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York City Council approves multiple resolutions, introduces five bills
Summary
At its April 1 meeting the York City Council approved a series of resolutions including appointments to the housing authority, waste-disposal contract, a park grant application and authorization for outside counsel for the treasurer; the council also introduced five budget and ordinance bills for later consideration.
York City Council approved a string of resolutions on Tuesday and introduced five bills for future consideration, the council announced at its April 1 legislative meeting in council chambers.
The actions include reappointments and a new appointment to the York Housing Authority, approval of a municipal contract for collection and disposal of large residential items, authorization to submit a park master-plan grant application, and approval for the treasurer’s office to retain outside counsel. Council members also introduced five bills amending the 2025 budget and codified ordinances; those bills will “sit” for later consideration.
Why it matters: the measures affect city operations and funding priorities (trash collection, housing authority membership, grant applications and budget changes) and set the items that staff and committees will advance before final votes.
Votes and key motions
- Minutes: Council approved the minutes of the March 18 legislative meeting and the March 26 committee meeting. Motion moved and seconded; chair called for ayes and the motion carried.
- Resolution 22 (certificate of appropriateness): Council approved a certificate of appropriateness for work at 287 West Market Street and 247 East Princes Street after a brief public comment from Kevin Byard (owner/operator of Pecan Tree Café at 287 West Market). Roll-call recorded as affirmative by council at the vote. Outcome: approved.
- Introductions (no final votes tonight): The council introduced five bills that will be considered at a future meeting: Bill 5 (CDBG and HOME grant rollover appropriations for the Bureau of Housing Services); Bill 6 (Treasurer’s Office, $10,000 for professional services); Bill 7 (Police Department appropriation of $33,438.89 passed through from the County of York for laptops and school supplies under a PCCD subgrant); Bill 8 (amendments to Article 181 of the Codified Ordinances to add eligibility, application, attendance and conflicts-of-interest rules for boards and commissions); Bill 9 (amendments to parking and vehicle operation rules related to special events at the York Fairgrounds). Each bill was introduced by the sponsoring council member and will be scheduled for later consideration.
- Resolution 23 (appointments): The council consented to the reappointment of Baronita Banks to the York Housing Authority (term to expire April 2030), appointed James Sawyer to fill an unexpired term on the York Housing Authority (term to expire April 2029) and appointed Albert Cooner Jr. to the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (term to expire January 2030). James Sawyer was administered the oath of office at the meeting. Outcome: appointments approved by roll-call.
- Resolution 24 (agreement with goods disposal service): Council approved an agreement with a goods-disposal contractor for collection and disposal of large items at residential properties. A public commenter (Manuel Gomez, City of York resident) asked about the number of bidders; the clerk confirmed there were three bids. Outcome: approved by roll-call.
- Resolution 25 (Parkwood Park master plan grant application): Council authorized electronic signature of the grant application and related documents for the Parkwood Park Master Plan Improvements Grant Project (the resolution text named the project; funding amount not specified in the meeting). Outcome: approved by roll-call.
- Resolution 26 (outside counsel for treasurer): Council approved hiring outside legal services for the Office of the City Treasurer under the city ordinance that allows departments to retain counsel by resolution. Outcome: approved by roll-call.
- Resolution 27 (modification to intergovernmental cooperation agreement): Council approved modifications to the intergovernmental cooperation agreement among York County and the City of York to change membership criteria for the York County Uniform Construction Code Board of Appeals in accordance with York County Ordinance 24-3. Outcome: approved by roll-call.
Context and next steps
Most introduced bills were described briefly and ‘‘will sit’’ pending committee review or future readings. Several resolutions referenced county or federal grant programs (CDBG, HOME, PCCD subgrant, and federal coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds passed through the county) and an intergovernmental ordinance (York County Ordinance 24-3). The clerk noted deadlines and the next legislative meeting dates; the council will take final votes on introduced bills and may return with implementing documentation for approved grant applications or contracts in later meetings.
The council’s roll-call votes were recorded during the meeting; the clerk called each member’s name at each recorded vote and registered affirmatives. Several public commenters spoke before votes on specific items (for example, Kevin Byard on the certificate of appropriateness and Manuel Gomez on the nuisance-disposal contract bidding).
