Regular Council Meeting Agenda 05/10/21

CITY COUNCIL

Meeting Agenda

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Public comment can be offered by telephone or virtual meeting application by registering with the City Clerk at 610 655 6205 by noon on the day of the business meeting or in writing through an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or a letter mailed to the Council Office clearly marked “Public Comment”. Written public comment must be submitted by 4:00 pm on day of the meeting to allow time to distribute the comment submitted. The written comment received will be read into the record.

1. OPENING MATTERS
   1. CALL TO ORDER
   2. INVOCATION:

      Pastor Jerry Jones, St. John’s Missionary Baptist Church

   3. PLEDGE TO THE FLAG
   4. ROLL CALL
   5. EXECUTIVE SESSIONS:

      Executive session regarding litigation was held during the April 26th COW regarding litigation as per PA Sunshine Act Title 65 § 708. Executive Sessions (a) 4.

2. PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

   None

3. PUBLIC COMMENT - AGENDA MATTERS:

   Due to COVID-19 also known as the Coronavirus the public speaking requirements have been modified. Public comment can be offered by telephone or virtual meeting application by registering with the City Clerk at 610 655 6205 by noon on the day of the business meeting or in writing through an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or a letter mailed to the Council Office clearly marked “Public Comment”. Written public comment must be submitted by 5:00 pm on day of the meeting to allow time to distribute the comment submitted. The written comment received will be read into the record. 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
   1. Agenda:

      Meeting of May 10, 2021

   2. Minutes:

      April 26 Regular Meeting and approving the summations of discussion from the April 26 and May 3 COW and Nominations & Appointments Committee 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. 

   1. Award of Contract –

      for City-Wide Traffic Signal Operation and Maintenance Program to Traffic Planning and Design, Inc., Pottstown, PA at a total cost of $415,640.00 over a 3 year period. The Project is being administered by the City with a PennDOT ARLE grant under the terms of the agreement and PennDOT Pub 740 as a local grant project with an 80/20 reimbursement/cost share

   2. Award of Contract -

       

   3. Resolution –

      authorizing the addition of a new 2021 bank account for Fund 47 at Wells Fargo to receive funding from the American Recovery Act

6. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

   Written report attached.

7. REPORT FROM OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR

   Written report attached.

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

   Environmental Advisory Council – S. Case, D. Beane

9. ORDINANCES FOR FINAL PASSAGE
   1. Bill 31-2021 –

      amending the City Code Chapter 77, Part 1 Police Department by amending the experience requirements for the position of Captain Introduced at the April 12 regular meeting; Tabled at the April 26 regular meeting and divided into two ordinances

   2. Bill 34-2021 –

      amending the City Code Chapter 77, Part 1 Police Department striking Section 110 College Credits for Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain and reserving that section Introduced at the April 12 regular meeting; Tabled at the April 26th regular meeting and divided into two ordinances

   3. Bill 35-2021 –

      amending the zoning map by moving 226 North 5th Street into the same zoning district as 230 North 5th Street, also known as the Medical Arts Building property, into the same Commercial (C-C) Zoning District. As part of the project, both properties will be combined into a single parcel for commercial uses and residential apartments. Introduced at the April 26 regular meeting; Public Hearing scheduled during the May 3rd COW

   4. Bill 36-2021 –

      amending the zoning map by moving 654, 656, 658 & 660 Schuylkill Avenue into the same Commercial Neighborhood (C-N) Zoning District for a mixed use development. As part of the project the properties will be combined into a single parcel for a convenience store/restaurant, a barbershop, dwelling units, and a shared parking area. Introduced at the April 26 regular meeting; Public Hearing scheduled during the May 3rd COW

   5. Bill 37-2021 –

      amending City Code Chapter 353 Loitering; Obstructing Public Places, by renaming the Chapter Loitering and Panhandling, creating replacing a diversionary program to be used to address aggressive panhandling or loitering when it is reported to the Reading Police Department or when police officers encounter it and eliminating the possibility of a prison sentence Introduced at the April 26 regular meeting

   6. Bill 38-2021 -

      authorizing an appropriations transfer of $40,634.03 from Project #31-01-03, GL#01-00-00-2990 – Fund Balance to project #31-01-03 under GL #31-01-00-4510 General Plant Supplies in order to make the Samuel Pottieger Trust donations available for use during the current fiscal year Introduced at the April 26 regular meeting

   7. Bill 39-2021 –

      authorizing an amendment to the 2021 Budget revenues reflecting the increase of $1,427,667 in General Fund revenue pursuant to the recently negotiated Cooperation Agreement with the Reading Parking Authority Introduced at the April 26 regular meeting

10. INTRODUCTION OF NEW ORDINANCES
    1. Ordinance -

       Amending City Code Section 576-403, Parking Prohibited in Specific Areas by adding the requirement to park inside parking stall lines

    2. Ordinance –

       Amending City Code Section 576-416 by adding a fine of $45 and additional 10 and 30 day penalties each in the amount of $22.50 for parking outside the parking stall lines

    3. Ordinance –

       authorizing the total transfer of $99,000 from General Ledger Rental – Parking Authority, to General Ledger - Contracted Services to provide funding for Special Counsel to the Planning Commission to provide specialized legal advice relating to subdivision and land development projects; review of ordinance amendments, agreements, and resolutions; and general legal matters involving planning and zoning.

    4. Ordinance -

        

11. RESOLUTIONS
    1. Resolution -

       appointing Serenity Plaza, representing Council District 5, to the Youth Commission

    2. Resolution –

       appointing Elta Jackson-Henry to the Diversity Board

    3. Resolution –

        

12. PUBLIC COMMENT - GENERAL MATTERS

    Please see public speaking rules on second page

13. COUNCIL BUSINESS/COMMENTS
14. COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE

15. Monday, May 10
    Committee of the Whole - 5pm
    Regular Meeting - immediately following Committee of the Whole

    Monday, May 17
    Nominations & Appointments Committee – 4 pm
    Committee of the Whole - 5pm

    Monday, May 24
    Committee of the Whole - 5pm
    Regular Meeting - immediately following Committee of the Whole

    Monday, May 31
    **No Meeting - City Hall closed for Memorial Day Holiday**

    Monday, June 7
    Nominations & Appointments Committee – 4 pm
    Committee of the Whole - 5pm

16. ADJOURN