Lancaster City Council approves bond reallocations, ARPA change and rules to fill vacancy
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Summary
On Jan. 13, Lancaster City Council approved reallocations from prior bond issuances to fund water projects, removed a one-bedroom unit from an ARPA-funded South End community hub, established a process to fill a council vacancy, and adopted rules of order. All resolutions passed on recorded roll-call votes.
Lancaster City Council on Jan. 13 approved a set of resolutions that reallocated prior bond proceeds to water projects, modified an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant for a South End community hub and established a public process for filling a council vacancy.
Council adopted Administration Resolution 8-2026 to move roughly $9,500 from the completed Oyster Point 42-inch main project into a special and emergency water projects line. Councilor Hirsch said the change was simply moving unused funds from a finished project, noting it “essentially just [moves] unused funds from that prior stated project, which has been completed and moving it to the special emergency projects.”
The council also approved Administration Resolution 9-2026 to reallocate approximately $178,000 toward a Conestoga ceramic membrane pilot project (with additional transfers including $100,000 and $130,000 shifted into a water-meter line) so those costs can be capital-financed. Councilors said the adjustments allow the city to right-size budgets for ongoing work and access longer-term, lower-cost financing.
On ARPA funds, Council approved Resolution 10-2026 to remove construction of a one-bedroom apartment from a South End Concerned Neighbors project in the South End 7th Ward and to authorize staff to implement the revised scope. Councilor Solstice explained the committee had clarified program alignment and timeline constraints and said removing the apartment “makes sense to move forward with this.” Council members noted ARPA’s timing rules — applications needed to be allocated by 2025 and spent by 2026 — and expressed cautious optimism that the narrower scope will meet the deadline.
Council also adopted Resolution 11-2026, which sets a 10-day application window and an interview/shortlist process to fill the vacancy created by former council member Jamie Arroyo’s resignation (Arroyo is now mayor). The resolution directs the city to publish a URL for applications on the council website once the ordinance is adopted and asks councilors to submit proposed interview questions; the council president will synthesize six standardized questions to ask each applicant.
Finally, Council passed Resolution 12-2026 to codify rules of order required by the city’s administrative code, formalizing three-minute public-comment limits, the council president’s role in debate, procedures for handing off the gavel and guidance for committee work.
Votes at a glance - Minutes approval (special meeting 01/05/2026): Approved by roll-call (recorded as unanimous 'Aye' votes). - Resolution 8-2026 (2018 bond reallocation): Approved (roll-call recorded as 'Aye'). - Resolution 9-2026 (2022 bond reallocation): Approved (roll-call recorded as 'Aye'). - Resolution 10-2026 (ARPA funding change for South End Concerned Neighbors): Approved (roll-call recorded as 'Aye'). - Resolution 11-2026 (vacancy-appointment process): Approved (roll-call recorded as 'Aye'). - Resolution 12-2026 (rules/order of business): Approved (roll-call recorded as 'Aye').
What happens next: Many of the items take effect through administrative implementation (application postings, website updates, staff actions to implement ARPA changes); the emergency-management ordinance read tonight will return at a future meeting for a vote.
