Pelham City Council Regular Meeting - January 5, 2026

The Pelham City Council held its regular meeting on January 5, 2026, at City Hall. The meeting began with an invocation and pledge, followed by approval of a consent agenda. A special presentation by the Wounded Blue Organization honored two first responders injured in the line of duty. The council also voted on a budget amendment to reallocate an executive assistant position for community event planning, approved two ABC licenses, and held first readings of a floodplain ordinance update and a utility superintendent designation change.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the January 5, 2026 meeting agenda.
• Approved the December 15, 2025 regular council meeting minutes.
• Approved Resolution 2026-01-05-01 declaring surplus personal property and authorizing disposal.
• Approved Resolution 2026-01-05-02 approving FY2025 Carry-Forward Capital Project Funding.
• Approved Resolution 2026-01-05-03 authorizing a Property Listing Agreement for city-owned property.
• Approved Resolution 2026-01-05-04 accepting the low bid from Temple J Electric, LLC for the Pelham Greenway Phase IV Trail Lighting Project (budgeted FY2026).
• Approved Resolution 2026-01-05-05 accepting the low bid from Preferred Sandblasting and Painting, LLC for the High Ridge Water Tank Painting Project (budgeted FY2026).
• Approved Resolution 2026-01-05-06 accepting a proposal from Video Industrial Services, Inc. for storm sewer repairs along Royal Lane (budgeted FY2026).
• Approved Resolution 2026-01-05-07 amending the FY2026 Parks and Recreation Departmental Budget for amenity upgrades at the Pelham Dog Park.
• Approved Resolution 2026-01-05-08 allowing a one-time membership allowance for certain existing Pelham Recreation Center members.
• Approved Resolution 2026-01-05-09 accepting a donation of private funds to purchase and install a bench at City Park in memory of Ms. June Fletcher.

Presentation by the Wounded Blue Organization

The Wounded Blue Organization, a national charity supporting law enforcement officers injured in the line of duty, presented its Purple Heart-equivalent award to Officer Elizabeth Mentor of the Pelham Police Department and retired fire investigator Mike Talley. Both suffered catastrophic line-of-duty injuries. Pelham Police Chief Ed Delmore introduced the organization's founders, Randy Sutton (retired Las Vegas police lieutenant) and Sergeant Bob Beamus (retired Pennsylvania State Police), and highlighted a pending state legislative effort to close the 10-year vesting gap in the state pension for first responders injured on day one. The presentation included a video and remarks on the organization's peer support and annual summits. Council members expressed deep appreciation for the recipients and the organization's mission.

Discussion Items

• Budget Amendment - Resolution 2026-01-05-10: This resolution was removed from the consent agenda for separate consideration. City Manager Gretchen and Mayor Wash explained that it reclassifies an existing executive assistant position currently assigned to the city manager's office into an event-focused role supporting the mayor's office. The position will serve as a point person for community events such as youth government day, neighborhood cookouts, the 250th anniversary celebration, and other city-wide activities. An administrative assistant will be funded for the city manager's office to maintain daily operations. The mayor apologized for misinformation on social media and emphasized that the role supports the city as a whole, not the mayor's personal office. The council approved the resolution unanimously.
• ABC License Approvals - Resolutions 2026-01-05-11 & 12: The council approved two ABC license applications from SKAL USA, Inc. for separate businesses at 3350 Pelham Parkway. Resolution 11 authorized retail beer and wine licenses for Mama's Country Cooking (Suite A). Resolution 12 authorized a lounge retail liquor (package) and tobacco license for Toast Trends (Suite B). Applicant Paul Fields confirmed the stores will include a full kitchen operating under the "Meeting 3" brand. The police chief reported no objections. Both resolutions passed unanimously.
• First Reading - Floodplain Development Ordinance (No. 070-07): The council held the first reading of an ordinance updating the city's floodplain development regulations to comply with updated FEMA and National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements. City Manager Gretchen noted the update is a routine housekeeping measure necessary to maintain the city's eligibility for federal flood insurance and disaster assistance. The ordinance will be considered for final adoption at a future meeting.
• First Reading - Utility Superintendent Ordinance (No. 528): The council held the first reading of an ordinance amending the city code to designate the mayor as utility superintendent by position instead of by name. This change ensures continuity regardless of who holds the office and avoids future amendments tied to individual officeholders. Final adoption will be considered at a future meeting.

Council Comments

Councilmembers expressed gratitude for the Wounded Blue presentation and the pending state pension reform. They commended the recipients' sacrifice and highlighted the importance of safety equipment, citing Mike Talley's hard hat saving his life. Several members thanked the mayor and city manager for their transparency regarding the budget amendment. Councilmember Harris noted the undefeated Pelham High School varsity basketball team (19-0) and encouraged community support at their upcoming games. Remarks also touched on the importance of community engagement and youth initiatives.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved unanimously (11 resolutions plus agenda and minutes).
• Resolution 2026-01-05-10 (budget amendment) approved unanimously.
• Resolution 2026-01-05-11 (ABC license - Mama's Country Cooking) approved unanimously.
• Resolution 2026-01-05-12 (ABC license - Toast Trends) approved unanimously.
• First readings conducted for Floodplain Ordinance No. 070-07 and Utility Superintendent Ordinance No. 528; final passage scheduled for a future council meeting.
• The next regular council meeting was rescheduled from January 19 to January 20, 2026, due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday (city offices closed January 19, 2026).