Residents urge council to protect city resources as mayor campaigns; callers press for pothole, sidewalk and public-safety fixes

Several speakers during public comment urged the council to safeguard municipal resources while the mayor campaigns for both re-election and a U.S. House seat, and raised separate neighborhood infrastructure and safety concerns.

A council candidate, Burjawla Genta, asked the council to adopt oversight measures ensuring city phones, vehicles, credit-card transactions and employee time are not used for campaign activities. Genta also raised a residency concern about Deputy Mayor and City Business Administrator Elaine Cipriani, saying Cipriani may not meet the residency requirement to serve as acting mayor; Genta characterized that as a legal question the council should address. Those statements were presented as citizens’ concerns during public comment and were not resolved at the meeting.

Other residents asked for quicker pothole repairs and better sidewalk maintenance. Norma Jeffries thanked city groups for school-supply drives but asked where residents can find updated street-sign replacement percentages and noted a persistent pothole at Ash and Prescott. Multiple speakers praised public safety efforts at recent events but also called for more active enforcement and clearer responses to ATV riders driving on streets.

One resident, Les Spindler, sought clarification about a grant listed for "Lackawanna Avenue pedestrian and bike improvements" and asked whether paving would be included; a staff member said the project is intended to include paving, removal of a center island, lighting and curbs. Council members said they would request written clarifications from staff on the items raised.

The meeting record shows these points were presented to council as public comment; council members asked staff to follow up on pothole reports, crosswalk maintenance and the requested oversight measures.