In the minutes: York Minutes, License Plate Reader (Oct 10)

Council of the City of York, Pennsylvania
Edquina Washington, President of Council
Betsy Buckingham, Vice President of Council
Elizabeth Bupp, Member of Council
Teresa Johnescu, Member of Council
Ryan Supler, Member of Council

Office of York City Council
101 S. George St.
York, Pennsylvania 17401
Telephone: (717) 849-2246
Fax: (717) 812-0557

Dianna L. Thompson, City Clerk
Email: [email protected]

Website: www.yorkcity.org

MINUTES

October 20, 2026
6:00 p.m.

Council meetings are streamed LIVE for viewing only on the following social media platforms:
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/CityofYorkPA/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/WhiteRoseCommunityTV.
2026 MEETINGS: Click here to view 2026 Council Meetings Dates
CALL TO ORDER: President Edquina Washington called the October 20, 2026, meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
in Council Chambers, 101 S. George St., York, PA, with the following members present: Ryan Supler, Elizabeth
Bupp, Teresa Johnescu, Betsy Buckingham, Vice President, and Edquina Washington, President with President
Washington presiding.
Members of the Administration in attendance included: Capt. Matthew Irvin, Police; Nancy Griffin, City
Planner; David Mackereth, Chief of Staff; Daneen Collier, Finance; Fire Chief Adam Smith; Deputy Fire Chief
Kevin Westover; and Assistant Solicitor Brett Flower.
Council Staff in Attendance included: Dianna L. Thompson, City Clerk.
Youth Council in Attendance: Denham Greenslade and Nia Stevens.
I.

Public Comment:
Mina Edmondson, Resident and Chair, Human Relations Commission, provided a recap of the HRC's
Mosaic of York City program held on September 17, 2026. The program was designed to educate the
community on the role and protected classes under the Human Relations Commission. She thanked
Cliff Kern of White Rose Community Television for filming the event, which is now available for public
viewing on the city and HRC websites under 'Highlights from the Diversity Dinner.' She applauded
guest speaker Jamiel Alexander for encouraging community relationship-building and noted that
valuable feedback was gathered for future HRC marketing and training.
Ms. Edmondson then extended an invitation to a joint HRC and Martin Library event titled 'Community
Conversations at Martin Library: Do Your Children Matter? Human Trafficking and Its Impact on Your
Community and Your Family', scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2026 (doors open at 5:30 p.m.,
program begins at 6:00 p.m.). She stressed that parents often unknowingly allow traffickers into their
homes via children's mobile phones while in separate rooms. She emphasized that children as young
as 8 years old are actively groomed. The panel will feature three human trafficking survivors alongside
representatives from YWCA York, the Safety Collaborative, and the York City Police Department. She
said the presentation will be somber but non-graphic, and community members, parents, and youth
aged 12 and older are strongly encouraged to attend.

Attorney Courtney Buechler, CGA Law Firm, speaking on behalf of owners and operators of recovery
residences for individuals recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, expressed appreciation to city
administration and staff. She thanked staff members for their patience and expertise over past months
in walking operators through the city's licensing and inspection framework, explaining the rationale
behind the 2023 fee structure resolution, and hosting property walkthroughs. She underscored that
residents in these programs are actively rebuilding their lives, holding employment, and maintaining
sobriety. She emphasized that rigorous municipal oversight prevents secondary and tertiary societal
harms such as relapse, domestic violence, re-incarceration, and homelessness, and praised staff for
work that usually goes unrecognized.
There being no further public comment, the public comment session adjourned at 6:08 p.m.
II.

Called Legislative Meeting to Order at 6:08 p.m.

III.

Roll Call

IV.

Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

V.

Moment of Silence was observed.

VI.

Action on previous meeting Minutes of October 6, 2026. Council dispensed with the reading of the
minutes and unanimously approved them as written.

VII.

Presentations, Awards and Announcements
►City of York Financial Update: Brian Marchuck, CPA, Brown Plus Accountants + Advisors.

Brian Marchuck, CPA, Principal at Brown Plus Accountants + Advisors, presented an executive update
on the audit of the City of York's financial statements and federal awards for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2020 (currently in draft status).
• Audit Opinion & Scope: Brown Plus rendered a Qualified Opinion across all opinion units
(governmental activities, business-type activities, component units, major funds). A qualified
opinion indicates that except for specified matters, financial statements are fairly presented in
accordance with GAAP. The audit identified no significant unusual transactions or
disagreements with management, and all proposed journal entry adjustments were corrected by
management without material net impact.
• Qualifications Explained: (1) An unexplained variance of approximately $80,000 between bank
reconciliations and trial balances (representing significant improvement over the prior year's
variance); and (2) Failure by the Redevelopment Authority (RDA) to capitalize all purchased and
donated capital assets due to unavailable historical records.
• Federal Single Audit & Disclaimers: During FY2020, the city reported $4,750,000 in federal
grant expenditures ($1.8M passed through to subrecipients). For tested major programs —
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships — auditors
issued Disclaimers of Opinion on Compliance due to missing or unavailable documentation,
resulting in reported material weaknesses in internal control over compliance.
• Summary of Audit Findings (Tracking numbers: 2020-001 through 2020-014):
- Financial Control Findings (Tracking numbers: 2020-001 to 2020-007): Untimely monthly
financial statement preparation; failure to capitalize RDA assets; ongoing cash deficits and
interfund balances lacking repayment plans; cash reconciliation delays; and resultant late
submissions of the federal Data Collection Form and EMMA municipal filings.
- Federal Award Compliance Findings (Tracking numbers: 2020-008 to 2020-014): Missing
HOME program participant files; missing subrecipient agreements; lack of documented risk
assessments and monitoring; unrecorded CDBG requests for release of funds; failure to track
York City Council Minutes – October 20, 2026

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federal activity within accounting software; and missing grant agreements for non-tested major
programs.
• Auditor Recommendations & Timeline: Mr. Marchuck stressed that current administration
operates completely differently than in 2020. He urged the city to establish a centralized grant
tracking system for all agreements, monitoring records, and risk assessments. Final filing of the
2020 audit is expected next week, with the 2021 audit targeted for completion by mid-2027.
►2027 Proposed Budget Hearings: Scheduled for October 21-22, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in Council

Chambers.
►Community Clean Up: York City Council will host a Neighborhood Clean Up on Saturday, October

24, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Volunteers will gather at the corner of S. Pine St. and E. College
Ave. to help clean and beautify the area. Protective gloves and waste collection bags will be provided
on-site for all participants. For more information or event inquiries, please contact
[email protected].
VIII.

Meeting(s) Scheduled:
►Council Committee Meeting: Scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in Council

Chambers. Agenda items are due by 12 noon on October 21st.
► Legislative Meeting: The next legislative meeting of Council will be held on Wednesday, November

4, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers. Agenda items are due by 12 noon on October 28th.
IX.

Reports of the Youth Council Committee: None.

X.

Legislative Agenda: (Order of Business – Action on Subdivision/Land Development & HARB Resolutions; Final
Passage of Bills/Resolutions; New Business)

Subdivision/Land Development/HARB:
1.

Resolution No. 71
Accepting the recommendations of HARB. (View)
Introduced by: Teresa Johnescu
Originator: HARB

- A Resolution

Resolution No. 71, Session 2026, A Resolution accepting the recommendations of HARB in
issuing certificates of appropriateness for work to be done at 250 & 255 West King St., 35 N.
Penn St., and 1 N. George St., was introduced by Johnescu, read at length, and on motion of
Johnescu, seconded by Buckingham, Resolution No. 71 PASSED by the following vote: Yeas –
Supler, Bupp, Johnescu, Buckingham, Washington – 5; Nays – 0.
2.

Resolution No. 72
- A Resolution
Approving a land development/subdivision plan for the York County Industrial Development
Authority. (View) (For 319 N. George St. – Ballpark Commons – to construct a 2-story mixed-use bldg..
featuring 1st floor commercial space, 2nd floor residential units, 25 rear parking spaces, and underground
stormwater management.)

Introduced by: Teresa Johnescu
Originator: Economic & Community Development (Planning)
Resolution No. 72, Session 2026, A Resolution approving a land development/subdivision plan
for the York County Industrial Development Authority located at 319 N. George St. – Ballpark
Commons – to construct a 2-story mixed-use bldg. featuring 1st floor commercial space, 2nd floor
residential units, 25 rear parking spaces, and underground stormwater management, was
York City Council Minutes – October 20, 2026

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introduced by Johnescu, read at length, and on motion of Johnescu, seconded by Washington,
Resolution No. 72 came up for discussion.
Joe Stein, Warehaus, summarized the project as consolidating a former eyesore corner of
demolished structures. In response to an inquiry regarding truck maneuvering (Comment #6 of
city engineering review), Mr. Stein clarified that garbage trucks will enter the private lot, access
dumpsters, and execute a three-point reverse turn entirely on private property without backing
onto public rights-of-way. Regarding lighting, street lighting will remain while building-mounted
lighting on George St. and fully illuminated rear parking will satisfy safety standards.
Councilwoman Bupp expressed concern regarding adding commercial space when housing is
the city's paramount need. She advocated for ground-floor residential units accessible to
residents with mobility challenges. She pointed to existing vacant commercial storefronts on
Market, George, Beaver, and Philadelphia Streets, two new vape shops, and nearby commercial
developments opining that excess commercial space risks cannibalizing existing local
businesses or leaving vacant windows.
Dylan Bauer, Royal Square, clarified that municipal code in the Central Business District (CBD)
strictly mandates ground-floor commercial for multi-family developments; residential on the first
floor is prohibited without zoning variances. He emphasized that 7,000 sq. ft. of street-front
space with high ceilings and glass near WellSpan Park provides vital downtown vibrancy and
attracts regional retailers (cafes, restaurants, ballpark support).
Councilman Supler asked how many residential units will be built. Mr. Bauer replied, eight (8).
Councilwoman Johnescu spoke about her daily walk past empty storefronts and desire to avoid
a ghost town.
Vice President Buckingham clarified the site previously contained commercial uses (a plumbing
business) and applauded the project's high-visibility retail layout.
There being no further discussion, Resolution No. 72 PASSED by the following vote: Yeas –
Supler, Johnescu, Buckingham, Washington – 4; Nays – Bupp – 1.
3.

Resolution No. 73
- A Resolution
Approving a subdivision plan for the York City Redevelopment Authority. (View) (For 200-304 N.
Broad St. to consolidate two existing parcels into one parcel of approximately 1.77 acres for proposed
redevelopment as attainable housing.)

Introduced by: Teresa Johnescu
Originator: Economic & Community Development (Planning)
Resolution No. 73, Session 2026, A Resolution approving a subdivision plan for the York City
Redevelopment Authority for 200-304 N. Broad St. to consolidate two existing parcels into one
parcel of approximately 1.77 acres for proposed redevelopment as attainable housing, was
introduced by Johnescu, read at length, and on motion of Johnescu, seconded by Buckingham,
Resolution No. 73 came up for discussion.
Neil Metzger, Site Design Concepts, stated that lot consolidation is required before final land
development.
There being no further discussion, Resolution No. 73 PASSED by the following vote: Yeas –
Supler, Bupp, Johnescu, Buckingham, Washington – 5; Nays – 0

York City Council Minutes – October 20, 2026

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4.

Resolution No. 74
- A Resolution
Approving a revised subdivision plan for the York City Redevelopment Authority. (View) (For N.
Hartley St./W. Philadelphia St. to consolidate the properties into two lots—one on the north side and one
on the south side of West Philadelphia Street—to support the proposed LifePath development and
associated parking.)

Introduced by: Teresa Johnescu
Originator: Economic & Community Development (Planning)
Resolution No. 74, Session 2026, A Resolution approving a revised subdivision plan for the York
City Redevelopment Authority for N. Hartley St./W. Philadelphia St. to consolidate the properties
into two lots—one on the north side and one on the south side of West Philadelphia Street—to
support the proposed LifePath development and associated parking, was introduced by
Buckingham, read at length, and on motion of Johnescu, seconded by Buckingham, Resolution
No. 74 came up for discussion.
Jared Bodisch, Site Design Concepts, outlined the project as detailed in the resolution.
Councilwoman Bupp asked if the south lot would feature housing. Mr. Bodisch confirmed it will
remain paved surface parking to serve the north facility.
Request to abstain. Councilman Supler requested to abstain as he is employed by LifePath. On
motion of Washington, seconded by Johnsecu, Council unanimously approved Supler’s request
to abstain his vote.
There being no further discussion, Resolution No. 74 PASSED by the following vote: Yeas –
Bupp, Johnescu, Buckingham, Washington – 4; Nays – 0; Abstain – Supler – 1.
5.

Resolution No. 75
- A Resolution
Approving a revised land development plan for the York City Redevelopment Authority. (View)
(For N. Hartley St./W. Philadelphia St. to support the proposed LifePath development project and
associated parking.)

Introduced by: Teresa Johnescu
Originator: Economic & Community Development (Planning)
Resolution No. 75, Session 2026, A Resolution approving a revised land development plan for
the York City Redevelopment Authority for N. Hartley St./W. Philadelphia St. to support the
proposed LifePath development project and associated parking, was introduced by Johnescu,
read at length, and on motion of Johnescu, seconded by Buckingham, Resolution No. 75 came
up for discussion.
Jared Bodisch, Site Design Concepts, outlined the project as a building addition and parking
lot.
Request to abstain. Councilman Supler requested to abstain as he is employed by LifePath. On
motion of Washington, seconded by Johnsecu, Council unanimously approved Supler’s request
to abstain his vote.
There being no further discussion, Resolution No. 75 PASSED by the following vote: Yeas –
Bupp, Johnescu, Buckingham, Washington – 4; Nays – 0; Abstain – Supler – 1.
Final Passage of Bills/Resolutions
6.

Final Passage of Bill No. 24, Ordinance No. 20
- A Bill
Amending the FY26 Budget. (View) (By accepting and allocating funds awarded through the FY2025
Department of Justice, Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program in the amount of $62,322.00)

York City Council Minutes – October 20, 2026

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Introduced by: Ryan Supler
Originator: Police
Final Passage of Bill No. 24, Ordinance No. 20, A Bill amending the FY26 Budget by accepting
and allocating funds awarded through the FY2025 Department of Justice, Justice Assistance
Grant (JAG) Program in the amount of $62,322.00, which was introduced by Supler at the
October 6, 2026 meeting of Council, and read by short title, came up for final passage. On
motion of Supler, seconded by Washington, Bill No. 24 came up for discussion.
Councilwoman Johnescu raised community privacy concerns regarding License Plate Reader
(LPR) 'Flock-style' cameras along the Heritage Rail Trail where motor vehicles do not travel. She
asked whether LPR capabilities were necessary, camera unit costs, subscription fees,
compatibility with existing Penn Park surveillance, and data retention policies.
President Washington asked how long data is stored in the cameras.
Councilwoman Bupp asked what is the cost of the cameras.
Captain Mattew Irvin, Police Department, clarified that the police department is purchasing
Verkada brand cameras through a third-party local vendor (ESI). The LPR capability comes
standard in the hardware and cannot be removed, but the camera will be pointed strictly down
the pedestrian trail with zero motor vehicle coverage. He confirmed there is no recurring
subscription fee (one-time purchase) and the cameras will cost $18,902. He stated that default
data retention is 30 days and will be capped at a maximum of 90 days following consultation
with Captain Lentz and police command staff.
Solicitor Flower addressed procurement compliance, explaining that specialized law
enforcement equipment qualifies for sole-source procurement exemption under municipal
bidding policies so requests for proposals are not necessary.
Councilman Supler clarified the financial allocation of the $62,322 Department of Justice
Assistance Grant (JAG), noting that the City of York will receive $34,952 (just shy of $35,000)
while the remaining grant funds go directly to the York County Regional Police Department. He
stated that he wanted to make this comment to ensure everyone understood the exact portion
allocated directly to the city versus the regional department.
Manuel Gomez, resident, spoke in support of the trail surveillance cameras, explaining that his
initial privacy concerns were addressed through discussions with police staff. He clarified that
license plate recognition software comes pre-packaged at no added cost and will not be utilized
on the pedestrian trail. Furthermore, advanced tracking features will be strictly restricted to
active criminal investigations with assigned case numbers rather than routine monitoring. Mr.
Gomez emphasized that all captured video must remain under exclusive city ownership to guard
against external data sharing, and that the department's plan effectively balances public safety
with community transparency.
Vice President Buckingham shared that a constituent reported safety concerns regarding a Rail
Trail encampment over the weekend, noting trail cameras provide an invaluable investigative
tool to assess situations before deploying officers.
There being no further discussion, Bill No. 24, Ordinance No. 20, PASSED by the following vote:
Yeas – Supler, Bupp, Johnescu, Buckingham, Washington – 5; Nays – 0.

York City Council Minutes – October 20, 2026

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7.

Final Passage of Bill No. 25, Ordinance No. 21
- A Bill
Amending Article 171 “Firefighter’s Pension Fund” of the Codified Ordinances. (View) (To
incorporate the changes agreed upon pursuant to the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City
and the International Association of the Firefighters, Local 627)

Introduced by: Ryan Supler
Originator: Solicitor (Fire)
Final Passage of Bill No. 25, Ordinance No. 21, Session 2026, A Bill amending Article 171
“Firefighter’s Pension Fund” of the Codified Ordinances to incorporate the changes agreed
upon pursuant to the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City and the International
Association of the Firefighters, Local 627, which was introduced by Supler at the October 6,
2026 meeting of Council and read by short title, came up for final passage. On motion of
Supler, seconded by Buckingham, Bill No. 25 came up for discussion.
Fire Chief Adam Smith stated this is a housekeeping measure to formally codify 2018 union
agreement terms into ordinance.
Councilman Supler corrected a prior committee error, clarifying the agreement is with IAFF
Local 627 (not Teamsters Local 776).
There being no further discussion, Bill No. 25, Ordinance No. 21 PASSED by the following vote:
Yeas – Supler, Bupp, Johnescu, Buckingham, Washington – 5; Nays – 0.
New Business – Introduction of Bills: None
New Business – Request for Committee Waiver & Council Action
Notice: The following resolutions are presented for Council consideration with a request to waive the
committee referral requirement and allow for immediate action by Council. Approval of the waiver requires the
affirmative vote of at least four Council members. Council shall vote on each waiver request prior to
considering the resolution.
8.

Resolution No. 76
- A Resolution
Authorizing execution of agreements to secure up to $200,000 in PA DCED funding. (View) (To
modernize fire suppression equipment.)

Introduced by: Ryan Supler
Originator: Fire/Rescue
Motion to waive committee requirement. A motion was made by Buckingham, seconded by
Johnescu, to waive the committee requirement and consider Resolution No. 76. The motion to
waive passed unanimously.
Resolution No. 76, Session 2026, a Resolution authorizing execution of agreements to secure up
to $200,000 in PA DCED funding to modernize fire suppression equipment, was introduced by
Supler, read at length, and on motion of Supler, seconded by Washington, Resolution No. 76
came up for discussion.
Councilman Supler acknowledged for the record that Council had received an email with a letter
of endorsement in support of the grant from the President of the York Professional Firefighters
Association.
Councilwoman Bupp asked what the fire department planned to do with the older 5-inch hoses
once they were replaced with the 4-inch hoses, specifically whether they would be resold or
donated.
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Chief Smith responded that reserve rigs would keep a portion of the 5-inch hose for large fires
as a hose wagon, while excess hose would be sold to a vendor with proceeds returned to the
general fund.
Councilwoman Bupp then asked whether the new 4-inch hoses could be used when assisting
surrounding municipalities like West York or North York during mutual aid calls.
Chief Smith confirmed they could, as the grant funding includes adapters to connect 4-inch and
5-inch hoses seamlessly.
There being no further discussion, Resolution No. 76 PASSED by the following vote: Yeas –
Supler, Bupp, Johnescu, Buckingham, Washington – 5; Nays – 0.
9.

Resolution No. 77
- A Resolution
Approving a cooperation agreement with the York City Redevelopment Authority (RDA). (View)
(For $1.5 million in RACP grant funding for the Penn Market Farmers Market project.)

Introduced by: Teresa Johnescu
Originator: Solicitor (RDA)
Motion to waive committee requirement. A motion was made by Buckingham, seconded by
Johnescu, to waive the committee requirement and consider Resolution No. 77. The motion to
waive passed unanimously.
Motion to read by short title: A motion was made by Buckingham, seconded Washington, to
read Resolution No. 77 by short title only. The motion passed unanimously.
Erin Strine, York County Economic Alliance (YCEA), explained that YCEA provides grant
administrative support to the RDA and clarified that the cooperation agreement between the
City as host municipality and the RDA as grantee is a standard, mandatory Commonwealth
requirement for RACP grant administration. She stated that approval of the agreement is a
routine administrative step necessary to allow the capital funding to move forward for Penn
Market.
Councilman Supler questioned whether the agreement provided adequate legal protections for
the city, which Assistant Solicitor Flower confirmed following municipal revisions. Supler also
pointed out typographical and phrasing errors, specifically references to "redevelopment
agreement" rather than "authority" and "township discretion" rather than "municipal discretion",
which Solicitor Flower agreed to amend. Supler then asked about the conditions that would
trigger a grant repayment obligation and whether the RDA held sufficient assets to cover
potential liabilities. Solicitor Flower clarified that repayment would only occur upon a formal
state finding of improper use and confirmed that the RDA maintains adequate assets to meet
potential obligations
There being no further discussion, Resolution No. 77 PASSED by the following vote: Yeas –
Supler, Bupp, Johnescu, Buckingham, Washington – 5; Nays – 0.
XI.

Requests for Future Meetings

XII.

Council Comment
President Washington congratulated the York History Center for its successful Oyster Festival event.
She then congratulated the NAACP for hosting PA Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton (the first
female Speaker in Pennsylvania history), applauding in-depth public discussion and added that the
recording is available on Facebook.

York City Council Minutes – October 20, 2026

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Vice President Buckingham reported on her attendance at the annual Pennsylvania Municipal League
(PML) Leadership Conference in Hershey, participating in sessions on public safety, housing,
cybercrime, MS4 stormwater management, e-bikes/e-scooters, and university partnerships. She then
gave a shout out to Fire Chief Adam Smith for being recognized by PA Career Firefighters for attaining
the highest professional credentialing levels. She also gave a shout out to Lettice Brown, MS4
Coordinator, whose expertise in municipal stormwater management was specifically praised by
statewide conference organizers.
Bupp said thanked HRC Chair Mina Edmondson for organizing the September 17 HRC Diversity
Dinner, and encouraged residents to watch the video on the city’s website. She then announced open
seats on the Human Relations Commission and urged interested residents to apply.
XIII.

Administration Comment: None

XIV.

Adjournment: There being no further business, the October 20, 2026 meeting of Council adjourned at
7:18 p.m.
_______________________________________
Dianna L. Thompson, City Clerk

York City Council Minutes – October 20, 2026

______________________________________
Edquina Washington, President of Council

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