Berks County News

Regular Council Meeting

Description

CITY COUNCIL

Meeting Agenda

REGULAR MEETING                             

MONDAY, JULY 25, 2022

HYBRID MEETING                                                              

7 pm

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RULES FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT COUNCIL MEETINGS

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

1. Citizens who wish to make public comment must pre-register following the instructions in Agenda #3 Public Comment on this agenda.
2. Citizens attending Council meetings are expected to conduct themselves in a responsible and respectful manner that does not disrupt the meeting. 
3. Those wishing to have conversations should do so in the hall outside Council Chambers in a low speaking voice.
4. 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.
5. Citizens may not approach the Council tables at any time during the meeting.
6. 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.
7. 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:  Crystal Tapia, Feet on the Street Youth Ministry

C.  PLEDGE TO THE FLAG

D. ROLL CALL

E.  EXECUTIVE SESSIONS: There were no executive sessions at the July 18th or 25th COWs.

2. PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

 

Oath of Office to:

• Council President Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz

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 July 25, 2022

B. MINUTES:  July 11 Regular meeting, the July 18 Special meeting and the summations of discussion from the July 11 and July 18 COW meetings and the July 11 and 18 Nominations and Appointments Committee meeting

 

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 the Bertolet Construction, Wernersville, PA in the submitted price of $35,670.00 for ADA improvement at the Public Works building for select demolition of existing pavement, installation of a new concrete parking pad, wearing course, pavement markings, and installation of amenities to aid in ADA access to the building.

B. Resolution – authorizing the disposal of Public Works Handicapped Applications

from 1984-2010 in accordance with the Records Retention Schedule

C. Award of Contract –to Boyle Construction, Allentown, PA, in the submitted price of $1,623,886.00 for a project and construction manager to supply design engineering services to the City’s Public Work’s Department, in conjunction with the Reading Police Department, with the engineering, design, technical specification preparation and the construction management of the new Reading Police Department Training and Special Operations Facility (RPD TSOF).

 

D. Resolution – authorizing the administration to execute an agreement setting the City’s electric rates

E. Resolution – confirming the appointment of C. Thomas Neff as the City Zoning Administrator

F. Award of Contract – to OpenGov, SHI International Corp., Somerset, NJ, in the submitted price of $$94,457.56 (includes Year 1 and Year 2). This program will allow the City to have the most automated solicitation development solution via e-procurement and a contract management.  This program will also allow up to 75% less time in having to write the new bids/RFPs for projects. This is being purchased via the Omnia Partners Contract which is through competitive purchasing for all cities and states and others are permitted to piggyback onto their contracts.

6. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Attached

7. REPORT FROM OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR

Attached

 

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

Zoning Hearing Board – Phil Rabena, Chair

9. ORDINANCES FOR FINAL PASSAGE

 

Pending Legislation

Bill No. 50-2022 – amending the Charter Board Ordinance by making various alterations such as eliminating Advisory Opinions, creating an administrative body, eliminates the confidentiality of complaints, etc. to establish reasonable guidelines on Charter Board spending Introduced at the May 23 regular meeting; Tabled at the June 13, June 27, July 11 regular meetings

 

A. Bill 70-2022 – amending the Solid Waste Budget by increasing the budget line item for Machinery and Equipment in the amount of $347,235, and Grants and Gifts

in the same amount due to the receipt of the PA DEP 902 Recycling Grant Introduced at the July 11 regular meeting

B. Bill 71-2022 – authorizing the Mayor to Execute an MOU and Intergovernmental Agreement to join the other Berks Municipalities on the Berks County Emergency Response Team (BCERT) Introduced at the July 11 regular meeting

10. INTRODUCTION OF NEW ORDINANCES

A. Ordinance – amending City Code Section 5-207 relating to the attendance of the

Council Solicitor and City Solicitor at Council meetings

B. Ordinance – authorizing an appropriations transfer in the amount of $200,000 to Zoning Contracted Services to help expand the processing capacity of the Zoning and Planning Office

11. RESOLUTIONS

A. Resolution – forgiving in its entirety the $1,475,000.00 loan originally extended to the previous owner of River Oak Apartments and assumed by River Oak Development LLC aka Reading Housing Authority by that certain Assignment of Amended and Restated Promissory Note and Mortgage dated September 17, 2008 and to release the mortgage securing said loan Tabled at the July 11th regular meeting; Discussion scheduled for Aug 2nd COW

B. Resolution – reappointing Michael Gombar Jr. to the Berks County Convention Center Authority

C. Resolution – reappointing Heminton Urena to the Blighted Property Review Commission

 

D. Resolution – appointing ____________to the City Council District 6 seat

E. Resolution – appointing ____________Council Staff Evaluation Committee

 

F. Resolution – appointing ____________Reading Redevelopment Authority Board

 

G. Resolution – appointing ____________to the RAWA Lease Agreement Work Group

12. PUBLIC COMMENT – GENERAL MATTERS

Please see public speaking rules on second page

 

13. COUNCIL BUSINESS/COMMENTS

 

14. COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE

 

Tuesday, July 26

ARPA Review – 5 pm

 

Thursday, July 28

Conditional Use Hearing Continued 46 South 5th St Banquet Hall – 5 pm

 

Monday, August 1

Nominations & Appointments Committee – 4 pm

Committee of the Whole – 5 pm

 

Monday, August 8

Committee of the Whole – 5 pm

Regular Meeting – 7 pm

Original source can be found here.