Altoona council approves consent items, rejects $777 repository bid; introduces PMHIC and 2026 budget ordinances
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Summary
Altoona City Council approved several consent items including a three-year police contract and a demolition contract, then rejected a $777 repository bid for a city property; two ordinances (joining PMHIC and the 2026 budget) were introduced.
The Altoona City Council on Nov. 10 approved several consent agenda items, including minutes from the Oct. 14 meeting, a three-year collective bargaining agreement with FOP Mountain City Lodge No. 8 (Jan. 1, 2026 through Dec. 31, 2028), a demolition contract for 111 6th Avenue awarded to G and R Excavating of Tyrone, and an application to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a Local Share Account statewide grant to replace fire hoses and nozzles (requested amount $252,694). The consent vote on those items passed 7-0.
Council then took a separate vote on item E: a repository bid of $777 submitted by Mr. Rands of Gaithersburg, Maryland for property located at 3127 To 33 7th Avenue. The council recorded all "No" votes on that motion and the bid approval failed.
Two ordinances were introduced for first reading: an ordinance authorizing Altoona to join the Pennsylvania Municipal Health Insurance Cooperative (PMHIC), introduced by Vice Mayor Ellis, and the 2026 budget ordinance appropriating sums for municipal purposes in 2026, introduced by Councilman Ickes. Both were introduced for consideration and no final action on those ordinances took place at the meeting.
Public comment preceding the votes included two substantive items. Lawrence Carter urged the council to consider local legislation limiting cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), saying local police should not allow ICE access to people in custody without a judicial warrant and pointing to ordinances in Allentown, Lancaster and Philadelphia as models. Devin Sailor spoke on behalf of a constituent about a zoning change placing 3620 Beale Ave in an "RNA" zone that appears to preclude prior commercial uses; staff advised the speaker to contact zoning staff and the mayor offered to follow up with contact information after the meeting.
Votes at a glance: - Consent items (a: minutes; b: collective bargaining agreement with FOP Mountain City Lodge No. 8; c: demolition contract to G and R Excavating; d: application for PA Local Share Account grant): Passed, unanimous (7-0). (See transcript SEG 231-251.) - Item e: Approve repository bid $777 (Mr. Rands for property at 3127 To 33 7th Avenue): Failed (all members recorded "No"). (See transcript SEG 252-273.)
No further votes were recorded; the meeting concluded with council remarks and adjournment.