Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Allentown public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
5 issues in public safety with medium priority
Civil Service Rules Review
Bill 45 would drop the automatic disqualification of police officer and firefighter applicants who haven't registered with the Selective Service System. That could widen the pool of people eligible to take the civil service test and be hired. City officials say current rules conflict with newer state and federal law.
Rental Inspection Fees (Bill 84)
Landlords whose properties trigger repeat complaint-driven inspections — or who no-show inspections — would pay a $125 fee on top of the standard $75 annual license. The city says it barely covers inspection costs and targets bad actors, not compliant landlords.
Police station and fire/health building right-sizing
The city scrapped the $40 million police station expansion for a renovation approach under energy-savings legislation and cut the fire/health building from $65 million to about $45 million, cutting next year's borrowing to $30 million.
Human Relations Commission Administrative Updates
The Human Relations Commission scheduled a virtual training session regarding state and local HRC roles, alongside standard administrative updates and committee reports. These ongoing administrative procedures ensure commissioners stay informed on civil rights enforcement and community outreach.
Fire Department Administrative Staffing
Allentown is upgrading a part-time fire clerk position to full-time to handle daily administrative tasks and keep the office open all day. The change costs almost nothing extra since the funds were already mostly set aside.