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Mayor defends consultant hires, sets June 2 date to clear large encampment
Summary
Mayor Sandy Walker told York City Council she supports outside consultants to complete overdue audits and HR and cybersecurity reviews, listed recent payments to those contractors, and said the largest encampment will be cleared with supports on June 2 (rain date June 3).
Mayor Sandy Walker told the City of York council on May 5 that the administration had hired several outside consultants to help complete overdue audits, human-resources reviews and a cybersecurity forensic assessment and that the work was necessary to restore basic municipal operations.
Walker said the consultants are supporting a range of tasks: a 90-day cybersecurity forensic review, HR compliance and job-description audits, procurement and grant-review work and support for the city’s redevelopment authority processes. She said some contractors have been paid modest sums so far: a departing finance staff member who completed monthly financial reports received about $21,000; advisor Michael Dowry’s firm received $18,000; Strategic HCM had received about $8,000; and Ticstone Solutions $2,358.75. Walker said some community advisers and volunteers had not been paid.
The mayor framed the hires as remedial work after years of incomplete internal reporting and delayed audits. “When you had, in the past, people in place, you weren’t getting what you requested,” she said, urging that the consultants are helping the city become compliant and more attractive to qualified staff.
Walker also addressed an emergency public-safety decision: the administration plans a “compassionate clear-out” of the large Springetts Ferry encampment on June 2 with a June 3 rain date. She said the city is coordinating with nonprofit service providers and deploying public-works and police resources to offer services before and during the clearance.
Walker said relocations and program disruptions — including an inability to run summer parks programming at one West End site — were among factors that pushed the administration to set the June date. She said the city is communicating with people at the encampment and will provide resources and partner services as part of the effort.
The mayor urged residents to direct follow-up questions about consultants to her office or the chief of staff. She said the decision on the encampment was difficult but necessary for public safety and service continuity.
The council did not vote on a formal motion related to the encampment that evening; Walker said the administration would continue coordinating with stakeholders and provide updates.
