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Residents raise concerns about board diversity, term limits and alleged fund misuse during public comment
Summary
Multiple residents urged increased diversity on city boards, adherence to two-term charter limits and stronger enforcement for parking and suspected fund misuse; commissioners acknowledged the concerns and suggested follow-up through council, Right-to-Know requests and use of the city reporting app.
At the Charter Review Commission meeting several residents used the public-comment period to press issues ranging from representation on city boards to parking enforcement and alleged misuse of funds.
Fred Thompson, who identified himself as a former chair of the Redding Redevelopment Authority, said there is a "lack of participation or lack of opportunities for individuals of color" on local boards and asked the commission to examine term limits, saying some members have served beyond the two-term limit cited in the charter revision.
Tracy Savinack, a resident of Kennedy Towers, asked why parking enforcement is not more active in her neighborhood and said she had heard of "mishandling of a lot of funds throughout Berks County." Commissioners and staff suggested residents use the city app to submit photographic evidence of parking violations and noted that specific allegations about spending could be pursued through a Right-to-Know request or by referral to appropriate oversight bodies.
Chair Evelyn Morrison invited Thompson to return for an interview as a former chairman and asked staff to collect questions for commissioners who were not present. Commission members said they would review term-limit language and pursue vacancies to improve attendance; no formal action was taken on term-limit enforcement or on investigating the fund-misuse allegations at the meeting.
The public-comment speakers and commissioners agreed the commission must gather more documentary evidence before lodging formal complaints or drafting charter amendments; the group emphasized the survey and public hearings that remain to collect community input.
