Committee forwards resolution to stagger Police and Fire Civil Service Board terms

Allentown’s Resources, Administration and Appointments Committee voted to forward Resolution RR‑17 — a request from the City of Allentown Police and Fire Civil Service Board asking the mayor to stagger board members’ terms — to the full City Council after staff and the board’s chairman said the change likely requires amending the city’s civil service code rather than the Home Rule Charter.

The measure, introduced in committee as “R R 17,” was described by Marty Velasquez, Allentown HR director, who said the draft resolution “makes sense” but urged that any change be done by amending the City of Allentown Administrative Code rather than trying to apply a state code fix. “The challenge, I think, is how we do it,” Velasquez said, adding that Chapter 19 of the administrative code contains the board’s operating language and that the charter-language referenced in the resolution does not expressly provide for staggered starts.

The question matters because the way vacancies are filled is already specified in charter and code language. John Strbulle, chairman of the Fire and Police Civil Service Board, said the third-class city code and the city’s civil service rules anticipate an initial staggering — when a three-member board is first established one seat is set for two years, one for three and one for four — and thereafter regular terms are four years, with vacancies filled only to complete the unexpired term. “This is nothing more in my view than housekeeping that’s been done in the past,” Strbulle said, noting the board had discussed staggering repeatedly over the last year and had petitioned the council in December.

Committee discussion centered on the technical point that the Home Rule Charter or the third-class city code language does not change the four‑year term length but does affect how and when terms begin and how vacancies are filled. Velasquez recommended amending Chapter 19 of the City of Allentown Administrative Code — the civil service rules — to create a clear, lawful mechanism for staggered starts. Strbulle urged the committee to adopt the housekeeping change to restore staggered expirations and institutional continuity.

There was no public comment on the item. A committee member moved to forward the resolution “favorably” to full council; another committee member seconded, and the committee chair called the voice vote. The motion passed by voice vote and the item will proceed to the full City Council for consideration. The committee did not adopt any code language or ordinance at the meeting; staff recommended pursuing an amendment to Chapter 19 to implement staggering.

The committee adjourned after briefly confirming there were no general HR updates.