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Council approves contract awards, grant applications and budget transfers in routine vote package
Summary
Council approved a package of contract awards and resolutions including engineering, tree services, fleet parts, equipment purchases, grant applications for park facilities and transfers for premium pay; the meeting also set special budget meetings and introduced capital budget amendments for PFAS remediation.
At its regular meeting council approved a series of routine procurement awards, grant applications and budget transfers summarized below.
Contracts and procurement approvals - R178: $30,055 to Herbert Rowland and Grubig Inc. for Canal Park river access point engineering (procurement recommended the highest-scored vendor; approved). - R179: $233,830 to Langan Engineering and Environmental Services for MLK Trail phase 2 engineering (discussion clarified scope and grant funding; approved). - R180: Estimated $28,545 yearly contract with Total Administrative Services Corporation for FMLA management services (procurement: two proposals; approved). - R181: $61,850 to F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company for Franklin Park street-tree work (sole bidder; approved). - R182: Estimated $200,000 yearly contract with Titan Tree Services for tree services (procurement received four bids; approved). - R183: Supplemental inspection staffing contract with Traffic Planning & Design, Inc. for the 7th Street/Hamilton realignment project (approved). - R184: Multiple-vendor vehicle parts and supplies awards with an estimated annual cap of $1,600,000; procurement received 13 bids and confirmed the amount is in the budget (approved). - R185: Cooperative purchase of a Ventrac tractor for Parks & Recreation via Resourcewell Cooperative (parks staff described capabilities; approved).
Grants, resolutions and transfers - R189: Application to Pennsylvania DCED for $1,000,000 Local Share Account grant to support a new park operations facility in Lehigh Parkway (approved). - R190: HUD 108 loan application for $1,015,000 to support construction of a manufacturing facility at 1932 East Liddington Street (Mishka Vaca) (approved). - R191: Local Share Account grant application for Lehigh Trout Nursery improvements; the transcript contains a transcription error for the dollar amount and that amount is flagged as not specified in the meeting record (approved). - R192: Resolution committing to limited herbicide use in parks (see separate article). - R193: Transfers for premium pay and operations (EMS $244,035; Fire $565,129.79; Police $300,000) and other operational transfers (approved).
Appointments and committee business - Consent agenda approved appointments: Elizabeth Still and Joshua Nuland/Newland to the Commission on Homelessness (terms to 12/04/2029) and Anna Rivera Lago to the Allentown Housing Authority (term date listed in record). - Council scheduled special meetings on December 10 for additional budget amendments and adoption and on December 17 to review the Encampment/Enclosure ordinance (Bill 83).
Several items generated brief public comment and clarifying questions: a resident asked how the $1.6 million vehicle parts estimate was calculated and staff pointed to procurement documentation posted on the city website; a resident asked whether the Titan tree services contract related to a prior parks contract and staff explained the contracts serve different purposes.
Procedural votes for the package were recorded by roll call; most actions passed unanimously or by recorded majorities as noted in the meeting record.
