Yeadon council approves hires, appointments and routine financial measures in unanimous votes

Yeadon Borough Council members voted unanimously on a series of routine personnel and financial measures during the legislative session, approving meeting minutes, two probationary extensions, the hiring of three police officers contingent on examinations, and a five-year zoning-board appointment.

The council approved the Jan. 9 caucus and Jan. 16 legislative meeting minutes by roll call. It extended probationary periods through March 20, 2025, for employee 10273 (code enforcement officer) and employee 10274 (front desk receptionist/call coordinator). The council also approved Resolution 2025-002 to appoint Eliza Ford to the borough zoning hearing board for a five-year term effective the day of the vote.

Mayor Rowan Hopkins asked the council to hire three candidates — Donald Beas, Bridal McElwee and Jason Ben Bendett — as full‑time police officers for the Yeadon Police Department “contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation, medical, physical, psychological exam, and polygraph.” The council approved the hires by roll-call vote.

On finance items, the council approved the accounts payable list for February 2025, additions to that list and the January 2025 cash balance report after discussion in which Council members asked for clarifications about donations, grant drawdowns, and legal fees. Finance Director Nafeez Nichols addressed questions about timing of receipts and fund reconciliations.

All recorded votes in the meeting were unanimous yes votes by President Latoya Monroe, Vice President Liana Roachloud (variants in the record: Roachlau/Roeklaut), Councilor Nicole Beattie (Beatty), Councilor Antoinette Drouhard (Truhart/Trehart variants), Councilor Michael Trent, Councilor Jesse Pietz/Peetz, and Councilor Loren Johnson.

The actions passed were procedural or administrative rather than new policy adoptions; several items noted that personnel approvals were contingent on standard background checks and examinations. Items that require further administrative follow-up — for example, onboarding checks for the new officers and grant closeouts for capital projects — were referred to staff for implementation.

Votes at a glance - Approval: Jan. 9, 2025 caucus meeting minutes — motion passed (unanimous roll-call). - Approval: Jan. 16, 2025 legislative meeting minutes — motion passed (unanimous roll-call). - Personnel: Extend probation for employee 10273 (code enforcement officer) to 03/20/2025 — motion passed (unanimous roll-call). - Personnel: Extend probation for employee 10274 (front desk receptionist/call coordinator) to 03/20/2025 — motion passed (unanimous roll-call). - Hiring: Approve hiring Donald Beas, Bridal McElwee and Jason Ben Bendett as full‑time police officers for Yeadon Police Department, contingent on background/medical/psychological/polygraph — motion passed (unanimous roll-call). - Resolution 2025-002: Appoint Eliza Ford to the Zoning Hearing Board for a five‑year term effective the day of the vote — motion passed (unanimous roll-call). - Finance: Approve accounts payable list for February 2025 — motion passed (unanimous roll-call). - Finance: Approve additions to accounts payable list for February 2025 — motion passed (unanimous roll-call). - Finance: Approve January 2025 cash balance report — motion passed (unanimous roll-call).

Council members and staff noted routine next steps: Human Resources and the police department will complete onboarding checks for the new hires; finance staff will continue reconciliations and provide line‑item clarifications to councilors concerned about timing of grant drawdowns and legal-fee postings.

The meeting record shows no failed or tabled motions; decisions recorded were administrative and scheduled for standard implementation steps by borough staff.