questions. I know a lot of them

48:18

has things a lot of questions. They just

48:20

don't know who to go to to get the

48:23

answer.

48:24

Thank you for that answer and your

48:26

willingness to serve. Um, no further

48:28

questions for me.

48:29

>> Thank you,

48:31

>> Councilman Jones.

48:32

>> Thank you, President Hill. How you doing

48:33

today?

48:34

>> How you doing?

48:35

>> Good. Good. Um, just like everyone else,

48:37

thank you for your willingness to serve.

48:40

Um, I have a couple questions for you.

48:42

And, um, I think one that Vice President

48:44

Green had asked again and he re

48:47

reiterated was was the honest question.

48:50

And reason being um I'm just want to

48:53

speak for me.

48:54

>> Okay.

48:54

>> Um I see a lot of these uh positions

48:56

that come open and people that come are

48:59

sent to fill them

49:01

>> um just don't meet the qualifications

49:03

for these positions. I want to say to

49:06

you that I am proud of you continuing to

49:09

fight

49:10

>> right

49:10

>> and what and your willingness to serve.

49:13

But I would question this particular

49:15

committee. I'm not saying you don't meet

49:17

any other ones. I'm just looking at your

49:20

resume, but I feel your passion and I

49:22

see and I hear you saying what you want

49:24

to do um to help these residents. But

49:27

how familiar are you with HUD

49:29

regulations and and

49:30

>> Yeah, I'm familiar. I said I familiar

49:33

>> Yeah, I have worked with them in 1979.

49:36

So, you know, they have their like HUD

49:39

is a certain way that criteria you have

49:41

to go through to even get on getting to

49:43

section 8. They have different rules and

49:46

regulations as far as how you can um get

49:49

in, you know, get section A get into the

49:52

um into the residence, you know. But the

49:54

point is is my thing is how HUD how the

49:59

uh transparency of how people are on the

50:01

list? How do they move the people on the

50:04

list? How do they get to these places?

50:06

you know the timing how people be on

50:09

years and why aren't they being moved

50:11

but you're bringing other people in over

50:14

them giving them bigger larger units

50:16

when other people are waiting for you I

50:19

just want to know the process I'm just

50:21

finding

50:21

>> and that's pretty much what I'm trying

50:22

to ask you how how do you understand the

50:25

policies and the thing this is a this is

50:27

a huge

50:28

>> they say is like like when people they

50:30

they were say well it was an emergency

50:33

like a lot of times when people want to

50:35

get you know get moved into larger

50:37

units, they will say, "Well, it was

50:39

emergency something. This family had

50:41

presence over this family, but they're

50:45

sometimes it's not clear of what they're

50:47

they're they're saying because sometimes

50:49

it's not an emergency. Some people are

50:51

getting there because of certain favors

50:54

of people they know. So I do know that

50:57

know that you know

50:58

>> again that's the that's the part that I

51:00

hear that's very strong in you that

51:02

>> I don't I don't I'm like for far as HUD

51:05

HUD changed changed from the years that

51:07

I have been working for them. So as far

51:09

as their ruling and how they operate I

51:11

can't tell you exactly how they operate.

51:13

>> Yeah because we're talking about um

51:15

making decisions on revitalization in

51:17

these communities. I mean this is a this

51:19

is a a huge responsibility and again

51:22

what I'm hearing is the the passion that

51:24

you have to serve the people. I am just

51:27

not sure that this is the place um what

51:30

you want to change. You're talking about

51:32

changing law.

51:34

>> I'm not trying to change.

51:35

>> Yeah. Yeah. You're saying you want to

51:37

look at the policy. I mean

51:39

>> no I just want to see how

51:42

I'm sorry.

51:44

Uh what I'm saying is how you're seeing

51:46

how the treatment of the residents are,

51:49

how people are getting picked for this

51:50

and that. That's why I'm asking you how

51:53

familiar are you with uh you know the

51:55

housing authority and its policies. You

51:58

know a lot of these things this is a a

52:00

huge responsibility and that's just my

52:03

only concern. your passion and

52:05

everything else for the people of this

52:06

city is strong and I I know it's real

52:09

but again my concern is just on this

52:11

particular board I'm just a little

52:13

concerned personally of of of giving the

52:16

>> So what is your main concern you're

52:17

saying the revitalization of what the

52:20

>> so do you let me ask you this okay

52:22

>> do you know the scope of work in this

52:24

seat

52:24

>> the scope of work of the seat

52:26

>> that you're willing to serve on yes

52:27

>> yeah I'm willing to ser willing to serve

52:29

on this on the um committee yeah to um

52:32

to make Sure. It's transparency, but

52:35

also like you said, what she had just

52:38

read, I didn't read I read the whole the

52:40

whole thing, but

52:41

>> it's a lot.

52:42

>> I mean, it's a lot. I work for 36 years.

52:44

I know how to work and it's a lot. I

52:46

worked in I did um work for

52:49

comprollers's office, so it work. I'm

52:51

not afraid to work. I'm not afraid to

52:53

learn I mean to learn new things cuz you

52:55

you just can't every time when you get

52:57

in a position, you're not everybody's

52:59

not going to get a position and know

53:01

what that position is doing. You're

53:02

going to have to be taught some things.

53:03

You're going to have to learn some

53:04

things. So, I'm the type I research. I

53:07

search things. If I need to know what I

53:09

need to know, I'm going to find out what

53:11

I need to know.

53:12

>> And that's just me,

53:13

>> okay?

53:14

>> I'm a go-getter. So, you know what I

53:16

mean? I'm going to make sure that I'm

53:17

not going to go overstep no kind of

53:19

boundaries that I don't need to

53:21

overstep. I'm going to make sure I'm

53:23

doing things in decency and order.

53:25

>> Okay. No further questions.

53:28

>> Thank you. I have one more question and

53:30

then no more. Okay. Um, I was just

53:34

curious because I didn't see it on your

53:36

resume. You said you worked for the

53:38

housing authority in 1979.

53:40

>> Yeah, cuz I graduated in 78. Um, came

53:43

right out of school and work for

53:44

>> Oh. What was your role then?

53:46

>> I was upfront a receptionist clerical

53:48

worker. Okay.

53:49

>> But I, you know, I I took rents. I did

53:51

bookkeeping and everything like that. I

53:53

was more or less out in the front.

53:54

>> Okay.

53:55

>> Calming things down.

53:58

>> Okay. Thank you.

53:59

Um, are there any other questions for

54:02

Miss Horn?

54:05

Okay, seeing and hearing none, I move to

54:08

add resolution 56 of 2025 to our next

54:12

legislative session agenda for a formal

54:15

vote. Thank you.

54:16

>> Okay. Thank you. Appreciate it.

54:20

Next,

54:22

we have the discussion of the committee

54:24

business for the community and economic

54:27

development committee. I will defer to

54:30

our community and economic development

54:32

committee chair, Councilwoman Daniels,

54:34

to lead discussion.

54:37

>> Thank you. Um, today the committee is

54:39

only uh seeing resolution 60th in 2025.

54:43

So, uh, Mr. Triel, do you mind reading

54:45

that into the record?

54:48

Resolution 60, 2025, a resolution

54:51

approving the preliminary/final land

54:53

development plan for 315 North Second

54:56

Street submitted by Adam Brenamman with

54:57

Brenamman Properties LLC to convert the

55:00

existing office building into a 10-unit

55:02

multifamily dwelling and associated site

55:05

and access improvements.

55:08

>> Thank you. Um, is there a representative

55:09

for the applicant here?

55:12

>> It does not appear so at this time.

55:14

>> Okay. Okay. So, I would just like to

55:16

disclose based on the name there's a

55:19

possibility I might have a conflict, but

55:21

I will check on that. I'll have I'll ask

55:24

the clerk to check on that tomorrow. Um,

55:27

and we'll in the meantime, we'll proceed

55:28

and if there's a conflict, I'll just uh

55:30

refrain from voting or further

55:32

deliberations. Um, so uh Mr. Jeeoff, if

55:37

you don't mind uh introducing yourself

55:38

and giving us a brief dis description of

55:40

the project, the process, and if you

55:42

have any information on timeline and

55:44

things like that for the project, that

55:46

would be great as well.

55:47

>> Uh sure, and I'll try and provide as

55:49

much uh background as I can on this

55:50

project. Uh Jeffrey Knight with the uh

55:53

uh planning director for the city of

55:54

Harrisburg. Uh the application before

55:57

council tonight is a land development

55:59

plan for the property at 315 North

56:01

Second Street. Uh this is um a uh parcel

56:07

that's um comprised of three different

56:10

uh buildings uh that were internally uh

56:13

connected I think sometime in the 1980s

56:15

I believe. Uh and since that time, it's

56:18

been operating as an office building. Uh

56:20

as uh council is aware, uh as I

56:23

presented several of these uh this year,

56:25

uh to you all, um the long-term trends

56:28

of office vacancy in the city here is uh

56:31

being met uh by redevelopment as

56:34

residential uh uh apartment buildings.

56:36

Um and this uh project is uh along those

56:40

same lines. Uh the space is being uh

56:43

redeveloped into a 10 unit uh multif

56:46

family dwelling. Um the the uh

56:51

applicants uh could uh probably provide

56:54

a little bit more on the um layout and

56:56

configuration of the space, but they'll

56:57

be in one and two unit configurations.

57:00

Um I believe they were up to uh 1,200

57:04

square ft for one of the two unit

57:05

buildings or two uh bedroom units. uh

57:08

that was on the uh second and third

57:10

floors uh has a loft configuration. So,

57:13

uh, the project is going to, uh, propose

57:16

several different types of unit designs

57:18

as opposed to maybe the smaller, uh,

57:20

more uniform designs that, um, council

57:24

has maybe seen for some of the other

57:25

buildings. And I think that's a lot of

57:26

that's due to the internal configuration

57:28

of the space, uh, with different, um,

57:31

stairways and entrances and building

57:33

support systems like walls. Um and uh

57:36

the project required the approval of a

57:39

variance application which the applicant

57:41

did receive uh during the June meetings.

57:44

Um so this is the second component uh of

57:47

the project, the land development

57:49

portion. Um and um the applicant uh in

57:54

addition to the internal configuration

57:56

of the space, the applicant does have

57:57

eight off- streetet parking spaces uh in

58:00

the lot directly behind the uh

58:02

buildings. Um it's the same lot that's

58:04

shared with uh I believe the Verizon

58:06

Tower there at the corner of um Second

58:08

and um Pine Street. Um and so even

58:13

though the property is located in the

58:15

commercial neighborhood zoning district

58:16

and is thus not required to have off

58:18

streetet parking, they are able to

58:19

provide uh eight spaces for residents

58:22

and their guests. Um, with that all

58:25

being said, the planning commission has

58:29

recommended that city council approve

58:31

the request with the following um for

58:35

the following reasons. The project has

58:38

received the requisite zoning relief

58:39

approval to convert the property into a

58:41

10-unit multif family dwelling. Uh, the

58:43

adaptive reuse of vacant and

58:44

underutilized office spaces into

58:46

apartment buildings is a long-term trend

58:48

uh for the neighborhood in downtown

58:50

Harrisburg. Uh other conversions of

58:52

former office buildings in the

58:53

surrounding neighborhood have

58:54

demonstrated the proposed use will not

58:56

adversely impact the character of the

58:57

neighborhood and the project will help

58:59

retain existing architecturally and

59:01

historically significant buildings.

59:04

And the proposed reuse will add

59:06

residents to the neighborhood to

59:07

activate the street on nights and

59:09

weekends and grow a customer base to

59:10

support local businesses and will

59:12

provide additional units to the downtown

59:13

housing inventory.

59:20

Thank you. Um I'm just going to open

59:22

this up for my colleagues. I'll start to

59:26

my my immediate left, Councilwoman um

59:30

Davis.

59:33

>> Thank you, Councilwoman Daniels. And uh

59:36

good evening, Mr. Knight. Thank you for

59:38

being here. I don't have any questions

59:40

about this project. Thank you.

59:43

>> You vice president Green.

59:45

>> Thank you very much. I don't have any

59:47

questions regarding this.

59:49

>> President Hill,

59:50

>> I do have questions, but Mr. Knight, I

59:53

don't I think they're for the applicant.

59:56

>> Okay.

59:56

>> Um,

59:58

so thank you,

1:00:01

>> Councilwoman.

1:00:03

>> Thank you, Councilwoman Daniels. I also

1:00:05

have questions, but they were for the

1:00:07

applicant. And

1:00:09

not that you wouldn't do a great job,

1:00:11

director Knight, but I also feel that um

1:00:14

coming into the city and wanting city

1:00:16

and wanting to have a project here, it's

1:00:19

um nice to show up and let us see who

1:00:21

you are and what you're going to bring

1:00:23

to the neighborhood and get a feel for

1:00:25

you because if you don't show up here,

1:00:27

you're going to show up for the

1:00:27

residents. I mean, you know, it's all

1:00:29

those kind of thoughts.

1:00:30

>> Um so I would prefer to ask them were

1:00:33

they why aren't they here? That would be

1:00:35

my question if anybody knows

1:00:37

>> here.

1:00:38

>> So, I had spoken to I had sent an email

1:00:40

out like I do with all of the the other

1:00:42

attendees here tonight and then I had

1:00:44

spoken to Mr. Brenamman on Friday who

1:00:46

assured me a team member would be here.

1:00:47

It just doesn't look like they made it.

1:00:50

>> Okay. No call, no show maybe. I don't

1:00:52

know. But, um yeah, maybe if they could

1:00:54

come in, I don't know. Um that would be

1:00:57

nice. So, I don't have any other

1:00:58

questions.

1:01:00

>> Thank you,

1:01:00

>> Councilman Rodriguez. Uh, it's always

1:01:03

good to see you all the time, Jeff. I

1:01:05

appreciate you being here, but I too had

1:01:07

questions to the applicant targeted the

1:01:09

demographics, affordability, WBE, MB

1:01:12

participation, etc., etc., etc. Um, so

1:01:15

it's, you know, I don't want to kind of

1:01:17

beat that horse down on you because it's

1:01:18

only but so much you can give us, but

1:01:20

um, I was highly hoping to speak with

1:01:22

someone from Brenamman today. So, um, I

1:01:25

guess the questions I do have I have to

1:01:26

keep on reserve. So, thank you for

1:01:28

joining us.

1:01:29

>> Thank you, Councilman Jones. Thank you,

1:01:32

Councilwoman Daniels. I'm going to stay

1:01:34

in tune. No questions.

1:01:41

>> Um, well, you have several options,

1:01:43

Councilwoman. Um, the deemed approved

1:01:45

date is not Oh.

1:01:49

>> Oh, sorry, Councilwoman Daniels. Um, the

1:01:53

deemed approved date is November 4th.

1:01:56

So, you could move it to the legislative

1:01:58

session. suspend discuss in front of the

1:02:01

applicant. They do have time to not move

1:02:05

until the next legislative session, you

1:02:07

know, so it's up to how she would they

1:02:10

were very active. Um, Mr. Brenamman

1:02:13

himself came to planning and then his uh

1:02:17

site managers came to zoning. So, I

1:02:20

don't know if it's miscommunication.

1:02:22

>> I'm sorry, I didn't hear what Mr.

1:02:23

Councilman Jones had said.

1:02:26

Uh, I just said that I was just going to

1:02:28

stay in uniform. I didn't have any

1:02:30

questions. Um,

1:02:31

>> Oh,

1:02:31

>> yeah, that's all.

1:02:33

>> Okay. Thank you. Sorry. So, um, you were

1:02:35

saying do the deemed do the deemed

1:02:37

accepted day is November 4th.

1:02:40

>> Yes, ma'am.

1:02:41

>> Okay. Thank you. So, I'm going to just

1:02:43

recommend I'm not going to rep recommend

1:02:46

that it be placed in on the next

1:02:47

legislative session just because I also

1:02:49

have the conflicts of interest questions

1:02:51

myself. So, I'm going to wait for Mr.

1:02:53

choose to speak with the applicant and

1:02:55

see whether they want to come in and

1:02:58

introduce themselves or at the very

1:02:59

least get the conflict questions for

1:03:01

myself out of the way and then proceed

1:03:03

accordingly. Um so I I'll just recommend

1:03:07

that we not add this to the next

1:03:09

legislative session and we'll

1:03:11

communicate with um a President Hill

1:03:14

when I hear back from Mr. Brenamman.

1:03:17

>> Okay, that sounds like a plan. Thank

1:03:19

you. Thank you, Mr. Knight. All right.

1:03:22

>> Yeah. And that concludes the business

1:03:24

for the community and economic

1:03:25

development today.

1:03:27

>> Thank you. Our final committee business

1:03:29

this evening lies with the public safety

1:03:32

committee. So I will defer to our public

1:03:34

safety committee chair, Councilman

1:03:36

Jones, to lead discussion.

1:03:38

>> Thank you, President Hill. I see we have

1:03:40

Chief Interline in the building.

1:03:42

Uh Mr. Trudell, can you please read

1:03:45

resolution 65 of 2025? Resolution 65205,

1:03:51

a resolution approving the adoption of

1:03:53

the Dolphin County 2025 hazard

1:03:56

mitigation plan as the official hazard

1:03:58

mitigation plan of the city of

1:04:00

Harrisburg.

1:04:01

>> Thank you. Uh Chief Inline, how are you

1:04:04

today, sir?

1:04:05

>> I'm well. How about yourself, council?

1:04:07

>> Good, good, good. Um yeah, can you just

1:04:10

give us a little uh well for for the the

1:04:12

public's because this is a huge document

1:04:15

um and it's very important one in my

1:04:17

opinion. Um can you just give us uh a

1:04:20

synopsis of what we're dealing with here

1:04:22

today with the uh DMA?

1:04:25

>> Sure. So uh this is just a readoption uh

1:04:29

council has adopted I think in under my

1:04:32

watch four of these plans. I believe

1:04:34

it's about every 3 years. Uh this one

1:04:36

actually uh because Dolphin County had

1:04:38

some grant money were two years ahead of

1:04:41

schedule of of readopting. But uh at the

1:04:44

end of the day, the hazard mitigation

1:04:46

plan uh is required under the disaster

1:04:49

mitigation act of 2000. Um and every

1:04:52

municipality has to adopt one. Back

1:04:54

early uh a long time ago, Harrisburg had

1:04:56

its own uh disaster mitigation plan that

1:04:59

we had a put together and a lot of a lot

1:05:01

of manpower. Uh Dolphin County has

1:05:04

stepped in as a department of uh

1:05:06

emergency services and has combined

1:05:09

every municipality in Dolphin County

1:05:11

under one uh plan. So, it makes it a lot

1:05:13

easier to to uh work. So, everything

1:05:16

that affects the city of Harrisburg is

1:05:18

in Dolphin Countyy's plan. We just adopt

1:05:19

that through the resolution uh which

1:05:23

allows us to comport with what the uh

1:05:26

the DMA of 2000 uh is looking for. When

1:05:30

we look at the plan u you know it it

1:05:32

goes through man-made disasters, natural

1:05:34

disasters, all those things that we deal

1:05:36

with those big scale incidents. uh and

1:05:39

also having this plan uh allows us then

1:05:42

to if we do have when not if when we

1:05:45

have those disasters. So whether that is

1:05:47

we look back at wintertorm Jonas the

1:05:49

city spent a substantial amount of money

1:05:52

uh there was a disaster declaration we

1:05:54

were able to uh bring money back to the

1:05:56

city as part of the FEMA reimbursement

1:05:58

process because we had a disaster

1:06:00

mitigation plan. So, uh, we look at, you

1:06:03

know, obviously one of the biggest

1:06:04

things we have, one of the biggest

1:06:05

threats we have is the river. Um, so

1:06:07

flooding. So, protecting and being able

1:06:09

to protect, uh, those residents that we

1:06:11

have that are in the flood plane. Um,

1:06:13

and then also looking at other disasters

1:06:15

from tornadoes, you know, that we saw.

1:06:17

And unfortunately, we didn't meet the

1:06:19

criteria, uh, the threshold uh, for any

1:06:22

reimbursement for the the tornado we

1:06:24

had. Uh but uh also uh one of the one of

1:06:28

the big things that's in this plan uh we

1:06:31

worked very closely with Capital Region

1:06:33

Water and Harrisburg Redevelopment

1:06:34

Authority to ensure that the

1:06:36

dchalization of Paxton Creek uh is

1:06:38

included in this hazard mitigation plan

1:06:40

which allows us then to apply uh and

1:06:43

receive federal dollars for that

1:06:45

pre-planning, the engineering and then

1:06:47

uh ultimately the construction of that D

1:06:49

channelization project which takes

1:06:51

approximately 400 acres I believe it is

1:06:54

out of the out of the flood plane. So,

1:06:56

it's a huge project and probably a

1:06:57

hund00 million project. Uh but without

1:07:01

this plan, uh we're unable to get any of

1:07:03

those federal dollars to assist with

1:07:05

that mitigation efforts. That just a

1:07:07

real high level overview.

1:07:09

>> Yes. Um thank you for that. And I think

1:07:12

that this is um again um an important

1:07:15

plan. And I was just speaking with uh

1:07:17

Commissioner

1:07:19

um Yeah, he's is the commissioner,

1:07:22

right? Carter.

1:07:24

Commissioner Carter about a a a a

1:07:26

disaster plan or an evacuation plan that

1:07:29

we can come up with and I think of

1:07:31

course you would be involved in this as

1:07:33

well. Um again with the and I'm not

1:07:36

scaring anyone but just to re um start

1:07:38

out this TMI. I can remember when I was

1:07:40

a kid when when that leak was there I

1:07:42

know we had eye pills and all of these

1:07:44

different things. I just want to be able

1:07:46

to make sure that we can put something

1:07:48

together cuz this is is is huge right?

1:07:51

And and by the way, let me say this that

1:07:53

the public, you can see this uh plan at

1:07:57

um hazard

1:08:00

mitigation plan. PDF hazard

1:08:06

mitigation

1:08:08

plan. PDF. And you can take a look at

1:08:11

this plan. It's it's very extensive. And

1:08:15

speaking of which, I want to also

1:08:16

reiterate to the public that um

1:08:18

yesterday, the 6th of October, Capitol

1:08:22

Region Water began to temporarily pump

1:08:25

and treat water from the Sescuana River,

1:08:29

which is our secondary drinking water

1:08:31

source and it be temporarily operating

1:08:34

um and to support some critical

1:08:36

maintenance and vital components of

1:08:38

CRW's drinking water infrastructure. So

1:08:41

again, I just wanted to make sure the

1:08:42

public know that that they are pumping

1:08:44

water, drinking water from uh the

1:08:47

Suscoana River. And that's pretty much

1:08:50

what I have. Go ahead. I see you.

1:08:52

>> So I I I do want to touch on the Crane

1:08:54

Clean Energy uh restart. So uh the

1:08:57

Bureau of Fire uh by designation uh is

1:09:01

the emergency managers for the city. So

1:09:03

that disaster mitigation plan for

1:09:05

anything that happens at Crane uh the

1:09:07

the upcoming reopening of Crane Clean

1:09:09

Energy uh all runs through u emergency

1:09:12

management which is uh led by the fire

1:09:15

chief and deputy chiefs. U we are

1:09:18

working very closely with Dolphin

1:09:20

County. They've hired a u they've hired

1:09:22

another uh person on staff to work with

1:09:25

that. And what we found and what Dolphin

1:09:28

County has found, what other counties

1:09:29

have found is it works better on a

1:09:31

regional level as opposed to singularity

1:09:34

uh as it comes to these large disaster

1:09:35

mitigation plans. So when we look at the

1:09:38

u the emergency evacuation plan for uh

1:09:41

Crane Clean Energy, that's going to

1:09:43

we're again we're already in discussions

1:09:45

uh working with nuclear regulatory

1:09:47

commission uh with the uh with the state

1:09:50

and uh trying to determine what that

1:09:52

looks like going forward. uh knowing

1:09:54

that the plan that we originally had uh

1:09:58

doesn't meet criteria. So, they're

1:09:59

looking now at science as opposed to

1:10:00

just blotting things on a map and uh and

1:10:03

that may change uh not may it will

1:10:05

change uh the way the city of Harrisburg

1:10:07

deals with uh you know any potential

1:10:10

emergency issues at uh Crane Clean

1:10:12

Energy uh when uh it comes back online

1:10:16

probably uh in 2027.

1:10:18

>> Yeah, thank you. Then I just want to see

1:10:20

if we can get something because this is

1:10:22

so huge and some of these things really

1:10:24

may not specifically

1:10:26

happen in the city so I I can see the

1:10:29

bigger map of the county itself. But

1:10:31

again, hoping that we can try to put

1:10:33

something um for the public. I I'm I'm

1:10:35

always been worried about this though.

1:10:37

Like seriously, like what if stuff

1:10:38

happened? I know we might get a break in

1:10:40

the in our phones and TVs, but is there

1:10:42

something that we can actually look at

1:10:44

as a city to just in case something

1:10:46

happens and we're prepared to do

1:10:48

whatever it is that we need to do? I'm

1:10:50

saying something condensed in layman

1:10:52

terms for our residents to understand.

1:10:54

>> Yeah. And that will come out. That is a

1:10:56

that is a requirement of the Nuclear

1:10:57

Regulatory Commission to the owner and

1:10:59

operator of the nuclear power plant. So

1:11:02

uh while we were while we were supported

1:11:05

uh and it is quite frankly an unfunded

1:11:07

mandate to the city uh from Crane Clean

1:11:10

Energy uh for the for the emergency

1:11:12

management stuff that we have to conduct

1:11:14

in addition to our normal what's really

1:11:16

covered here even though nuclear is in

1:11:18

here uh they're required uh by the

1:11:21

nuclear regulatory commission to have

1:11:22

all that stuff and to do that

1:11:24

pre-planning and to make those contacts

1:11:25

the like the eye dive pills you talk

1:11:27

about things like that are all required

1:11:29

and expenses of Crane Clean Energy uh at

1:11:32

the end of the day uh by law. So we'll

1:11:36

we are working closely with them.

1:11:37

Dolphin County is working closely with

1:11:38

them. We've already had two or three

1:11:40

meetings uh dealing with uh you know

1:11:42

potential evacuation sites. Just as an

1:11:44

example, um you know the plan uh the the

1:11:48

original plan for TMI, what is TMI? Uh

1:11:51

the evacuation point for uh the small

1:11:55

area of Harrisburg that was affected was

1:11:57

the Scotland School for Children in

1:11:58

Scotland, Pennsylvania, just off of

1:12:00

Interstate 81. That school is no longer

1:12:01

open and no longer a functioning

1:12:04

receiving facility for those being

1:12:06

evacuated from the um you know from the

1:12:09

affected the Temount EPZ. Uh so now

1:12:12

they're looking at other uh other areas

1:12:14

potentially um Shippensburg University.

1:12:17

So there there's a lot of moving parts.

1:12:18

Crane has a lot of work to do um prior

1:12:21

to turning that switch on and and

1:12:23

starting to uh uh

1:12:26

>> create energy again. Correct.

1:12:27

>> So, thank you, man. I I think u this is

1:12:30

a no-brainer for me. Um those are just

1:12:32

my my uh my input in it. I think um you

1:12:35

know, the public should really lay eyes

1:12:36

on this, especially in today's times.

1:12:39

Nothing is really too certain. Just

1:12:40

paying attention to, you know, any

1:12:42

potential things that can happen in our

1:12:44

area. So, um, I'll open the floor up to

1:12:48

my colleagues and I'll start to my

1:12:50

immediate left with your truth. I mean,

1:12:53

Mr. uh, Rodriguez.

1:12:58

>> Thank you, Chair Jones. Um, always a

1:13:00

pleasure to see you, Chief Enterline.

1:13:02

Um, I just wanted to go over the five

1:13:03

goals briefly of the mitigation plan

1:13:05

just for the residents watching that

1:13:07

might not even know what the mitigation

1:13:08

plan um, entitles. To mitigate the

1:13:11

effects of those hazards, the planning

1:13:12

team identified the following goals for

1:13:14

hazard mitig mitigation over the next

1:13:16

five years. Goal one, to protect life,

1:13:19

property, the environment, and the

1:13:20

critical infrastructure from natural and

1:13:22

humanmade hazards, preventing injury,

1:13:24

death, and damage. The second goal would

1:13:27

be to increase public awareness and

1:13:28

education on the impacts of natural

1:13:30

hazards, and promote activities to

1:13:32

mitigate these risks. Goal three,

1:13:34

protect and restore natural resources to

1:13:37

strengthen environmental resilience.

1:13:38

Number four, reduce the risk of natural

1:13:41

hazards for socially vulnerable

1:13:42

populations and underserved communities.

1:13:45

And of course, number five, to develop

1:13:47

and improve infrastructure to better

1:13:49

protect citizens and both public and

1:13:51

private properties from hazards. Um,

1:13:54

very good kind of breakdown of that. But

1:13:56

chief, when I was overlooking the plan,

1:13:58

there was one, of course, it's all

1:14:00

concerning when we're talking about

1:14:01

mitigating great risk hazards, but there

1:14:04

was one number that really stood out to

1:14:06

me that was a bit concerning. Um, so in

1:14:10

2010 to 2020, we actually had a 2%

1:14:13

increase in the population in

1:14:14

Harrisburg. So we're at about a 50,000

1:14:17

about 50,99 in population. But the

1:14:20

projections for 2030, we're actually at

1:14:23

a negative 7% decrease, losing over

1:14:25

3,000 residents. Why do you think that

1:14:28

they're projecting such a substantial

1:14:30

decrease?

1:14:31

>> So that came from that did not come from

1:14:34

us. Uh that came from uh statistics that

1:14:37

the uh architects of the plan look at.

1:14:40

So it was this was the plan really um

1:14:44

that minutiae in the plan if you will um

1:14:47

that we don't have the expertise to look

1:14:49

at is done by a consultant. So they look

1:14:51

at at uh trending uh statistics on

1:14:54

population trends and things like that.

1:14:57

That's how they come up with that. Um

1:14:58

you know look do we agree with that?

1:15:00

Probably not. Right. Um but what I what

1:15:03

I can say that to me that is minutiae in

1:15:06

the mix. I'm looking at um do do the

1:15:09

things that we identify that are a you

1:15:12

know as you outlined in those in those

1:15:14

five bullet points do they fit the plan

1:15:16

that that we're putting in there. So

1:15:18

when we identify a project does it fit

1:15:20

into the plan and is it going to be

1:15:22

money well spent? Is it going to be

1:15:24

something that's going to protect the

1:15:25

public and is it going to have uh

1:15:27

achievable outcomes? Absolutely. Uh, and

1:15:29

so I I think for us as emergency

1:15:30

managers, that's what we're looking at.

1:15:32

Not necessarily with all due respect,

1:15:34

the the population,

1:15:35

>> right? But as a legislator, being a

1:15:37

representative of the people, that's

1:15:38

what we're looking at. Sure. So when we

1:15:40

see residents fleeing at an all-time

1:15:42

high, council definitely would be

1:15:44

concerned. So it's just two different

1:15:45

perspectives coming from two different

1:15:47

sides of the table.

1:15:48

>> Yeah. And again, it's a, you know, it's

1:15:50

an outside consultant. Um, and quite

1:15:53

frankly, the the u you know, if I'm

1:15:55

being blunt, and you guys know I'm

1:15:56

pretty blunt, uh, the first consultant

1:15:58

we started working with was from down

1:16:00

south, and quite frankly, you know, it

1:16:04

is what it is. They they had really no

1:16:06

idea. They're looking at statistics,

1:16:09

right? They're number crunchers.

1:16:10

>> Uh, with all due respect,

1:16:12

>> Yep. No, I I totally understand. But if

1:16:14

it's something we're looking to, you

1:16:15

know, um, approve, it's definitely

1:16:17

concerning. And then it kind of makes me

1:16:19

think of what we can do better to keep

1:16:20

it, retain our residents, offer a bit

1:16:23

more, but it is just for mitigation um

1:16:25

of different hazards. Do you as the

1:16:27

chief uh of the fire department feel

1:16:29

like it is a very good plan to move

1:16:32

forward with something that they've

1:16:33

taken some great time and really

1:16:35

dissolved everything that could happen?

1:16:37

>> You know, I I think I look back on uh

1:16:38

and again it was a couple of years ago.

1:16:40

We look back on wintertorm Jonas um and

1:16:43

you know we exercised that plan pretty

1:16:45

extensively which was and you know I

1:16:47

look at this as the uh the the pen and

1:16:49

ink to the checkbook of the federal

1:16:51

government right uh so we followed

1:16:54

everything we needed to follow and we

1:16:56

documented everything we had to document

1:16:58

um volumes and volumes of paperwork uh

1:17:01

and you know the money we spent at that

1:17:03

time and we were we were signed a

1:17:05

contract for snow removal for $200

1:17:07

$300,000 at at a crack Um, and we to we,

1:17:11

you know, as we massaged that down, uh,

1:17:14

because of the diligence and because of

1:17:16

of following everything we had in the

1:17:18

plan, following the FEMA guidelines,

1:17:20

there was only about $400 of almost a

1:17:24

million dollars of expense that they

1:17:26

denied for us. Uh, and again, that's

1:17:28

that's being able to exercise and and

1:17:31

use the plan as designed uh, to fall

1:17:33

back on and not get outside of that

1:17:35

scope. Again, looking at those five

1:17:36

bullet points, as long as we're

1:17:37

following those, we're in good shape.

1:17:39

Now, um, just for my own edification

1:17:41

because I'm not even sure, uh, is there

1:17:44

a separate just Harrisburg mitigation

1:17:46

plan or are we incorporated with the

1:17:48

Dolphin County?

1:17:48

>> Correct. We're incorporated right with

1:17:50

Dolphin County. So, there's projects in

1:17:52

here again, there's Capital Regional

1:17:54

Water Projects, D channelization of of

1:17:56

Paxton Creek, but there's also um, you

1:17:59

know, some things in Derry Township,

1:18:00

right? it it is countywide. Uh which

1:18:02

gives us a a more regional approach to

1:18:05

emergency management which is you know

1:18:07

while every emergency goes to the local

1:18:09

level of government the smallest form of

1:18:11

government city or burrow like Steelton

1:18:13

uh when we look at it globally and

1:18:15

looking at it regionally uh it gives us

1:18:18

more uh more oomph behind it to to get

1:18:20

that assistance for the residents that

1:18:23

need it.

1:18:23

>> Gotcha. Thank you.

1:18:24

>> Whe whether that's pre incident or post

1:18:26

incident right awesome. Thank you. No

1:18:29

further questions.

1:18:29

>> Councilwoman Ross.

1:18:31

>> Thank you, Councilman Jones, and good

1:18:33

evening, Chief Interline. Thank you for

1:18:35

being here today to explain this

1:18:36

important plan. Um, I had one question.

1:18:40

It may go into two, but kind of the

1:18:42

same. Um, I was wondering being as

1:18:45

though um in Dolphin County, but also

1:18:48

Harrisburg, everyone does not speak the

1:18:49

same language, doesn't have the same

1:18:51

background. How is this plan is it

1:18:53

translated into different languages? How

1:18:56

do other members of our community um be

1:19:00

how do they translate this plan and be

1:19:02

able to understand it if English is not

1:19:03

their first language?

1:19:05

>> That's a good question and I am not 100%

1:19:08

sure because it is housed on Dolphin

1:19:10

County's website. I am not sure. I

1:19:12

believe that there was supposed to be a

1:19:13

Spanish version but I'm not 100% sure of

1:19:16

that.

1:19:16

>> Uh and I believe so it is a it is an

1:19:19

editable PDF. So, I believe through that

1:19:22

edit function, if you speak a different

1:19:24

language, you can go in and change and

1:19:26

it will convert. Um, it's probably going

1:19:28

to take some time because it's 800 and

1:19:30

some pages if you sat and read the whole

1:19:32

thing.

1:19:33

>> Correct. Would you be able to get that

1:19:35

answer and and maybe email us just in

1:19:37

case we get that question as well? Um,

1:19:40

because even Spanish isn't even just the

1:19:42

other languages in our community. Um,

1:19:45

there's there's so many. Um, so I'm just

1:19:47

wondering because sometimes we get those

1:19:49

type of questions and I would not know

1:19:51

how to answer that because I don't know

1:19:52

if there's a translation to it, but I

1:19:54

know it probably is important for it to

1:19:57

be. So

1:19:59

>> yeah, I I will reach out to Dolphin

1:20:00

County tomorrow and get an answer or

1:20:02

not. I believe it would be a simple

1:20:03

email and it could be converted.

1:20:05

>> Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you

1:20:07

so much. That's all I have actually. It

1:20:09

went into one question.

1:20:11

>> Thank you, President Hill.

1:20:12

>> I don't have any questions. Thank you

1:20:14

for being here this evening. Many of my

1:20:16

questions were asked and answered.

1:20:18

>> Thank you,

1:20:18

>> Vice President Green.

1:20:20

>> I don't have any questions, but it's

1:20:21

good to see you as always. Thank you

1:20:23

>> as always. Thank you,

1:20:24

>> Councilwoman Davis.

1:20:26

>> Thank you, Councilman Jones. Good

1:20:28

evening, Chief Erline.

1:20:30

>> Good evening.

1:20:32

>> So, I don't have any questions. Um,

1:20:36

well, actually, I do have one question.

1:20:38

I read over the uh hazard mitigation

1:20:41

plan briefly and I understand that the

1:20:45

city wants to adopt the county's plan.

1:20:49

Um it says here that uh one of the

1:20:53

processes would be to assess or even one

1:20:57

out of four two out of four assess the

1:20:59

counties and each municipalities

1:21:02

vulnerabilities to these hazards. So,

1:21:05

natural hazards, tornadoes,

1:21:08

wildfires,

1:21:10

invasive species, utility interruptions,

1:21:14

winter storms, tornadoes, radon,

1:21:17

exposure, and there's uh some more

1:21:20

identified here. Um, and I was just

1:21:25

complimenting you and your deputy chief

1:21:27

on ensuring that the evacuation plan was

1:21:30

updated for one of our senior high-rise

1:21:34

uh buildings. Um, but I think it's

1:21:36

important that

1:21:38

if we as a community need to evacuate

1:21:43

for whatever reason,

1:21:45

each facility should at least know how

1:21:48

to get out in case of an emergency. So,

1:21:51

um, you guys have already been working

1:21:54

on that and that's just one of the

1:21:57

things that I'd like to see, you know,

1:22:01

follow through to make sure that the

1:22:03

residents know how to get out of the

1:22:05

building in case they do have to

1:22:07

evacuate because can you imagine

1:22:10

all of a sudden we our phones emergency

1:22:12

system starts going off and they're

1:22:15

telling everyone to go to a specific

1:22:18

point, but the residents in the

1:22:20

buildings don't know where to go and

1:22:22

everybody's scrambling around. We have

1:22:23

disabled members, people in wheelchairs

1:22:26

and so

1:22:28

>> yeah, my concern.

1:22:30

>> Yeah, very valid points. Um and

1:22:32

understanding this plan is for large

1:22:34

disasters. So, this isn't for a building

1:22:36

fire. This doesn't cover a building fire

1:22:38

or uh while it does cover building

1:22:41

collapse, right? It it doesn't it

1:22:44

doesn't cover those small incidents, if

1:22:46

you will. a a a kitchen fire on the

1:22:48

fifth floor of the Jackson building, the

1:22:51

Jackson Tower. Uh and and that falls to

1:22:54

the local that falls to what our

1:22:55

planning already is working with

1:22:57

Harrisburg Housing as we had talked. So,

1:22:59

this plan looks at the the bigger

1:23:01

picture, bigger when we're evacuating

1:23:04

communities, the entireties of

1:23:05

communities and that planning uh then

1:23:09

falling back to the plan, we start to

1:23:12

look at our uh different resources that

1:23:14

we have. So, we're looking at busing.

1:23:16

We're looking at uh you know, how do we

1:23:19

convert uh you know in in looking at 3M

1:23:24

Island, right? We take Cameron Street

1:23:26

and make it one way uh so there's no

1:23:28

coming into the city. It's only one way

1:23:30

out. Uh and things like that. So, that's

1:23:32

what this plan's looking at. big big

1:23:34

picture big uh incidents uh in a smaller

1:23:38

smaller scale. While it's not small to

1:23:40

the resident that that fire and other

1:23:42

emergencies in the building are dealt

1:23:44

with under the fire code and and uh you

1:23:46

know are or fire codes, if you will, as

1:23:50

opposed to the disaster mitigation plan.

1:23:53

>> Thank you, Chief Ederline. Um, I just

1:23:55

wanted to uh note that I still think

1:23:58

that it's very important even though it

1:24:00

doesn't fall under this um plan on a

1:24:04

large scale, it does on a small scale

1:24:07

and it's very important that that you

1:24:10

know be addressed as well. So you guys

1:24:13

are already on top. Agreed. Thank you so

1:24:15

much Chief Interline. Thank you for

1:24:17

being here.

1:24:22

Good.

1:24:25

Councilwoman Daniels,

1:24:27

>> no question.

1:24:29

>> All right. Thank you again, Chief

1:24:31

Innerline. You got any last last remarks

1:24:33

you want to

1:24:34

>> say?

1:24:35

>> That's it. I'm good.

1:24:36

>> That's it. So,

1:24:37

>> I got to go finish reading the plan.

1:24:38

It's 800 pages.

1:24:39

>> Yes, it is huge. Again, let me put that

1:24:41

back out there. I'm glad you said

1:24:42

>> there will be a test at the legislative

1:24:44

session uh when you go to vote on it. I

1:24:46

will have questions for you.

1:24:47

>> All right. Um, again for the uh

1:24:50

residents out there, you can look at

1:24:52

this plan and go check it out. It is

1:24:54

huge. Um, hazard

1:24:57

hyphen mitigation

1:25:00

plan.pdf.

1:25:03

And I would I would move to add uh

1:25:06

resolution 65 to our next legisl

1:25:09

legislative session for a vote. I know

1:25:13

it's a lot of stuff.

1:25:15

All right. All right.

1:25:17

>> And that con No, that doesn't conclude.

1:25:21

>> Oh, I'm still done. I'm waiting for her.

1:25:23

I keep doing that. Um, so, uh, Mr.

1:25:25

Trudeell, can you read resolution 66 and

1:25:28

67 into the record?

1:25:31

>> Resolution 66, 2025, a resolution

1:25:34

confirming the appointment of Robert

1:25:36

Jennings III to serve on the Citizens

1:25:39

Law Enforcement Advisory Committee. and

1:25:41

resolution 672025,

1:25:44

a resolution confirming the appointment

1:25:45

of Dominique Commodore to serve on the

1:25:48

Citizens Law Enforcement Advisory

1:25:50

Committee.

1:25:51

>> Thank you. I do see Mr. Commodore and

1:25:53

Mr. Jennings III in the building. If you

1:25:55

guys can come up,

1:26:00

uh Mr. Jennings, you could you can sit

1:26:01

there. Mr. Trudell is going to help you

1:26:03

out with a microphone. You can come on

1:26:04

up.

1:26:11

make sure you speak directly into the

1:26:13

mic so everyone at home can hear you

1:26:16

>> and uh

1:26:19

>> you know I want to thank both of you

1:26:20

gentlemen um again for willing your

1:26:23

willingness to serve on this committee

1:26:25

um as you know it's a very important

1:26:27

committee um a great opportunity for our

1:26:30

city um to kind of you know bridge the

1:26:33

gap between uh community and police um

1:26:36

and bring forth some new ideas and

1:26:37

direction. So, uh, just tell us a little

1:26:41

bit about why you want to serve and you

1:26:43

both can answer. Um, it doesn't go into

1:26:45

I'll go with Mr. Commodore first.

1:26:48

>> Good evening everyone. My name is

1:26:49

Dominique Commodore and one of the main

1:26:52

reasons why I wanted to serve on this

1:26:54

committee is that um, I work um, in

1:26:56

Harrisburg school district as an

1:26:58

assistant principal dealing with the

1:26:59

ninth grade and I just see the influx

1:27:02

and of crime in the city. Um I do

1:27:04

believe my position um being from

1:27:05

Harrisburg and alumni of the district

1:27:07

and just in the community in different

1:27:09

capacities whether from coach and

1:27:11

wrestling um it would be a good um point

1:27:13

to be like a bridge where I can bring

1:27:16

new ideas. Um we see a lot of you know

1:27:18

different things throughout the day

1:27:19

whether it be from the students um

1:27:21

bringing different crimes or just other

1:27:22

situations that happen throughout the

1:27:24

day. It's a good opportunity for me to

1:27:25

just, hey, I have eyes right there on

1:27:28

the ground telling you what I'm seeing.

1:27:29

Also bring, you know, new viewpoints.

1:27:31

Um, you know, share what maybe some of

1:27:33

the students or even the parents are um

1:27:35

expressing just different concerns and

1:27:37

even what, you know, my neighbors might

1:27:38

be sharing just throughout the streets

1:27:39

of Harrisburg. Um, I also think that,

1:27:41

like I said, as me being from here, um,

1:27:43

from uptown, I do think it is a good

1:27:45

opportunity to be a bridge bidder and a

1:27:47

piece in the community to connect the

1:27:48

dots.

1:27:50

>> Thank you. Uh, Mr. Jennings.

1:27:53

>> Yes. I uh one of the main reasons I

1:27:55

wanted to serve on the advisory board is

1:27:58

because I live here and I see what's

1:28:00

going on. Uh many of you know the jobs

1:28:03

that I did in the past. Um I don't think

1:28:08

the police are our enemy. Uh I think

1:28:10

they make mistakes and those who do need

1:28:13

to be corrected, but they're human too.

1:28:17

And I think we have to like Mr. common.

1:28:20

So, we have to bridge that gap and we

1:28:23

have to I understand it's some it's some

1:28:25

nasty police officers, don't get me

1:28:27

wrong, and I think they should be dealt

1:28:30

with. No doubt about it. I think the

1:28:32

advisory board should make a

1:28:34

recommendations and do whatever they got

1:28:36

to do. But we got to have peace in our

1:28:38

streets. Our streets are out of hand.

1:28:40

And one of the ways that you can

1:28:42

sometime you need somebody in the

1:28:43

middle, you know, sometimes I don't know

1:28:46

how you guys came up, but I came up with

1:28:48

three parents. And sometime I didn't

1:28:50

like what my mom and dad said, but then

1:28:53

my grandmama would sit me down and take

1:28:55

her time and break it down to me. That

1:28:57

makes it a whole lot better, a whole lot

1:28:59

more understandable. So, I think that's

1:29:01

the I think that's the way with the

1:29:03

police advisory board. You need somebody

1:29:05

that that can sit down and relate to

1:29:07

people. Um, I was a constable, for those

1:29:11

of you who don't know me up there, I was

1:29:12

a constable for 17 years. I was district

1:29:14

judge for 12 years. I coached

1:29:17

football for 22 years. I've been in and

1:29:20

out of John Harris talking to those kids

1:29:22

when I was on the bench and most of them

1:29:24

need just a little love. But you got to

1:29:26

show them another side. They don't see

1:29:29

that. Some of them only see the rough

1:29:30

side. So I think if we all work together

1:29:33

on this board, I think it'll be a

1:29:35

beautiful thing. Harrisburg might even

1:29:36

be a a city that other people want to

1:29:41

come and see how we did it because we

1:29:43

can do it. This ain't Philly. This ain't

1:29:45

Baltimore,

1:29:47

you know. We We can do this here,

1:29:49

>> right? All right. Can I Can I get an

1:29:52

amen?

1:29:54

>> All right. Now, don't don't have me

1:29:55

preaching up here now cuz I don't mind I

1:29:58

bringing a word.

1:30:00

No, but seriously,

1:30:03

seriously, it's a needed effort. It

1:30:05

really is.

1:30:06

>> I thank you. I thank you, man. Again, I

1:30:09

want to thank all of the um Cleak

1:30:11

members that came out and um put their

1:30:13

hat in this ring. Um again, just what

1:30:16

how I see it from a a public safety

1:30:18

standpoint is that um in 2025 or any

1:30:22

other year, the police shouldn't be

1:30:24

policing our communities. I think that's

1:30:26

a US thing. And this is where I think

1:30:28

this can really kick off to to uh Mr.

1:30:31

Jennings's point. um we do have a great

1:30:34

opportunity to do something and be

1:30:36

actually a trailblazer in this regard um

1:30:39

and hopefully uh be a model for other

1:30:41

peoples to come look at. So I don't have

1:30:43

any questions. I'm very impressed with

1:30:44

you guys and I'm I'm sat sat with you

1:30:46

through a lot of this process. Uh so

1:30:49

I'll open the floor up and I'll start

1:30:51

with President Hill this time.

1:30:53

>> Oh, I get to start. Thank you. Um so I

1:30:56

just wanted to provide an overview of

1:30:58

the cle board and share the general

1:31:00

function. Uh so the Citizens Law

1:31:03

Enforcement Advisory Committee or CLEAC

1:31:05

as we've been referring to it was

1:31:07

established to promote public

1:31:09

accountability and community trust in

1:31:12

Harrisburg's law enforcement. CLEAC

1:31:14

functions as an advisory body of

1:31:17

residents providing oversight, policy

1:31:19

recommendations, and a forum for

1:31:22

dialogue between the public and the

1:31:24

Harrisburg Bureau of Police. It is

1:31:27

designed to improve transparency,

1:31:29

protect community rights, and foster

1:31:32

stronger

1:31:33

uh police community relations.

1:31:36

In reference to general function,

1:31:39

uh reviews law enforcement policies,

1:31:42

practices, and data to improve

1:31:45

transparency and public accessibility.

1:31:48

Provides residents a forum to voice

1:31:50

concerns about police interactions and

1:31:53

community safety issues. Identify

1:31:56

systematic or recurring problems and

1:31:59

help recommend changes in local law

1:32:02

enforcement practices. Promotes fair,

1:32:05

just and dignified treatment of all

1:32:09

persons in Harrisburg, fosters trust and

1:32:12

positive relationships between law

1:32:14

enforcement and community members.

1:32:16

Encourages open communication and

1:32:19

dialogue between residents, businesses,

1:32:21

and law enforcement. and facilitates

1:32:24

public participation in shaping law

1:32:26

enforcement approaches and community

1:32:28

crime prevention. Um, I don't really

1:32:32

have any questions. I was at the CLEAC

1:32:35

meeting when both of you were

1:32:37

interviewed, so I got to hear um some of

1:32:40

the dialogue between the current members

1:32:42

and both of you as prospective members.

1:32:45

Um,

1:32:47

>> yeah, I don't I don't have any

1:32:48

questions. Thank you for your interest

1:32:50

in serving.

1:32:52

All right, Vice President Green.

1:32:56

>> Thank you, Councilman Jones.

1:32:58

Thank you, um,

1:33:00

Judge Jennings, for being here. Uh, I

1:33:02

appreciate you continuing to be willing

1:33:04

to serve the residents of Harrisburg in

1:33:06

every capacity. I don't really have any

1:33:08

questions for you. Um, I know the work

1:33:09

that you've done. I know your

1:33:10

background. I think you'd be a great fit

1:33:12

to the board, kind of offering a

1:33:13

different perspective, uh, and giving

1:33:15

that whole approach. So, I appreciate

1:33:16

it. Um, Mr. Commander, I appreciate you

1:33:19

being here tonight and for your

1:33:20

willingness to serve. I think being able

1:33:22

to bring an approach um that represents

1:33:25

education perspective um and kind of

1:33:26

seeing some of those struggles that our

1:33:28

youth uh face in the schools and also in

1:33:30

the communities I think that's a very

1:33:32

important perspective uh because a lot

1:33:34

of the violence that we're dealing with

1:33:35

um in our streets also has to do with

1:33:37

our youth and unfortunately as much as

1:33:39

we talk about them and all the programs

1:33:41

that are needed it's a voice that al

1:33:43

often gets unheard and a lot of these

1:33:45

important meetings so I appreciate you

1:33:47

being willing to represent them and take

1:33:49

a stand for that. So, thank you.

1:33:51

>> Thank you.

1:33:52

>> Thank you, uh, Vice President Green,

1:33:55

Councilwoman Davis.

1:33:57

>> Thank you, Councilman Jones, and thank

1:33:58

you, Judge Jennings, and Mr. Commodore,

1:34:01

for being here this evening and for uh

1:34:04

being willing to serve our youth in the

1:34:07

city. I think that this is much needed

1:34:11

and I'm happy to hear when President

1:34:15

Hill was reading all of the uh the

1:34:18

requirements and would go on.

1:34:21

Um, yes, our children just need a little

1:34:24

love. And I think that the outlet that

1:34:28

they can have to express their feelings

1:34:31

and their thoughts and ideas or whatever

1:34:33

is going on in their head, it's

1:34:34

important that they have an outlet to be

1:34:37

able to do that. Um, otherwise their

1:34:40

outlets are sometimes violence and

1:34:45

council with different things that Okay.

1:34:48

speaking to your mic.

1:34:50

>> I think this is a good initiative, so

1:34:53

I'm behind it 100%.

1:34:56

Thank you.

1:34:57

>> Thank you. And I also want to note too

1:34:58

that um the commissioner um Carter and

1:35:01

Deputy Chief Young also attended these

1:35:03

meetings and I think they got off to a

1:35:05

really good start. Um it wasn't

1:35:07

contentious. Um I think this is

1:35:09

something again huge for our community.

1:35:11

So, I also wanted to thank uh

1:35:13

Commissioner Carter and Deputy Chief

1:35:15

Young for showing up and um their

1:35:17

willingness to work with this committee.

1:35:19

Um I'll move right along to Councilwoman

1:35:22

Ross.

1:35:26

>> Okay. Sorry. Um there me being

1:35:29

controlling. Sorry. So, um thank you

1:35:33

both um to Mr. J Jennings and Mr.

1:35:35

Commodore for coming. Um, I know you

1:35:37

both very well and you are leaders in

1:35:40

our community and I think having you on

1:35:44

this board with the other leaders in our

1:35:46

community that are on there now shows

1:35:48

people that it's okay to be friends with

1:35:51

the police officers. It's okay to have a

1:35:53

conversation. Um, and I think that's

1:35:56

what we have to see cuz for you, for us

1:35:59

in our community, you all are cool,

1:36:01

right? You're the cool guys. You're the

1:36:03

people that people are looking up to. So

1:36:06

to see you interacting with them and

1:36:08

saying, "Yes, I am on this board and all

1:36:10

cops are not bad and yes, things happen,

1:36:13

but this is how we can deal with them."

1:36:15

It shows a line of respect. And so um I

1:36:19

just thank you for being willing to

1:36:20

serve on this board, being as though um

1:36:22

you already do so much for the

1:36:24

community, but being on here, it it

1:36:26

brings it up another level and shows

1:36:28

people something different. Um so I

1:36:30

don't have any questions. I just really

1:36:32

wanted to give you your flowers and also

1:36:34

make a comment and to say thank you.

1:36:36

>> Thank you.

1:36:37

>> Thank you, Councilwoman Ross. And last

1:36:39

but not least, coming in at 5 foot.

1:36:41

>> Oh my gosh.

1:36:44

>> Council Councilman Rodriguez.

1:36:46

>> Ah, thank you, Chair Jones. I'm six foot

1:36:48

though, by the way.

1:36:51

>> Uh, Principal Commodore, your honor. It

1:36:54

is a pleasure um to be in your presence.

1:36:58

Really good friends with Mr. Dominic um

1:37:00

for a long time. Actually, I can attest

1:37:03

to the great work he's done in the

1:37:04

community because he's done an amazing

1:37:05

job with my oldest son um taking him

1:37:08

from an antisocial young man in junior

1:37:10

high to now flourishing as an

1:37:12

all-American athlete and now at Cheney

1:37:15

University on a full ride. And I'd be

1:37:17

lying if I didn't say Mr. Commodore

1:37:19

didn't have a part, a huge part in that,

1:37:22

him achieving and becoming a man. So,

1:37:24

thank you for that. Um absolutely. And

1:37:26

Judge Jennings, I've been in front of

1:37:28

you a few times back in the day now.

1:37:31

But it's just amazing that we continue

1:37:33

to, you know, cultivate a culture of

1:37:36

just great individuals. Um there's a

1:37:38

great council body here that knows who's

1:37:40

doing the work. So it's amazing to be

1:37:42

able to reach out to those individuals

1:37:43

and, you know, get you guys to play a

1:37:45

role. So I'm honored. I'm privileged and

1:37:47

I can't wait to see what the Cleak has

1:37:49

in store for the future. So Coach Dom,

1:37:51

as I always tell you, love you. Thank

1:37:52

you and your honor. I look forward to

1:37:54

working. But there is one question. I

1:37:56

think Mr. Ciders may be able to ask. I'd

1:37:58

love to see your honor sitting on a deis

1:38:00

with the rest of the team. So, how can

1:38:02

we make this space more ADA compliant so

1:38:05

Judge Jennings can join us? How can we

1:38:07

make that possible?

1:38:08

>> Well, let let me say this. I can walk. I

1:38:11

just can't walk far.

1:38:12

>> Still like to accommodate. Still would

1:38:14

like to accommodate if possible.

1:38:16

>> I got you, sir.

1:38:17

>> Okay. All right. All right. But still,

1:38:19

just out of respect, I think it's

1:38:20

important for us to even ask the notion

1:38:22

to accommodate.

1:38:24

>> Thank you. Go ahead.

1:38:25

>> We It's my understanding that there'll

1:38:28

be so with the appointment of these two

1:38:31

gentlemen, there'll be a total of nine

1:38:33

people. Is that correct? So, seven

1:38:35

districts and then two alternates

1:38:39

>> or

1:38:40

general at large members. Okay. Thank

1:38:43

you. So, I think the meeting location

1:38:46

will not be the council chambers. So, I

1:38:49

I believe the room will be accessible

1:38:52

for everyone.

1:38:53

>> Perfect. Thank you. Thank you, President

1:38:55

uh Hill and Council and Councilman

1:38:58

Rodriguez. And I also before I go back

1:39:00

to Councilwoman Ross, I also want to

1:39:02

give acknowledge that uh Councilman

1:39:04

Rodriguez when he was in this committee,

1:39:06

he was actually the one to go out and

1:39:08

select the first five members of this uh

1:39:11

uh potential committee of this

1:39:13

committee. Um you know, and and those pe

1:39:16

those individuals really hung on for

1:39:18

about

1:39:19

>> three four years before we got this

1:39:21

started. and um picking up the last leg.

1:39:24

Um so I want to thank you for the for

1:39:26

the work that you put in um to to to

1:39:28

help get this uh board started. I mean

1:39:30

committee started and um I'm glad that

1:39:32

we're at this space right now. Uh

1:39:34

Councilwoman Ross

1:39:35

>> Green. Vice President Green.

1:39:37

>> Oh,

1:39:38

>> Vice President Green. No, it was me. I'm

1:39:40

just saying Vice President Green started

1:39:42

>> started to work and I went ahead and got

1:39:44

him.

1:39:44

>> I apologize. Hold on. Let me let them

1:39:46

talk. Yeah.

1:39:48

U no and it's just a quick question and

1:39:50

um I don't know it might be more for

1:39:53

legal I feel like um sometimes uh

1:39:56

committees come in front of us we make

1:39:58

motions people get on boards and this

1:40:00

not against anybody it's just a question

1:40:02

but the communication then goes away and

1:40:04

we don't always hear like what's

1:40:06

happening or um what's going on that's

1:40:08

new but I know um with um cleak you all

1:40:11

have a meeting so they have that

1:40:13

communication piece but like HHA or um

1:40:17

the audit committee, things like that.

1:40:18

Like are the committees allows anything

1:40:21

and I didn't I couldn't find anything.

1:40:23

Is there anything in a rule that I'm

1:40:24

missing that they can't come and

1:40:26

communicate with us and say, "Hey, this

1:40:28

is what's happening on our committee."

1:40:32

>> I don't think so. I think they just have

1:40:34

to be asked.

1:40:35

>> Okay. All right. I'm just wondering

1:40:37

because I feel like it always get after

1:40:38

we vote on something gets lost, it goes

1:40:40

away. It's like fairy dust. But just

1:40:42

that that transparent communication. So,

1:40:44

I was just wondering.

1:40:45

>> Yeah. You can have them as, you know,

1:40:47

how you usually have communications

1:40:51

>> quarterly. You can have them have

1:40:53

reports month. You know, you can ask for

1:40:55

pretty much how you want them to come in

1:40:57

and communicate with you.

1:40:59

>> There are formal reports and advice that

1:41:02

uh CLEAC as well as some of the other

1:41:05

boards that you mentioned provide.

1:41:07

Specifically, CLEACK U. They are to

1:41:09

share an annual report submitted to the

1:41:12

mayor and city council summarizing

1:41:14

CLAK's activities, findings, and

1:41:16

recommendations.

1:41:18

Policy and practice recommendations

1:41:20

issued to the Harrisburg Bureau of

1:41:22

Police, Mayor, and City Council on

1:41:25

policing practices, community concerns,

1:41:27

and legislative or administrative

1:41:29

reforms. Investigatory findings. Cleak

1:41:33

may issue reports on law enforcement

1:41:35

practices supported by its ability to

1:41:38

request records and in some cases issue

1:41:41

administrative subpoenas during

1:41:43

misconduct investigations. Finally,

1:41:46

community engagement reports provides

1:41:49

updates to the public on crime

1:41:50

prevention activities, neighborhood

1:41:52

participation, and police community

1:41:55

partnership initiatives.

1:41:58

>> Thank you.

1:41:59

>> Thank you.

1:41:59

>> Yeah. And and um the last question

1:42:02

actually I forgot um just for residents

1:42:04

when's the next meeting? That's it.

1:42:09

>> Third Wednesday of the month. It's third

1:42:11

Wednesday of every month. No, he would

1:42:13

know.

1:42:14

>> Third Wednesday of every month at

1:42:16

>> 5:30.

1:42:17

>> Uh what time do we start? 5 6:30.

1:42:19

>> 6 5 I think it's 5:30 at 6 o'clock. And

1:42:23

and it's welcome for community. We

1:42:24

anyone they will be building out

1:42:27

subcommittees as well. So, this we we're

1:42:29

looking to make sure that this gets a

1:42:31

lot bigger. So, we just want people to

1:42:34

come down, listen to what's going on,

1:42:36

and see where they can fit in. Um,

1:42:38

under, you know,

1:42:41

uh um

1:42:43

>> Okay.

1:42:43

>> Yeah. I think this the public um this is

1:42:45

something open for them to come in and

1:42:47

learn as well and and hopefully be an

1:42:50

extension to this uh committee as a

1:42:52

whole. the cleak the meeting agendas are

1:42:56

on the city's website so that you will

1:42:58

know the new location since it won't be

1:43:01

the council chambers you can access them

1:43:04

there

1:43:08

>> I thank I thank my colleagues for you

1:43:10

know keeping me on point as well you

1:43:12

know um thank you for uh making sure

1:43:15

that the public has accurate information

1:43:17

and again I would u move to have

1:43:20

resolution uh 66 and 67 move to our next

1:43:24

legislative session for a vote. Thank

1:43:27

you again, gentlemen.

1:43:31

>> Thank you. We will move forward with our

1:43:34

meeting agenda. Next, we have public

1:43:36

comment. Just a few housekeeping notes

1:43:38

before we begin. Um, if you'd like to

1:43:41

offer public comment, please state your

1:43:43

name and your address for the meeting

1:43:44

record. If you don't feel comfortable

1:43:46

sharing your address, please share the

1:43:48

vicinity in which you live within the

1:43:50

city. You will have four minutes to

1:43:52

share your comments. Mr. Trudale has

1:43:54

added a timer to the screen for your

1:43:57

reference and I'll begin to my right. Is

1:43:59

there anyone that would like to offer

1:44:01

public comment?

1:44:03

>> I would.

1:44:04

>> Okay.

1:44:06

>> I'd like to It's a problem festering

1:44:08

that's that's going to get out of hand

1:44:10

or something bad is going to happen. And

1:44:12

this handicap parking, the handicap

1:44:15

parking, I have one. My daughter has

1:44:18

one. It's a sticker that goes on the

1:44:21

back of your mirror of your car. And

1:44:24

from what I understand, I could be

1:44:26

wrong, correct me. From what I

1:44:27

understand, nobody's supposed to park in

1:44:30

that spot. Anybody can park at the

1:44:32

grocery store. Anybody can can park at

1:44:35

the health and welfare. Any, you

1:44:38

understand? Anybody but in front of your

1:44:40

door. That's why they give you a

1:44:42

sticker. And people are just park in

1:44:44

there. They have handicap that they

1:44:47

found or stole a barrel. you borrow. You

1:44:50

can tell there's nothing wrong with them

1:44:51

by the way they walk. But what they're

1:44:53

doing is they're parking in there and

1:44:55

then the people that are in bad shape

1:44:57

like my daughter who had a knee

1:44:59

replacement, she couldn't get in there.

1:45:01

So that means she somebody have to pick

1:45:03

her up. It it's it's a mess, you know,

1:45:06

and it it needs to be addressed. It

1:45:10

needs to be addressed. Either it is or

1:45:12

it isn't. Well, if if if that's not the

1:45:14

case, then why do we have them stickers?

1:45:16

When you get your handicap here at the

1:45:18

city, you get a sticker for the back of

1:45:20

your mayor with a number on it, and it's

1:45:23

supposed the number is supposed to match

1:45:25

you. Even though I got a handicap

1:45:27

sticker, I can't park in your I can't

1:45:29

even park in hers. I shouldn't at the

1:45:32

house.

1:45:34

>> Many people are eager to respond to your

1:45:36

comments and answer your questions. I'll

1:45:39

defer.

1:45:40

Who would like to respond first? Yeah.

1:45:42

Um just just um so and I'm glad you

1:45:45

asked this on so everybody's watching.

1:45:47

We have legal hair as well so they can

1:45:50

understand. Um even though you may go

1:45:52

down and get a um

1:45:54

>> handicap sign for your for for you to

1:45:57

utilize and for you to utilize. It's

1:45:59

still public parking. If someone has a

1:46:02

sticker, they allowed to park on there.

1:46:04

And I get a lot of these phone calls so

1:46:06

people can understand that. Um nobody

1:46:08

owns the we don't own the streets. um

1:46:11

you know the parking we can't control it

1:46:13

but I I think I don't know it's just

1:46:15

looking at this I mean parking is an

1:46:17

issue everywhere but specifically for

1:46:20

>> the handicap parking um long as someone

1:46:22

has a placard for that they're able to

1:46:25

park there and I'll let legal go from

1:46:27

there.

1:46:28

>> Yeah I I I think that has to be

1:46:29

researched uh councilman uh I I don't

1:46:33

believe that's true

1:46:34

>> that is accurate. Any handicapped person

1:46:36

can park in a handicap space. I

1:46:39

understand there's several different but

1:46:41

why do we get the sticker miss with the

1:46:43

number on it? There's

1:46:44

>> I mean it's it's a waste of money.

1:46:45

>> That's your number is just to identify

1:46:48

you to the city of Harrisburg and what

1:46:50

your placard is. Um there's several

1:46:52

different categories that people can be

1:46:54

categorized in. So we should remember

1:46:57

that not all handicaps are visible. So

1:47:00

there may be many reasons why people

1:47:02

have a placard. But yes, you do not own

1:47:05

the space. anyone handicapped can

1:47:08

utilize the handicap spaces.

1:47:10

>> I'm I'm going to research that because

1:47:13

it's supposed to be not the number on

1:47:14

your mirror that they give you for your

1:47:16

mirror that you're talking about. It's

1:47:18

supposed to be on the sign as well.

1:47:22

>> I will, Mr. Jennings, I will answer to

1:47:24

because I just was trying to help a

1:47:26

resident with this a couple months ago

1:47:28

and that is exactly how it did used to

1:47:30

be. Your number had to match you and you

1:47:32

were supposed to be able to park there.

1:47:34

However, when I called down to Pin Dot,

1:47:36

when I talked to the police department,

1:47:38

they said it changed somewhere and it's

1:47:41

no longer like that and whoever has a

1:47:42

handicap sticker can park and handicap.

1:47:45

Now, can the law be changed? Of course,

1:47:47

it's a fight, but they did change it and

1:47:50

I can understand your frustration with

1:47:52

it. I do.

1:47:53

>> Mr. Rolls, let me ask you a question. Is

1:47:55

that something the city council can

1:47:56

change or is the state legislature have

1:47:58

to do?

1:47:59

>> They said it was state legislator. I

1:48:00

asked I did. I researched like you too

1:48:02

cuz I was irritated with the answer.

1:48:04

>> Okay.

1:48:05

>> So, yes, I apologize for that and I'm

1:48:07

sorry for the frustration it caused.

1:48:09

>> You know, it is what it is. It's it's

1:48:12

>> but it is state legislation and if if

1:48:14

you need help to fight, I can help you

1:48:16

fight, but I can't change it without

1:48:18

help. And and you know, we need people

1:48:21

to rally behind us. That's how we change

1:48:22

laws. So, if it's a way that I can help

1:48:25

in the community, we can all get behind

1:48:26

and do that. That's how we change Well,

1:48:28

we might need to get a hold of state rep

1:48:29

state senator and tell them our problem.

1:48:31

>> I I think we should we need to start

1:48:33

writing them some letters.

1:48:34

>> You are in the 103rd. So Nate Davidson

1:48:37

will be your state representative.

1:48:38

>> Right. Right.

1:48:40

>> And Patty Kim's a state senator, right?

1:48:42

>> Yes, that's correct.

1:48:46

>> Are there any other

1:48:49

>> Thank you. Thank you.

1:48:50

>> Thank you. Okay. Thank you very much.

1:48:52

>> Oh, you're welcome. Is there anyone else

1:48:54

to my right that would like to offer

1:48:56

public comment?

1:48:58

Okay, seeing hearing no one. Anyone in

1:49:00

the middle section? Okay.

1:49:04

>> Oh, I'm sorry. If you wouldn't mind

1:49:06

coming to the microphone.

1:49:09

Thank you. It's still there.

1:49:20

>> If you could please state your name and

1:49:22

your address. If you don't feel

1:49:23

comfortable sharing your address, please

1:49:25

share the vicinity in which you live.

1:49:26

Thank you.

1:49:27

>> My name is Joyce Munz and I live on

1:49:30

Fourth Street, Uptown Harrisburg. Um, I

1:49:34

live near a playground. Everybody knows

1:49:36

Fourth and Emerald. Just might as well

1:49:39

say that. I live between Emerald and

1:49:41

Woodbine. It's a throwway with the

1:49:44

four-wheelers, um, the double parking,

1:49:50

the drug deals. I've been stopped at

1:49:53

before I can get to my home. Um, drug

1:49:56

transactions right in front of me and

1:49:58

you know I'm kind of bold be you know

1:50:01

get out of my way which I was told don't

1:50:03

do that but you know you're handing off

1:50:06

drugs right in front of me. I can't get

1:50:08

home. Um I have reported it. I have said

1:50:12

something and I was told we know about

1:50:15

it.

1:50:17

Um, I had a neighbor who just passed

1:50:19

away a couple weeks ago um near Emerald

1:50:24

Street.

1:50:26

There's a drug house and I said

1:50:30

there's a drug house. The transaction

1:50:32

was happening right there while the

1:50:34

police fired engines and everything. We

1:50:38

know about it. The man couldn't get they

1:50:41

couldn't get the man out of his house

1:50:42

for it. Sorry. He was a good neighbor,

1:50:47

but he died there and they're stepping

1:50:49

over him.

1:50:52

But we know about it. What do you do?

1:50:55

I've lived in my neighborhood for years.

1:50:57

I love my neighborhood. I love my people

1:51:00

there.

1:51:02

There's children. The four-wheelers are

1:51:04

going so crazy there. The kids I'm so

1:51:07

afraid children are going to get hit. We

1:51:10

need the speed bumps. those terrible

1:51:12

speed bumps I hate so much that I have

1:51:14

to slow down. I don't speed anyway, but

1:51:17

they need to be there at the playground

1:51:20

to keep the kids from getting hit.

1:51:23

What do we do?

1:51:26

I just watch out for the kids. I love

1:51:28

the kids.

1:51:30

What do we do? We need help. And I keep

1:51:32

saying every time I see a police

1:51:34

officer, I need help, you know. And I

1:51:38

have nothing against the police officer.

1:51:40

I had I lost a son and it was an officer

1:51:43

that came to my house and delivered the

1:51:45

message.

1:51:47

He was a good officer

1:51:49

and his offer to me was, "Can I pray for

1:51:52

you?" That was the best thing he could

1:51:54

have ever done.

1:51:56

And yes, he did do that for me.

1:52:00

So, I have nothing against the police

1:52:02

officer. But what do we do when we want

1:52:04

to keep our neighborhood? We want to

1:52:06

watch out for our kids, but yet this is

1:52:08

happening on both sides of me. I've been

1:52:11

everywhere. What do we do?

1:52:15

>> Do you mind, you raised some public

1:52:17

safety concerns. Do you mind waiting

1:52:19

after the meeting to speak to uh

1:52:21

Councilman Jones?

1:52:22

>> Sure.

1:52:23

>> Thank you.

1:52:23

>> And one other thing, I've been this in

1:52:26

this town all my life. I was an orphan

1:52:29

here. My mother raised 70 foster kids.

1:52:32

my mom and dad. They had seven kids of

1:52:35

their own. I've seen all kinds of

1:52:38

children. I help raise them. So, it's

1:52:40

nothing. This isn't new to me. So, I've

1:52:44

always been around kids all my life. I

1:52:46

love them. So, I just want to keep them

1:52:49

safe. So,

1:52:52

>> thank you.

1:52:54

Is there anyone else in the middle

1:52:55

section that would like to offer public

1:52:57

comment?

1:53:01

Good evening, council.

1:53:05

Um,

1:53:07

heard you guys thank everyone for the

1:53:09

ability and um to serve. I want to thank

1:53:14

you guys, you too, for um showing up.

1:53:19

Now, one of the things that I observed

1:53:22

was, you know, the HHA.

1:53:24

I'm not from Harrisburg,

1:53:26

but I had the pleasure of living in five

1:53:28

out of the seven continents. So, my

1:53:31

perspective sometimes is not from the

1:53:34

inside. It's more global perspective.

1:53:37

And I've had the u opportunity of taking

1:53:39

the Elsa at least a couple of times and

1:53:41

that time clock makes me nervous.

1:53:46

Nevertheless, I beat the clock because I

1:53:48

show up. I look at it and I still voice

1:53:52

my opinion. And I would say to the

1:53:53

community, anything you have like these

1:53:56

ladies and gentlemen that show up, bring

1:53:59

it and let someone know that you are

1:54:01

beating whatever it is that is uh facing

1:54:05

you. As far as HHA, I think ending

1:54:09

longevity is important. uh generation of

1:54:13

individuals relying on public help

1:54:17

is a curse, right? And we need to break

1:54:20

that curse by any means necessary.

1:54:22

Malcolm X. Now um

1:54:26

I heard words of man man-made disaster

1:54:30

and milligating

1:54:34

you know

1:54:37

these uh things that we often come

1:54:41

across whether it's flooding and fire

1:54:43

and such.

1:54:46

Now the federal government have all

1:54:48

these plans already there. All people

1:54:50

are doing is copy and pasting and

1:54:52

they're coming to you with, you know, we

1:54:54

need this money, we need this. The truth

1:54:56

is whether you're speaking legal ease or

1:55:00

you're speaking finance or in my case

1:55:04

business,

1:55:05

we understand everything is business,

1:55:08

politics, spiritual, economical,

1:55:10

everything is business. And the fact

1:55:13

that they sometimes think that you're

1:55:15

not

1:55:17

smart enough to tell

1:55:20

when a person is using one word, whether

1:55:22

they're saying the white man or another

1:55:24

word, Caucasian,

1:55:27

that you're not able to tell the

1:55:28

difference because you don't speak legal

1:55:31

ease or you don't have a CPA

1:55:36

is insulting.

1:55:38

And I want you to know that I can tell

1:55:40

that you understand all the languages

1:55:43

that are being spoke in front of you.

1:55:45

The one thing that I don't think you

1:55:47

clearly understand is the deception and

1:55:50

whether those deception filter from

1:55:54

Reed Popping Fools whoever

1:55:57

if they're still advising council.

1:56:03

Someone said to me the other day that um

1:56:05

a monkey will be a monkey and a gorilla

1:56:08

will be a gorilla. Just keep a clear eye

1:56:12

of who is saying what to you when you

1:56:17

are trying to move this city forward.

1:56:19

And I can only give you, like I say, a

1:56:21

global perspective from the outside

1:56:24

looking in.

1:56:26

You are on the right track. Defunding

1:56:28

the police is definitely what the people

1:56:31

wants and need. We know that we are in

1:56:35

charge. We know that we're the boss. But

1:56:37

like every great leader who advise us

1:56:42

is the ones that are pulling the string.

1:56:46

So now uh the puppeteers and the

1:56:48

puppets, you know, we know who they are.

1:56:52

Some is in this room, some is in the

1:56:54

administration,

1:56:57

but um I want to thank you guys like you

1:57:01

say for showing up and for serving.

1:57:05

Thank you. Good night.

1:57:07

>> Did you state your name and your You

1:57:10

didn't I know your name, but if you

1:57:11

could please state your name and your

1:57:13

address or the vicinity in which you

1:57:15

live for the meeting record, we would

1:57:17

appreciate it.

1:57:18

>> Thank you. My name is Libby Profit.

1:57:21

Profit from the experience and I live at

1:57:25

2025

1:57:26

Chestnut Street in Harrisburg. Thank

1:57:29

you.

1:57:30

>> Thank you.

1:57:32

Is there anyone else in the middle

1:57:34

section that would like to offer public

1:57:35

comment? Seeing and hearing no one,

1:57:37

anyone to my left? Seeing and hearing no

1:57:40

one, the time is 7:31 p.m. I will

1:57:44

entertain a motion to adjurnn.

1:57:46

>> So moved.

1:57:47

>> Is there a second?

1:57:48

>> Second.

1:57:49

>> Thank you. We stand.

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