Calendar of Events

Regular Council Meeting

Description

CITY COUNCIL

Meeting Agenda

REGULAR MEETING                             MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2023

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:  

C.  PLEDGE TO THE FLAG

D. ROLL CALL

E.  EXECUTIVE SESSIONS:  There was an executive session on potential litigation prior to the start of the February 6th Special Meeting

2. PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

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 4 pm on the day of the regular meeting. Instructions to access the virtual meeting app or dial-in will be provided upon registration if required. Call 610-655-6205 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  • Written public comment for Regular Business meetings will also be accepted by 4pm on the day of the meeting through an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The message must clearly be marked as Public Comment. The comment received in writing will be read into the record at the Regular Meeting.
  • Citizens may also register by printing their name, address and the subject matter to be discussed on a sign-up sheet found on the podium in Council Chambers between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on the day of the scheduled meeting.
  • 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 February 13, 2023

B. MINUTES:  The minutes from the January 23rd Regular Meeting and the summations of discussion from the January 23rd, January 30th and February 6th COW meetings along with the summary for the February 6th Nominations 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. Resolution – regretfully accepting the resignation of Patty Bell from the Reading Public Library Board

B. Resolution – authorizing the purchase of one (1) F350 Extended Cab Pick-Up

Utility body Forestry Unit for the Public Works Shade Tree Division from Manderbach

Ford totaling $89,982.00 through CO-STARS

C. Resolution – authorizing the installation of a mural on 337 South 7th Street, authorized by the property owner, Robertson’s Investments, LLC, as approved by HARB and as modified and approved by the Public Art Review Committee.

 

D. Resolution – authorizing the execution and submission of the Sewage Planning Module revision for Holy Trinity Church of God at 1541 Montgomery Street

E. Resolution – authorizing the execution and submission of the Sewage Planning Module for Dream Ventures PA I, LLC at 100 South 4th Street

 

F. Award of Contract – authorizing the purchase of 10 sets of PPE from Reading Fire Equipment Inc.  Reading, PA in the amount of $37,401.30 for the Fire Academy class. Reading Fire Equipment Inc. is a PA COSTARS Vendor and the purchase is reflective of the COSTARS pricing

G. Resolution – authorizing the execution and submission of the Planning Module revision for Andy Roland’s Bern Street Car Wash at 1725 North 5th Street

H. Resolution – authorizing the disposal of 2 antiquated server racks and hard drives for the IT Division.  This equipment is no longer of service and has no resale value. The hard drives have been removed and will be destroyed at a later date.

I. Award of Contract – for the 8th and Penn Courtyard Project to DePaul and Company, Inc., Plymouth Meeting, PA at the total cost of $725,791.00 - Keystone Grant                                

$400,000.00, CIP $150,000, he project entitled Pavilion Rooves $150,000 deferred from the Pavillion Rooves project and  $25,791 will be used from the Parks and Playgrounds Line Item.

6. ORDINANCES FOR FINAL PASSAGE

 

Pending Legislation

Bill 4-2023 – amending City Code Chapter 576-207 by making Cotton St one-way westbound between S 19th and S 9th Streets with parking on both sides of the street and by making South St one-way eastbound between S 9th and S 13th Streets, continuing parking on both sides Introduced at the December 18 regular meeting; Tabled at the Jan 9th regular meeting

A. Bill 5-2023 – authorizing Residential Parking Permit Zones in the following three neighborhoods in compliance with City Code Section 576-417 Residential Permit Parking as there were no objections expressed at the Public Hearings held by the Parking Authority:

1. 400 block of Douglass Street (from N 4th to Madison) - from 8 am to 8 pm with a 2 hour period for non-permit holders

2. 900 block of Locust Street – from 8 am to 8 pm with a 2 hour period for non-permit holders

3. 600 block of Linden Street - from 8 am to 8 pm with a 2 hour period for non-permit holders

Introduced at the December 18 regular meeting; Tabled at the January 9 and January 23 regular meetings

B. Bill 11-2023 – authorizing the amendment of the 2022 Fire Budget in the amount of $20,544.48 to allow the payment of medical supply bills for the EMS Division Introduced at the January 23 regular meeting

C. Bill 12-2023 – amending the Personnel Code section 70-701 to eliminate the issue of current directors receiving raises that place their salary above the initial salary range Introduced at the January 23 regular meeting

D. Bill 13-2023 – making corrections to the 2023 budget to by applying the missing inter-fund transfers identified by the Controller to balance various funds Introduced at the January 23 regular meeting

E. Bill 14-2023 – amending the ReTAP residential tax abatement ordinance by applying the program to all residential properties Introduced at the January 23 regular meeting

F. Bill 15-2023 – allocating $300,000 in APRA funding to Shuman Development Group for roof repairs to the Trexler Mansion (aka Elks) contingent  upon the project receiving County funding in an equal amount and the execution of a Grant Agreement with the City in form and substance satisfactory to the City Introduced at the January 23 regular meeting

7. INTRODUCTION OF NEW ORDINANCES

 

A. Ordinance – authorizing the revision of the City’s topographical map by revising curb locations at the intersections of Franklin and South Front Street, and Franklin and South Second Street for the proposed crosswalk improvements for RACC, as per City Code Section 576-213

B. Ordinance – amending the City Code Fee Schedule Section 212-106 Building Code by

eliminating the escrow fee

C. Ordinance – amending City Code Section 496-106 Permits, Fees and Fines, Part C by requiring the property owner to obtain a permanent dumpster permit, to comply with Section 496-102

D. Ordinance – amend the 2022 General Fund Budget for the Public Works – Public Properties Division in the amount of $22,573 to pay the remaining bills as follows:

  • Decrease – Fuel 010774-41000 by $7,000
  • Decrease – Gas 010774-41003 by $9,900
  • Decrease – Rentals 010774-42003 by $1,600
  • Decrease – Consulting Svs 010750-42220 by $4,073

E. Ordinance – amending the ARPA Fund Budget by appropriating $198,580 for a Senior Telemedicine Outreach program for the Reading Public Library

F. Ordinance – amending City Code Section 202 General Provisions by adding the requirement for City Council members appointed to fill vacancies to be sworn into office within 14 days of the appointment.

G. Ordinance – amending City Code Section 301 Mayor; Chief Executive Officer by adding a general provisions section showing the requirement for the mayor to be sworn into office within 14 days of the first Monday in January, among other things, and renumbering the remaining sections

H. Ordinance – amending City Code Section 501 General Provisions Section showing the requirement for the city auditor to be sworn into office within 14 days of the first Monday in January, and renumbering the remaining sections

I. Ordinance – authorizing the amendment of the CIP fund by making 18 corrections to bring the fund into balance

J. Ordinance – authorizing an appropriations transfer to repay the IRS for Form 941 Tax withholding from 2021 and unpaid COVID leave: Authorizing the total transfer of $75,000 within Human Resources

8. RESOLUTIONS

A. Resolution – to authorize the filing of a Petition with the Court of Common Pleas of Berks County to fill the District 5 vacancy per Section 207 of the Charter.

B. Resolution – reappointing John Dethoff to the Board of Health

 

C. Resolution – appointing Melanie Taverez to the Youth Commission

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

 

10.  COUNCIL REPORT

 

11. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Attached

12. REPORT FROM OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR

Attached

 

13. COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE

 

***Monday, February 20***

Closed for President’s Day

 

***Tuesday, February 21***

Nominations & Appointments Committee – 4 pm

Standards of Living – 5:00 pm

Finance – 5:00 pm

 

Monday, February 27

COW – 5:00 pm

Regular Meeting – 7:00 pm

 

15. ADJOURN