Thanks for asking your relationship.

Things don't work out here.

Oh, they have three C four C and that motion.

I think we have to do that.

We have enough now.

Don't start stealing my own.

Don't worry about that.

Okay, Jessica, I don't know if we're talking.

So we can have a comment.

Just all we move.

Yeah.

Oh, so we'll have it.

I'm sorry, but we can be able to do that.

So that's really cool.

And they're all like everywhere you go.

They all have their side.

Perfect.

All right.

Kelly, we're live.

We're good.

Okay.

And Jess is online too?

Okay.

Great.

All right.

Uh let's call this meeting to order for the redevelopment authority of the city of Allentown.

It is April 8th at 2 02.

And uh we are uh we have a quorum of all of our board members and staff, and um we will now kick this meeting off.

Uh first thing on our agenda is the approval of the minutes for March 11th.

Do we have a motion to approve?

I'll move.

We have a motion.

Do we have a second?

Second.

We have a second.

Any discussion at all?

Yes, I have some some difficulties along the way.

Under public comment, there's somebody named Ms.

suggested on here.

I don't know who that is.

I missed that one.

There's a name missing.

Same with me.

Fourth, fourth from the bottom, right in front of Kevin's name.

Oh, that's my name.

Ms.

Kissler.

Um second on uh old business 7.1.

Perspective should be prospective.

What gave you on Alan?

Seven.

7.0.

Yeah, page seven, oddly enough.

Under 7.1.

7.1 and says both were well attended by perspective.

Should be prospective.

There's a couple of typos in the 8.1 paragraph.

I won't make a big deal about, but they should be corrected.

Okay.

Um 8.2.

Um I did not question Mark on his acting executive director title.

I have no problem with that, and I I don't know why I'm on there with with Jessica.

Jessica did, but I didn't.

Okay.

And at the bottom there's a Mr.

Somebody has limited authority to execute contracts.

Got it.

Sorry for being the minutes, Nazi.

No.

I appreciate it.

Good.

That's what we're we're here to read these things up, so good.

With that, uh do you want to you can call it?

Do we we can call it do we want to make a motion with the changes?

The amended or I mean I'll I'll move them the uh minutes to be approved with uh as amended.

Corrections I've just offered.

Yeah, as amended as amended.

Okay.

Uh we have a motion, we have a second.

Uh all in favor, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Can Jess hear us too?

Okay.

Very good.

Uh motion carries.

Uh we'll jump to agenda item number 3.0 with any public comment.

Do we have anyone from the public online as well?

Nobody's online.

Nobody's online.

Okay.

We don't keep it.

I don't have much.

I just um sort of public record.

Sure.

Um just want to acknowledge uh our my comment from uh last month.

Wasn't able to see the notes because the notes don't get up on the on the uh board side, but I did thank you very much, Kelly, for sending that.

Um Mark and Nikki and I have agreed to schedule some time to meet to go over some of the information that I presented to some of the ideas.

So I just wanted to make the redevelopment already for giving you time to present.

Yeah, very good.

I suggest that Kevin, did you get a chance to see the RFPs?

Are you is he allowed to see the RFPs?

I can't see him yet because you guys haven't made a notice yet.

I'd be interested in whether his issues are appropriately addressed in those RFPs.

You could you can you could have logged into uh Pen Git to see the RPs with RPC for 12 years?

Yeah, they were gone.

I tried to do the interaction law.

So thank you for missing that, Alan.

I didn't want to say that we did have several low-income Allentown contractors submit their information on pin bid um to be uh subcontractors if possible.

So if you do see that, please recognize those are uh session three contractors that we've been working with.

Great the does mention in the RFP's non-discrimination, but I'd like to be on record to say that we should be more affirmative than that and suggest that we either give extra points or make some kind of a point about emphasizing minority owned and and low income section three contractors being welcome and encouraged to participate.

Ideally they get extra points for that, but I mean I'm willing to consider alternatives.

They do because of the uh October 2020 2022 legislation at the city of Allentown, and that's kind of what uh articulated at the last meeting.

Okay, working with those.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Very good.

Thank you for that, Kevin.

Uh just a note that uh we will be calling for an executive session at the end of the uh meeting to review some of the real estate transactions uh information.

Uh we'll jump to agenda item number 5.0 with our staff financial reports, which are included in our packets.

Alan?

Okay, um, there's not a whole whole lot to discuss, so it'll be very short.

Uh right now, primarily I'm working on preparing for the audit, which is scheduled to take place next month, May 11th through May 15th.

So we've been I've been going through things from the previous year, getting things cleaned up, getting things uploaded to uh the Sherlink site.

So hopefully this year it will go quickly and be very clean.

I think as far as the financial report, you can see on uh page nine of our packet with the budget to actual that is as of March 31st.

There really weren't any major changes.

Uh the rental income.

I believe there were two months of rental income deposited in March.

So that will looks like a little more of a jump uh over last month, but that's just because of the way the deposit dates fell.

Uh other than that, it the column to the far right has everything that is in the actual column.

It lists out all of the expenses that we've had so far for the first quarter of the year.

Um we do have on page 10, which is the balance sheet comparison, and that is showing you the balance sheet as of March 31st compared to December 31st of 2025.

So the changes there I want to note is with the cash.

Uh we deposited about 200,000 in March, which was CDBG reimbursement for 2025 operating expenses, such as legal fees, property management, insurance, personnel, and professional fees, such as our audit and our website.

So that is no longer line 1203, which is a little further down the page, CDBG operating.

As of December 31st, we had 435,000 that we were expecting to receive.

So that includes that 200,000.

But we have also now submitted for reimbursement for 725 North 10th Street and 802 West Walnut Street, which will total about 159,000.

And that will spend down the remaining balance of what we had for our 2022 and 2023 CDBG funds.

So after we receive that check and deposit it, which it's currently the city is currently cutting that check.

We'll all be all caught up with our prior CDBG funds, and then it will just be the $600,000 in the contract we discussed at the last meeting that we'll have to draw down.

That's really the biggest, the biggest change that has occurred over the past month.

Other than that, it's the expenses we had for the bills.

We do have a $20,000 actually think it's more than that.

$20,000 for salary, and then for benefits, it's about another $10,000.

That's for the city staff salary and benefits costs for the first quarter of 2026.

So that's included on your bill list.

But uh next month you'll be able to see that expense then after we pay that bill on the profit and loss, you'll see the first quarter cost for our the city staff time for 2026.

I believe we're going to start doing those bills quarterly now rather than I know last year it took some time to figure out how we were going to do it.

So we did that 100,000 bill in December.

But I believe the plan now is quarterly.

We will uh submit a bill for the city staff time.

I think that makes sense.

Yeah.

I have some questions.

Nobody's ever accused me of being a genius when it comes to financial statements.

So if I sound stupid, please be kind.

But I I wonder on the balance sheet, we have so many numb lines that are zeroed out, and I wonder if they are inactive enough that we could take them off the balance sheet and unconfuse us a little bit and shorten the balance sheet.

That makes is that I can see if there's a question.

I can see if there's a setting um where I can hide them.

I don't want to delete anything because it has those in the past did have activity, and we're still at a point where when we get questions from HUD or we get questions about properties, we need to be able to see what activity was in those accounts in the past.

So I don't want to, I don't want to close them, but I can see if in QuickBooks there's a way I can hide zero balance lines.

Well, uh that sounds like we're being uh duplicitous, but I think I mean at some point these things have got to be dead, and we ought to be able to bury them, right?

Not really.

Um because there are there are some projects and there are some uh properties that still have uh HUD money in them that we need to have that activity so that we know Yeah, Alan.

So like as an example, the old funeral home uh on 6th Street that we've partnered with the Allentown Housing Authority to do.

That was purchased back in 2008, 2009.

And like it's still an open case with HUD.

They still ask us questions about it, so we need to be able to go back.

Well that makes sense.

They're not so dead that they they should be just uh that according to Ellen, I don't think so.

I I'd rather not uh close anything.

I I I mean I can I I will see if there's a way in QuickBooks I can hide the zero um balance accounts, but I I don't really want to um I don't want to play with it too much because I want to still have the history.

All right, that's fine.

Yeah.

Um and then secondly, on you know, some organizations may modify budgets along the way because uh major changes that occur.

Others their position is to leave them as they are and and note the variance.

But this is a I mean, this budget is so we're so far off.

I wonder if there's at some point, I mean, you know, we've got all these four hundred thousand dollar budget, four hundred thousand dollar difference.

So and Alan, I think when we look at the income, um City of Allentown reimbursement grant, uh CDBG staff reimbursement, CDBG reimbursement property management, those things uh Alan just talked about us submitting the bill for the personnel.

So that will start to have um uh uh a cost associated with it.

It's just under professional administrative services, right?

Yes.

Okay, that's the line.

So uh like I think it's more of a timing thing of where we are in the year.

All right.

So these are yearly numbers, not Q1 numbers.

And so right now, it's looking at the same like why are we 400 off?

The answer is we still got three quarters of the year to go.

Correct.

Okay, correct.

All right, thank you.

Sorry for the distraction.

That's good question.

No, good questions.

Any other questions on the financials?

All right, hearing none.

Uh, do we have a motion to approve the financial reports as presented subject to audit?

So moved.

We have a motion from Dan.

Do we have a second?

Second.

Very good.

Any further discussion at all?

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed motion carries.

I was wondering that too.

Thanks.

I wouldn't want anybody you can hear us, right?

You said this one last night.

Okay, okay, because we can't hear you.

That's the only problem.

You're on mute.

Okay.

We didn't hear you.

Yeah, no.

Now I can give you an agenda.

Okay.

Would it be okay if I keep you on the phone?

Okay.

Good.

Jess, can you hear us?

Yes, I can.

Okay, good.

Good.

Yeah, someone's got the mute their speaker.

It's gonna echo.

I think now we got it.

Jess, can you still hear us?

Yes.

Okay, perfect.

There I we just fixed it then.

Perfect.

All right, very good.

Jeff, did uh just did you have any comments on the financials?

No, I I didn't have any um calls.

Okay, perfect.

Um we'll just reformulate that motion, then I guess if we could that uh well, we we did make a motion.

Um we approved that there, so we're good with the financials.

We'll jump to agenda item number 5.2 with invoices for payment.

Okay.

Kelly in your packet, um, we'll see the invoices uh that we paid uh for this month.

Uh we have uh the parking authority, we needed a head-in parking sign, so when they start the enforcement on the uh spot behind New Street, um that that's there.

Uh we had some we built the city for staff salaries and benefits.

Uh we have some legal bills, we have our insurance policy for 3239 street.

We have some bills for some updates, website updates on the last meeting.

Um we have my MLS fees, and then we have uh an additional.

This was the last month thing when we put the RP on the website.

Uh so the invoices total 40,000 386.79 cents which looked like a lot, but when we're factoring in the 20,000 dollars and and staff salaries and benefits, it makes sense.

I think it makes sense for us to do that quarterly too.

So I think that makes sense.

Um that answered my one question because I didn't notice that with the with the fire policy.

I just wanted to see it make sure that was for the full year.

So that is for the year.

Okay, good.

Good.

Uh anyone else have any questions or Kelly.

All right, hearing none.

Uh, do we have a uh motion to approve the payment of the 40,386 and 79 cents for the 13 invoices?

We have a motion, we have a second.

Any further discussion?

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion carries.

All right, we'll jump to agenda item number six, our inventory update and review of properties in our inventory.

Um, so everything is kind of uh, can you speak into the mic?

Yeah, everything is uh you know, quiet as normal.

Uh there is just a couple things.

We did have some dumping at 802 Walnut Street.

Uh there was in the alleyway, there was uh it looked like there was a hundred beer cans, and we had some graffiti on the building, so we had uh the riff BD removed and the dumping taken care of, and then 1238 and 1240 19th Street.

Uh we tarped the roof when it we got it into our inventory, but what happened was uh it is the roof was still leaking, so we had to do an additional TARP.

Uh so that was the only issue for this month, but everything else is uh quiet, and the um inventory sheet shows when Anthony did his inspections.

Good.

Anyone have any questions on the inventory?

No, very good.

All right, we'll jump to agenda item number 7.0 with old business and our RFP updates.

I can't hear on the okay.

Okay.

So I'm gonna have to hand on mute my phone so hopefully you can hear.

I don't know what to do.

I can't I can't hear over the on the on the meetings.

Okay.

Okay.

Go ahead.

Um, yeah, I think as far as the uh old business goes with the RFP updates, um, I think the board knows that we received the um submissions for uh both RFPs.

Um, I'm sure we can talk about that in executive session, but um we had eight total.

Um, and then we'll also be discussing in um executive session the release of uh another RFP.

So more to come on that, but that's also uh in your packets.

Uh I think do we want to finalize who's gonna be on the review committee?

Yeah, that'd be good.

For those um in we had previously discussed that um, and again, this committee is advisory to the full board.

So the idea is the committee will vet the proposals, come up use the scoring matrix, come up with the score for the proposals, and then present that to the full board for your action.

Um so you can take the committee's recommendation, you can do whatever you want.

Um, what we had previously discussed was um Vicky, myself, and Jen Gomez, our planning director for the city, um, being the quote unquote voting members of the committee from the city side, and then we had talked about two um reviewers from the board.

Uh or actually we said Jess, and um I was thinking Tony.

We had talked about Jeff Glazier, but I think uh Jess and Tony, um, and that would be the five voting members of the committee.

We will also have additional city staff weigh in on things as necessary if we need a zoning opinion or something.

Um that's what we were talking about with the five-person committee.

Uh I just wanted to make sure we were all in agreement with that.

And I think part of what went into that is not having more than two board members, so it didn't constitute a quorum.

Right, right.

And and did we consider the idea of having somebody from the neighborhood that uh would would have an interest?

Is that something we reject it?

Is that I I think my opinion, the board represents the community.

You guys are from the community.

Okay, um, you know, but like to review technical RFPs, because there is a level of I think confidentiality we have with these proposals that you wouldn't want to share some of their sensitive like pro forma information and stuff.

Well, I think if you added one, you would make it an even number, which makes it hard for a vote.

Yes.

And uh if you added two, then you would have it weighted too much, perhaps in favor of the community as opposed to the city.

So um I guess I'm okay with that.

I was curious about Jessica's perspective.

True.

Yeah.

Each neighborhood has to be.

Well, I mean, it would be a neighbor, somebody in that neighborhood would be like membership based upon where they are.

And that would be neat because we'd have people engaged in some really important decisions about their community, you know.

I mean, that would that's a good thing.

But you can have a discussion with them before the board makes a file.

And I would also say, you know, when these proposals are um formally presented to the board, you know, the public is welcome to attend and weigh in.

Um, so there I think there will be opportunities to solicit.

The other thing too is I know Jess is always very.

I have to I have to say I am a little concerned about the demographics.

You know, we we've got a community that's majority minority, and we've got four out of five people on that committee who are not of color.

Um Latino, right.

Jen is Latina, right?

Jen Gomez.

Right.

That's the only person.

Those are two.

Oh, Jen friends.

Jen and Jessica, okay, two.

It's better than I'm sure now.

Yeah, now there's a majority.

Yeah.

You don't he makes it a majority.

Dan had a comment as well.

My comment is, and I know I know Jess always is very proactive in reaching out to the community to to get information.

So if she's on that group and she does her due diligence with those people in that community, yeah, that would be representative enough, I think for us.

Okay.

So I I think our next steps now.

Um, we have all the proposals.

Um we'll be packaging them up and getting them out to the committee, and we'll also set up a time for us to meet and review them.

Good.

Is Jess, are you willing to serve on that committee?

So I think when we discussed, I think we just it was meeting the end.

Mark and Jen and Glazer, but I agree with Alan.

It's a little city heavy and not community heavy.

I I can represent city and redevelopment authority, but at the same time, sometimes I can't either.

Like that puts me in a predicament out and the board, which one do I represent at the moment?

Do I represent a board member or do I represent a city?

And again, it's I Mark just said it's us and then extra city people for their expertise.

I think it is a little one-sided.

If I I could agree with Alan.

The issue we run into is we can't have more than two from our board.

Right.

Would you feel better, Jess, if it was two and two and I step off?

I I would say a community.

I agree with any mark.

But at the same time, someone like Kevin Easterling would be vital or you know, somebody with expertise and an NDA is not a problem, you know.

They don't have to disclose what they're seeing.

I mean, what's to stop anybody on the board to say what they saw or any staff member?

Not that anybody will.

I'm just saying nobody has a non-disclosure to keep the RFPs under seal.

So I I would I'm I would consider someone like Kevin Anstoning.

He's not bidding for these deals either.

He's just representing like a like a team of contractors that are putting information.

So he's not personally bidding, someone like that or someone similar.

So I do agree with Alan.

Um I just want to remind all of you as board members that you did sign a confidentiality or non-disclosure form, an ethics form, because we deal in real estate dealings.

So I just want to reinforce.

I'm not commenting on the the makeup of your RFP.

That's up to you guys to decide.

I'm more than willing to step off if you have a better idea.

But um, I just want to remind you that those RFPs cannot be shared publicly, and that neither can any of the real estate discussions or emails or things that we send out about properties be shared.

I would suggest that you not allow people to take the those documents out of the meeting room with them.

They they should be left behind.

That's how it usually is with the city, but we were going to trust the board members to get them by email for their review.

You can leave it sitting on your desk and somebody could see it and to walk off with.

I mean, you know, there's just gonna be time in a room physically time in a room.

Because I think it's important enough.

There's there's very uh you know, sensitive information, those documents.

Proprietary information and personal uh financial documents and right?

Well, personally from the staff side, I think we've expressed our opinion about how difficult it would be to not know, disrespect to Kevin, but to choose one community member or one representative community member.

So at this point, I think it's in the board's hands that it's your RFP, you tell us what you want as your makeup.

You tell us what you want as your makeup.

I'll leave it alone.

I mean, I'm comfortable with with the five that were selected here.

I mean, I think that makes sense.

I I I'd also be a little um, I would also just like I don't know who said that before, just um, you know, going from from different properties and area to area.

I think it's you know, I don't I I'd be hesitant to get someone from a different neighborhood upset that someone else is making a decision because they live on one block and they don't live in another block here.

So I think you know, I think this makes sense, and I think everybody's more in tune on what the RFP uh grading system is and how we're looking at at deciding this.

And at the end of the day, this is going to be a recommendation coming to us to make a decision on then.

Yeah, I'm okay with it.

I'm okay with the five.

I I only just had uh I think I'm Martin made the comment.

This board is represented in the community.

I think as a board member, if you have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that you are looking out for all of the interests of the community, and I think we should be sensitive.

But as a member of this committee, I'm certainly going to be very sensitive to constituencies that we're supposed to represent as we're reviewing these proposals.

So yeah, I'd be okay with that.

Good.

Um do we need any kind of motion for this here?

Or we don't need to determine if Jess is still there.

Jess, you are you are on the committee here, correct?

You're okay with being great.

Great.

All right.

Good.

We will be in touch with some dates to get together, and um, you know, we'll also put together a spreadsheet and get it organized for you.

Yeah, good.

Good.

Uh that'll take us uh that was for both uh 7.11 and 7.12 for 725 and 540.

Was there anything else to add with nothing more to add with with with those two?

No, um, just we have the uh I put snow and snow.

Sorry, snow and grass uh vendor.

I have a meeting with Freddie from Penbid uh to get this uh the RFP that was approved to go out just so I put it out correctly into Penbid because it's a little bit different than a project.

Um so that will be going out.

Um I'm have that meeting very shortly, so that'll be going out to the public very soon, and everybody will be notified on the RFP list, which Kevin is on, and uh we'll have a list of all the other people that we'll send it out to.

Great, great.

So we can start spreading the word on that then too.

Perfect.

Anyone have any questions on the uh snow and grass bids?

All right, hearing none.

We'll go to agenda item number 8.0 and new business.

Uh so in your packet was a RFP for the boarding and securing and maintenance of the properties.

Um I put something together if you had an opportunity to look at it if you have anything you'd like to uh input it.

It is a little bit hard to try to memorialize everything that we have with all of the properties, so I just tried to make it like property maintenance-wise, not if we have an unforeseen issue that would totally be a different uh way we we would find the vendor.

Um, but I I used what the city had, and I kind of put everything that we had from our um previous contractors and kind of mushed it together into the RFP.

Uh so this is something else that uh we can put out so we have um transparency with that as well.

Good.

Um thing that I did see so when when do you think we would be able to get this put out for uh is as soon as I get if you approve it, I can put it out very very shortly, like with the snow and grass, we can kind of put it out.

We don't want to put it out at the same time, so we put like kind of staggered a little bit, so probably like two weeks after.

Okay.

Kelly, can you address the contract terms written on page two?

Say that this is a 2027 contract.

Yeah, that was gonna be my next question.

I'm sorry, okay.

So those are I can change.

So what we can do is for the grass and snow, I did six months.

So I just because that one was coming back again.

This I forgot to talk about that.

I'm sorry, because that one was coming back in.

I didn't know if you wanted to have this start for the 2027 or if you wanted to start this for June or July of 2026.

I think if we get a better deal with uh better contractor, then we can start right away.

Start right away.

That's fine.

I can choose.

Okay, that would make the most sense to me.

We're uh making sure.

Are we making sure too that the current uh contractor that we're using knows that we're doing this?

All right.

Are we in a contract with the current oh we so we don't have a contract with him now?

Okay.

The only one we have a contract with is the snow and grass.

Okay.

But that's fine.

We have uh 30 days to um exit it.

Okay.

Uh we have a motion.

Oh second, maybe second.

Any further discussion.

Jess, did you get to look at this as well?

Yes.

Okay.

Yes.

Okay.

Okay, good.

Good.

Where does it say um what the demographics of the employees of the company are?

We don't ask for that.

What does it matter?

It doesn't.

I don't think that has any.

I think we're going based on cost and service, not demographics.

Man, my opinion, if all things are equal, I'd take the bond that has employees that live in the city, if not the neighborhood, you know, but I don't want to keep being a pain in the ass about this stuff.

Sorry for the choice of words.

Employees that live in the city or the owner who lives in the city with the business in the city.

Well, I mean there's a difference.

If we said live in a city, that would cover a lot of the owner doesn't live in the city, but the employees do.

We did ask for businesses that were local.

Okay.

I didn't hear what she said.

She asked for businesses that were local.

Local meaning Lehigh Valley, local meaning Allentown.

Allentown.

Allentown.

And Alan, if I'm not mistaken for the case.

Like what Kevin had said, but specifically to this, you know, about minority contractors.

Alan did ask for that as well.

So would it be acceptable if we added questions?

What is this a minority-owned business?

And what percentage of your employees reside in the city of Allentown?

Yes.

Okay.

Knowing that would be factored along with cost and along with other variables.

Well, my opinion, if like I said, if everything else was equal, that would be a good idea.

Well, true, that's what I mean.

Factored along with other factor along with other variables.

And one had I don't know town employees and kitchen.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

That could be added.

Okay.

That's something that's something along the line.

It's in Allentown.

If not, you hold on.

I'm sorry.

I'm still saying they and reside in Allentown.

Can you repeat that, please, Jess?

I was like asking if that's what Alan was saying, because that's what I thought he said last time.

Is your business located in Allentown?

If no, how many of your employees are residents of the city of Allentown?

But I think we should ask that question regardless of where the business is located.

Because we have some shell addresses here in Allentown, but none of those people live in the city of Allentown.

So I think if we could be clear, is this a minority-owned business?

Is this a business located in Allentown?

What percentage of your employees live in the city of Allentown?

Then you would have that to consider in your proposal.

That'd be great.

I have a problem when you ask if it's a minority owned business.

That's pretty standard operating procedure in a lot of places.

Standard procedure, how?

That's state law.

Kevin, you can you can you would have to ask for public comment.

How is that on last month?

Is that something that required?

So that's why we're gonna have to do that we come up with the other.

Or is that something that we are gonna say?

All right, yeah.

I think Dan Dan had a c Dan was saying I think you were asking about Josh.

Yeah, so that uh to answer your question.

There um we had a discussion last month about specifically low-income contractors and and what's acceptable there uh with funds.

There's a separate question of if there's a demographic question or uh I have no problem with low income.

I have no problem in the city of Allen time, but when you start bringing race into who we decide to choose, I think we're still that's a slippery slope on both sides.

Yeah, so there are there's restrictions on what you're allowed to do there, right?

I the uh Trump administration has been very forward about trying to strip out any grants that HUD money goes to anybody that that has uh uh a word of what used to be called DEI or affirmative action in them.

Um and uh the Supreme Court has not said that uh you're not allowed to have you know hire the you know, because there's a lot of like anti-affirmative action decisions from the Supreme Court.

I don't know that anything is struck down specifically vendor type issues, but I do think there's a funding issue there with what HUD wants.

Uh that is potentially an issue for us, yes.

Trump's opposition would make me more enthusiastic about fighting that battle.

True, but we would lose the C D BG funding on an audit if we was determined that we asked that question.

But asking this question wouldn't be putting anything like that in jeopardy.

I defer to Josh because in the city's RFPs, we have given points in the past for minority owned businesses.

I do think that had to be stopped if it was funded by a federal grant.

Yeah, I that's exactly right.

I think that was sort of standard, and then that was changed on anything that was funded by a federal grant.

I don't know that asking the question is itself problematic, but if we're not going to act on the information and we don't want to be seen as acting on the information, then why are we asking it, right?

You know, it in the same way that you know you don't ask certain questions in a job interview because it's not relevant information, you don't want to be accused of discrimination.

Why would you ask it in that context?

I I do think that it is opening up a vulnerability for the authority to do that, which maybe is a I mean it's your decision.

You guys can do that if that's what you choose, but I do think it is an issue, yes.

I would pick that fight personally, but you know.

I I think it comes down to funding and all of this too.

I mean, if we're gonna be putting any funding in jeopardy, I think that would be my main concern.

I mean, I I like I like the fact of having uh preference to somebody who's in Allentown.

You know, I think that makes more sense to me.

Anyone who's in within the city limits, especially if we're hiring contractors from the city and workers from the city, I think that makes a lot of sense.

And I agree.

Just to be clear, the majority of the expenses that will be paid under this contract will be reimbursed with the CDBG funds.

So, you know, I think we can make sure that we have the HUD section three, um and low income uh stuff.

Um and I think that would that's where I'd feel the safest.

I yeah, I concur with that.

Now there's an old uh folk protest song called Which Side Are You On?

And uh I'd be really tempted to uh ask for a roll call vote and and put each of us on the record for how we how we vote on this.

We have a city that is dominated by people of color and we don't give enough opportunities to those people and but Alan, there's no you're not taking an opportunity away.

You're not taking an opportunity away from a minority-owned business by opening it up to Allentown residents.

They all have the same opportunity to bid.

How far do we want to go?

Do we want to say female minority-owned business?

Because then we can get really get into the weeds.

Why would why do we want to jeopardize our potential our funding?

Yeah, that's what we're supposed to stating, and obviously the student staff was saying that the the HUD the HUD funding requirements have essentially said you can't ask that question.

You can't state it.

Yeah, but we need the money.

I've always said I'm cynical enough to know what I'm up against, but optimistic enough to pick the fight anyway.

And uh, I think this would be a w a fight worth picking, but I can vote.

I mean I can count votes, so I I hear you.

You want to you want to voice vote?

Yeah, but um we can we could do a voice vote on this for sure, sure.

Yeah.

Um let's call the vote on um I guess this would be well.

So I think first what we're asking is that this RFP be amended to include uh some sort of residency uh to ask or some kind of residency bonus.

Um and then for ownership, and then uh we're also gonna include some language in there about section three, uh low income contractors receiving preference.

And what percentage of the percentage of the employees live in the city?

And the employees too, yeah.

Yep.

Okay.

Okay.

All the question.

All right.

Um with that, uh, do we have a motion to approve that?

No, I'm in my original motion.

Okay.

Tony will amend the motion.

Uh we had a second before.

Did you second that, Alan?

I did.

Dan Dan seconded it.

With with that language, I'm fine with that language.

All right, we have a motion.

We have a second.

Any further discussions?

Oh, oh, no further discussion.

All those in favor then signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Are we doing a voice vote on this?

Or do we you you would you this is a voice vote?

I was suggesting a roll call.

Okay.

We want to we we'll we'll do a roll call.

I don't know where this is gonna go, so I'm okay.

We'll just go ahead and do the voice.

Why don't we do a roll call on this then?

And um, we'll start at the uh why don't we start with Jess on the phone there?

Uh Jess.

Um what is the vote again?

What is the home question that Alan has?

If you're voting for my position, you're voting no.

Yes, I I agree with Alan, so I don't know if that's a yay or a no.

But I agree with Alan Software.

No, yeah.

Well the the way this vote is structured, it's doesn't include the the racial question, the minority question.

It's everything else.

Yes is to approve the RFP with the items about city residency and section three.

That that's the vote that's being called now.

Does it make sense?

I'm gonna have to look up the section three.

I didn't understand which I think if you're voting if you're voting with me, you're voting no.

Jess, I'm gonna move you away from the microphone and move you closer to Chris.

I think that there's something going on between these computers that it's making it hard to hear you.

So I'm gonna hear the motion on the floor includes a residency.

Are you a business owned in the city?

What percentage of your employees live in the city?

And it does not include are you a minority owned business?

That's the motion on the floor.

That's correct.

Are you a yes or a no?

Well, okay.

Oh yes, Dan Schmidt.

Yes.

Alan Jennings.

No.

Uh down to meet.

Uh I I vote in favor as well.

Okay, so it's three to two on the vote.

All right.

Three to two motion carries.

Um great discussion.

Thank you.

Um so we can get this put on to uh we can get this put out for proposals here as soon as possible.

Um and get this going.

Hopefully, we can get a new grass scudder for the spring and summer market then.

So let me go on right here.

So you can still call me for a ride at each other.

All right, let's move to agenda and item number 8.2 with website updates.

Uh yes, just from the meeting.

Um last month, uh, the website has had some sorry, some um updates.

Let me try and pull it up here so we can see it.

I did see that we did have all the updates, the agendas were listed.

And so, yes, um today, after today, the March meeting will be up there.

Um Mark had some suggestions as well.

How do I do that now?

Um, please.

Oh, is it this one?

Sorry.

There, okay, good.

We're good.

Okay.

All right.

Um, so uh the about us, the board members have been updated.

Tony's picture is up there.

All the pretty board members are all there.

Um the uh our uh where are we?

Our current inventory has been updated.

Um the current projects, we don't have anything.

We have our certified lists here.

We are removing this right here, uh the at-risk registration because the redevelopment authority doesn't uh maintain that anymore.

The land bank information is still there.

The useful resources have has been updated.

Uh some of the links were not uh going to the right places, and then our meeting minutes have and then like I said, the March 26th will be up there.

So um if they wanted to join the meeting, they can click that link that'll take them to the teams meeting.

And um all of our agendas are posted on the city's website.

Now, one of the things we do have to uh look into and we'll get some more information from the city's IT because on April 24th is the ADA compliance uh for all website and city um local government and state governmented uh meetings and how it has to be permit uh presented with closed caption.

So we do have the teams, but we are using the city's uh mainframe, so I'm sure once they have everything figured out, they'll let us know what we need to do to make sure we're compliant with that requirement that's coming up.

Also, uh Brian, our lovely Brian who helps us with all the technical stuff, he works for the uh planning commission, and they do uh every month for their meetings, they have iPads.

So one of the things we can look at doing in the future is loading the meeting pads on the iPads, um, and it'll make things maybe a little bit easier for you to have instead of um using the papers.

Um I'll let you talk a little bit more about that.

And one of the other benefits of that, sorry.

One of the other benefits uh is when we put it on the iPad, we can actually put also put it on a SharePoint site so you can get it online at home, and when you come into the meeting, the iPad will reflect exactly how the SharePoint is set up on the SharePoint website.

So you'll have all your documents there and uh like on our planning commission.

Certain uh members like to bookmark certain things so we can do that however you want it to be set up.

You add like notes to like sections and stuff like that where you can type in your own notes or awesome.

Yeah, it's just something to eliminate killing as many trees as we do as an organization.

And then if we have updates, just you can update it continually, you know, right up to the morning oath, which we do with planning commission because sometimes we have agenda items get pulled at the request of the applicant.

So it's just something that we can modernize.

Using the city city using a city iPad and wrong.

I have several.

He's asking if we can bring his own.

Why we use the city iPads?

Oh, yeah.

Why just you are you use city iPads, right?

Yeah, we we have city ones.

But like Jeff Glazer, sometimes we'll use his own because he'll download the stuff that long.

You would be responsible for all of that downloading, but all of that, like we couldn't provide any technical assistance on.

If we use ours, our IT department can troubleshoot any snags you want to do.

Right.

Yeah, it it takes a little bit of time to update stuff.

So I can I can do it a couple hours before the meeting, but up with your computer.

Understood.

Good.

That's it.

Thank you.

Yep, absolutely.

Very good.

Thanks for getting that done.

Um screen.

Uh with that, anyone have any other questions on any of that?

I'm just gonna say probably I still think that is not a more thing.

That's just a week.

So I think we're spending a lot of money on redesign website.

Understood.

Um we didn't pay for that.

That we paid that last month, I believe, right?

That was we had some updates for this.

We had some updates for this one.

Yeah, it was $10.

We have the 50 this meeting.

Because we had to update date all the meeting minutes.

All right.

Uh let's jump into executive session.

Um it is now 255.

For executive session, we're going to turn off the mic because you're loud.

Okay.

And we're gonna put Jess in front of you, and that way you have it.

And I just have a reminder that Alan and I have to leave for a board meeting by 2004.

Kevin, an executive session we have to ask me to step out.

But we'll be in touch about meeting.

Yeah, I'll shoot you.

Okay.

Yeah.

Perfect.

The parking meter runs out of 345.

345.

336.

336, my meter is.

Oh, I get 15 minutes.

Right.

I'll hear you 15 minutes.

Thank you.

Have a good day.

Thank you guys.

Thanks, Kevin.

Good to see you, Kevin.

How was the day?

I just got trip off my pictures on.

I see that.

I think I think Jess did it.

I think Jess hit like a picture.

The uh mouse is over your picture.

I would hit the mouse on you lose your picture.