York City Council introduces three budget bills and approves several ARPA resolutions
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Summary
The council introduced three budget-related bills for later consideration and approved multiple resolutions allocating ARPA funds, including $1 million for Codorus Creek remediation, $100,000 to LifePath (with an abstention), and a $200,000 total award to Crispus Attucks.
At its March 3 meeting the York City Council introduced three budget amendments and approved a slate of resolutions that move ARPA and local funding forward.
Introductions: The council introduced three bills that will "sit" for future consideration: Bill 1 (introduced by Betsy Buckingham) would amend the 2026 budget by $104,550 to accept a PennDOT Greenlight Gold grant for safety improvements at Route 30 (PA Avenue, Fair Lane and Roosevelt avenues); Bill 2 (introduced by Queen Washington) would amend the FY2026 budget by $52,000 for plans of safe care services; and Bill 3 (also introduced by Queen Washington) would amend the CDBG budget to reflect funding rollovers from 2025 to 2026. No votes were taken on these bills at the meeting. (Clerk)
ARPA resolutions passed:
- Resolution 18 (Betsy Buckingham): The council authorized up to $1,000,000 of previously allocated ARPA funds for restoration and revitalization of Codorus Creek and authorized the mayor and controller to execute agreements. During discussion, councilmembers flagged that YCA is a current contractor; the solicitor and staff said a conflict check was completed and found no legal concern. The resolution passed on roll call. (Resolution 18)
- Resolution 19 (Queen Washington): The council authorized $100,000 in ARPA funds to LifePath to support operations. A councilmember announced an abstention due to a place of employment; the roll call recorded at least that abstention and the resolution moved forward. (Resolution 19)
- Resolution 20 (Betsy Buckingham): The council increased a prior award to Crispus Attucks from $100,000 to a total of $200,000 for job training and authorized the mayor and controller to execute the amendment and subrecipient agreement. The resolution passed on roll call. (Resolution 20)
- Resolution 21: The council approved execution of permanent and temporary easements for a listed tax parcel. (Resolution 21)
- Resolution 22 (Elizabeth Buff): The council approved liaison assignments for boards and departments to run through January 2028. (Resolution 22)
Council procedural note: Multiple roll-call votes were recorded; in at least one vote a councilmember abstained for employment reasons. Council members asked for clearer public documentation of contracts; staff and the solicitor described ongoing efforts to centralize contracts in OpenGov and a council SharePoint for internal review.
Why it matters: The Codorus Creek allocation represents a sizable ARPA expenditure and drew discussion about timeline and conflicts of interest; the Crispus Attucks increase and LifePath funding direct ARPA dollars to job training and service providers. Introduced bills include a state grant for traffic-safety work and local social-service planning funds.
Next steps: Bills will return for formal consideration at subsequent meetings. Departments and the mayor’s office will execute agreements for approved resolutions, subject to standard procurement and contract procedures.