Council delays decision on $300,000 ARPA-backed "Clean and Safe" ambassador pilot with Chamber

The Norristown Municipal Council heard a detailed presentation on Jan. 6 about a proposed Clean and Safe ambassador program to provide street-level cleaning, hospitality outreach and a limited safety-ambassador presence in selected business corridors. The program would be run in partnership with the Norristown Chamber of Commerce and would be supported by a proposed allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

Municipal staff described the concept as a two-year pilot focused on cleaning designated corridors (including Main Street, Swede Street and Marshall Street), trash pickup, landscaping, and a visible ambassador presence that would carry radios to contact police. Presenters described the model used by the company Block by Block as an example and said the municipality had earmarked money in the budget: $200,000 from the Business Development Economic Revitalization Initiative and a proposed $300,000 of unallocated ARPA funds; staff also said county ARPA funds were being sought for a pilot year.

Council members and members of the public raised multiple questions about scope, cost and contracting. Councilman William McCoy said the council should wait until a permanent police chief is in place before finalizing a program that would work “closely with the police department.” Others pressed for a detailed budget and a breakdown of personnel, overhead and equipment; Councilwoman Adira Robinson requested interim and annual reporting and emphasized the need for clear performance metrics. Several speakers urged a smaller pilot to gather data before committing significant funds. Business owners and residents who spoke during public comment generally supported exploring the program as one of several tools to improve cleanliness and business corridor perception, but wanted clearer cost and administrative details.

Council members also queried whether the program would require a municipal request for proposals (RFP). Staff said the recommended mechanism was to encumber funds to the chamber by an interagency memorandum of understanding; the chamber would then run an RFP to select the vendor who would operate the ambassador program. Several council members asked whether the pilot would duplicate existing public-works or community-cleaning efforts and whether it could create labor or union conflicts. Staff clarified that public works crews focus on street sweeping (the curb and roadway) while the ambassador cleanup would focus on sidewalks and storefront corridors; staff noted that some city programs already use comp time for cleaning work.

Given the number of outstanding questions about budget details, performance metrics, vendor selection and potential union impacts, the council voted to table the proposed subrecipient agreement with the Norristown Chamber of Commerce and to take up the item at a later meeting after staff provides more detailed cost estimates and an implementation plan.