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City Council approves contracts, budget amendments and ordinances; summary of votes
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Summary
At its Aug. 6 meeting, Allentown City Council approved a series of contract awards, change orders and budget amendments (R97–R102 and Bills 47–72). Several measures passed with near-unanimous support; some items drew a lone or minority dissent. No homelessness-specific ordinance was adopted at the meeting.
Allentown City Council conducted routine business at its Aug. 6 meeting and approved multiple contracts, change orders and budget amendments across departments, including public works, parks, the fire department and planning.
A summary of key outcomes:
- R97: Award contract to Construction Masters for intersection improvements at Seventh & Hamilton and Seventh & Linden (bid 202527). Outcome: approved. (Vote: majority; recorded roll call conducted in the meeting.)
- R98: Change order with Phillips and Donovan Architects for preliminary consulting and engineering services for a new parks operations facility. Outcome: approved.
- R99: Contract increase (annual estimate) to $45,000 per year to cover higher-than-anticipated costs. Outcome: approved.
- R100: Change order with Construction Masters to add ADA ramp work and related removals using CDBG funds. Outcome: approved; one council member recorded a dissent.
- R101: Cooperative contract authorization for various goods/services including commercial roofing. Outcome: approved (record shows multiple nays; final tally recorded in the meeting minutes).
- R102: Change order with Maher Dussel for financial and compliance audits (additional scope due to federal grants and single-audit requirements). Outcome: approved.
Ordinances and budget actions (Bills 47–72):
- Bill 47: Rezoning of parcel at 2851–2865 College Drive (Cedar Crest College) from low-density residential to institutional/governmental. Outcome: adopted (record indicates unanimous approval).
- Bill 60: Amendment to the 2025 Trexler Fund budget for Trexler Memorial Park supplemental appropriation. Outcome: adopted.
- Bill 61: Supplemental appropriation of $182,000 from the Commonwealth to the Police Department for a Police Academy range tower. Outcome: adopted.
- Bill 62: Supplemental appropriation of $200,375 from Lehigh County to the Fire Department for fire academy training tower repairs. Outcome: adopted.
- Bill 63: $25,000 appropriation to support fire department public affairs, honor guard and underwater recovery team. Outcome: adopted.
- Bill 64: Expenditure of HUD/Homeless Assistance and related federal program funds for housing and community development. Outcome: adopted (unanimous).
- Bill 65: Transfer to comply with audit ($567,951.31). Outcome: adopted.
- Bill 66: Capital increase of $2,750,000 for the Center Square project at Seventh & Hamilton. Outcome: adopted.
- Bill 67: Transfer of $293,546.80 to traffic signals upgrade for repairs at seven intersections. Outcome: adopted.
- Bill 68: Trexler Fund supplemental appropriation of $120,720 for parks capital upgrades. Outcome: adopted.
- Bill 69–71: Introduced and referred to committee (zoning and subdivision updates, cardboard baler appropriation); no final votes on those items at this meeting.
Voting patterns and context: Many items were approved with broad support; a recurring dissenting vote on several items came from one council member who recorded multiple "No" votes in roll calls noted in the transcript. Several items were brought forward as previously awarded contracts or change orders and required council authorization because increases exceeded 10% of the original contract value.
What the meeting record shows: The council conducted the votes after committee reports and public comment, approving a series of procurement, budget and zoning actions. Where items were previously awarded and then increased (change orders and contract amendments), administration representatives explained cost drivers such as inflation in porta-potty rental pricing, additional audit work tied to COVID-era grants and reallocation of CDBG funds.
No new policy action addressing the Jordan Meadows encampment eviction was approved at this meeting; council scheduled a committee of the whole for Aug. 13 to review Bill 72 and related unhoused issues.
