Which is for anything that's unrelated to our agenda.

So if you're here to speak to an agenda item, whether it's um a resolution or ordinance, if it's about the homelessness, you will have that opportunity when we get to that point of the agenda.

But if there's anything else you want to speak to that is not on the agenda, please make sure you fill out a card with our city clerk, and uh we will take courtesy to the floor at that portion of the meeting.

So anything that's not on the agenda, uh, you will need to fill out a card.

Thank you.

Okay, we'll set it.

Okay.

All right, so we're gonna kick off this meeting.

Uh we'll start with uh invocation, a moment of silence.

Okay, thank you.

And we'll do a pledge to the flag.

Yes, okay.

Um Mr.

Hamlin, if you want to start with a roll call, please.

Ms.

Appa.

Here, Mr.

Mumbell.

Here, Ms.

Moda.

Here, Mr.

Bender, President Santos, here.

Mr.

Lacker.

Here.

Ms.

President, everyone.

Okay, thank you.

So we will start with courtesy of the floor.

Again, this portion is for anything that's not on the agenda this evening.

Uh, do we have any cards, Mr.

Hammond?

First part is here.

Denise House.

Okay.

And if you can just provide your full name, please.

Denise Hauser.

Okay.

I was here probably six weeks ago.

I spoke to all of you about issues in my neighborhood.

And I'm back because I wanted to thank all of you.

Well, this council, Candida helped me a lot.

She guided me to the right people and got them to respond to the issues that I have.

And I had fire department, I dealt with sweep department.

Officer Conrad took care of four violations in my neighborhood.

They came out and sighted people.

I got garbage picked up.

Trash where they were piling it up that people just think you can go out in your backyards and just throw things away.

I got that taken care of.

Noise levels are way down.

And just an overall sense of my neighborhood's getting back to normal.

I was the one that also mentioned about the loud motorcycles and the dirt bikes.

We haven't had that yet because the weather hasn't been that warm, but I just wanted to let you know I wanted to thank all of you.

She came to see me, she took pictures, and then the other people that came took pictures.

But any time anybody has a problem, I actually got a call the other day because for some reason the uh trash people forgot to pick up somebody's trash, and it was right there.

I don't know why they didn't take it.

There was nothing wrong, it was bad properly in a black uh trash container, and they just didn't take it.

So I called recycling and 945, they came and pick it up.

But I mean they literally call me, all my neighbors have my they call me on my phone to get things done.

So just like I call Candy, if I have just you know, to tell me where to go and who can help me.

But I want to thank you all because if it weren't for you, I would just be like, ah, thank you.

And if I ever have another issue, this is where I'll come because I know you get things done.

Thank you.

Uh thank you.

Um my name is Mark Lima.

I'm gonna read because I don't want to ramble.

Uh good evening, council members, and I'm a property owner here in Allentown.

I live at 523 West Turner, and I'm here to request an increment an inquiry into the transparency transparency of the property deconversion process and to seek a fairer resolution for the garbage billing dispute.

Uh I want to thank you, Mr.

Bender, for giving me a well thought out answer and also Mr.

Napoleon for responding.

After being denied a reduction by Mark Schwab, uh, I escalated my concerns to Miss Kissler, and the director, who is the director of community and economic development during during the meeting, where both the mayor Turk and Miss Kissler were present.

I was told my only options were to pay the fee or to take the risk of going before the zoning board to request a variance.

I was initially led to believe that deconversion would be a straightforward path to resolving the bill.

However, I later learned this would be permanently stripped my property's rental status and require a costly uncertain process in front of the zoning board.

While I initially signed the paperwork, I've since retracted that application.

I refuse to permanently devalue my property or lose its legal status just to address the billing issue.

I'm respectfully asking the council to authorize a reduction or waiver of the garbage fees for the unused units.

It's unjust to force a resident into a $500 zoning battle or permanent deconversion just to resolve the bill for services not being used.

I asked for your assistance in finding a common sense solution that protects my property rights.

I've lived here in the city for 37 years, always maintained my rental status, but have not rented those apartments for 35 of those 37 years.

Most recently in the last five years, spending $35,000 to put 200 amp services in each of the four apartments in my house.

Because at 20 years ago, I tried to get the city to talk about deconversion, and they refused my uh my questioning about that.

So instead of deconverting at that point, I tried to make this place nice.

My taxes have always been paid on time, and in the last 35 years, I've never had a police car, an ambulance, or fire truck ever at my property.

I this you know it's sort of sad that in my social security years that I'm now in a fixed income that I'm being hammered by a $3,000 bill for garbage removal, where I put out about a bag a week.

You know, that comes to about $57 per bag that I put out for garbage.

And it seems a little bit unjust, and I was hoping to find some kind of solution to this issue.

Okay.

And thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Regina Adila.

Oh no, I'm 57.

Okay.

That's all the courtesy of the corporate.

Okay, sounds good.

We're gonna move along into contract approvals, and we will start with uh R53.

R53 authorizes a change order in the amount of 32,549 dollars with Max of Corporation to provide annual support maintenance services for the city website, uh hosted on an open source DNN software platform.

The original contract was for 80,945.

The addition would be the new contract to 113494.

Okay, thank you.

Uh any questions or comments from the DIES.

Or from the public on R 53.

I'll drive Mr.

Bender.

This isn't specific to approval the contract, but I do think it's worth us looking at this when it comes budget time next time because there's been a lot of funding going to this site.

And yeah, so noting that.

Okay.

Sounds good and noted.

And we can call the vote.

Ms.

Appla.

Yes.

Mr.

Bender?

Yes.

Yes.

Moda?

Yes.

Fungal?

Yes.

Santos?

Yes.

And Mr.

Napria.

Yes.

President 70s and no days.

Okay.

Uh, R 54.

R54 authorizes cooperative contracts and the amount greater than 40,000 dollars to provide city uh various goods and services uh for position one commercial, Cup 33 Fort Toyota, Cone, SIV, ambulance, public safety, LLC, and quality and insurance tech.

Okay.

Any comments from the diets?

Or from the public on R54.

Thank you so much.

Okay, on the uh resolution approving the cooperative contracts.

Uh Mr.

Bender.

Yes.

Mr.

Lock?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

And Ms.

Appha.

Yes.

Okay, on to R 55.

R 55 is an authorization for contract with baseline contract in the amount of 286 500 dollars to secure a contractor to construct, reconstruct ADA ramps in accordance with the Americans with Disability Act to remove the disposal sidewalk and our concrete curve.

The contract was bid three bids were received.

The contract shall commence upon full execution and shall cease on December 31st, 2026.

The contract can be extended for two additional six month terms beyond the contract expiration period at the same annual terms of the initial term as long as the contractor is actively working.

It does not default on the contract.

Okay, thank you.

Any questions or comments from the dias or the public on R 55?

Okay.

Ms.

Relax.

Yes.

Ms.

Moda.

Yes.

Fungo?

Yes.

Santos?

Yes.

Napoli.

Yes.

Yes.

And Mr.

Bender.

Yes.

Very nice.

Okay, last one.

R 56.

R 56 is an authorization for a contract with Granicus LLC in the amount of 270,329 and 42 cents to manage and support all public meetings conducted by city council authorities, boards, and commissions, and whatsoever to provide end-to-end meeting management services supported by a fully accessible meeting software platform capable of handling agenda creation, document management, public engagement, and multi-platform live streaming.

Three proposals were received.

One bid was rejected due to making modifications on the terms and conditions.

The contract will be for three years with two additional one-year renewals beyond the contract expiration period.

Okay.

Any questions or comments from the dias?

Or the public on R 56.

Okay.

Ms.

Moda.

Yes.

Mr.

Pungo.

Yes.

Ms.

Santos.

Yes.

Mr.

Napoli.

Yes.

Ms.

Affa.

Yes.

Mr.

Bender.

Yes.

Ms.

Gurlock.

Yes.

Ms.

President 70s and no days.

Okay.

Moving along.

Minutes of previous meetings.

We have three.

Here on the organizational meeting.

Uh Mr.

Pungo.

Yes.

Ms.

Santos?

Yes.

Napoli?

Yes.

Ms.

Affa?

Yes.

Mr.

Bender?

Yes.

Ms.

Gurlock?

Yes.

And Ms.

Moda.

Yes.

We'd have seven years and no nays on that one.

The next set of minutes is a special council meeting on the uh managing director appointment.

Ms.

Santos.

Yes.

Mr.

Napoli?

Yes.

Ms.

Affa?

Yes.

Mr.

Bender?

Yes.

Ms.

Gerlock?

Yes.

Ms.

Moda?

Yes.

And Mr.

Pungo.

Yes.

President seven years and no nays.

And the last set of minutes is for April 1st City Council meeting.

Mr.

Napoli.

Yes.

Ms.

Affa.

Yes.

Mr.

Bender.

Yes.

Ms.

Gerlock.

Yes.

Ms.

Moda.

Yes.

Fungo.

Yes.

Ms.

Santos.

Yes.

President of 7Es and no nays.

Okay.

Uh moving along.

Communications.

Uh we always want to uh mention we encourage our visitors to city council meetings to park in the government deck next door to city hall and to see our city clerk, Mr.

Hanlon, for a chaser to pay for your parking.

Um thanks.

Any old business.

Okay.

We'll get into reports.

Uh first report.

Um, I want to mention city council will continue holding the following special meetings.

April 22nd at 6 p.m.

Uh, we will have a NISDA um in council chambers to discuss their role um with Allen at the City of Allentown, April 29th at 6 p.m.

to discuss the role of AEDC, the Allentown Economic Development Corporation, which will be followed by a review of Bill 21, which is encampment legislation.

That will be approximately 6 30 p.m.

Budget and Finance, uh Chair Pongo.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh the committee has not met since the last council meeting, and the next meeting is not yet scheduled.

Thank you.

Um community and economic development.

Uh Chair Gerlock.

Uh yes, this committee met this evening.

The next meeting has not been uh scheduled.

Uh this meeting, this committee meeting we had an update from the Commission on Homelessness, their annual report.

Okay.

Uh human resources administration and appointments.

Chair Bender.

Thank you, Ms.

President.

Uh the committee has not met since the last council meeting, and there are no future meetings scheduled.

Okay, parks and recreation.

Uh Chair Santos.

This committee met this evening, and the next meeting is not yet scheduled.

Thanks.

And public safety, Chair Apha.

Uh there are no future meetings scheduled at this time.

Okay, uh public works, Chair Mota.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

The committee met this evening, and the next meeting schedule for May 6th.

And the time will be determined.

Okay, thank you.

And rules, chambers, intergovernmental relations and strategy.

That this committee met on April 8th and forwarded uh one item for tonight's agenda.

And it looks like we don't have a controller's report.

Is that or we do?

Okay.

Okay.

Very brief one this evening, sir.

Uh this would be February P cards.

Um people were pretty good this month.

He had four instances where a wrong account was used, the departments were advised, and journal entries were done.

Uh there were two instances of the um charges lacking documentation.

The department's revised the documentation was uploaded to the system, and there was one instance of sales tax being paid, and the department was advised and said they would seek me in person.

And that is my report, sir.

Okay, thank you.

Um we don't have a submission from the mayor's uh office, correct?

Okay.

So we're gonna keep moving along.

Um we're gonna start with ordinances for final passage.

Uh first one is bill twenty-six.

Bill 26 amends article uh eight Allentown Parking Authority by removing the requirement that a member of the parking authority must also be a representative of the AEDC, allowing the mayor to designate and council to approve any resident of the city of Allentown.

Okay, thank you.

Um this was out of my committee and was forwarded favorably, uh, but we are looking for an amendment regarding um regarding council person uh participation.

Uh I'll make the amendment.

Um, I'd like to make the amendment um to change a uh to change a council person to one council person um and add that at no time there should be though there shall there oh at no time shall there be more than one council member of the city of Allentown on the board thank you a second?

I'll second that.

Okay, so we have uh a motion by Ms.

Gerlach, a second from uh Mr.

Binder, and uh we can vote on well, I'm sorry, um let's take comments or or questions from the dais on the amendment okay.

Any questions or comments from the public only on the amendment?

Okay, okay, so we can vote on the amendment.

Okay, on the amendment to limit the um APA board to one council person, Miss Appa.

Yes, Mr.

Bender, yes, Ms.

Gurloch, yes, Ms.

Moda, yes, Fungal, yes, Ms.

Santos, yes, and Mr.

Napoli.

Yes.

Ms.

President seven yes and no nays on the amendment.

Okay, so now we have the bill um as amended.

Any questions or comments from the dais on the bill?

Or from the public.

Um bill twenty six.

Okay.

Okay, bill twenty-six as amended.

Ms.

Affa.

Yes.

Mr.

Bender?

Yes.

Ms.

Girllock?

Yes.

Ms.

Moda?

Yes.

Mr.

Pongo?

Yes.

Santos?

Yes.

And Mr.

Napoli.

Yes.

Ms.

Brendan, seven years and no days.

Okay.

Uh Bill 27.

Bill 27.

Amends the 2026 capital fund budgets provide for a supplemental appropriation of 800,000 dollars from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to support construction of the MLK trail phase two.

Okay, thank you.

Any questions this came out of um Chair Santos committee?

Yes, this was forwarded favorably this evening.

Okay, thank you.

Any questions or comments um from the dias on bill 27?

Or from the public, Bill 27.

Mr.

Bender.

Yes.

Ms.

Gurloch?

Yes.

Ms.

Mota?

Yes.

Mr.

Fungo?

Yes.

Ms.

Santos?

Yes.

Mr.

Napoli?

Yes.

And Ms.

Affa.

Yes.

President of 78 and no days.

Okay.

And uh Bill 28.

Bill 28 amends the 2026 general fund budget to provide for a supplement appropriation of 16,000 from the Urban Sustainability Director's Network to conduct a public citizen science project with the City of Easton, Community Bike Works, and Pennsylvania State University.

Okay.

Also came out of Chair Santos committee.

Correct.

And this was also forwarded favorably this in this evening's committee.

Okay, thank you.

Um any questions or comments from the dias.

Or from the public on our um Bill 28.

Uh good evening, everybody.

My name is Kyle Ropsky, 528 North Burg Street.

I'm chair of Allentown's Environmental Advisory Council.

I'll be brief tonight.

I just want to use this as an example to or um to illustrate the example of our sustainability department and our sustainability coordinator and the successes that they've been able to bring to the city.

They've been very creative in finding new ways to get grant funding for us, particularly in initiatives such as this one that are going to trickle down to our community organizations.

So this project itself is gonna lead our city to be more data-driven and make educated decisions on these kinds of projects.

So I thank you all for your continued support towards sustainability and and the administration's continued support.

I look forward to continuing to have that continued support as we move forward some of our major projects this year, like our climate action plan.

Thank you.

Okay.

Any other questions or comments on Bill 28?

Okay.

Okay, Bill 28, Ms.

Gerlock.

Yes.

Ms.

Mota?

Yes.

Mr.

Pundo?

Yes.

Ms.

Santos?

Yes.

Mr.

Napoli?

Yes.

Ms.

Affa?

Yes.

And Mr.

Bender.

Yes.

Mr.

President F78 and no nays.

Okay.

On the Bill 29.

Uh Bill 29 amends the 2026 capital fund budgets provide for an increase of five million fifty thousand dollars to fund various public works capital projects.

Okay.

And this came out of Vice President Moto's committee.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

President.

This was forward favorable three to zero in front of the full council.

Okay.

Any questions or comments from the dias on Bill 29?

Or from the public.

Bill 29, uh Miss Moda.

Yes.

Mr.

Pungo?

Yes.

Ms.

Santos?

Yes.

Mr.

Napoli.

Yes.

Ms.

Affa?

Yes.

Mr.

Bender?

Yes.

And Ms.

Gerlock.

Yes.

Ms.

President 78 and no nays.

Okay.

Looks like our last one is Bill 30.

Uh Bill 30 amends the 2026 Trexler General and Goth fund budgets to accommodate a change in the grade title and FCD for the project coordinator position in the parks and record recreation department to project manager to align with job duties and allow for consistent staffing and professional project management.

Okay.

And this one also came out of Chair Santos Committee.

Yes, this was forwarded favorably.

Okay, thank you.

Any questions or comments from the Daisy?

Or from the public on Bill 30?

Okay.

Mr.

Pungo.

Yes.

Ms.

Santos?

Yes.

Mr.

Napoli?

Yes.

Ms.

Affa?

Yes.

Mr.

Bender?

Yes.

Ms.

Gurloch?

Yes.

And Ms.

Moda.

Yes.

Ms.

President F7As and no nays.

Okay.

Um, we're on to the consent agenda, which uh tonight we don't have any items on that agenda.

So we're going to move along to resolutions for final passage.

Uh yes.

I would like to make a motion to suspend the rules so that we can introduce and vote on tonight uh resolution 57.

I would like to second it.

Okay.

So we have a motion from Ms.

Gurlach, second from uh Vice President Mota to suspend the rules.

Um okay, motion to suspend the rules and place R 57 on the agenda.

R57 strongly urges the city and county administrations to address the crisis created by the recent uh posting of the encampment sweep after the closing of the warming shelter.

This is just to suspend the rules and place this on the agenda.

Mr.

Pungo.

Yes.

Ms.

Santos, yes.

Mr.

Napoli?

Yes.

Ms.

Affa?

Yes.

Mr.

Bender?

Yes.

Ms.

Gerlock?

Yes.

And Ms.

Moda.

Yes.

Mr.

President, the resolution is on your agenda to be acted on.

Okay, thank you.

So uh we now have resolution 57.

Um I'll start um by taking comments from the administration um on this resolution.

And I'm gonna um welcome Mr.

Kane.

Thank you.

Uh thank you.

The text of the resolution, do you usually put that up on the on the board or I'd love to see it if uh if if it's you need to read it?

Would you mind?

Uh just because I don't have access to it.

Yeah, I glanced at it earlier today, but I hadn't I hadn't seen it in full.

You know, this is this is any time you're dealing with people in their living conditions, it's an important matter that has to be taken very seriously.

We we right now have a draft policy which you've all which I think you've gotten.

I don't know if you received any mail with it.

Uh both you and and uh council person Gurlach should have received that by now.

Um really what it looks at is is life safety, you know.

Like the life safety of people who are camping is the number one concern in that policy.

Um there's a provision we would the one of the changes that we made that may have been unclear in the past is that when we become aware, any time anyone in the city becomes aware of of uh of an encampment of an issue with with people camping, it'll it will go to the Department of Health, the mayor's office, and public works, at which point you will be involved.

Um, and we will make a determination as to how to move forward.

There's there's some things set forward that we can all talk about, but the point is that you guys will have notification too.

Um we have uh the the organ the uh your your document, your resolution encompasses more than just more than just that.

You know, with the closing of the YMCA, which happens every year, we had hoped that they would extend.

Unfortunately, they weren't able to.

Um we had hoped that they uh that they would, but we have identified $50,000.

I think you know more than me about about the $50,000 set aside for hoteling of improperly housed people.

We think we're gonna be able to get that out much more quickly than you had anticipated.

Um told that in the next several weeks we'll be able to do by a grant process rather than an RFP.

So we have that coming.

Um the county, I'm told has identified some land, and we're gonna work closely with them to possibly find a safe location where people can go and not be bothered.

And then you know, we can provide services and they can be safe, and they can they can be can be there without some of the some of the some of the dangers that go along with being in floodplains and on the banks of rivers.

Um there's also there is a we did a real estate inventory uh a year or in the past, we've done a real estate inventory to see if the city had appropriate land.

We'd like to offer you the chance to talk about that in full.

I'm told that you have not had the right hasn't really been fully vetted and discussed.

The determination for that policy was that we do not have the proper land to provide a safe camping environment, but we'd like to take another look at that too.

So that's where that's where we are.

I mean, I as I read this, uh, I think these are things we want to do.

We we're concerned also about the the shelter closed about the warming station closing.

We're concerned about where people are gonna go.

It's not ideal to to move people from one place where they're not able to stay to another place where they're gonna have the same problem.

We'd like to find some permanent solution, and we hope to work with you.

Okay, thank you, Mr.

Kane.

Um so at this juncture, I'll take questions or comments from the diet.

Ms.

Gerlock.

Yeah, it it is great.

Um, you know, uh back in October 2025, when I originally uh introduced that encampment procedure legislation, it was um it was always stated from the from the onset that um you know if the administration had its own policies that perhaps we wouldn't need to do this ordinance because they would have a set of procedures to follow.

It is great to see that in April of 2026.

Welcome upward, uh, Mr.

Kane, that we now internally will have some policies.

I do have some questions and serious concerns on these policies.

Um I have them because I have Outlook on my phone.

Um, but hopefully we'll all get these.

Um so in terms of the resolution, it is great to hear that um there doesn't seem to be any objection from the administration.

The resolution is just simply stating that once again we had an oops.

Um there wasn't there wasn't any communication.

I found out from an unsheltered person on the street that this was happening.

Uh no one here knew that this was happening.

Um so the resolution is an attempt to uh rectify that in the future.

Uh there will be some future motions made that will further attempt to rectify this, uh, regardless of who the mayor is.

So it is great that this administration is putting forth uh this uh this policy.

We know that policies aren't law.

Policies die, can die with administrations.

Um, and we are term limited.

It's we this mayor's last term.

So with that said though, um this resolution says that we must have better communication between not only the administration and city council, but the administration and the department heads, the folks who are literally doing the work.

Also, that that money that was referenced that had already been budgeted that we all approved, that that should be dispersed.

They may die if they are in a tent.

Um calls um so we need um now it's not in the resolution, but um we've got to uh we've this situation highlights we've got to find a solution.

Umless someone is gonna just drop down a millions of dollars, or we're gonna reallocate in our budget, because I mean you've heard us spend five million dollars here and this tonight, you've heard we just voted on that right now.

So unless we're gonna do some reallocation to build housing or give money to an organization to build housing, people need a place to go.

And I'm great to hear that uh potentially there's a a place, uh a spot of land, um parking lot, something.

Um this resolution attempts to address that as well.

That the city and the county, they've got to find something, and I don't want to hear about the red tape.

I don't want to hear about it's zoned industrial, I no one's drinking the water there, like find a spot, and knowing that that spot might not be permanent, it won't be permanent, but it is something, it is a place for people to go for a temporary amount of time so that they are not pushed around like animals, less than animals.

Um so that is what this resolution says.

It's a resolution, it is a statement.

That is it.

Um I I hope that I can count on my support, uh count and support from my colleagues on council.

I know all of you have a heart.

Um, and um thank you for those who went down to um this encampment today to see in person.

Um they're not bothering nobody, they're just living their lives like yo.

Like, the fact that we are even here right now again, like come on, like it's to not get angry, like people are just living their lives.

That's it.

Um we didn't most people didn't even know this encampment was even there, they didn't even know because they're not bothering nobody, they're just living life.

And any one of us, unless you're a billionaire up here, or maybe a millionaire, any one of us could be there, any one of us.

Just takes a couple little things.

So just keep that in mind, and um, I'll stop talking.

Thank you.

Oh, you're not allowed to clap, they don't like clapping.

Uh thank you, Ms.

Garlock.

Um Ms.

Alpha, go ahead.

If I recall uh when the encampment was torn down in Jordan, we did not know about it.

We had council that Wednesday, and they were tearing that, and none of us knew it was happening.

People were coming up here and talking to us like we had something to do with this, and we try to explain.

And I I believe the same thing is happening this time.

Ms.

Gerloch found out about it on the street.

She informed us.

We had no idea this was happening.

We had the opportunity today to go to the encampment, and she is so right.

These people are just living their lives.

I would I would need a map to find this place to begin with.

They're not hurting anybody.

And I'd like to ask the city, what are you?

We own it.

What are you gonna do with that piece of property?

If you don't let these people have their homes there or their little village, or whatever you want to call it, what in God's name are you going to do with that piece of property?

No one will be there to take care of it.

It just amazes me that I know as a landlord, I have to give 30 days notice to my tenants.

I'm also a tenant somewhere.

They have to give me 30 days.

Why is it that these people get 10?

I don't understand that point.

They're human beings, they're just like me, they're like nobody else here.

And if I have to get 30-day notice, how come they don't get 30-day notice?

And I really the encampment was nice, it was beautiful there, they were hurting no one.

And like I said, I'm gonna ask the administration, the city of Allentown, get rid of them.

You're causing more homelessness.

They're not homeless there.

This is their home.

You're going to get they're gonna be homeless.

And what are you doing with this piece of property?

That's what my question is to the city of Allentown.

Tell me, are you once more when we move down there four years ago?

It's gonna go bunch a bunch of garbage.

There you go.

I mean, we cleaned it up.

I mean, Bradford.

You'll you'll have time to speak, sir.

Yeah, I just want to.

So I I I just want to bring that.

Like I said, we had an opportunity, several of us to go to the encampment, and uh these are people, and this is their home.

And if nothing else, they need certainly more than 10 days.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Hoffa.

You might respond.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I don't know what the I don't know at what point I'm allowed to speak, whether council's speaking here.

I don't know what they're um we'll take some.

I'll take public, I'll take comment from uh um the dais, and then if you have some updates, absolutely.

Okay, um just well, let me I'll point back to you.

Thank you.

Um Vice President Mock.

Yes, thank you.

I believe that is inhumane.

Um we went there, um we spoke to a few of them, and um is their home.

It's their home.

And and this is not the first time that this has happened.

What we're asking is for better communication between the administration and city council.

I don't think that this is that this is very hard to do that.

It looks really bad every time something like this happened, and we don't get to know about this ahead of time.

And then the newspapers, you know, the morning call, I mean, you name it, you know, they they they call us and we don't know what they're talking about.

So it makes us look bad, and it also makes the administration look bad.

All we need is a better communication.

I mean, is that so hard to ask for better communication?

That's all we're asking.

And I I I agree with uh Ms.

Alfa, 10 days is is not enough.

And they're not bothering anyone.

Um, I went to that park, and I never I never knew that they were there.

No one knew that they were there.

So I think that you know, we we have to have a heart, and and we should not kick them out.

It's their home.

Thank you.

I'm sure phone go.

Thank you, Council President.

First, I just want to thank Cece, thank you for you know, first bringing this to light and putting attention to this.

I I would like to just highlight the fact that resolution 57 is directly related to this action.

I mean, we have already on the agenda an opportunity to review potential legislation ordinances to address the same issue at large, and this one's more of almost like a reactionary to again this breakdown in communication.

Um I'll echo the sentiments of really what is the need and purpose of this now.

Uh again, I understand there seems to be a policy in place.

I think we really need to look at that and really understand what that is, because I don't know how well it integrates with the real issue that we're having here.

The hard decision isn't to clear the encampment, the hard decision is to try to find real answers to it.

Um folks are suffering, folks are struggling right now more than ever, and I think we need to take action.

Um I would also, you know, kind of say, what can we do right now?

So obviously I'm I'm very much in support of you know enhancing our communication channels, finding solutions and resolutions to this action.

I think the cause of 57 is the the clearing and the sweeping in general.

So I mean, my concern, we talked about it allocating 50,000.

I mean, 50,000 is not that much, and we're in April.

We're not even accounting for the winter that's coming this year.

So to use these resources now when there's gonna be a point where it's even more critical, I'm I'm concerned about.

So I mean, I would like to, you know, also consider, you know, is 57 even necessary if the sweep doesn't even happen.

So I would just push the administration to reconsider that.

So thank you.

Okay, any other questions?

Um, Mr.

Bender, go ahead.

Yeah.

So, first of all, since no one, I don't know if anyone's officially welcomed you to being employed for 48 hours with the city of Allentown.

Um that was on my list.

Oh, sorry.

Thank you, Councilperson Minderham.

You um obviously moved from the um pleasantries of the nomination process to now you're in the proverbial hot seats.

So I have questions related to a lot of the communication stuff that's been brought up.

I think first and foremost, tonight, I would like to identify and have you speak to the exact process of the decision making that took place, who was alerted, and what that looks like.

And I know you're probably gonna say I can't do that.

I can.

Uh listen, I mean, I may not have been here, but we met and I know and I'm I I know as well as anyone what happened.

What appears to have happened.

And can I just before I answer your question, if you don't mind, I just like to say, you know, when I look at this this this resolution, and I tell you that that we support it.

I mean, we do.

This resolution says that uh approximately a hundred individuals staying at the warming shelter are left with no viable options.

I mean, this talks about the broad themes of finding a safe place, we support all those things.

I'm not, I don't want to mislead anyone.

I don't want to have you think that I'm gonna sit here and unilaterally be able to change what's already in process with the with the encampment that we've visited today.

Please don't take my uh we can talk about it and as as you know, t tomorrow and even tonight, but I can't sit here and say that I'm gonna that I'm gonna be able to change that now.

That there's a process, there's there are people involved with that.

So while I say that we support this, the things in this resolution we do specific to that encampment, we we have to continue to talk in the coming days.

I mean, it's continues to be posted, and I don't w I just don't want to mislead any of you.

So when we move on to to that specific incident, we are we have we were we were in the mayor's office were informed and the health department were informed that there was a complaint made by someone at the Lehigh County authority, which is where the the property abuts.

Someone notified the police who went there, public works became involved and they and they posted the property.

That's how that's how it originated.

So by no approval of anyone else other than public works just posting something.

It's unfortunate, yes.

Okay.

Um we have a and we have a policy in place to make sure that it never happens again.

I mean, you're your your your frustration is shared by everyone.

We're we're at where we are now, and that's not what should ever happen again.

So I guess what step one in knowing that right now would be to uh what would have been helpful coming to this meeting would have been to say, okay, we're gonna pause things, we're gonna stop.

And I guess one of my questions would be why that isn't occurring.

Um the second you had mentioned your capacity here.

In what capacity are you presenting to us?

Are you because I I noticed the mayor is not here.

Um is he in the city right now?

No, he's not in the city, he's in a conference.

Okay.

So he's on business abroad.

Well, he's not really abroad.

He's just not here.

Not here.

Um the reason I'm asking is are you acting as the deputy mayor at this point?

No, no, no.

He's I mean, I talked to him this morning.

Uh we've been in touch.

He's he's yeah, he could have signed the policy by now.

He's, you know, we are the draft policy is has been he's been involved in all these discussions.

Uh his as I have been told, his belief is that if he's able to be in contact and he's in the country, he doesn't we don't need a deputy mayor.

It's only for when he's out of touch.

I'm not really able to speak to that yet.

I mean, I'll know for next time if that's a if that's a concern when there needs to be a deputy mayor.

But I'm my understanding is we're acting, we're acting with him as the mayor.

I'm just the managing director.

So the reason I'm asking, so we have a policy now that I I received on my phone here at 6 41 while we're in the meeting.

The draft policy.

It's it's fine.

Which now may or may not have been already signed, but we don't know.

Correct.

And we have a room full of people that are frustrated.

And well, they're I mean and they're right to be.

And you know, we understand.

My question to this is since the last meeting, when during your confirmation and the meeting notes that we just recently approved a couple minutes ago, um, it was noted that the mayor was available 24-7 if he was not um appointing a deputy mayor.

So my question is can we get him on the phone right now to give us the response of where the where this policy is.

We possibly could.

I have to I have to tell you.

One of the unfortunate things is I lost my cell phone when I was at the encampment this afternoon.

That's why I didn't have the policy.

I was trying I didn't want to tell anybody, but that's why I can't.

I don't think it matters the point, I mean whether or not it matters.

But I guess we're that that is a question.

I was like, I don't know who's in charge right now.

Well, I'm in charge of this interaction right now here.

You can talk to me about anything.

I mean, he's I'm authorized, and then this will be the way it is with all city business when the mayor's not in this meeting.

You can talk to me.

Even when you yourself said you can't change anything right now.

Why can't unilaterally change what I what I meant?

Well, perhaps what I what I maybe should have said more clearly is I am one part of a couple decision makers.

I can't no, there's really nobody in the government who can just change.

Well, I mean, in this in in the format of government we have, there is one person who can make a decision.

So I sorry, but like that's the I I'm not sure what we're I'm not sure what we're doing.

Certainly is like we have to vote on some stuff right now, and I don't know if there's an existing policy that's already in place because it changes what we should be doing tonight.

So I think that's an important so you can say this.

The mayor intends to sign this policy.

We have a draft.

His intent is to sign it, whether or not it's signed after business hours at seven o'clock at night on a Wednesday.

I'm not, I'm not sure.

I think that you should operate as though that's the policy.

Um because it's going to be tomorrow.

Okay, could I I guess what would be helpful for me before we vote is if we just have a minute to read the policy.

Um so I don't know where that works in the framework here.

Um and I think it also might be helpful for the public to see the policy because we have to we have to discuss this, and I don't know.

I'm not trying to upset the apple carton here, but like that seems like that's definitely something.

We hope that that I mean, so you know what?

Everyone just um right now, um, Mr.

Binder has the floor.

Just if we can just kind of figure this out, but hold just hold your thoughts until the the right opportunity.

Thank you.

So I one of the things you said earlier on, you said there'd be a notification process with council and an inclusion.

Is that what authority will council have in that process?

Well, you know, you you don't you will have the same authority that you have your members of council, you're not in the operations of the system.

We'll notify you and and you'll be notified.

And while we're still in the decision making process, I mean you can call the mayor, you can call me if you have thoughts on on what we're gonna do.

But I mean, we you know, the the the administration of government of the city is is us.

So I wouldn't say a member of city council could unilaterally change something, but you know, we would take we'd certainly take your advice as part of the decision making process.

You can call it advice advice and consent, like they do in the Senate.

So would the policy commit to um just so I understand policy would it commit to bringing it to the attention at least prior to anything being posted?

Yes.

Okay.

All right.

I think that's a library.

Thanks.

Okay, uh, Ms.

Girlak.

Um so and I did share with some of you prior to this evening.

Um it's kind of like a three-part situation going on.

So we've got this resolution that's talking about we should have communication, we should find a plea uh a safe place for people to go, um, and we need to allocate this money.

And then the second part is Mr.

Bender is going to make a motion, and then what's not on the agenda.

Um, I'm going to be making a motion that we stop this eviction closure.

Um, what the administration does with that is on the administration.

But I'm gonna make a motion, and then we can collectively make a statement what we want to happen.

So that just so everyone knows.

Um that'll be the the third thing.

Um I just for this policy, I only skimmed it.

Um there are some concerns with this policy, as we noted.

Um, it only gives people 10 days uh to pack up all of their life before it's potentially bulldozed.

Um, as Ms.

Affa, I believe Mr.

Pongo and uh Dr.

Moda had stated, it should be much longer.

Uh 30 days, I believe you said is what housed tenants get.

We definitely don't want to be in the situation where we are discriminating against people based on their housing status.

So I would say 30 days.

I also have concerns with the language of flood prone areas.

I'd like to know what's the difference between flood prone areas versus flood plain areas if there is a difference.

Also, as we noted when we went down to this particular encampment, there's a huge wall, flood wall, what like 10 feet.

Um the folks who are down there indicated that it had not flooded in that particular section.

Um I have concern that this high-risk location encampment under bridges, flood-prone areas, structural hazards, it's very vague and will be used for every encampment.

That's my concern.

So I would like some clear definitions.

I would like also that um in the in the policy, it states that this would be like a quarterly kind of report.

That's gonna have to be every single council meeting.

Every council meeting, we need to get reports on what's happening because what happens is these encampment closures happen so quickly.

If we're just doing it quarterly, we've already had four or five, and we know there's gonna be more because that seems to be the overall sentiment of this administration is just to knock the encampments down.

So there's going to be more.

We need every single meeting to be told what's happened, what's going to happen.

Um, and part of that needs to be if if if the justification for closing an encampment is that it is a high risk location encampment, speak to that in great detail because if we keep seeing every single encampment is high risk, something's up with that.

Something is up.

So I I have a lot of concerns with this policy.

What I will do though is I will take my encampment ordinance and I'll make some adjustments to match some of the language of this policy.

Um I'm gonna keep the 30 days, but some of the actual like definitions and whatnot, trying to work with the administration.

But I I can't wait till the April 29th meeting is I strongly believe we do need an ordinance uh you know, since we are term limited with our administration.

But in terms of tonight's resolution, again, I strongly urge you to support it and folks who are here don't leave after the resolution because there's gonna be two more things that happen.

So thank you.

If if I can respond to that, I mean, you know, sure.

If you you know, we have a when we have a policy in place and it's all but in place right now, but when we have you know, that's the policy, and I'm um and I encourage you to comment and tell us what you want to know more.

But then the obvious thing is the is a clarification of exactly what kind to constitutes a life safety risk.

We're I I would I would have done that anyway.

That's that's like the obvious thing.

But anything that you that you that you think you should let us know, and we'll we'll try to work together.

Okay, Miss Hafa.

We have all been have one thing in mind to to do something back to stop homelessness.

We would love to see it eradicated, period.

Having people removed from their homes is causing homelessness.

People are not homeless, they're in an encampment, they're in their camps, they're in a village, they're not homeless.

By closing this down, they become homeless.

Let's keep that in mind.

Every time we make policies and everything we do, the main idea is to help to alleviate homelessness by removing them from their homes.

We're creating the homelessness.

Um thank you, Miss Hafa.

Um, I don't think everyone has a copy of this.

So I I know I don't, and I don't vice president Moto, do you have a copy?

Just 41.

Yeah, I don't um we were in the meeting at the end, and um okay.

You know what?

If you don't mind everyone, I'm gonna take two minutes.

I want to make sure all of us have the exact same document, just so we're all on the same page.

So just bear with us for a couple minutes.

Unfortunately, we got it late, and um just want to make sure um we're all looking at the same document.

So uh Genesis give us uh give us two minutes.

Thank you, everyone.

Thank you for being thorough.

Can someone read it out loud?

Yes, is it possible to make copies so we can see it as well?

If you're gonna wait 10 minutes and read it, can someone make a copy?

I would have to do that.

Thank you.

I mean, I mean, point of order, point in order.

I'm just gonna be real for a minute.

A lot of people who are here don't have a place to live, and they got to get back to the why.

And this is our last night here at the why.

And like, yeah, um, and I also want to I want to, yes, I understand we need to look at this policy, but does what this policy say change your vote on the resolution, yes or no?

Because if it doesn't, perhaps we can review the policy.

Um I don't I don't know.

I just don't want to keep people here who yeah.

Okay, I mean if that's if that's okay with my colleagues, I'm just gonna that's fair.

Um, and um we'll we'll uh continue with uh public comment, but before I do that, any other questions or comments from the dais on this resolution.

Okay, I'll quickly add uh Mr.

Binder alluded to the fact that uh Mr.

Kane's only been here for a couple days.

Um I'm anxious to continue working with him to kind of figure out where the um where the issues are and how we can uh resolve them going forward, uh especially regarding communication.

Um I'm anxious to continue working with him to kind of figure out where the um where the issues are and how we can uh resolve them going forward, uh especially regarding communication um and um making sure that city council and our residents fully are understand what we are doing at the city of Allentown.

So that's something that we're all gonna have to huddle up and figure out together.

Um so that said, we're gonna move to public comment.

This portion of the meeting is for anyone who wants to speak on this resolution.

So resolution 57 regarding the homeless encampment.

This is an opportunity when you come to the podium, just please give your full name uh for the record.

So this is a good evening.

Good evening, I'm Vanessa Cornier.

Um Hope Homestead Sanctuary is my uh nonprofit.

Um I just there were a couple of questions I had for the 50,000 for rent for uh hotels.

How many people is that actually gonna help for how long?

I mean, a hotel room for a week is 400 or more.

I know that you deserve an answer.

I know that it's like last minute important.

I don't have the if you give me your contact information, you can ask me all the questions you want and I'll answer.

I'm sorry, I don't I don't know the details.

Um I also wanted to point that up.

All right, right now I appreciate all of that you're doing here.

Um but I think you're looking at the wrong direction for where the issue starts.

All right, hold hold on, can you hold that thought?

Yes, everyone, listen.

Um Vanessa has the floor right now.

Let her have the floor.

Everyone's gonna have an opportunity to speak, but let's all do it one at a time, please.

Uh go ahead, Miss Corner.

Um, I think I I reach you all you're you're doing to help everybody that's you know in an unsheltered situation or near unsheltered, but you're looking maybe at the wrong aspect to focus on.

I think I've been doing some research and looking up some data.

The rental parameters are boxing people out, like all over the place.

If you are in a fixed income, like mine is 1400 a month, there is no way I make three times any rent here in the city.

Any.

I have to get roommates, and it's hard to do.

They're not you know, it's not easy for all of us to leave together.

So that's why we have to have a better solution.

Because you're not putting more housing up when you knock down the buildings that have the affordable housing.

Right.

Like on 9th Street across from Family Dollar, there's that plan coming through the planning commission where they're gonna knock down those three buildings and put up a seven-story 48 unit, probably luxury building.

That is not helping anybody in the two buildings.

How many apartments are gonna be in that two buildings that were just approved?

There are so many of us unhoused.

And there are so many better plans that we just have to get together and work out all the kinks because criminal and degenerate just because they were in house because you assume stuff, and it's so wrong because we've come from families from jobs, from success, from failures, from everything from life to this situation that life created because we're boxed out of rents.

Thank you.

Have a day.

Thank you.

Um Regina.

Okay.

Good evening.

Hi, um, my name is Regina Padilla.

I am an Allentown resident, I live on the West End.

Um, as a constituent, I don't think anything should be voted on as if there's policy.

It there's either a policy or there isn't.

Like it's really that simple.

Tomorrow it could be thrown out and it would be useless today.

Anyway, the last time I had the pleasure of standing before you all, I exposed my finances.

Um that was pre-election, so I see new faces.

Um but I told everybody how I had only made $15 an hour with $23 in food stamps, all while living in the West End, a place that isn't exactly known for affordable housing.

Fortunately, I was able to secure a job that pays me a livable wage, but there was a period in between the last time I spoke here and now that I was unemployed for three months and spent all of my savings just to keep my roof over my head.

I just secured another job for $15 an hour.

This time it was part-time.

I was always $200 short for rent, constantly borrowing money that I have since paid back.

And if I didn't have a savings account or had a strong uh support system, I would have been part of the roughly 53% of homeless people that are employed.

Getting yourself to a stable position from an unstable one is not as black and white as just getting a job.

And I understand that the current location of the encampment is a flood risk.

Uh safety come first, always.

However, giving people 10 days to move.

Um what they have left that is inhumane and morally wrong.

We can't just keep pushing people out when it's unfavorable.

There needs to be somewhere that is both safe and close enough to resources that they're easily accessible.

I have hope for my city that we will handle this situation, thinking about people first and money second.

Thank you.

Okay.

This is a courtesy of the floor for the resolution we're speaking of right now for the homelessness.

Yep, come on up.

Hello, council board.

My name is Swain Flag.

I'm a year resident here in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

I would like to give you just a little, just a small bit of history of me since I've been here.

When I got here, I started going to BTI college for HVAC.

It's only three months away from graduating when I found myself in a homeless situation.

I believe you came to my church.

I'm also a church musician.

Excuse me.

Okay, sorry.

Can you hear me better now?

No, that's fine.

Um I found that being here is the hardest thing of being here is being homeless.

Um I've seen, and if y'all would just give me one second, everybody that's at the walk, could y'all please just stand up.

We have people here old and young and in fear right now because we don't know what to do, where to go.

What's gonna be our next meal?

What's gonna be our next shower?

What's gonna be anything for us?

We can't go to a homeless encampment of fear of being kicked out.

What do we do?

You know, I'm I'm a little emotional, so please forgive me.

Um I'm gonna go sit down, but I know y'all have a heart.

I know you have a heart.

We gotta figure something out, please.

Please.

We have people that can't even walk.

That's a homeless.

The young lady got on the bus with me.

She's sitting right over there.

And I had to basically stop traffic for her to get across the street.

What is she gonna do?

Okay, uh anyone anyone else, uh any members of the public who would like to speak on this resolution.

Hi, my name is Jasper.

I live right in Hamilton Square, and I am on disability.

I don't make enough to pay my rent, and I recently got a TBI, so I yes, my disabilities are getting better, but with my TBI, it's hard.

I can't make rent, I can't get a job.

And these are some of the encampments that my family has spent time in in the past in hardship.

These were places I I'm looking at a fiction.

I have an eight-day notice.

This was somewhere that I knew I had people at.

So I just want you to recognize where the heart is in these communities and how this is this is hurting so many more people in so many places.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Jess Benson.

Um, I live in Allentown and community advocate Brian House Community.

And as everybody stood up, those are just people.

They're people that matter.

We're dehumanizing them.

Um tomorrow, where do they go?

There's no short-term answer.

Nobody's giving us a short-term answer.

Send them wherever we send them, they're gonna get swept out.

What do we do?

Where's our resources?

I've watched multiple organizations come together and spin our heads trying to figure out what's their next plan.

But we can't solve where to put 100 people, more people.

Um, from the encampments to the Y.

I know every single one of them.

I know their story.

There's electricians, there's plumbers, there's talented people that sit in there, just hit in a hard spot.

Where do we come together to help them and put them back on their feet?

They're resourceful.

They can bring a lot to our city.

We need to utilize them and come together.

They matter to us, they matter to me.

We need to show them that.

So all I'm asking is for a short-term resolution as of tomorrow.

Where do we send them?

What do we do?

Thank you.

Hello, counselor.

My name is Anthony Alcado.

You would die on my encampment.

See how it is.

It's clean.

Very well taken care of, I'll make sure that.

My question is, y'all give me 10 days, if y'all know that.

Monday is my last day.

Where do I go?

Like you all said, that land is nothing to nobody.

No, it is it's just our land, Ashley.

You know.

We go one way in, one way out.

We never, if someone wanna go fishing, fine.

People come down and say, oh, dude's nice town here.

Walk away.

I don't care.

You know, this is their property, this is their land too.

We're not stopping nobody.

It's just that's where we that's our home, she said.

Yeah, we take care of ourselves.

Um cause no problems.

I didn't have a few officers say, how long you guys have been here?

So I year, yeah and a half.

Never knew that we were about to because we were quiet.

And Monday, I mean, I would like to see 30 days.

I'd like to press the stay 32.

I mean, just we did clean it up every maintain it, which is a good thing.

Um, I just need to know.

Do we gotta leave by Monday or not?

And if we do, where do we go?

And we're in six of us.

The wire has eight.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello, council.

My name is Tina Wood.

The young lady standing next to me is my 20-year-old daughter.

We have been homeless for about two years.

This community has taken us in and made us feel safe and helped me keep an eye on my daughter, so nobody messes with her.

You need to help us with your hearts.

If I and next year when the Y reopens, my daughter and I plan on volunteering down at the Y because this community took us in and gave us the love that we didn't have.

I hope you guys can find a way to find places for everybody to go.

Because we all deserve a chance to sit inside and be in a safe place.

I want my daughter safe, and I need your help.

And I do whatever as asked of me beyond any shadow of a doubt to protect the people that I care about.

And I care about this community.

We are a family.

We look after each other, we help each other, we love each other.

And every provider that has been there has given us the exact same thing that we all we want.

I have no family.

These people are my family.

Please help us to find a set of a resolution to get us off the streets.

I am scared.

My daughter and I have no place, no permanent place tomorrow.

The Y closes, we will be back on the street.

And we have lived during your ice storm that you had here.

We lived that on the street.

No shelter, no tent, no nothing, but a couple of blankets to keep us from getting cold and sick.

Please help us.

Thank you.

Hello, council.

My name is Kelly Peters.

I'm also an amputee.

And it's hard not knowing where the next place you're gonna go.

Or if you might lose more part of your length, or where you can go to get a shower.

I mean, there's I could probably sleep in a tent, but I don't know for how long or how bad will be for me.

My husband's sick as well.

He has health problems as well, but the shelter down there at the Y took us in.

And I'm thankful, thankful for all what they've done for us.

They're very nice.

And like what they also said, their family.

When you don't have much family around, they're family to you.

And I'm thankful for everything.

So please find somehow some way to help us.

I've applied at housing for Lehigh County.

There's a long waiting list.

We're on like a two-month that we applied.

And it's you go back every Monday, Tuesday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to find out where your status is, and then you get discriminated from.

Oh, I'm not even up that far on the list.

I can't get a place yet.

I have a job, but I don't make enough to support me and my husband.

It's only my income.

And then people look at me for an apartment and they turn me down.

And it hurts.

And I need to find a way to have a shower because I have a job.

I can't go to work from me and feel smelling stinky.

Then I won't have my job anymore.

Then what am I gonna do?

Then I fall into the system even furthermore.

But I'm thankful for the YMCA.

Thank you.

Please try to help us all.

There's a lot more homeless people out there in the world that are going through a lot of stuff.

You don't have to have a mental illness just to be homeless.

A lot of people don't want to open up, they keep it bottled in.

And it hurts.

Thank you.

Hello, uh, my name is Gwen Dietrich, and I'm gonna keep this brief.

Um I was here in August, which was however many months ago when the same issue came up.

Lots of new faces here, but some of the same.

And I'm just hearing the same talking points over and over, and I'm so frustrated because how has nothing changed?

How did this happen again?

How did we not learn anything the last time?

These are people's lives, as council person CC said there are people that are in this encampment who are critically ill who will die.

These are people's lives, and we can't even get the mayor on the phone.

We can't even we're sending a proposal after the meeting has happened.

This is ridiculous.

People's lives are on the line, people's livelihoods, their safety.

And it's kind of pathetic.

Just get it together, please.

And love your resolution.

Thank you.

Okay.

Um, my name is Michael Johnson.

Um City of Allentown's beautiful, you know.

Um, but what makes the city of Allentown is people, is residents.

And to be honest, we don't feel like City Valentine residents.

We feel like we're trash, we're pushed to a side.

We feel like we can't, we can't do nothing.

I think what will make the city of Allentown even better is find some solutions for the future.

Let's build, let's build a shelter year-round.

That's what we need.

We need solutions, we need resources.

We need things that we can make our city much better.

Our residents much better.

Because that's what makes the city of Allentown is us.

And that's only gonna get better if we fix the problem.

You can't just push the problem to the side and and think it's always it's only gonna get better from there.

We gotta it starts with us.

Thank you.

Okay.

Um other members of the public that would like to speak on this resolution.

Okay, uh, Mr.

Kane, you said you have you have a comment.

I just I do have one comment.

Um, you know, the policy, I sent that to you in a just an advisory capacity so that you see that we have something that we're working on and we're close to.

I don't think it's intended to change anyone's vote.

It's not intended to, I mean, that's just so that you have some transparency.

I committed to do it to council person girl act this afternoon.

This was the first opportunity I got when you put it in the context of you got it in the middle of the meeting, it looks, you know, I think it's misconstrued to look it's just my attempt to be transparent.

I want to be clear about that.

Okay.

So I can tell you that he's new, and he actually went to the incontinent with us trying to help out.

So I I do understand.

I mean, you know, you you're new, and you and you you got there with us.

Okay.

No, I'll echo that sentiment.

Sorry, it like you know, Councilperson Garlax said, you know, we've been talking about this since last year and looking for that policy.

So it's yeah, I mean, yeah, I understand yes, frustration just getting it now, and uh like I had said, like, regardless of policy or no policy.

If if you had never even said that, the vote would still be what the vote is on the resolution.

And I am thankful.

I mean, yeah, yo, October 2025, not uh, not uh, and then now we've got something.

So yeah, for sure.

And uh and ultimately, I mean I think we're all looking for the same thing.

We're transparency, we want consistency, so having a policy that we understand as council persons, residents, everyone understands what's the policy.

So I think that's really important to know how this works and the communications going back to communications.

It's it's so it's so important that we do a better job of communicating.

So anxious to look, you know, looking forward to collaborating with the administration and learning more, and Ms.

Garlock, thank you for um bringing this, you know, to uh everyone's attention.

Um do we have one more member of the public, Miss DiPiero?

I wanted to uh give our guests uh the opportunity to speak more uh first before I came up and spoke.

Um just before I speak, just for point my point of clarification.

Did you say that this was gonna be signed by the mayor without review?

No, no, I said that is the draft policy.

It's very close to everybody in the administration's view.

That's what we've come up with.

We're happy to take thoughts from council and so forth.

I mean, it's a I didn't have to, we didn't have to give it, I chose to share it to be transferred.

And I and I appreciate that you showed chose to share this.

I also um, as you are new and welcome.

Thank you.

Um I don't know if you are familiar with who I am and what I represent who I represent, but I am the co-chair of the Allentown Commission on Homelessness.

Um we just reviewed our annual report in the committee prior to this.

Um we are your advisory board.

I'm not sure if that was communicated to you.

We are your advisory board for things just like this.

Okay.

We are your advisory board for the mayor and for the council members.

Um we are a group of providers, um, and we are here to assist you with some of the language and also some of the um just the entire process.

So please use us when this does get um looked over again for some feedback because there is some very concerning language in here that puts our unsheltered neighbors, our community in dire danger.

So besides that, um, I also wanted to say I'm not here to yell at you guys again.

You've heard me do that enough in the past.

I I I'm just wanted to thank you.

Um I'm so so encouraged of the unity that you guys are showing tonight for our community.

Um been coming here for quite some time, and um I have not seen it that you went down to meet the residents and to see the people of where and go to their homes.

You went to their homes today, and you saw that this posting, regardless of how it happened, should not have happened.

And I know we're gonna talk about that at the end.

Um, in regards to the resolution, uh communication is part of that, finding a plot of land is part of that.

We are not going to have that tomorrow.

There's no magic wand that's gonna have that.

This is heart-wrenching.

My heart, I'm sure your heart is breaking.

The stories that were shared tonight, the individuals here that have no place to go tomorrow.

That is just inhumane.

But I am here to thank you for really listening to the people, and I hope that we can continue with this and fix this communication issue.

It is wrong of the way that this was posted.

Public works decided.

That's the that's the excuse.

Public works decided, and they went down and posted with no communication with city council again.

With providers again, your own departments.

We have to fix that.

We have to focus on that.

And there needs to be more oversight with this administration.

Thank you.

Okay, so um I say something again now that we have this in France.

Um we I we all haven't read it, but um I'll take a quick comment, yes.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Um again, Regina Badia, West Side.

Um, first page.

Abandoned property, tents, structures of personal belongings that have been on pock occ unoccupied for 48 hours and more.

Um so people can't get sick, they can't go to the hospital, their shit guys thrown out when they're gone for two days.

Um really big bold letters, first page.

The city does not provide housing, shelter, or relocation assistance.

Great.

Um camping and temporary shelters are prohibited in city parks, city parks close at dusk except during permitted events.

Um I'm not I'm not seeing anything about 30 days.

In fact, I'm seeing notice period 10 days prior to cleanup.

So again, that has nothing's changed.

So don't vote as if this policy, because it's it's bullshit.

Frankly, yeah, okay.

So we're going to at this point call the vote, Mr.

Halloween.

Okay, the vote on uh sorry.

Oh, resolution.

Hold on, Mr.

I'd like to make a motion on something for this.

Um sorry.

Um, so you want to okay, go ahead.

And first off, just before I make the motion, I did want to say to everyone, thank you for coming.

Um I started in this process of sitting in these meetings, and most of these chairs are empty almost every single council meeting.

So like this is civic engagement right here.

So I know it's a lot.

I know it's hard to come up with a podium, but thank you.

Um from a motion perspective, um where are we here?

Sorry.

Yes, so I want to make a motion to have councilperson Gurlach um to I'm sorry, with councilperson girls to have staff work with councilperson Gurlich and the homelessness commission to suggest a plan for oversight and reporting on how the administration manages encampment procedures and to have that communicated to the city council and to the commission, and that the report that are that a report on any action or planned or anticipated action by the administration be reported on at each council meeting going forward until a full plan has been established.

And what if they do it again though?

Um post it again.

So Mr.

Bender has the floor.

Um there's a motion on the floor.

I'll second that.

And we have a second by Miss Gurloch.

And um any questions or comments from the dias on the motion.

Procedural questions.

So we're gonna vote on this motion, then do the resolution.

When do I make the other motion after the resolution or before the resolution?

I would say before.

Before we'll stack them together.

Okay.

All right.

So um that's okay.

Yes, yeah, yeah.

I just wanted to make sure I'm doing correctly.

So we have one motion on the floor.

We're gonna any questions or comments from the dais on that motion that Mr.

Bender just provided.

Okay.

Any and I'll I'll take public comment, then we'll come back for your motion.

Because it might help some of the concern.

Um, so the purpose of this motion is we didn't know anything about what was happening.

We never are told what's happening.

The providers aren't told, no one's told anything.

So our we meet twice a month.

So the hope is the thought is that if twice a month we're told what just happened and what's about to happen, that we can hopefully prevent some of these situations where there's like weird in uh closures happening in places that it shouldn't happen.

Like that's the hope.

Um, will it work?

I don't know, but I think it's worth a try.

And I uh you didn't read your name out loud because I'm not doing this by myself.

Yeah, okay.

So I'm something Jeremy.

Yes, sorry.

Thank you.

Okay.

Okay.

So and Ms.

Carlo, just to be clear that we're still speaking about his motion.

There's still another one coming.

Yes.

Perfect.

Okay, just want to be clear.

Um, any questions or comments from the public on the motion by uh council person binder?

Okay, so we'll call a vote on that motion.

I'm sorry.

Should we do we'll do votes separately on both motions?

We could be exact working.

I'm sorry.

The motion by Mr.

Binder, I will read it.

This is a motion to have staff work with councilperson Gurlock and the homeless commission to suggest a plan for oversight and reporting on how the administration manages encampment procedures and to have that communicated to the city council and the commission, and that a report on any action or planned or anticipated action by the administration be reported at each council meeting going forward until a plan is established on that motion.

Miss Santos.

Yes, Mr.

Napoli.

Yes.

Ms.

Affa.

Yes.

Mr.

Binder.

Yes.

Miss Gerlock.

Yes.

Miss Mota.

Yes.

And Mr.

Pungo.

Yes.

Mr.

President has seven yes and no nays on that.

Thank you.

So Ms.

Gerloch has a another motion.

Oh, yes.

I would like to make a motion to stop the current eviction, also term sweeping and/or closure of the homeless encampment behind the wall in Fountain Park that is scheduled to occur on April 20th.

And I would like to second that.

Okay.

So we have a motion by Miss Gerlock, a second by Vice President Mota.

And uh we can take comment from the dias.

Mr.

Benner, go ahead.

I think just for clarity, so everyone in the room understands we are making uh request to the administration, but whatever the vote is that happens here has no tangible impact until the administration makes a decision.

So I just want to make sure everyone's clear that they don't say, oh, we got seven votes, and everyone's like yes.

There is another step, but it is the up it's what's the opinion or the desire of the council is what we're we're trying to convey with this.

Okay.

Thank you.

And any questions or comments?

Ms.

Garlock.

In case someone's weighing on how to vote, and in case your heart isn't in this yet, just think about the money.

We spent almost $300,000 just to clear the Jordan encampment and the uh the one down at the Oriental Um uh Carpet Place.

If we keep at this pace, we're going to get to a mill.

We're going to get to a million dollars.

Do we really want to spend a million dollars when we could spend a million dollars on solutions?

So let's stop this.

Let's figure something out and stop wasting people's money.

Yeah.

So keep that in mind as you vote.

Okay, so we're still with this questions and comments on the motion.

Go ahead.

Yeah, no, I'll just uh on on the motion.

I think it's again the only reason R 57 is here today because of this sweep, and I think it's important for us to say, you know, this is causing more issues than it's solving.

Um on top of that, you know.

I I I think to echo the accessibility, the cost.

I mean, we went there today.

It's as much as it's like a clear path that you're not getting there with bulldozers and machinery, it's gonna take a lot of labor, a lot of work, and it's gonna be costly.

So put that on there.

All right, thank you.

Okay, any questions or comments from members of the public on the motion uh by Miss Garlach?

Not quite understand one name, please for the record.

18104.

My question is this if the mayor's not here and you just said we're gonna pass this, but we don't really know what will happen.

What does that mean?

What are you saying?

What?

I mean, we're making a statement to the administration, and that's all that's all we can do at this time.

Should we call the mayor tomorrow, all of us to find out what his decision is?

How are we gonna get this thing to be something that works?

Everybody on this dias is approving of the fact that we should stop this, but the person whose decision has to be the one that makes it happen is not here, and the person who could call him does not have a phone.

So said it.

I mean, so what are we doing?

Do you want us to call him?

I could call him right now.

What are we doing?

What are really seriously?

What are we doing?

I mean, at this point, sorry, I'm sorry he's not here.

Um but at this point we're doing the best we can with what's available.

And how are you gonna follow up on it?

And um we're we're gonna have conversations with him about it.

I mean, unfortunately, I mean we will follow up.

Remember the last time at that Jordan encampment, and the administration wanted to just do it real quick, and then we all said no, you're not gonna do that.

Well, there was a delay, wasn't there?

So does he have to listen?

No, he doesn't.

And then we'll know, we'll know that he didn't be out to uh uh to account by the people.

Can can we can we hold him accountable?

I mean, no, there's nothing we can do to the mayor.

It's a strong mayor form of government.

What that means is he's top dog.

You can't impeach him.

And I'm honestly asking because I don't know if that's possible.

I'm not asking it reaction.

I don't know.

I'm asking.

We are a legislative body, we only can do but so much so.

We're using the power that we've got to do what we can do.

If we could do more, if we were if this was uh a different form of government, perhaps we could directly tell the mayor what to do.

We cannot, we can only suggest recommend.

So if you're living at that encampment, don't think that tonight, based on the vote that you're good, the mayor has to come out and say it stopped.

Okay, that is the final word.

We're just trying to tell him we want that to happen.

Be clear, we're taking public comment right now just on Miss Gerlach's motion.

So let's just try and keep it stay with that.

Yeah, for the record, I do not think the mayor should be impeached.

I was asking to see what kind of control the city council has over the mayor.

I'm not suggesting that, just say you know.

Okay.

Go ahead, Candida.

I believe somewhere somehow in the next day or two, someone will get a hold of the mayor.

Okay.

And it the ball will be in his court again.

Okay.

You know, we're doing the best that we can here, and he should be sitting in the off seat instead of Frank.

But this is the way it goes.

But I assure you, somewhere somehow, someone will get a hold of him.

Okay.

Thanks.

Thank you.

So uh we are still taking public comment solely on the motion.

Yes.

I have a question about the motion.

So you can make a motion.

Can you make a motion to put a a deadline of when he has to get back and make a decision?

Because the individuals at the camp have until Monday.

So is he gonna make the decision a week after Monday?

Because they kind of need to know before Monday.

So could you put that in as a motion?

We'll decide by Friday.

You don't need we'll we will decide by Friday and be in touch.

Based on the lack of communication, this is with all due respect.

I feel like hold on, everyone.

Miss Mr.

Piero has the floor.

Um please.

Based on the lack of communication, and this is nothing against you, but I feel like in the urgency of it that you that if there was a way to put a deadline, then maybe the council can do that.

Discussion.

I can I I don't know.

I mean, council right now is offering suggestions to the administration because they want that difference, and you know that's what they're doing right now.

It doesn't have the effect of law.

Well, we've heard from Mr.

Kane at Friday.

Is that yeah?

I mean, I'm I'm happy to put a friendly amendment to say that that we're requesting that the the decision be made by end of business on Friday.

I'm happy to add that if if that's acceptable.

Um I'll take it.

I'll accept them.

Okay, so we took public public comment on the motion by Miss Gerlach.

Uh we added a friendly amendment.

Uh you keep it up, Mr.

Helen.

Uh yep.

So here's what I have.

So uh the motion is to stop the current eviction uh sweeping and/or closure at the encampment behind the wall scheduled for April 20th, and to have counsel and the public be informed of the mayor's decision by Friday.

Does that sound okay?

End of business Friday.

Okay.

So we will take a vote on this motion.

And uh you can call the vote, Mr.

Allen.

Okay, on that motion.

Um Miss Santos, yes, Mr.

Napoli.

Yes, Ms.

Affa.

Yes, Mr.

Bender.

Yes, Ms.

Gerlock.

Yes, Miss Moda.

Yes, Mr.

Bungo.

A resounding yes.

Mr.

President, seven days and no days.

Okay.

So we're back, um, everyone, to the original resolution as amended by two motions from my colleagues.

So we're back to resolution 57.

And if we can call a vote unless there's any other comments from the dais any last year.

Can I say this?

My understanding is that those two motions were standing separately.

They weren't attached to the resolution.

Okay.

Oh, I'm sorry, I thought we were amending the resolution, but I'm good either way.

Whatever's best.

Let's go.

Let's go with uh do you want them separate from the resolution or it's your call.

I'd like mine separate from the resolution.

Okay, so we're keeping Ms.

Garlach separate.

Um so we're keeping them separate, and we'll come back to the resolution.

The original resolution.

Okay, now we're back to the original resolution, R57, which strongly urges the city and county administration to address the crisis created by the recent posting of a campus sweep after the closing of the warming uh station.

Mr.

Napoli.

Yes, Miss Appa.

Yeah, Mr.

Binder.

Yes, Ms.

Gerlock.

Yes, Miss Moda.

Yes, Mr.

Fungo.

Yes.

And Miss Santos.

Yes.

Mr.

President, seven y's and no nays.

Okay, thank you.

Um we're gonna move along, folks.

Um, next up on the agenda is ordinances for introduction.

Uh we actually have none this evening.

Uh resolutions for introduction again.

We have none.

Uh we covered our upcoming meetings.

Any good and welfare from my colleagues?

Yeah, just real quick, since we have a room full of people.

Um do I say this?

So the fact that you're here right now means like Mr.

Bender had said, um, this is civic engagement.

Any one of you could be sitting up here.

Any one of you could be running for this seat and making these decisions.

And I know it seems a little bit far off, like how the heck that could that have ever happened.

It's happened for other people who have been in the same situation as what you're in.

So just keep that in mind.

It could go beyond just you sitting here begging us to do something for you.

You could be up here making the decisions for people.

I just wanted to say that since you're here.

Okay.

Okay, well um that takes us to uh well, thank you everyone for attending, and we're gonna adjourn this meeting this evening.

Thank you.

Good quote.