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Council approves consent agenda, passes two resolutions and introduces bills on parks, streets and a fire academy
Summary
The council approved the consent agenda and passed R62 (DCNR grant closeout) and R63 (two budget transfers). It introduced Bills 32–42 for committee referral, including a tobacco-buffer proposal for playgrounds, capital funding for Lehigh & Union Street, MLK Trail funding, and a $136,319 appropriation for a second fire academy in 2026.
The Allentown City Council approved its consent agenda and passed two resolutions on May 6 and introduced a slate of bills for committee review.
Clerk Ortega read consent items (listed as R58, R59/R591935, R60, R61) that include certificates of appropriateness for work in the historic district and several sewer-planning modules. The council approved the consent agenda by roll call, recorded as 7 yeas and no nays.
Council then passed Resolution R62, which closes out a DCNR community grant project, and R63, which approves two budget transfers: $31,803.85 reallocating funds for parks and recreation special events and $13,000 to cover water/sewer rebates. Both resolutions passed on unanimous recorded votes (7–0).
Council members also introduced Bills 32 through 42. Highlights include: - Bill 32 (referred to Parks & Recreation): would prohibit smoking or vaping any substance within 25 feet of playgrounds, recreation fields and courts. - Bill 33 (referred to Community & Economic Development): repeals the city’s abandoned real-property/blight chapter and adopts a new vacant and at-risk property chapter. - Bill 36 (referred to Public Works): adds $1,650,000 to the 2026 capital fund to reconstruct Lehigh and Union Street under a congressionally directed spending grant; the grant requires match funding. - Bill 40 (referred to Parks & Recreation): a supplemental appropriation of $800,000 from a DCED LSA grant for the MLK Trail Extension, phase 1. - Bill 42 (referred to Public Safety): moves $136,319 from the general fund unappropriated balance to the fire department operating budget to support a second fire academy in 2026; a fire department representative said vacancy concerns prompted the request.
No final votes on the introduced bills were taken; each was referred to the committee named when introduced for further review and potential amendment.
