Council recognizes police accreditation, Lafayette bicentennial events, National Bike Month, Public Works Week and backs state minimum wage bill

Lancaster City Council used part of its May 13 agenda to recognize awards and adopt several routine proclamations and resolutions.

Accreditation recognition: Council publicly recognized Lancaster Bureau of Police for achieving accreditation from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association. Jim Adams of the association presented the certificate and explained the program assesses departments against a standards manual (described as 25 standards encompassing roughly 370 specific practices) and requires ongoing annual reporting and periodic reassessments.

Lafayette bicentennial: Council passed a resolution designating July 27–29, 2025, as “Lafayette Days” in Lancaster. A brief historical presentation by Ben Webber outlined Lafayette’s 1824–25 farewell tour and local events planned as part of a multi-state bicentennial commemoration. The resolution passed by recorded vote (roll call recorded as: Mr. Mitt Aye; Mr. Royo Aye; Mr. Cleese Aye; Ms. Craig Aye; Ms. Diaz Aye; Mr. Hirsch Aye; President Bacon Aye).

National Bike Month: Council adopted a resolution recognizing May 2025 as Bike Month and heard a presentation from Global Shapers’ Ride, Roll and Stroll Lancaster (project lead Laura Pauls Thomas and Leah Zickmund). Presenters described local bike-safety education, a free consulting initiative for active-transportation barriers and events planned during bike month. Roll call recorded support for the resolution.

National Public Works Week: Council adopted a resolution celebrating National Public Works Week and the city’s public works employees; Councilor Hirsch highlighted the department’s recent outreach and work on sewer/consent-decree communications.

Minimum wage resolution (Resolution 38): Council voted to adopt a resolution calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to raise the state minimum wage to $15 per hour and to give municipalities the power to set local minimum wages. State Representative Nikki Rivera addressed council, summarizing House Bill 1150 (sponsor Rep. Ronnie G.) and the governor’s budget proposal to raise the statewide minimum to $15 with a separate tipped-worker rate; she urged constituents to contact state senators to support the proposal. Several public commenters at the meeting urged local action on earned-income-tax exemptions and other local policies to protect low-income households. Roll call on Resolution 38 was recorded as unanimous (all present councilors voted “Aye”).

Heritage and HARB items: The council approved multiple historic‑district applications recommended by the Historical Commission/HARB, including demolition of a rear storage building at a Horseshoe Holdings property, construction of an outdoor deck at 800 Buchanan Avenue and a doorway change at 127 East Orange Street. Those items were moved together and approved following a committee report and staff clarification that one other HARB item had been tabled for a later meeting.

Neighborhood Leadership Academy: The meeting included a presentation from the John P. McCaskey High School Neighborhood Leadership Academy class of 2025. Students described a “traffic garden” they designed for Open Streets and reflected on civic engagement lessons. Council and the mayor recognized students and program staff.

Votes at a glance: - Resolution designating Lafayette Days (Resolution 32 20 25): approved by roll call (all present voted Aye). - Resolution recognizing Bike Month (Resolution 33 20 25): approved by roll call (all present voted Aye). - Resolution recognizing National Public Works Week (Resolution 35 20 25): approved by roll call (all present voted Aye). - Resolution urging PA legislature to raise minimum wage (Resolution 38 20 25): approved by roll call (all present voted Aye). - Heritage/HARB approvals (various): approved as recommended.

What the votes mean: The proclamations are ceremonial recognitions. The minimum-wage resolution is nonbinding (it expresses council’s position and asks the state legislature to act); it does not itself change local or state wage law. Heritage/HARB approvals permit the applicants to proceed with approved façade or demolition changes subject to any permitting requirements. The accreditation recognition is ceremonial and notes the police bureau’s voluntary compliance with the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police standards and periodic reassessments.

Council meeting records, resolutions and the city’s audited financial statements were all referenced during public comment; the mayor noted that audited statements are posted on the city website and responded to questions about a newspaper report related to a pension overpayment and subsequent repayments and corrections by the pension administrator.