City of Williamsport

The key discussions included the appointment of two new members, Randy Allison and William Henderson, to the Williamsport Water and Sanitary Authority, with appreciation extended to the outgoing members. Another major item involved an ordinance authorizing the release and satisfaction of city mortgages related to past Home and CDBG funded low-income homeowner rehabilitation projects, totaling approximately $1.5 million across 70 active mortgages, which helps the city remain in good standing with HUD by clearing program income balances. Furthermore, the council reviewed the annual agreement authorizing the lease for the Williamsport Area Little League to utilize Brandon Park ball fields, confirming that maintenance responsibilities remain with the League and Lecoming College. Finally, discussions covered approving a letter of understanding for technical assistance from the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to assist in developing a city-specific comprehensive plan, including community outreach, which was stated to commence immediately.

The meeting covered the approval of the minutes from the February 5th, 2026 meeting. A significant portion of the session involved a presentation from Cedakog regarding the Williamsport Levy Improvement Project, a total of $10.7 million initiative funded primarily by an $8 million FEMA award. Discussions detailed progress since December, including securing a tentative extension until April 2028 and submitting a request for a $2 million advance payment. The council heard about the procurement process for engineering oversight and design work, with recommendations for AECOM (RFQ) and GPI (RFP). Council members inquired about the overall scope of the levy work covered by this funding versus the total required work. Other agenda items included a resolution closing out a community conservation partner grant project.

The agenda for the meeting included an invocation, flag salute, and roll call. Key discussion items involved a presentation from SEDA-COG regarding work on the Levee Kramer. Significant action items focused on appointments to the Williamsport Water & Sanitary Authorities and the Williamsport Parking Authority. Other matters included first readings for Ordinance Transfer #1 and an ordinance authorizing the release of certain mortgages related to HOME & CDBG Program funded rehabilitation projects. Several resolutions were planned, covering contracts for professional consulting services with SEDA-Council of Governments, MOUs/Agreements with River Valley Transit Authority, Williamsport Area Little League (WALL), and Barry Isett, as well as approvals for a Letter of Understanding with PA Dept. of Community & Economic Develop. Further resolutions addressed agreements involving the Williamsport Bureau of Fire, awarding construction inspection services for Levee Pump Stations Electrical Upgrades, appointing a design engineer for primary levee projects, adopting a Sewage Plan for the Bloomingrove Road Project, and authorizing the purchase of specialized mowers. Additional items included the approval of a Substantial Amendment to the Fiscal Year Annual Action Plan for the Community Development Block Grant Program and awarding an agreement for engineering services for improvements at Sojourner Truth Ministries, and securing ADA consulting services. The agenda also included filing existing committee minutes and reports, and concluding with announcements regarding future meetings.

The meeting, identified as the second work session for the 2026 budget, covered agenda items focusing on budget proposals. Key discussions involved the 2026 budget for the Department of Community and Economic Development, which highlighted streamlining processes like LERTA, working on bike lanes, developing a downtown strategic plan, receiving a bird town designation, rewriting home program policies, and relaunching the city's emergency rehab program. The department outlined a strategic plan involving GIS software usage for data assessment across various city services (codes, fire, police) to guide strategic investments. The proposed budget for this department showed a 7.47% increase, largely attributed to salary lines, and included subscriptions for Adobe and GIS software. The Public Works budget discussion addressed a 0.96% increase for the office of directors, citing higher operating costs for City Hall and a 2% increase for Atills. Furthermore, street resurfacing and brick street expenditures were reduced to zero, offset by additional funds received from the CDBG department for paving. Council members also discussed park improvements, specifically the need for uniform standards for lighting, restrooms, and signage across all parks, and the status of bike lane connectors between Brandon and Shaw, and through the UPMC campus to Loyal Sock.

The meeting commenced with an invocation and flag salute. A key item involved the approval of the City Council meeting minutes from November 17th, 2025. Council representatives and a State Representative recognized Chief Samst for his service upon his upcoming retirement from the Williamsport Bureau of Fire, detailing his career progression and education. The Council also addressed resolutions pertaining to CDBG and HOME Investment Partnership Programs, approving substantial amendments for fiscal years 2019 through 2024, involving repayments and reallocations of funds related to various city projects including funding for a rescue boat and emergency rehab programs. Furthermore, an agreement with CEDACOG for professional and administrative services related to the $8 million federally earmarked Levy Reconstruction Projects was authorized, focusing on grant management and compliance to avoid fund repayment. A Certificate of Appropriateness request for property renovations at 124 East 4th Street was reviewed, discussing the ongoing multi-phase renovation project. Finally, a resolution was passed authorizing the transfer of three city-owned properties (Trade and Transit 1, Trade and Transit 2, and the Church Street parking deck) to the River Valley Transit Authority (RVTA), contingent upon continued use for transit purposes.