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Allentown council approves contracts, capital adjustments and multiple grant applications
Summary
Council approved several contract awards and local share grant applications, amended the capital budget and advanced multiple ordinances and introductions, with unanimous or near-unanimous roll-call votes on items including a police simulator, park repairs and MLK Trail funding.
At a regular meeting of the Allentown City Council, members approved a series of procurement contracts, capital budget changes and formal grant applications, including authorization to buy an impaired driving simulator for the police department and a $300,000 appropriation for MLK Trail Phase 2.
City staff described R167 as authorization to contract with Intercorp LTD for a one-time purchase, training, installation and warranty of an impaired driving simulator and enclosed trailer for the police department in the amount of $46,060. Staff said the purchase was advertised as bid #2025-42 and the city received a single bid. The council approved the contract by roll call after no public comment.
The council also approved R168, a master-vendor award for moving and disposal services (estimated $50,000 per contract year) and R169, a cooperative purchase off CoStar for $244,893 with Miller Flooring Company to repair tennis courts at Irving Park. Both items passed by roll call with no recorded nays.
On capital spending, the council approved Bill 94, a supplemental $300,000 appropriation from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to support construction of MLK Trail Phase 2, and Bill 95, which creates a new capital account with a $3,000,000 increase. Both were reported out of committee and approved by roll call.
The consent agenda included three sewage planning modules (R170–R172) for properties on West Hamilton Street and North Quincy Street and passed unanimously. The council also authorized multiple local share account (LSA) grant applications: R173 requested $430,955.26 for purchase of a public-safety 'spot bomb' robot; R174 and R175 are LSA applications on behalf of the Allentown Parking Authority to repair the spiral parking deck at 836 W. Linden St. and to purchase operational equipment (staff said the equipment includes a skid steer, a forklift and another unit); and R176 is an LSA application for Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania to support repairs to a children's center. Each application was approved by roll call after routine committee reports and brief clarifications.
Votes at a glance: R167 (Intercorp LTD, $46,060) — approved (roll call; multiple yes votes recorded); R168 (Anchor Moving & Storage master list, est. $50,000/year) — approved; R169 (Miller Flooring, $244,893) — approved; R170–R172 (sewage planning modules) — approved; R173 (LSA $430,955.26 spot bomb robot) — approved; R174 (LSA spiral parking deck repair) — approved; R175 (LSA parking equipment) — approved; R176 (LSA Volunteers of America repairs) — approved; Bill 94 (MLK Trail Phase 2, $300,000 DCNR appropriation) — approved; Bill 95 (capital fund +$3,000,000) — approved. Tally statements in the transcript record unanimous or near-unanimous roll-call tallies (commonly reported in the meeting as seven yes and no nays). Where individual roll-call names were read aloud, the clerk recorded the yes votes listed on the record.
The council also introduced Bill 97 (creation of a commercial inspections program) and Bill 98 (a $1,000,000 DCED pass-through grant to support the Balm School of Arts) and referred both to committee for review.
The meeting closed after a brief items of good and welfare and was adjourned.
