Reading council adopts memorandum of intent with schools for stadium improvements, 6-1

Reading City Council voted to adopt a resolution authorizing the mayor or safety service director to execute a memorandum of intent with Reading Community City Schools for stadium and recreation improvements, adopting the measure as an emergency by a 6-1 roll call on April 21, 2026. The resolution was recorded as 2026-14R.

Council members pressed for clarity about financing during discussion. Council Member Bob Boehner asked, “How many bonds are we floating? Two, three, four? I thought it was just one bond.” Council Member Katie Eadicicco replied that the number and terms would depend on final estimates and said the memorandum is an interim step before lawyers draft a formal contract if the bond passes. Eadicicco also noted the memorandum was recommended by the city’s legal counsel to affirm public-use commitments and scheduling arrangements between the city and the schools.

The resolution text includes a clause that, after improvements are made, the city will retain ownership of the property until the applicable bonds are paid off. Council debated how specific the memorandum should be before the bond vote; Boehner said he did not "see the rush to get this passed," while other members said the memorandum signals intent and avoids legal fees drafting a final contract before the levy outcome is known. The vote was Yes: Mr. Powell, Mr. Bronner, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Thamann, Mrs. Kroeger and Mrs. Eadicicco; No: Mr. Boehner.

The memorandum calls for joint approval of scheduling for games, practices and other uses to ensure non-school teams have year-round access. The resolution was adopted as an emergency; council did not adopt detailed bond terms during the meeting, and officials said project-specific bonds would be defined after passage and final estimates are available.