Regular Council Meeting on April 25

By Press release submission

Apr 19, 2022

City of Reading recently issued the following announcement.

Regular Council Meeting

Description

CITY COUNCIL

Meeting Agenda

REGULAR MEETING

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2022

HYBRID MEETING

7 pm

DOWNLOAD PDF HERE

The Regular Meetings of City Council are filmed and can be viewed LIVE while the meeting is taking place via the attached Zoom link and dial-in phone number, on Facebook and on BCTV MAC Channel 99 or at your convenience at https://www.readingpa.gov/content/city-council-video.

Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device:

Please click this URL to join. https://readingpa.zoom.us/j/88059341373?pwd=ZVhoODRBSjlKK1l6SmtqYUlqZXhJUT09

Passcode: 437234

Or One tap mobile:

+13017158592,,88059341373#,,,,*437234# US (Washington DC)

+13126266799,,88059341373#,,,,*437234# US (Chicago)

Or join by phone:

Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

US: +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 720 707 2699 or 888 475 4499 (Toll Free) or 877 853 5257 (Toll Free)

Webinar ID: 880 5934 1373

Passcode: 437234

RULES FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT COUNCIL MEETINGS

The Administrative Code, Section § 5-209 defines public participation at Council meetings.

Citizens who wish to make public comment must pre-register following the instructions in Agenda #3 Public Comment on this agenda.
Citizens attending Council meetings are expected to conduct themselves in a responsible and respectful manner that does not disrupt the meeting.
Those wishing to have conversations should do so in the hall outside Council Chambers in a low speaking voice.
Public comment will occur only during the Public Comment period listed on the agenda. Comment must be directed to Council as a body and not to any individual Council member or public or elected official in attendance. Clapping, calling out, and/or cheering when a speaker finishes his comments is not permitted.
Citizens may not approach the Council tables at any time during the meeting.
Any person making threats of any type, personally offensive or impertinent remarks or any person becoming unruly while addressing Council may be called to order by the Presiding Officer and may be barred from speaking, removed from Council Chambers and/or cited.
Failure to abide by these regulations could result in your removal from Council Chambers and/or a citation. These regulations are meant to avoid disruptions at the meeting and they are not meant to interfere with public participation.

1. OPENING MATTERS

A. CALL TO ORDER

B. INVOCATION: Nilda Nieves, Feet on the Street Youth Ministry

C. PLEDGE TO THE FLAG

D. ROLL CALL

E. EXECUTIVE SESSIONS: An executive session was held at

2. PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

Commendation recognizing Fair Housing Month, accepted by Kathryn Cobb-Holmes, Human Relation Commission Chair
Swearing in ceremony – Police Chaplains

3. PUBLIC COMMENT – AGENDA MATTERS:

Public Comment Instructions:

To comment at a Regular Business Meeting, citizens can register by calling or emailing the City Clerk's Office by noon on the day of the regular meeting. Instructions to access the virtual meeting app or dial-in will be provided upon registration. Call 610-655-6205 or e-mail council@readingpa.gov
Public comment for Regular Business meetings will also be accepted in writing by 4pm on the day of the meeting through an e-mail to council@readingpa.gov. The message must clearly be marked as Public Comment. The comment received in writing will be read into the record at the Regular Meeting.
Those wishing to provide in-person comment at a Regular Meeting in the Penn Room must register with the City Clerk no later than 4 pm on the day of the meeting by calling 610-655-6204 or emailing council@readingpa.gov. The procedure to register to comment by signing a registration sheet before the start of the regular meeting will be suspended until the meetings are fully opened with everyone gathering in Council Chambers.
Public speaking rules adopted by Council allow those speaking on agenda matters to speak for 5 minutes and 3 minutes for non-agenda matters.
Comments posted in Zoom Chat and on Facebook are not considered public comment and a response may not occur.

All remarks must be directed to Council as a body and not to any individual Council member or public or elected official in attendance. Any comment that is personally offensive or impertinent will not be read into the record. Comments on agenda matters are limited to 5 minutes in length and comments on non-agenda matters are limited to 3 minutes in length.

4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA & MINUTES

A. AGENDA: Meeting of April 25, 2022

B. MINUTES: April 11th Regular meeting and the summations of discussion from the April 11th, and April 18th COW meetings

5. Consent Agenda Legislation

The Consent Agenda is designed to provide efficient approval of non-controversial legislation that does not require discussion/debate by giving approval via acclimation when the meeting agenda is approved. The President of Council will call Council’s attention to the list of Consent Agenda legislation at the meeting before action is taken, which allows Council to remove a piece of legislation for separate consideration.

A. Award of Contract – to Degler-Whiting in the amount of $110,005, from the CIP, for playground equipment and repairs to the SE Quadrant - to include City Park, Neversink Playground, and Orange and Cherry Playground. Pendora Park and Reading Iron were not address in this quadrant due to recent or future projects. 10th and South playground will not be addressed at this time as discussions of future use are pending.

B. Motion – recognizing the shift in CIP projects to fund active/ongoing projects as follows:

Within the CIP budgetary line 34-07-71-4801: Playgrounds and Parks $875,000 will be reduced by $100,000 and added to the 3rd and Spruce All abilities Playground to satisfy the DCNR grant matching requirements.
Within the CIP budgetary line 34-07-74-4801: McKnight and Spring Improvements of $382,000 will be reduced by $100,000 to fund the 3rd and Court Fire Station upgrade to allow project completion, as it was not finished in 2021 as planned.
Aboveground Restroom and 5th and Penn of $130,000 will be removed from the CIP budget and the PW ADA Access Project will be funded at $56,000 leaving $74,000 unencumbered for new or underfunded project completion.

C. Award of Contract – for the purchase of accessories to increase the range and capability of the existing Telerob robotic platform utilized by the RPD Bomb Squad to AeroVironment Inc, Simi Valley, CA at the amount of $39,106.60 via the Capital Budget. The robotic platform is used when responding to reports of suspicious items/packages, IED (improvised explosive devices) and recovery of ordinance. These accessories will allow the team members to position at a safer distance thus increasing the safety factors for the members.

D. Award of Contract – for the purchase of a Digital X-RAY system to integrate with the RPD Bomb Squad’s existing Telerob robotic platform to NOVO Digital Radiography INC (NOVO DR Inc), Grand Blanc, MI at $62,676.10 via the Capital Budget. This system will be used to assist members of the RPD Bomb Squad with investigations of suspicious packages by allowing the members to position at a safe distance thus increasing the safety factors for the members. This system will integrate with the existing robotic equipment being used by the RPD Bomb Squad members. The equipment is Sole Source and the justifications have been completed and accepted by the City Administration.

E. Resolution - authorizing the execution of the Federal-Aid Reimbursement Settlement Agreement No. 057563 for the 3rd & Penn Streets Crosswalk Project, PennDOT MPMS No. 76614

F. Resolution – authorizing the exoneration of the 2021 property taxes in the amount of $91.80 at 138, 139, 140, 141 and 143 Whitaker Court for Goggleworks

G. Resolution – directing the Solicitor to oppose the Private Sale Bid of 326 S 17th ½ St and 1253 Spruce St with the Berks County Tax Claim Bureau

H. Award of Contract – to Barry Isett & Associates, Wyomissing, PA in the submitted price of $99,900.00 from the Public Works budget for design and engineering services for the Centre Park Revitalization Project. In 2018, a master plan was commissioned for Centre Park. The City of Reading would like to move forward with the improvements as outlined in the master plan. Improvements are to include but are not limited to interpretive signage, lighting, central sculpture, ADA walkways, improved entranceways, etc.

6. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Attached

7. REPORT FROM OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR

Attached

8. REPORT FROM DEPT. DIRECTORS, BOARDS, AUTHORITIES, & COMMISSIONS

Recreation Commission – Daphne Klahr, Executive Director

9. ORDINANCES FOR FINAL PASSAGE

A. Bill No. 32-2022 – amending City Code Chapter 576, Part 12, Parades, Special Events, and Public Gatherings by making revisions to the special event application process and the corresponding section of the Chapter 212 fee schedule for special events Introduced at the April 11 regular meeting

B. Bill No. 33-2022 – amending the 2022 General Agency fund (31) to reflect the appropriation of funding in the amount of $152,500 for the Lead Hazard control Program. The Community Development department property maintenance division will be managing the healthy homes initiative program targeting households with children six (6) years old or younger and have been diagnosed with Elevated Blood Lead Level (EBLL). The presence of lead in a child could cause developmental challenges medically found to have a measurable concentration of lead in their blood. Introduced at the April 11 regular meeting

C. Bill No. 34-2022 – amending City Code Chapter 453, Part 3, Mobile Vendors making corrections and adding provisions for vendors at the Pagoda Introduced at the April 11 regular meeting

D. Bill No. 35-2022 – amending City Code Chapter 23, Part 14, Code & License Appeals Board by adding Mobile Vendors Appeals to the powers of this board Introduced at the April 11 regular meeting

E. Bill No. 36-2022 – amending the Position Ordinance by eliminating 2 of the 4 fulltime Ambassadors, leaving 2 at $20.87 per hour for a total of $41,600 per employee per year and adding 6 part-time positions at a rate of $15 per hour at 28 hours per work for a total of $21,840 Introduced at the April 11 regular meeting

F. Bill No. 37-2022 – increasing the salary of the Fire Chief to $105,000.00 per annum, payable in equal bi-monthly installments Introduced at the April 11 regular meeting

10. INTRODUCTION OF NEW ORDINANCES

A. Ordinance – authorizing the placement of a 4-way stop sign at the N. 13th and Pike intersection

B. Ordinance – amending Chapter 576-416 Parking Fines and eliminating the fine associated with Trucks, Trailers and Tractors parking longer than 1 hour and increasing the fine for Parking within 15 feet of a Fire Hydrant from $100 to $200 and increasing the 30 and 60 day penalties from $50 to $100

C. Ordinance – adopting and amending the 2018 International Fire Code

D. Ordinance – amending Chapter 576, Section 800 Impounding and Immobilization of Vehicles to provide updates that coincide with other sections and ordinances

E. Ordinance – amending the City’s Zoning Map by changing the parcel located at 1716 N 12th Street from MC to R3

F. Ordinance – amending Code Section 576-409 Parking Prohibited on Private Property

and Section § 576-803. Authority to Remove and Impound Unattended Vehicles on Private

Property by any Privately Operated Towing Businesses operating within the City of Reading,

As per 75 Pa.C.S. §3353.3.b Towing Vehicles on Private Property and 67 Pa. Code,

212.115. Posting of Private Parking Lots to prevent predatory towing practices.

11. RESOLUTIONS

A. Resolution– appointing Dep Chief James Stoudt as Fire Chief

12. PUBLIC COMMENT – GENERAL MATTERS

Please see public speaking rules on second page

13. COUNCIL BUSINESS/COMMENTS

14. COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE