City Council - Regular Meeting

If it wasn't on if it wasn't on ice, I'd be a sweeper.

I can use that in front of my house.

[clears throat]

sweeper. That's a sweeper. is coming up to Mary Poppins in which he plays Sleeper. What is this? I found

I'm gonna read this, too. Yeah, it does. Curious to see what they have to say. I'm gonna keep

I'm probably gonna keep it for a little bit and read it. I'm going to review it first. You got to be more careful. Put a password. I got that. Now

you can have it. You can. You're more than welcome to have it. Yeah. You don't know how to go. That was

like you're ready to retire, man.

On the basketball court because I was feeling good. I played three times last week. It's a good Call this meeting state session city council to order. Please please rise for the invocation followed by the flag. Pledge of the flag. Thank you God for providing this opportunity for us to gather here and serve the residents of Eastston. Watch over us this evening. Give us the attendance to listen to each other and our residents and the wisdom to make the right decisions. Amen.

Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands one indivisible. Roll call. Madam clerk. here. Miss Zando Dennis, Mr. Pinter here, Mrs. Rose here, Mr. Graciano here, Mrs. Hartra Biddinger here, Mayor Panto here. Okay, we'll go on to um approval of the agenda.

Move to approve. Second. Move to approve and seconded. Any discussion? [snorts] Roll call. Missando Dennis. Hi. Uh, Mr. Pinnabone. I. Mrs. Rose. Hi. Mr. Graciano. I. Mrs. Hart. Biddinger. I. Mayor Panto. I. Mr. Brown. I. We have the action on the minutes of our January 14th meeting. So move. Second. Any additions, deletes, or corrections? Roll call. Madam clerk. Mr. Pinnabon. Hi, Mrs. Rose. Hi, Mr. Graciano. Hi, Mrs. Hartra. Pittinger. Hi, Mayor Panto. Hi, Mr. Brown. I Miss Dennis. Hi.

We now have the action on the minutes of our January 28th meeting. So move. Second. Move the second additions, releases, or corrections. Roll call. Mrs. Rose. I. Mr. Graziano. I. Mrs. Hart Biddinger. I. Mayor Panto. I. Mr. Brown. I. Miss Zonda Dennis. Hi. And Mr. Pinterum. Hi. [snorts] And now we have presentation. We don't have any presentations tonight. So we'll move on to um consent agenda. Madame clerk. We'll go to public comment after we do. No consent. There's nothing on the consent.

Okay. So we'll go to public comment. Agenda items only. Anyone wanted to speak uh to city council on agenda items? Now is the time to do that. Please. We ask for your name and address and you get five minutes. Seeing none, we'll move on to No, no, no. Mayor, we have Oh, there. [snorts]

Um, hello. My name is Elizabeth Abru. Spell your last name, please. It's abu. I live on Eler Avenue in East.

Thank you. Um, now this comment is on behalf of myself and a friend. Um, it's relating to [snorts] Um, new business. Um, resolution A, um, approving a license agreement with Flock Safety for installation of LPR camera. Yes. Um so I'm speaking on behalf of a friend and myself when I say that um flux safety fe features um they the updates cannot make automated license plate reader safe. Now, this is this story I'm reading directly from um two journalists who wrote on June 27, 2025 um um of two recent statements from the surveillance company. One addressing Illinois's privacy violations and another defending the company's national national surveillance network. It looks at the the data breaches that happened um reporting from 404 media. Um the sheriff's office in Texas searched data for from more than 83,000 automated license plate readers. Um to track down a woman suspected of self-managing an abortion, a scenario that may have been avoided, it's worth noting. Had Flock taken action when they were first warned about this threat three years ago.

Flock calls their reporting on the Texas Sheriff's Office purposely misleading, claiming the woman was searched for a missing person at her family's request rather than for her abortion. But that ignores the core issue. This officer used a nationwide surveillance drag net to [snorts] track someone down and use her suspected healthc care decision as a reason to do so. premiering. This is a concern for her safety placed directly into anti-abortion narratives that depict abortion as dangerous and traumatic in order to justify increased policing, criminalization control, and ultimately surveillance. Flax safety had blamed users, downplayed harms, and doubled down on the very systems that enabled the violations in the first place. Now the real question is are we looking at these cases and going is this an issue and it should be not just to the threat of the many people that live here but also because this is data we're talking about data that reveals a lot about people where they live. Um just I know there's um [snorts] sorry there's more that I wanted to address. I'm just sorry about this guys. Um, this also goes into the fact that

PLA has um had also breaches in information um and that this information is something that even a data broker could get. Um, right now we're dealing with a lot of targeting of immigrant communities, um, and other [snorts] individuals. Um, I think it is of concern. Um, and I think it is something that should be noted down. Thank you. Thank you. Excuse me. Excuse me.

I have that email address from the Wilson Council you're looking for. You're welcome. Good evening, council, Mayor. Good evening.

My name is Mark Rosenwag, 45 North 2nd Street, Governor Wolf Building. Um, I'm here to urge you, speaking uh as a member of Lehigh Valley DSA, Democratic Socialist of America, uh to reject the proposed licensing agreement with Flock. Um, uh, what is being proposed is not a modest public safety tool. It's the construction of a permanent surveillance infrastructure that records the movements of ordinary people going about their lawful lives. License plate reader systems don't confine themselves to suspected criminals. They capture and store data on everyone who passes within range. workers driving to their jobs, parents taking children to school, teenagers learning to drive, residents attending religious services, political meetings, medical appointments, or simply visiting friends. One once such a system is installed, the issue is no longer whether the current administration intends to use it responsibly. The issue is that the infrastructure exists. It creates a searchable historical record of movement. It can be shared across jurisdictions. It can be accessed by future administrations with very different priorities. It can be repurposed. It can be breached. History teaches that surveillance powers expand over time. They rarely contract. There are documented civil liberties concerns surrounding automated license plate reader deployment nationwide. Studies and reporting have shown disproportionate placement in black and Latino neighborhoods and patterns of use that raise serious profiling concerns.

Surveillance does not fall evenly across a population. It concentrates where power already concentrates. There are also serious cyber security risks. Flock safety, as the person who spoke just before me uh correctly pointed out, experienced a significant security vulner vulnerability in January 25 that exposed live um license plate reader data. Login credentials have appeared on hacking sites. No digital repository of sensitive location data is immune from compromise. When you collect mass data info, you assume the risk that it will one day leak or be misused. That risk falls on the public, not on the vendor. This is a private venture-backed company operating a data platform. Its business network model facilitates information sharing beyond a single municipality. That means eastern residents location histories could circulate for far outside the direct control of this council. The regulatory and accountability frameworks for that data flow is limited and largely contractual. The empirical case that these systems significantly reduce crime remains contested. Research published in credible journals have found that small numbers of LPR patrol deployments and crime hotspots didn't generate a general or offense specific deterrent effect. If we are to accept a permanent surveillance architecture, the evidentiary standard should be exceptionally high. Public safety is a legitimate and serious concern. I don't dispute that, but so is the preservation of civil liberties in a democratic society. Installing mass surveillance infrastructure alters the relationship between residents and their government in a structural way. It

normalizes constant tracking as the price of living in a city. I ask you to reject this resolution and to pursue public safety strategies that don't require building a database of everyone's movements. Once this system's in place, it'll be very difficult to dismantle. The prudent course is not to build it at all. Thank you very much. Thank you. [applause] Good evening. Theodore Scarrap. I live at 432 Northampton Street, apartment 306. How do I spell your last name?

Sk A A R U P. And I'm speaking on behalf of myself, not any employer or any professional organizations a member of. Um, I want to echo everything that Mr. Rosenwag said. Uh, this is a ratchet that only goes one direction once this is installed. Even with the best intentions, and I have no reason to doubt any of the intentions of anyone in this room, it cannot easily be dismantled. I also want to uh echo and expand upon Miss Abbru's concerns. This is not a hypothetical risk of abuse. Here in Northampton County in 2022, a Bethlehem police officer was fired for exploiting just this type of sec of surveillance technology to stalk a former parano paramore and co-orker. He was charged. He was arrested and played out to a misdemeanor. So these are these concerns are neither hypothetical nor remote. So I would join them in asking council to reject this proposal. Thank you.

Thank you. [applause] Hello, good evening. Uh, my name is John Ponis. I live uh up on College Hill with my wife. Spell your last name, please. P O N I S. Thank you.

Um, I would like to address the commonly expressed position that flock cameras merely identify license plates and that because they're only used to target criminals, law-abiding citizens should not fear for their privacy. As of fall 2025, police departments are able to access video from Flock cameras, not just still footage. Flock's Nova software launched in 2025 combines license plate data with footage from Flock cameras as well as Ring doorbell cameras and even data obtained ille illegally via software security breaches. We all get the emails saying that this or that login has been compromised, right? Um and uses it to associate your vehicle with your personal information and share it with enforcement agencies across the country. As of October 2025, ICE, uh, Immigration Customs Enforcement had access to over 80,000 Flock cameras via unofficial and often illegal cooperation with local police departments. In June of 2025, Flock announced the Flock Business Network, which expands their network of surveillance cameras into privately owned businesses so that you can be monitored while at your workplace, while buying groceries, or even while seeking treatment at a doctor's office or hospital. Flock's own website states that their quote partner base spans more than 10,000 businesses, including four of the National Retail Federation top 10 retailers, seven of the 10 largest sought shopping malls, and 10 of the 40 largest US health systems. The implications for workers rights and labor organizing are obvious and chilling. With the development of new surveillance technology diminishing the sphere of privacy guaranteed by the constitution, with the boundary between protected and punishable behavior receding inward before our eyes, the expansion of the surveillance enforcement apparatus should concern us all. Thank you.

Thank you. [applause]

Hello, I'm Aiden Henigan. I live on Fourth Street. I'll keep this short. I just want to echo the same concerns that were said already before and ask you to deny this ordinance. Do not allow these systems in our city. They will be used to hurt people here. We've seen it happen in Minnesota. It will happen here and you need to take it seriously and it's a very very grave concern of mine. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [applause] Anyone else? [clears throat]

Good evening, Mr. Mayor, members of council. Um, I am uh my name is Luke Downtown. You probably all

know that by heart by now. Absolutely. Um, I want to be clear about what's being discussed here because this is about more than a single camera or a single company. This is about whether public space in our quiet city uh becomes corporate surveillance space without limits or public consent. I've heard it said that flock safety can simply partner with another entity like med if the city denies use of its polls. If that's true, then it actually strengthens the case for denying access to city-owned property. Public infrastructure should not be used to legitimize or subsidize private surveillance systems, especially ones that continue to expand in capability and scope and have already inflicted harm on populations across the country. Flock safety is not static technology. As of 2025, as is previously referenced by another speaker, its NOVA platform allows access to video footage in addition to license plate data and law enforcement access has already expanded beyond what many residents were originally told. Its marketing statement is literally search once, see everything. Policies change, capabilities expand, but once these systems are installed on public property, they are extremely difficult to roll back. It is precedent setting and breaking precedent is harder than setting it. At the same time, this proposal has faced delays of timelines where working people already face barriers to attend meetings. Tracking agenda changes and participating in decisions that affect their daily lives. Surveillance infrastructure should not be advanced through a pattern of uncertainty. If council believes this technology is truly necessary and appropriate, that it should be governed by ordinance before installation, not after. That means clear limits on use, data retention,

access, and expansion of a meaningful public oversight. And if council is not prepared to do that work, then the city should deny the use of public polls and move forward with regulations that prevent private corporate surveillance systems from occupying public facing spaces within the city. Doing nothing is still a policy choice. Allowing private surveillance on public infrastructure is still an endorsement. Tonight, I'm asking council over a period of a few months of time to look into this, not to wait until presentations are made, but to do the homework of looking into this on time that they have, to choose governance, transparency, and public trust over quiet normalization. I hope that you will absolutely resoundingly say no to this type of technology in general going forward, but also this evening to flock safety on a public poll in the city of Eastston. Thank you. [applause]

I would just like to know I had one person from was it Aaylor Avenue? Okay, that's Wilson Burrow. I would like to know of all the people who came up, have you been to the other facilities, do you drive on the turnpike? Do you drive on the bridge commission properties? Do you drive on the state highways? They all have them. I just just want to know.

I am very perplexed about this issue because I agree with you on this the privacy issue, but We are very proud of the fact that in 2008 you wouldn't walk you wouldn't live downtown Luke. You wouldn't live downtown in 2008. You live downtown today because it's safe. And the safe city is tech is using technology to to get that and that's why you live downtown today, not in 2008.

Mr. Mr. Mayor, [clears throat] I made a comment on a public forum recently that I absolutely understand and accept that in your tenure, you have seen a resounding change to what this city looks like and you have administered that during your time in office, which I would never deny or change that history in my rhetoric. I have lived in Easton for most of my life with the exception of times where it was out of my control from my parents. I have never felt unsafe in this city. That is a product of my privilege as a masculine large man. I understand that. I cannot say that for my women friends, even shorter, less masculine men. Um, so I understand that there was a difference over the past 30 years. Let's just say a number. Um but the fact of it is is that we are also hearing discussions by certain council members that we should be expanding and meeting our uh originally budgeted quota for police officers. This is corporate surveillance. The police officers that we are looking to onboard have license plate readers mounted on their cars. The difference here is that intentionality is the product of having them mounted on the cars. Dragnet surveillance that is static in one place catching everyone going to the grocery store, traveling past a Wawwa, going to their jobs. We are talking about different things. It is completely out of the public's purview to have access to that data. And you know, reading the actual resolution, it makes it clear. And all I would say is that uh for me personally, I will live in this city for as long as my heart beats and I will also remain here regardless of the level perceived level of safety. The FBI statistics for the last 12 years offand

please pardon me if I'm not exact have shown that violent crime is massively down and also that most crime is going to be committed by uh uh uh domestic relationships people that you know. So, Draget surveillance is simply going to track where we go, where we shop, so that advertisers and other data brokers can sell our activity. Mr. Mayor, I absolutely hear you. Um, I just hope we can take that logic to the next step and to its conclusion, and I appreciate you for invoking me so I could share that in response. Thank you. Thank you, Luke. [applause] Okay.

Hello. Um, Mr. Miss Sando. No. Okay. I'm reading at the wrong time. Okay. I was thinking of you actually. Um so, Major Panto.

Um I guess you did say my name. Um or I guess my my address, so I might as well come up here. The name is Elizabeth again. Uh Eer Avenue. I am 23 and I have lived in the city of East for an aggregated amount of five almost six years. Um in that time I have seen a lack of understanding when it comes to surveillance and what is actually used for. Um, now you guys don't have your is is that your chief of police in here? Um, yes, it is. I guess that the question then remains um what exactly is the point of having more surveillance if your current systems in place especially your police department don't already do a really good job at all uh of making sure that we actually feel safe. And I say this because as a stalking victim, I have seen time and time again um how this system, especially in East End, has failed victims. Um you mentioned surveillance, but surveillance [clears throat] of who exactly? Um I guess my my my bigger question is also the centralization of information. you are allocating more resources to uh something that's already been proven to have breaches and data. Um and you're proudly saying that you have them installed throughout the city. Um my question would be why why not have your own system? Why why is it why are you centralizing it within a privatized

company that seems to have a lack of regard for the data that that's being collected? Uh ma'am, I know you're speaking to the mayor. Before you continue, I just want to make sure for the record and the people here that we're clear when you talk about our police are not protecting victims and things. You and I spoke at the beginning of this meeting and I shared with you information to your burrow council Wilson where you had the issue. Our police department does not address Wilson. Well, the issue you have with Wilson on behalf of myself when I'm saying that. But but but when you say we don't protect victims, you have currently an issue in Wilson. We don't cover it Wilson. So that's not our department. Familiar with the system here. So I was not speaking on behalf of myself.

All right. But we just want to make it clear that our we don't have victims saying that they're not being protected by our department. Is that correct? That is not that we're aware of. We've never heard. Alo hired a victim advocate. Yes. Through um where was it? Remind me again. Um [clears throat] no. Uh I'm I'm I'm waiting actually. Um for what? The reminder. It's um engaged. I don't know what you're talking about. You're a victim advocate. What's the name of the organization behind it? She she works for the Houston Police Department.

We hired She's a civilian in the East Police Department. Interesting. Okay. And that I I I just don't understand what the point of bringing this up in the conversation has to be. You you were talking about the fact that the victims were not taken care of. What does a city representative have to do with victims being heard or not? All you're saying is that you haven't heard complaints, that you've put somebody in charge of the cases. Um, does that necessarily mean that the job is being done accurately? I wouldn't think so. I think she does a great job.

We've gotten many compliments about her from from victims and homelessness, people who are unsheltered. Well, I would like to see those comments. Well, if you lived in the city like you say you did, you don't and you and and we we are very This is getting very off comment anyway, isn't it? Point order. Yeah, point order. We're we're we're lenient in allowing people from the region to talk, but you need to go to Wilson Burrow if you have an issue with Wilson Burrow. Like I said, I was not speaking of Whistler.

Point to order. Okay, we'll move on. Anyone else want

Howdy. Uh, my name is Caitlyn Madison. I live up on the hill. Um, I'm actually here to speak about something else. Well, I'm not here for that, but I saw on the um agenda there's a resolution calling upon the Pennsylvania General Assembly to increase the Commonwealth's minimum wage that was introduced by Mr. Pinto. And I am here to say that I fully support this. I think it's great. And yeah, that would be awesome because we haven't raised the minimum wage since 2009 and I was like in college. I remember getting a raise because minimum wage went up [laughter] and um yeah, I think it would be great. It would be super helpful. There's 61,000 people in the state of Pennsylvania that currently make under $15 an hour.

And so if we raise it to 15, then every all of them would get a raise. So that's it. Thank you, Madison. Thank you. [applause] Hi. Hi. My name is Caitlyn Hudach. You said you were lenient to people in the region. I live 30 seconds from College Hill. Can you spell your name for me, please? Hudac Huda K. H U D A K.

For Borgzav, Eastn PA. Just quick um thing. Automated surveillance violates our fourth amendment right uh which does not allow all searches but pro protects against unreasonable warrants and searches. Under this we are we as private citizens are allotted a reasonable expectation of privacy. Supreme Court Justice Justin John Roberts a person quote I quote a person does not surrender all fourth amendment protection by venturing into the public sphere. We still have protections under our fourth amendment rights even being in public. We have cameras all over for safety. Why do we need this particular one? This particular AI enabled ALPR tracks millions of innocent private citizens who have committed no crimes. A according to Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sodomire, automated surveillance allows a precise, comprehensive record of a person's public movement that reflects a wealth of detail about her familial, political, professional, religious, and sexual association. According to consumer rights, legal scholars note that US law enforcement scanned 2.5 billion license plates between 2016 and 2017 with 99.5% not committing any crimes, [snorts] illustrating the dragnet nature of a modern ALPR's deployment that distinguishes it from traditional target surveillance methods. This particular company has no accountability and the data is available nationally by multiple private and government agencies. The databases are incredibly insecure and have been subject to hagging and leaks. The argument for safety according to Flock themselves say they reduce crime by 10%. However, according to multiple independent studies, the data is inconclusive and there's no evidence this product reduces or prevents crimes. Additionally, Flock ALPR web applications show they are capable of facial recognition. While not currently in use, it is on a trigger list. They also advertise personal search features and collect soft biometric data. According to have I been flock.com, if we look around the world, many countries including China use this technology to track and monitor all citizens and

classify them in a social credit system. In just 30 years, a system that was made for safety evolved into something totally dystopian. [snorts] This is my point. Right now, we have great council and local government, but we don't know what the next administration, the next council, the next government is going to be like in 10 to 20 years. And I just worry about the world that my kids are going to grow up in in decades to come and what that's going to be like. And I also would just like to say I lived in Southside as a as a teenager and I did not feel unsafe. So just letting you know. Thank you. Thank you. [applause] Okay, we're moving on our agenda. Uh oh. Oh yeah.

Yes.

Uh my name is Stephen Martin. I'm a local activist and I often work here in Easton and I'd just like to share some data from the Electronic Frontier Foundation's investigation of flock surveillance uh in 2025. [clears throat] The first of all um I I'll say I've seen your contract and your contract would not prohibit DHS in any way from obtaining this information. It is very broad and it would allow all law enforcement organizations to petition for it. Uh and I'll also say that Flock doesn't necessarily need your permission. They own the data. It's on their servers. So, they are able to access it or give access with or without city council's permission. Um, over 12 million searches in 2025 by 3,900 agencies were performed related to political demonstrations like handsoff and no kings. They used their draget to identify and target protesters for arrest and exploitation. There's likely a database of every protester in this city who has attended any of these events logged by multiple federal agencies. [snorts] Uh in the summer and fall in Texas, more than 80 searches were made by local police departments targeting the Romani people for profile policing and using heinous slurs and targeting entire traveling communities without any evidence of wrongdoing. Now this is something that any law enforcement agency more than just the local law enforcement agencies can do and it is you know clear that they're using this biometric data and if it can be done an agency will do it especially with the state of the current federal government. Uh even more troubling is in Texas they're also tracking these because these cameras are all linked. uh a Texas police department under the guise of a missing person's investigation accessed nearly a 100,000 cameras across the US to track a woman they thought got an abortion out of state to charge her in

Texas. Now, I don't know about you, but that's not something I want to see in my community. And I don't want to give these law enforcement agencies across the country that know nothing about us or our values targeting people who come here for safety and for their own reproductive rights. Um, in San Jose, Customs and Border Patrol conducted um, uh, 4 million queries of warrantless searches in violation of multiple state laws trying to track people for their deportation efforts. We, as far as I understand, East's passed a welcoming city resolution, and I feel that would fly directly in the face of that. Um, finally,

we did not pass a welcoming city resolution. Oh, I'm sorry. Uh, would you correct that for me? It's it's similar to it, but it's not a welcoming city. Okay. So, not not the exact terminology, but I I'm familiar with the resolution. I I would say it's under the umbrella. Correct. It's under the umbrella.

Okay. Um, so nearing uh in October in 2025, Flock expanded their capabilities uh to a wide network of powerful microphones that can basically hear screams several streets away. Now, this actually flies in the face of several wiretapping laws, both federal and state. But rather than reconsidering their approach, they simply rephrased the way they deployed it, and it is still part of their technologies today. If you're walking down the street and talking about anything that the federal government is interested in, they could pick that up and query that later, that's a blatant breach of the Fourth Amendment in my opinion. The essentially these are spy cameras and this is Orwell's 1984 and I really don't want to see it in a city that I spend so much time and money in. Thank you. [applause]

[applause]

Hello. I would just like to address the mayor's comment regarding the um utility of technology in um improving the you know crime rate in Easton. Um we are already tracked uh you know our our location can be tracked uh in public fairly easily using any of the many surveillance cameras that are already I mean I'm looking at one right now. Um we are tracked inside of our homes. Our digital behavior is tracked right. Um I guess you know what level of technological invasion into our privacy is enough. Um, you know, it may sound ludicrous to say microchipping people in order to track their location via GPS or something, but if you had raised the, you know, the issue of flock cameras, AI powered license plate recognition, facial recognition technology in the 80s, there's a you're being crazy, right? So, when's enough? Is right now so dangerous that we need to advance this invasion of our privacy further? Um, that's all. Thank you.

[applause] No consent agenda. So we move there's no reports received by council. So we report to the committees by uh can Mr. Brown the uh finance committee. Thank you mayor. Under unfinished business this evening we have bill number three which is amending the 2025 budget for the out of the 101 general fund and also bill number four which is under amendment for 2025 budget under the health benefits. That's all I have this evening. Mayor K. Economic Development, Mr. Pinone.

Thank you, Mayor. Just a few uh things. Uh first, I just want to make the community aware. Um I have been asked to be a presenter at the annual Kings of the Community, February 15th in Allentown. It's a celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King and those um African-American men who embody his legacy. We have uh four award winners right here in Easton. Baron Vanderberg, Jason Vanderberg, Josh Robinson, and Carrie Meyers. So, uh, we want to honor them and and congratulate them for winning this award throughout the Lehigh Valley. Additionally, as we heard, uh, from one of our speakers, Miss Madison, I have on the agenda tonight um, a resolution uh, calling on the general assembly to increase minimum wage. I'm happy to report that our representatives uh Bob Freeman, Lisa Boscola, Senator Nick Miller, and Allentown, they all have they all support this and uh the House of Representatives have passed it three times and the Senate uh the heads of the Senate refused to put it on the agenda for a vote. So hopefully we'll we'll we're going to follow Betham and Allentown and Reading and apply pressure to get them to uh to do that. Additionally, council, as we had no committee meeting yesterday, um as we heard from the owner of the game gallery at the last meeting, uh in your packet, you should see 285-26 taxation chapter 535. Um speaking with the administration, director of finance, the mayor Lewis Campos, we made uh an adjustment to the fees on the video games, particularly for businesses that have so uh so many. So, they were in your packet. If you can please look them over, uh we'll discuss it if need be at the next committee meeting and then uh if if there's a consensus, we'll put it on the uh next agenda for a vote.

Lastly, as we heard a lot about uh flock cameras today, I just want to thank um District Attorney Bara, Chief Sco, the administration here, Councilwoman Rose, Graciano, Xando Dennis, and and Heartra Bener as we've been speaking back and forth for about two weeks. um through phone calls in Texas and just sharing data that we have received so we really understand what we're looking at here with flock. So I appreciate everybody giving the time as well as Senator Boscola's office and and Bob Freeman mayor. That's all I have. Thank you. Public works, Mr. Eddie. Oh m Miss

Oh, [laughter] thank you, mayor. Um, last night the zoning hearing board hosted a special hearing regarding the proposal at North Fourth Street. Uh, we didn't get too far into the meeting. Um it it was announced that it was continued to February 26th at 6 p.m. So anyone who's interested in um hearing more or speaking um during public comment regarding that North Fourth Street proposal, I would urge them to attend the February 26th meeting at 6 p.m. Um these meetings, as a reminder, are being streamed on our the city's YouTube channel and also archived there. Um the regularly scheduled monthly zoning meeting will be is scheduled for next week, Tuesday, February 17th at 6 PM. The agenda is on the city's website. Um I would like to request that we have a discussion on the parking permit agreements for developers at one of the upcoming committee meetings. If we could, I'd appreciate that.

You want to address that? The parking de developers parking. She wants to talk about it at a committee meeting. Aren't you going to talk about it tonight? No, not necessarily. But um yes, and I think uh the solicitors will have to be there, too. Okay. Just because they're the ones who the solicitor uh is the one who draws up the agreement. I and I will be I'm going to be traveling the last week of February and the first week of March, but I will be calling into that meeting, but at one of the upcoming meetings would be great. I'd appreciate that. I'd like to instead of speaking about it tonight, just reserve some time. If I may, Councilwoman, uh, if we could schedule it when you're you're here, I'd rather have you in person if you don't mind because you've been a part of it. So, if we could schedule it while she's here.

I'd just like to get something on the calendar coming up. Thank you. I appreciate everyone's uh um will being willing to have that discussion. Uh the last thing I want to mention is I'm on the board of the Eastn Business Association. We do have our regular monthly mixer set for Wednesday, February 18th, 5:30 to 7:00 at Element, 9:15 Northampton Street. I want to invite all the council members and the public to attend. We will be um having a bit of a fundraiser for Jack Piper, the son of the owners of Porter's Pub who's battling cancer right now, too. So, um um anyone in the public who's willing to who is interested in attending, all are welcome. Thank you. That's all I have. Councilwoman, can you just give us that date again?

Sure. Um the EBI mixer, Wednesday, February 18th, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. And we switch the location every month. It will be held at Element on 915 Northampton Street. Thank you. Thank you. Repeat on what's next Thursday's meeting. Oh. Um, there is a meeting, the monthly zoning hearing meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 17th at 6 PM. And then there is a special zoning hearing meeting regarding the North Fourth Street project that is continued to February 26th. Okay.

Okay. That's planning and codes, public safety, Mr. Garziano.

Sure. Thank you, mayor. Um, I met last week with the police department's community advocate, who we were just speaking about, uh, Kristen Cooper. We discussed this, uh, we discussed the scope of her work, how the position functions day-to-day, and reviewed the 2025 year end report. It was a great meeting. Um, came away very impressed with Miss Cooper, honestly, and the work that she does. And based on that discussion and the information presented, I'd like to have Miss Cooper come before council to give a presentation to walk through what exactly she does do does and review the 2025 year end report from her. And um I did speak with her and um she's going to be here at the next council meeting at the end of the month. So um looking forward to that. Also, I spoke with Eric Sheamus, manager of the East Ambassadors, and I'm excited to share that the Ambassadors are planning to expand their coverage in the West Ward. Um, in addition to the existing route along Northampton Street from 6 to 13th, the expanded coverage will include Walnut from 6 to Butler and Ferry Street from Walnut to 13th. Uh once fully staffed, the ambassadors also plan to bring back the safe routes to school program in the westward during student arrival and dismissal hours along designated walking routes. During school breaks, including the summer months, coverage will also be extended north of Northampton Street to include Wood Avenue, 13th Street, and Bushkill Street. Um Eric and his team are doing a great job. We all know that. Um downtown in the westward, and I'm looking forward to see them expanding out in the West W. Uh, one last thing, East and Blockwatch will be holding its yearly reorganization meeting on Thursday, February 26 at the State Theater at 7 PM. There has recently been renewed interest from potential new members and organizers are hopeful this will help move Blockwatch back in a positive direction. All are welcome to attend. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Garziano. Public works, Miss Binger. No. Wow. I You got to put the right names down there. I don't know. Two different ones. There was one that I put on your desk. Thank you. Miss Zando Dennis. I know. Mayor Mayor and I are working to identify turn. Can you put your mic on, please? Is it not? You got noise.

Oh, test. [clears throat]

Excuse me about the dry heat. That makes it tough for my voice. Um, the mayor and I are working to identify an appropriate location for the obelisk donated to the city by the service organization Alphafi Omega. We are exploring sites that would suitably commemorate Frank Reed Horton, founder of Alphafi Omega, while a junior at Lafayette College. The [snorts] goal is to ensure that the placement honors Horton's legacy of serviceoriented leadership, public service, and civic engagement. Also, I attended a human trafficking forum held at the Boys and Girls Club, organized by Council Member Pintabone, the district attorney Steven Barata, and Bloom, an organization which operates homes in the Lehi Valley that support women survivors of sex trafficking, sexual exploitation, and addiction. I found it very informative. Thank you for leading this forum, Councilman Pidabone. In my role as liaison to the public works department, I will be introducing a resolution seeking approval of a license agreement with flock safety for the installation of a license plate reader camera on a city street light pole. The camera is being installed. Well, the I'm I'm reading from the resolution, but the the application is for the camera to be installed by Flock at the request of the county district, excuse me, at the county district attorney's office to monitor vehicles on Route 22.

These cameras are commonly known as LPR or license plate readers or sometimes ALPR automated license plate readers. With respect to this resolution, I ask for your patience while I read a two and a half page statement. I want to begin by saying clearly, I hear your concerns. Excuse me. Would it be appropriate to be making that statement at the time that it comes up in the agenda and the motions made because that's usually when you have the discussion because otherwise you don't have it's a statement but we

it doesn't force it a dialogue so it's just a suggestion of the appropriate procedure well we were it's the report it's her committee report so she could basically use the time to do whatever she want well you're the chair I'm just pointing out that good point that that that your your meetings can go into a very strange cycle if you want if everyone who makes a report makes the argument that you would make when you have discussion because you really shouldn't be having I mean you can you can do it you you can do it it's up to the chair I was just an observation

I was planning on doing it uh what not again but at the time of the introduction of the resolution and then in conversing with some of the council members we thought that I gave it during this during the report time that I we could cut to the discussion but in in the as I'm happy to do whatever she we've had council members that are no longer with us that use their time in the report to talk about everything didn't even revolve around the city and and and and if I decide to run for mayor in 2027 um then I I I defer to you and I defer to all the council members and if you prefer to do it like this then you should do it like that. I I

I'm happy to ask the council members which they prefer. It doesn't matter. I'm fine with you doing whatever you want to do. I'm fine with you doing it now. Okay. It's perfectly appropriate. I was just making a

We thought about that. We thought about the best time [clears throat] and we kind of settled on this. So, so I want to begin by saying clearly, I hear your concerns about flock cameras. I've spent a great deal of time researching this technology and I share the worries that you you've raised tonight. I also want you to know that I am prepared to vote no on allowing a flock camera to be installed on a city-owned poll. But we need to be honest about what that vote actually accomplishes. Clearly, if the city count council voted yes to approve flocks application, privacy advocates would lose. But if city council votes no to approve the flock application, privacy advocates also lose. There are two reasons for this. First, the district attorney has already stated that if we vote no, the DA's office will simply install the camera on a stateowned poll outside the city's authority. Second, a no vote gives the city zero control over how the camera is used. The DA's office would install and operate it without any of the safeguards. We would require just as it has done with dozens of flock cameras already operating across the Lehi Valley. For these reasons, a no vote is merely symbolic. It does not protect your

privacy. What will protect your privacy are enforcable guide rails and how the software is configured and how the data is handled. These guide rails are recommended by the ACLU and already exist in certain states statutes and I'll be discussing Illinois in a moment. First, I will summarize the ACLU recommendations in an open letter to municipalities. The ACLU writes, "Dear municipal leader, we strongly recommend you take the following steps. Ask your police department for flock system settings and complete contract terms. If they do use flock, immediately instruct them to a disable all data sharing with agencies outside the state and b review and amend any contract language to ensure it does not give flock rights to share your municipality's data. If external data sharing cannot be prevented, end your contract and remove the cameras from your community. That's the end of the open letter by the ACLU. Under the heading, what success looks like, the ACLU further explained, they basically repeated what I just said. Protecting your residents civil rights and civil liberties requires only two straightforward actions. One, disabled data sharing with entities

outside the state through Flock's administrative settings. Two, amend contract language that may give Flock the legal right to share your data with law enforcement outside the Commonwealth. End quote. Next turning to Illinois, Illinois law spec specifically chapter 625 act 5 section 2-1 130 places strict limits on how license plate reader data can be used. It prohibits sharing ALPR data with any jurisdiction if sharing one interferes with a person's right to obtain reproductive health care or two targets individuals based on immigration status. when Illinois uncovered serious violations when it audited it conducted an audience uh and it conducted an audit to ensure compliance with this law. Um it found many instances that were already raised by the public in this meeting. Um you know various violations um and out of state users exploiting the data. So Illinois then forced after the audit then forced every law enforcement agency in that state to adopt the guide rails endorsed by the ACLU. I turned quickly to Massachusetts. Massachusetts is is considering even stronger protections. House Bill 3755 would bar the use of LPRs to monitor First Amendment protected activities such as protests or religious gatherings. It would require deletion of data within 14 days. It would also

prohibit buying, selling, renting or sharing LPR data except through judicial process and would require a warrant for law enforcement to access LPR data. collected by any other entity. So, Massachusetts and Illinois uh give you two examples of essentially what are called shield laws protecting data uh and the rights the privacy rights of its citizens. Pennsylvania has no comparable protections. That means it falls on us, local officials and residents, to push for comprehensive LPR safeguards. I have already contacted our state representatives to raise these concerns, but meaningful legislation will take time. In the meantime, city council is the only body positioned to act. We should insist that any agreement with Flock prevents the company from disclosing or sharing LPR data. Model contract language already exists that we could borrow from uh including from the Boston Police Department. We should require that law enforcement disable the enable national lookup setting. Leaving this box unching this box checked allows Flock to share our residents data nationwide. The ACLU calls turning this setting off. Is quote one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent uncontrolled data dissemination. End quote. [sighs] And we should adopt a local resolution modeled on the protections in Illinois

and Massachusetts prohibiting external sharing or sale of LPR data, limiting access to narrowly defined investigative purposes, and requiring timely deletion. Let me close by clarifying the decision before us tonight. The application in front of city council is from Fleck Flock seeking permission to place a camera on a city-owned poll. It is not an application from the district attorney. That distinction matters. We can only vote on whether Flock may use city property. We cannot vote on how the software is used. that is governed by the contract between Flock and the DA's office. Given that limitation, the most meaningful action we can we can take is to send a clear message. Flock cameras are not welcome in the city unless the ACLU recommended guardrails are implemented. If we take that stand, we set a precedent for other municipalities in the Lehigh Valley. And if others follow, the result is stronger, more consistent privacy protections for residents throughout the region, not just within our city limits.

Thank you. Thank you. Nice job, Councilwoman. to to your closing and as you we you and I spoke about it. Senator Boscola has recently presented a bill um to the Senate. Uh I want to make sure I get it right and go. Okay. Uh they introduced a data sharing bill to better protect individuals and they're working to see if this would be included in that or if they have to make some uh adjustments. Yeah. That and also um the city of Allentown is going to be tackling this very soon. and they reached out to me and they're taking our information, what we researched. So, your point of the Lehigh Valley coming together, other municipalities are looking to see what we do because they have similar concerns.

Yeah, I know that the uh bill that's in front of the Senate right now, the privacy act, uh is it's a um consumer privacy act. So, Pennsylvania is very behind on privacy generally and uh it's one of the few states really remaining that haven't haven't created a private right of action for like if if your data your priv personally identifiable information is hacked and dis and disseminated uh there's no recourse the the state can't do anything. Other states obviously um can create create a private right of action. So you could sue, but they also mandate that uh whatever entity who was hacked has to notify residents within within a certain uh time frame has to provide them uh you know with future u computer security and so on and so forth. That's all that bill right now does. So it would be an opportune time to introduce this other aspect. Thank you, Mr. Mando. Zando Dennis. Um we'll move on to administration. Um Miss Mrs. Hartra Binger,

I have no report tonight, Mayor. Thank you.

Okay. Just want to mention while everybody's here and for those at home, I found out today that there's going to be a parade, a march, I should shouldn't call it a parade, a march from Cottingham Stadium to the circle in protest to um ICE primarily. On Sunday, the chief called me and asked me if I knew anything about it. I know nothing about it. And if you all know anybody that's associated with it, they need to call my office to get a permit. They can't just use our streets or anything else and have an event. I want everybody to know that in order to have an event in the city of Eastern, you have to have a permit. Now, why do you have to permit? So, we know about it. Not just for the protection of the people, but for the protection of people who are participating in the protest. We need to have police officers there to protect them as well. So, I I would just like to mention that. I was going to mention it on my report, but I thought it would be a good time to mention it now. Uh, reporter, city solicitor, Mr. Shear.

Um, thank you. I have no report, but um, I just do want to say how much I appreciate the summary that, uh, council person Zando Dennis gave from a legal perspective. Uh, she's worked extremely hard in reviewing these issues. she shared them with me and the points are have been excellently summarized. So even if I have I I even if I have my own order of things I I absolutely want to show my respect at the solicitor session for the for the for the way the comments were provided with legal guidance as to how you can proceed going forward. So I have no other report but I I do appreciate that. Thank you.

Thank you solicitor. under my report other than the the uh event on Sunday. Uh I really have no report. So I'll move on to reporter city minister Mr. Campos.

Um thank you mayor. Just a few things. First of all u I I sent out an email um to council um with uh with my uh talking points here. Um, the first thing is is that that the administration did prepare a u two-year a forecasted budget for 2027. It's in the charter. Um, I'm I'm just submitting it so we can then talk about it at a committee meeting. I'm just making you aware of it. Um, in that I mean the highlight on that is that we're projecting a deficit of 886 thou

we're projecting a gap mayor um of 886,000 um dollars. Um so uh the there's a write up that's associated uh with our assumptions. Um it's it's a uh it's an abbreviated to litmus test almost to take a look at where the pressures are coming from. We typically to just high level put revenues fairly flat um and expenses we match them up to contractual um whatever contractual arrangements we have like i.e. the the um collective bargaining agreements for example. So, we make those adjustments and um we saw an $886,000 gap. Um the next issue, so that's submitted and we're going to talk about it at a at a upcoming committee meeting. Um the next issue, uh I just want to bring to everyone's attention a couple just changes um regarding the parking garages. Um number one, um not just parking garages, but just parking updates. on our city website, we have a uh metrics page. Um on that metrics page, we did add additional information. So when you get a chance, take a look at it. Um and that information has to do with on street, the on street parking permit uh passes. That is updated. We're going to try to update that quarterly. It's not as dynamic as the other data that's on the page, but I just wanted to bring that to your attention. Um the second item is uh the As you scroll on that page, there's a business validation uh program that we're launching. Um I know Miss Rose, you had brought that to our attention as as an idea. Um so we got that up and running. It's live now on the um on our website, so you can take a look at it. Um we are going to start marketing it to businesses as of tomorrow. I just wanted to give you guys first the um the heads up and and and review it on the website.

Um the uh the last item under um the uh parking um topics here is that in the fourth street garage um in the fourth street garage we are designating we're we're testing this. So I just want to make sure that's clear. This is like we're doing a beta test. Um we are putting um certain spaces to be for monthly parkers only. All right. We're I think allocating right now about 30 spaces. Um and I do want to dig deeper into this probably at a at a parking like committee meeting. Um but we are putting um spaces there primarily because um the garage in itself typically sees an uh about a 50% utilization at any given time. That's our average. You know, it's plus or minus. um it it increases during um during several periods and it's for typically a short time. That's state theater shows when they're packed, um special events and then um unannounced special events like the one the mayor just said, but more specifically when we there's pub crawls.

Yeah, pub crawls and they don't register with the city. We don't know what's going on and it and it creates a it creates a problem. Um yeah, so if you know anybody who's involved in the St. Patty's pub crawl. We need to know about that as well.

Yeah, it just it it it creates problems for many different reasons and and one of them it it it makes us unprepared to deal with the influx of parkers that come into specifically the garages. This is just a a garage problem. There's other issues that um go along with it as the mayor had mentioned earlier um when they're unscheduled and we don't know what's going on. So um what we did in order to to further manage that because if you take away the unscheduled events when we do know about events um we move away from the automated system to a manual system. So we post uh public works employees at the gates and then we're manually then collecting either the fee and then letting folks in to park. All right. And then we we're uh manually counting how many spots we have. We we turn off the ticket counter and at that point when you look at the report the bar graph that's where the you see the spikes go up because once you turn it off it just shoots up to above 100%. But so what we've been doing is um always keeping open about 20 or 30 spaces if you will for a monthly parkers. and it's from my understanding from public works and the report back to me um that has worked fairly well. I'm not saying that there aren't any issues but it's worked fairly well. Um so in order to evolve to the next level and we talked about

sorry campus already designated excuse me are they designated spots? Yes they are. Okay but you put signs up on all the 30 right?

Yeah we put them up. So um [clears throat] so the it we got to the 30 spate from just our experience but also um from the LPRs that we have because we know we know from the license plates like who is a monthly parker and who's not. I mean and and that's important because same thing like as as as was discussed um that's how we regulate uh for uh parking issues like we you know the uh handheld LPR devices give the data that we need to know if someone's violating um some traffic ordinance but the um in this particular case the data is leading us to determine the amount of monthly spaces that we have. I'm going to get into this a lot more at a committee meeting. I just wanted to give you a high level because

Yeah. for February 24th. Yeah. Whenever it's convenient for for council and we don't have to just limit it to then. Counciloman Rose, are you I'll be calling in that day. Oh, wait till you're here. Yeah. Or the first March meeting would be great. Lewis, I have two questions. One solely for you and or the mayor, one for you and Councilwoman Rose. We talked uh just now, mayor, you brought up about the pub crawls. Both of you brought it up. Councilwoman, I know you you talked about legislation to to overseas. We're having some issues there. Where are we at with that?

I haven't heard anything about that. Um, from living from being a downtown resident, I've brought up at past meetings and had discussion with uh council about some of the issues uh during the pub crawls. Um, primarily people being overserved and really wrecking havoc on the neighborhoods, breaking planters trees, newly planted trees in some cases that the city planted. um vomiting on sidewalks and people's private property, stealing things. Um it I I don't know what can be done because um I I have talked to the mayor months ago about it. Maybe instituting some type of permit process. We don't we don't have anything on the St. Patty as they Yeah. Nothing.

It's just Can we put that on? They make money on it and we don't even know where their money goes. Yeah. I mean, I love an event and party as much as anyone else, but there seems to responsibility seems to go out the window on those nights and um you know, and when I sometimes we find out about them as residents downtown and sometimes we don't and you go out to like walk your dog and people are having a fist fight in the alley or in the street. It's just it's it's alarming. Can we get that mayor and and councilwoman Rose Lewis? Can we get that on an upcoming committee agenda to discuss since we don't know the people that are hosting it? Might be better to go work with the uh the u restaurants and and bars and things to

I mean I I live downtown and my front stoop like there's just people will be sitting on it. They're like banging on our doors because they're drunk. They're spilling drinks all over the place. They leave food and you know it's not just me. It's I I actually didn't want to bring it up with my own issues, but when I heard from other residents downtown, it seems to be that it it comes up every time there's a pub girl. We'll get that on March. Maybe we need more police on foot downtown during those dates. But it's hard to say when, like you said, mayor, if we don't know when they are, you can't plan. We don't know when they are. Otherwise, the chief would have have people there.

I think I do have I it's worth a meeting. Um, I think I have some other information I can share perhaps about the organizers and maybe we can meet with them. Perfect. Lewis, my second question and mayor and and I should have asked earlier to see if Dave Hopkins was available. Do we happen to have what we spent on the the snowstorm two weeks ago? No, not yet. Have that yet? Okay. Not yet. Thank you. That's all I had.

Um, and then the only other item has to do with a um just regarding the chief planning zoning officer position. We're we're going to be posting that I I believe by the end of this week um if not the very latest early early next week. So I just wanted to give you a heads up. I I I'm I'm I'm highlighting that because it's a position that council um created uh this year. Typically, just so you know, um I think all of you are on the distribution list when we do um post a position and they are on the uh website too on the employment page. So, it's not a necessarily a a update that I'm going to give council all the time unless unless you wanted this particular um this particular uh position was one that council created. Um so, I just wanted to emphasize it. That's all I have for my report. Mayor,

thank you, Mr. Campbos. There's no more there's no correspondence, so we'll go right into unfinished business. Madam clerk, bill number three, an ordinance amending the 2025 budget fund 101 general fund. Move second. Moved and second. Any discussion?

I'd like to I'd like to make um just a couple statements on this one. Um one statement in particular. Um, so this is a uh this goes this is going to go along with not only this ordinance but the the next ordinance, the 252. And so I just want to make it clear um this is a one uh point uh$15 million eventually transfer to the 252 fund. And we talked about this a lot in which is the healthcare fund. Um and we talked this a lot during the um budget deliberation. um the uh cost of health care uh year-over-year going into this year went up about 20% or about $900,000 or was just under $1 million, excuse me. Um so this is a product of that. So there was a shortfall last year in the healthcare line item. So this money specifically um is coming from the fund balance. So I just want to make that clear to uh council. Okay.

Thank you. Okay. Roll call. Mr. Brown. Hi. Missando Dennis. Hi. [clears throat] Mr. Pabone. Hi. Mrs. Rose. Hi. Mr. Rosiano. I. Mrs. Hartfra. Bidding. Hi. And Mayor Panto. I. Bill number four. Bill number four. An ordinance amending the 2025 uh budget fund 252 health benefits. Move. Second moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? Roll call. Miss I. Mr. Pinnabon. I Mrs. Rose. Hi. Mr. Graciano. Hi. Mrs. Hartraf Biddinger.

Hi. Mayor Panto. Hi. Mr. Brown. Hi. New business. New business. We have a resolution approving a license agreement with Flock Safety for the installation of LPR camera. So moved. Second. Moved in. Moved and seconded. And now we'll have discussion. Mr. Brown.

Yes. I I agree with Councilwoman on um her discovery. I would say I did some research myself and and the one thing that really bothers me is that they're taking license plates of people just going down the highway and and collecting that data. They claim that they get rid of that data in 30 days. I'm just not comfortable enough to think that they would. And that they say that uh they won't share with other municipal but it's proven otherwise. And I think um that if we do have some control of it under uh what the what we have seen out there already, it might be the best thing for this city until we can get a real good handle on it. Because if we just say no and it goes to the county where we're or the DA's office, but DA's office, we have no control of it. Chief, do you want to address this issue?

What what we use it for? And and mayor, why didn't we have just why did we have just did this go off for bid? Did [clears throat] uh others bid on this contract? Um, Chief Carl Scer, City of Eastern Police Department, 48 North Fourth Street. Um, good evening everyone. Um, so I I you know, I've heard all the the concerns and I'm certainly not standing up here and trying to be adversarial, but I often find myself in this position, I guess, these days. You're good at it, though.

I appreciate that. Um, yeah. So, we've used them since 2017 of license plate recognition. Um, just so that everybody knows that that the data that they collect is not on people, it's on license plates, on the color, make and and model of vehicles. Uh, the same uh anything that would be on the exterior of your car, which has been deemed by the courts to have no of privacy in reference to because obviously anybody can see that as you know you go down the road. Uh we started using LPRs when Governor Wolf got rid of um the stickers that tell us if a vehicle is registered or not. And his reason for doing that was that departments would have LPRs and be able to tell if vehicles are registered through the utilization of those cameras is so obviously without them we'd have no idea if a vehicle is registered or not until following a stop. And obviously um we do have the ability to randomly run license plates to check for those types of things. It's part of the deal that you make when you get yourself a vehicle and register in the in the state of Pennsylvania. Um, so we've used them since that time. Um, obviously they've been an invaluable tool. Uh, there is no names attached to any of the plates that are that are captured in the database. There are no um uh there we don't even know when we search a plate if the person who owns the car who comes back to that plate was driving the car at the time. All we know is that that plate um was at a certain location at a certain time. Doesn't obviously follow you to a specific location. uh they're stationary or they're either on our mobile vehicles. Uh and so we use them to basically uh for evidentary purposes. So if we um know that uh you know uh Councilman Brown, we're you know we know that you're involved, we use um all of the data resources that we have and they all fall under what they call criminal justice information systems. Um and I'm not saying you know talking about breaches and those types of things. Uh we have NCIC which is criminal justice information uh system compliant. We have our um JNET or our clean system which also captures you know has tons of information. So if I'm looking for somebody in reference to a crime, I have a name or those types of things. I can run them through Jet. I can then find out through Jet if they have a vehicle

that's registered to them. Finding out they have a vehicle registered to them. I can then go to to the LPR data and say here's a plate I'm looking for. So again, I don't know if that person was driving the car. I don't know if that person was in the car. All I know is that a car that's registered to a specific person was in this area at this time. We've recovered. We're estimating probably since we've had them over 50 vehicles that have been stolen. We just had one the other day stolen over in Jersey. We recovered it for the owner and actually captured the person who stole it within 10 minutes. Uh we caught him over here at the wall. Uh they parked the car behind the wall and we got him inside the wall. Was probably 10 to 15 minutes that we caught him. Uh we've used it uh our last sexual assault that we had up on College Hill uh which stemmed and and led to the arrest of an individual who raped a girl in Florida and also um sexually assaulted somebody out in Bethlehem. uh 100% individual would not have been caught without the utilization of that LPR. Our last homicide was solved 100% without LPR that individual is not in custody today. Um our last three shootings were solved with the utilization of the LPR. So I I do understand the privacy concerns and all of that and I do understand that breaches and those things, but we are audited through NCIC uh through the uh CEUS um the CGIS process. So, we have obligations to use the data accordingly, appropriately, and for criminal justice purposes just like we use NCIC, just like we use JNET and all the other databases and re and uh resources we have, excuse [clears throat] me, available to us. Um, I would say that my obligation here in the city is to keep everybody safe and the technology that's available to us is absolutely instrumental and necessary to do that. Um, and so we use it appropriately. Uh, we get audited and we get checked to make sure that we are using it appropriately. Um and then that database is basically held and it is monitored through this criminal justice information system uh through the FBI to ensure that anybody who uses the data that's collected from us from Palmer Township from Wilson Burrow from the from the bridge commission from the state police from all the entities that have this this technology. Uh it's all guared

through these checks and balances that they're using it properly. All the stories that you hear of these things are all all caught because of the audits that are in place and the checks and balances that are in place. Um, so there there stringent requirements there. Can they be abused? Absolutely. Can somebody do something wrong and get fired for it? Sure they can. Um, could they use NCIC the wrong way if they have access? They could. Could they use a JNET clean? Absolutely. Um, so this this technology is out there. There's a lot of data out there for sure. Um, and with that comes a lot of responsibility to try to keep that data as safe as we possibly can. But I promise you that the the LPRs that we have there in the city are absolutely instrumental in helping us solve major crimes that have occurred. Uh our our autothefts have dropped drastically over the course of the last year. In large part, I think because of the deterrence of these LPRs. Um so, you know, like I said, I'm I'm not sitting here trying to discount the concerns. I'm not discounting the uh the instances that people speak of that are very very public. Um but we've had them for many many years. We've used them appropriately and they very very valuable to the citizens uh and to the individuals that we've able to get off the street who are dangerous to to the general public. So that's that's kind of where we're at with them right now. But obviously uh you know as as things are put out and things are being put in place and other other municipalities. Uh the Illinois one, we looked into that in great detail when that first came out and that was very specific to the laws that they put in place in reference to local law enforcement not cooperating with federal law enforcement. And so when they did that when federal law enforcement into the database. It was a violation of the Illinois state law that they had put in place called the SAFE Act. And so that law is what the violation was where I think somebody had said there was there was a lot of breaches of of state law. That's what that law was. So because the federal the federal government still used it appropriately, but it was a violation because it was captured by local law enforcement and they deem that to be a cooperation with the federal government.

So if that kind of clarifies that, we don't have that here in Pennsylvania or anything like that. Um we actually use flock. We use an organization called plate logic. Um and so they are sieges compliant. They actually they hold the data not for 30 days, they hold it for a year. So chief, question for you. A couple questions, but the first one in 2017 uh the council minus five of us uh approved cameras. Were those flock as well? No, they were the flock. So this will be the first flock in the city of Eastston.

That's Yeah, that's correct. Flock. Um, Flock actually is is kind of gaining, I guess, a footprint with a lot of municipalities. Um, and because they're they're kind of a nationwide um, I'm not exactly sure the database and who all has plate logic or who has Flock, but Flock is actually becoming one of the major players uh, with the license plate recognition as far as their database goes. Um, my understanding from Flock and from the data that we had on them was that I don't know that they I don't even think um, federal agencies like ISIS that I don't think they they communicate with them, but I'm not positive of Flock. I don't want to know the details of them. Um, all I know is that the data that we collect is just like any other data. When we make an arrest, all that information goes into NCIC, the national uh the criminal information center. And so all that information goes there. Um, and that act that data can also be accessed by any law enforcement entity that has that senous uh permissions and and is compliant with that. So,

thank you, Chief. Um, I do believe you when when when you say that when when officers or or people put this information out, they get reprimanded, they get fired, which is great. The problem is the information already gets put out there before they get reprimanded and we can't pull it back. Um, I don't want to spend too much time on it because Congresswoman Xando Dennis pretty much summed it up. The only information that could be put out, just to be really clear, the only information that could put out would be that license plate ABC123 on a red Honda that that's the only information that you can get from the system. You can't get Frank Pit on any. All you can get is ABC123 red Honda. That's the only data that's saved from the license.

So, as I said, she she pretty much summed it up for me and I know other council members we've been talking about as well. Um, mayor on this one particular particularly I don't think I I would like to see a no vote and we reach out to uh district attorney Bara to have him reach out to Flock and say are you willing to put these guard uh guide rails in place but furthermore I would like to reach out to the other um owners of the cameras operators and put that in place with them as well um or at least look for their renewal and make sure this isn't just flock that we're putting this these uh guardrails in place for for every camera that we currently have um and going forward if we choose to do that. So, I would ask for a no vote tonight, ask District Attorney Bara to circle back and and and talk about the guide rails that the ACLU has put in place that Councilwoman Xando Dennis has brought forward. And if they are, they can come back and we can discuss it. Then

uh Chief, if if the data was not shared with agencies outside Pennsylvania, would that deter your law enforcement efforts?

Obviously, the larger the database, the the the better it is for evidentiary purposes, for us trying to collect evidence if we're looking for, you know, a specific plate for a specific crime. The more that that the larger that database that we would have. So we would certainly want to be able to get data from outside the state. We want to get data from anywhere you know that that the data kind of was present. Um so I would and I don't know I don't know and again I hear what the ACLU is doing and I'm not very aware of of specifically what plate logic can or can't do because this whether or not we can silo East's data or you know and I'm not saying we can't. I just I'm not familiar. But um the reality of of it is is that it would be the equivalent in my mind of it's actually less, but it would be the equivalent of of trying to silo data on a wanted person. So, if I want somebody for homicide, I put them in a system and that goes out to the entire country so that if this person's in California, we find them there. If somebody raped somebody in Connecticut and they come to East, I want to know they're here. So, I want that data coming in from California. If um you know, if somebody if they're saying, "Hey, this is a plate that or a car that's stolen that's involved in a crime." RPR will pick that up and they will notify us that that plate is wanted out of another state. So I I think the guardrails for the safety of of of information, like I said, have worked well with the with the criminal justice information system and the way we do it with NCIC, with JNET, with clean, with all of the other extremely more comprehensive data systems than what is collected through an LPR. An LPR is simply, in this case, it would be a camera pointed at a highway, somebody drives by, and they know it's a red car with that license plate. You could do the exact same thing. Now, you can't compile the data, so I'm not comparing it, so I get it. But if I go sit on the highway, I can see the exact same thing that camera sees because it's on the outside of your vehicle and it's already been deemed by the court. There's no expectation of privacy when it comes to plates, when it comes to the color of a car. Anything on the exterior of your car. You put a bumper sticker there, I can read it. I'm allowed to read it. And

so again, there's so many issues that go along with this. if they were to if this were to become a bigger issue and LPRs were to go away, then we'd almost have to go back to stickers or some other way to know if a car is even registered, if it's insured, if if you know if the if it's stolen, those types of things, all of those go away for us. And uh and so yeah, I think limiting the data, limiting where the data goes, I think that there has to be some confidence or the in the way that the uh that the data is being basically being secured and then there has to be consequences if that if those whatever those guard rails are that are currently in place are violated the way they are today. If somebody mistreats or misuses information from any one of the systems I just mentioned, they will be fired. I mean, that's that's kind of how that that goes. That's not unique to what you just what you were speaking of there. That would happen with any if somebody runs somebody through NCIC for a noncriminal justice purpose. I mean, it would result in severe discipline for sure for that officer.

But the [clears throat] the data you might be seeking out of state, for example. Yep. Um would not be inaccessible. You would just have to go through the jud judicial system, potentially get a warrant or whatnot. Or there might even be I I've read that there are other kinds of you know you can call and say hey you know I'm police officer may I in I'm investigating this and this is why I might want access to the information that you have in

Georgia nobody nobody everybody's data goes into and again I think it's specific to the manufacturer or vendor that you're utilizing so if we're talking flock if we're talking plate logic when our data gets collected, it goes into a large basically pool of data. So I don't think it's basically siloed where I would say, "Hey, Wilson Burrow, can I look at your data?" Their data goes into the into the general database. So whether they can pull that out by state or who can see it or who has access to it, I'm not I'm just not sure how that would work. But if like I said, somebody commits a crime here today, um it would be unfortunate if or if somebody commit, you know, and our data didn't go, like let's say we're looking for a plate, but our data doesn't go to to New Jersey and that individual goes over the bridge to New Jersey. They're not going to know we're looking for that individual, which can become very dangerous for an officer if they're stopping a car over there and not knowing that that individual is just involved in a crime over here we're looking for. So you start you start kind of

this is part of the um it's a screenshot of the data that you can select and you're not going to be able to see this but essentially it's like pardon me um you have search features like enable statewide lookup enable national lookup that's the one I discussed mult multi- geography search, visual search, raven analytics. Do you know what that is? I don't.

Uh, enable traffic analytics and so on and so forth. So, like it there's a whole bunch of selections you can make. Sure. You know, that that I think would still allow you to pursue legitimate law enforcement investigations. you know, but without just sort of like throwing all the data up into a national database,

right? Yeah. I mean, obviously, I think I think a big part and it's just something I would ask that everybody remembers that a big part of um what you see nationally with the uh the fall in crime stats and we haven't really released ours yet. The mayor will do that at the state of the city. But the things that you see don't happen by accident. They happen by a lot of hard work, by a lot of men and women who are out there doing this job. But moreover, the cooperation both through state through federal and I know that there's right now a national talking point of a of a disdain for the federal government in some specific aspects. But the reality is is that we've worked for a long time with the FBI, with the the Department of Homeland Security. We've worked with the uh the CIA. We've worked with all of these federal agencies and we have really good relationships. There are a bunch of really good men and women doing this job. And uh and I think the cooperation and the collaboration uh in this one moment, it shouldn't be thrown away to in an effort to try to, you know, kind of quell something that's going on. I think that those relationships are key to keeping people safe. And I know there's a lot of reasons here today to to talk about the issues of privacy and those types of things, but the data that's been collected by law enforcement for for many many many years and it's secured by law enforcement for many many many years has been just that. it has been secure and there are issues and there always will be where things can get breached or things can get out that shouldn't or people misuse. Um but the reality is is that the large part of what this information is being used for is to really protect the citizens of of communities and ultimately bring individuals who commit crimes uh to justice which is I think the should always be at the top of or the forefront of what we're discussing when we're talking about these things because you start you start putting these things into these you know limiting what we do or what we have access to or what we can or can't do with the information that we have at our disposal. um when you have some really bad things that happen and and I've done this now for 33 years and

really bad things happen to really good people and having this data available to us and making sure that others have the data that we have so that they can solve crimes in their communities that collaboration and cooperation has to happen and and that's all we're trying to do. I'm not saying that we won't have breaches and information that shouldn't get out gets out here or there. Those things happen. All we can do is hold people accountable when it happens. I think that's the better approach than basically uh you know kind of throwing all this aside and trying to uh limit you know who gets this and who gets that. We're all law enforcement to include the federal agencies and like I said I just ask you don't forget that there are a lot of really good men and women who are doing these jobs and uh and and take the job as serious as as as all of us do.

Yeah. I mean, but our our role is to balance law enforcement and privacy concerns. And you know, I just think it's meaningful that the ACLU is not saying ban block cameras. It's saying ban them unless certain guard rails are put up. And I don't think those guard rails would necessarily obstruct your ability to com to combat local crime. What if reverse it? What if what if Philsburg says we're not going to share our data with you outside the state?

Yeah. Well, Warren County, you know, I could I I one of the thing jurisdictional limitations is you can actually, this is what I've read, pick and choose your jurisdictions. So, you could limit anyone accessing data from outside the state or you could do it from outside the Lehigh Valley or you can pick and choose jurisdictions. Warren County I think would be part of part of the Lehigh Valley, right? You know, when it comes to Yeah. When it comes to like uh circumnavigating that,

I guess the question is how do we select what law enforcement agency doesn't get to use the data to keep their officers safe? That's the question you're going to have to ask yourselves and and try to decide because if you're trying to pick a jurisdiction and say this group doesn't get it, I would just question why would that group not get it? Like why would Connecticut officers not have the opportunity to know that I want a guy here for a homicide? Well, they could they still could get the data, but with, you know, not not in real time. Not in real time. So, when they pull a car over and they run the plate through through if the plate gets picked up on an LPR, they wouldn't know that in real time, but they might through another system

potentially get it through another system. If they run it through through whatever that like RJet, that type of thing, they could potentially know it on a traffic stop. Yeah. I guess that's yeah those those are the questions that I would have because I know this is kind of running off in one direction and and again from a law enfor law enforcement perspective and for somebody that's been doing the job for a lot of years. Um I have seen the tremendous value of the not only the systems that are in place but the cooperation and the collaboration that goes along with them but I see the value to ensure that everyone's data is safe but the data that we're talking about here is is not again it's not extensive in the nature of names data bursts those types of things that we can get from other systems that are available to every law enforcement entity out there. This is a color of a car a license plate um and that's it. and and to to search for a license plate, you have to already know what you're looking for. So, it's not, you know, you have to know you're looking for that license plate. So, that's the only data that's captured. It's it's color, make, model, so, you know, you can find like a two-door sedan, that type of thing. And then it's also the license plate itself. No names, no, none of that's none of that's

Chief, I I have a question, and I don't know if this is doable, but [clears throat] but I appreciate everything you said.

Sure. What if something were to be put in place that the data could be shared throughout the states if you're tracking a murderer, a child abductor, something of serious, but if it's a woman leaving a state where her basic right to health care is illegal and they come to another state, those type of issues are you can't share that data that that that data will not be transmitted or anything of that nature. So, we're still protecting the community and the people from the most dangerous criminals, but people that women that are seeking their right to health care aren't being targeted, which one of the states is suing right now for that. Is there is there a way to

Obviously, that's not something that would bother bother us. I mean, that's not something we would certainly use LPR data for. As far as this department goes, um I don't know that you can limit it to those types of things. Um again, we've had these for a long time. I've just never really looked into the limiting of of data as far as the sharing side of it goes because typically like I said this falls under our responsibility to make sure the data that we are collecting through the cameras that we have in place are not put out there and anything other than a sieous compliant um database and that's what we that's what we kind of made sure of is so that it's going to a place where obviously there are those safeguards in place to ensure that it's being used for criminal justice purposes. Now I don't know what the criminal justice somebody's tracking somebody state to state and those types of things. That's not something obviously that you know

I understand that flock in response to Illinois's cons um protest um about violations of the Illinois statute uh that Flock instituted uh like a kind of fine-tuning system where uh and they're really offering it to the state of Illinois and it's not default right to everyone. You'd have to ask for it, but essentially allows um or prevents uh searches based on, you know, reproductive health, abortion, you know.

Yeah. And and I we don't use flock, so I don't know. I mean, that's we'd have to go through plate logic to see if it's software, so you can you can put in anything you want, right? And code any way you want, maybe. So, again, I that it would just be a different vendor, so I don't know. I don't know that they've had any issues like that. Uh plate logic I haven't heard of any and I I really don't know the scope of I mean because we actually have access to the flock data too through seats. So I can actually search even though I don't have flock cameras I can still search the flock data if so if I'm looking for a murderer I can search every every se every criminal justice information system available. Um you can without a license. We can we can get a license for flock to search them as well to search their database. We don't we don't we don't put anything into their database, but we can search their database

because they have a like a software. We have Yeah. Yeah. Because we're siees. Because we're law enforcement. You can't do it. No, you can't do it. Even as an elected official, you can't do it. You have to have a badge. Yeah.

So, hopefully that answers some questions. Like I said, I said I certainly don't, like I said, I don't I don't mean to stand up here and dismiss the concerns. I understand them and uh I'm sensitive to all of them and and it's something that it's not we take that all into consideration long before this conversation's been had here today. Uh we try to make sure that we're we do everything we need to do to make sure the data is safe and people's you know and and we use it very specifically and have to track the reasons we use it. Um and so we use it for very specific purposes.

May I Mayor I I asked Thank you, Chief. I'm sorry. Thank you. I I I asked that we we voted no and and we ask if they will put in our guide rails after hearing more. I think we should still vote no, but I think there needs to be more research and more discussion on what we can implement and what we can implement and what'll protect and what won't protect. And I I think we should vote. I I I would suggest we vote no and and we can circle back and look at our legal rights, what we can do, what we can incorporate,

um other things that other municipalities have put in place with flock or other cameras and uh circle back. Yeah, I know that ACLU does have a number you can call and uh privacy specialists um that are available to to respond and answer questions. And also the Secretary of State of Illinois is very active in in uh passing this statute, the privacy statute, and then enforcing it. So potentially we could talk to the Secretary of State's office. Okay.

If Mayor's ready for a vote, I'm ready. I'm ready for Mrs. Rose. No. Mr. Graciano. No. Mrs. Hartraf Pittinger. No. Mr. Brown. No. Missando Dennis. No. Mr. Pinnabone. No. And Mayor Panto.

I am also like the chief very cognizant of the concerns. But I also know that our police department has used the tools that we've given them and they've done a great job. When you hear the state of the city, the amount of part one crimes has gone down so far that we are the safest city in in the Lehi Valley. And that wasn't the case in 2008. But I believe that Mr. Pinnabone is right that we should look into the guard rails and see if we can put them on. But at this time, I have to vote in favor of the resolution. Okay. Is it possible to take a break?

Yeah. Three minute break. Three minutes. [laughter]

[applause] I won't make

that. Good.

I work for I'd rather slow Friday night. I think it's I know.

Yeah. Madame clerk, we get on to the new business, please. All right, we'll continue. Okay. A resolution calling upon Pennsylvania General Assembly to increase the Commonwealth minimum wage. So moved. Second. Oops. Come on.

Any discussion? Long overdue. Yeah. About time. Roll call. Mr. Graciano. I. Mrs. Hart Biddinger. Hi. Mayor Panto. Hi. Mr. Mr. Brown. Hi. Missando Dennis. Hi. Mr. Pinnabone. Hi. Mrs. Rose. Hi. A resolution authorizing Easton DCED to apply for PennDOT multimodal transportation fund award. So moved. Second. Any discussion? Roll call. Mrs. Hartra Biddinger. I. Mayor Panto. I. Mr. Brown. Hi. Missando Dennis. Hi. Mr. Pinter. I. Mrs. Rose.

Hi. a resolution appointing and reappointing to the authorities, boards, and commissions. Move, mayor. Uh second, mayor. And I'd just like to thank the people seeking reappointment. It's it's it's a hard job for residents to get on some of these boards. And also, uh Colleen in the back who who uh has been recommended for appointment to the EAC. Uh she's she's couldn't find a better person. So, uh Nick Gorski is lucky to have you. Thank you for stepping up. Thank you.

We have a motion. Yeah. Yes. Okay. Um, M. Uh, Mayor Panto. Hi, Mr. Brown. Hi, Missando Dennis. Hi, Mr. Pinnabone. Hi, Mrs. Rose. Hi, Mr. Graciano. Hi, Mrs. Hartraff Binger. Hi. At this time, we have public comment on any matter facing the city of East.

Good evening again, Theodore Scarup, 432 Northampton Street. Um, this is new matter, although it does relate to a discussion that's being held. I would like to express my concern and If it's my misunderstanding, simply a reminder that pursuant to the Sunshine Act, any deliberations or advocacy for a measure such as adopting this flock uh contract needs to be held on the record, publicly available. If District Attorney Barata is pushing for adoption of a contract and saying that, well, if we don't approve it as a city, he'll just go some other way and do it. He needs to come to council and do that publicly on the record. Thank you.

He doesn't have to. According to Sunshine Law, we have to vote in public. Deliberations need to be held in public. not deliberate. The um uh del deliberations on actions by city council have to be done in public, which by the way does not mean that you cannot discuss in oneonone um between yourselves. But when you do the actual deliberations with with more than three people in the room, uh then you have to do that in public with the with the notice on the agenda. What the district attorney does is completely within his province. I mean, we have no control. whatsoever uh there and and and gathering information when you talk I was invited tonight he couldn't make it

well when you talk individually you know with with different officials it's it's done as information gathering it's not deliberation so um the statement with all due respect is not accurate

I should also say that since I uh actually a couple of us spoke with Mr. Um I simply presented facts uh as I understood them and uh made recommendations you know basically like I did tonight. There were really there was no deliberation. He just [snorts] su sponte uh said uh that he what I said today in my presentation. So, it wasn't like we were deliberating. We weren't deliberating um at all. So, thank you.

Okay, we're at our point where the public has a right to speak on non-aggenda items.

Good evening again, Luke Downtown. Um, I would like to respond to some specific comments from deliberation over the flock uh safety flock surveillance issue. Um, in response to comments by Miss Xando Dennis, uh, the point of the ACLU restrictions is to lay out a road map for uh, completely defanging or even removing already existing flock cameras, not to inform the introduction or installation of such corporate systems. The resolution that was in front of council and the mayor this evening explicitly mentions that flock must be notified before and approve any changes made to the flock cameras once installed. The city cannot even adjust the camera's solar panels without receiving approval and permission from flock surveillance. The ACLU has made it clear that this technology is wholly unacceptable and should be opposed by communities everywhere. quoting their best advice on what to do if it's already present in a community as what we should do to introduce the cameras goes against the root of their journalistic work and public advocacy. What we need now is a proactive ordinance to prevent all corporate surveillance in this city. [cough and clears throat] The chief's comments mentioned that Eastn Police Department is held to a high standard and therefore won't abuse the LPR systems. My concern has always been federal overreach uh federal authoritarian overreach and I would refer to the deaths of Miss Renee Good and Mr. Alex Prey and the many unauthorized arrests of citizens who were pulled over because cars were being driven by people different than their owners. The chief also credited hard work by law enforcement as an answer to why crime has reduced. As I mentioned earlier in my comments, I will accept this as a partial reason and I will say also that it is a great reason to reject this technological overreach because it moves active hard work into passive AI work.

Also wellstudied hypothesis in criminology currently is the lead crime hypothesis. It argues that long-term declines in lead exposure, especially from the phase out of leaded gasoline and lead paint, reduce childhood neurological impairment that can increase impulsive and antisocial behavior decades later. Some researchers link reduced lead exposure to lowered crime decades after policy changes. Hard work of law enforcement is something I struggle to imagine being capable of myself, but crediting it as the sole reason that crime is down, especially when discussing offloading that work onto passive data drag net systems misses the mark. To bring this subject from what was discussed to what happens next, the public has made their concerns heard. It is not enough to deny one camera. I am formally asking this body to proactively legislate the protection of our community by rejecting corporateowned and controlled surveillance within city limits. It is time to stand for something. It is time to stand for freedom of movement throughout our community without risk of author authoritarian overreach. And it is time to codify our civil liberties in such a horizon of quickly changing technological advancements. Those who would say uh that they would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. A quote from Benjamin Franklin. When it comes to how this body moves this city into the future, when it comes to how this body will legislate going forward, we need to be a city of how, not a city of no. [clears throat] Lastly, to change the subject to a happier note, I would like to applaud a member of the audience and a resident of this city tonight. Uh, forgive me for calling you out like this, Karina. And Karina did have to leave uh to catch a bus to get home.

Uh, this city resident organized a group of community members to manually break and shovel ice and snow to clear ADA sidewalk ramps that host tactile feedback for visually impaired residents and ramps for those who use wheelchairs and other mobility equipment. Two bus stops along the north third street were also cleared. I joined that group and was shocked at the state of our ADA accessible sidewalks and bus stops. Accessibility is easily ignored by those who don't require it to survive in our community, and bus stops are easy to ignore for those who drive a personal vehicle in and out of our communities. During a time where parking is such a concern for so many residents, it would be in the city's best interest to ensure that our ability to walk and ride a bus is always viable, easy, and accessible. I would also like to take a moment to thank those council members who took time to speak with me about the flock issue. Um, I also look forward to uh speaking on other issues in the future. Um, and I hope to have the opportunity to do so. Um, and also thank you uh for hearing me out and allowing me to respond uh when my name was invoked earlier in the meeting and in prior meetings about this. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Luke. [applause] David Brozman, 828 Philadelphia Road. I live on a major road. When it snows, when the plows go down the street in front of my house, they put the snow 15 feet into my yard. I'm 66 years old. I got to shovel my sidewalks. When they go down my back street, they make one pass. They this last storm. I think the city's plowing response just sucked. In plain English, also what's the difference between the Arch Trail and the DNL Trail? The Arch Trail was plowed by Tuesday, edge to edge. DNL Trail, you barely got a path down through it. I was told the snowblower broke down. The city only has one snowblower.

We The city doesn't do the DNL trail. That's done by the humor park staff. That's the city of East City of East. I know I realize you used to work there, but that is not We It's not our responsibility to clean it. Bush, the Carl Stern Art Show is our responsibility. Well, they use city equipment to do it. We've always used city equipment to do it. You're right. But we do not. Our city employees do not do the DNL trail. The city employees at the park are city employees. Not all of them. The maintenance crew is a

few years back they were taking the city took back over their city employees. They're not paid by the when I was there we got paid by the nonprofit. They're city employees. But I was told it was frozen and you couldn't do anything about it. Well, it wasn't frozen because for the last four days, two hours a day, I went down and shoveled the path so that I could walk my dog without falling. But when I call Mr. Hopkins, he doesn't ever call me back. That's basically all I have. And I'm still waiting for that phone call back from you about the other matter.

Okay, David. Evelyn Hirs, uh, 2872 Hottle Avenue. Uh, good evening, Mr. Mayor, Council. I am a senior at Notre Dame High School and also a member of Scouting America Troop 519 Allentown, formerly known as Scouts BSA, Boy Scouts of America, all those names. And I'm currently working towards my Eagle Scout. And part of earning this rank of scouting is completing an Eagle Scout project, which I have to organize and lead to hopefully positively impact my community. My project was fundraising the means for and assembling 100 smoke detector kits that are now available for the patrons of the Salvation Army Eastn Corpse Food Pantry located at 1110 Northampton Street in East. The kits have one smoke detector, a magnetic mount, battery, and simply simple instructions in English, Spanish, and Arabic. So, I would love if there was a way that we could spread the word about their availability just in case anybody needed them.

Thank you. Definitely. That would be great to get on the city's social media. Thanks for your work and your efforts. Awesome. [clears throat] Can you maybe um

that's a good high school. Louis I prefer Eastern high school email. Mayor, anyone else? I I Kurt, I'm sorry. [clears throat]

It's actually just a short and simple common sense correction to the chief's comments. Uh, when when I point a camera at you, I may only been trying to track your face or whatever I say I may be doing, but they're going to capture more than the outside of a car. They're going to capture inside your windows. They're going to get facial recognition. They're going to get a lot of data. And regardless of what these systems may say, they are capturing as much as possible. These are highdefinition 4K or greater cameras that are capturing basically picture perfect snapshots of your face if they so choose. And that that's all. Just want to make that clear.

Mr. Kurt Elely, 305 West Monroe Street in East. Um, I'm here tonight excited and concerned. I'm excited because you agreed to create or I think properly create hopefully a city planner position in your last session. done at the budget sessions. It's already created. Now we're advertising and uh you're going to be funding it. There's money in the budget to pay for it.

So that's [clears throat] what I'm excited about. But my concern follows closely that knowledge that you're doing this. And that is a concern about the qualifications that are going to be required.

Has to be a certified planner. Well, that's great and that's part of it, but I'd like to read very quickly what appears when you check into what's required in Pennsylvania for city planners. And I think it's interesting that there's no license required. Actually, there aren't really requirements in Pennsylvania. you folks get to make a decision about how difficult or easy uh how stringent those requirements are. So, I'm just going to review a couple things. Generally, they do not in Pennsylvania require stateisssued license, but employers typically demand a bachelor's or master's degree in urban planning, geography, or related fields. The American Institute of Certified Planners, the AICP designation is highly encouraged for professional recognition requiring passing an exam and two years, two years of relev relevant experience. Further credentials and qualifications include in the education area a degree from an accredited urban, regional or community planning program. Professional certification again by the AICP requires a combination of education experience and passing a national exam. Generally two years of professional planning experience is required for entrylevel positions. Advanced specializations in that category experienced planners may pursue AICP advanced specialty certifications in

transportation, environmental or urban design. Local municipality training includes programs like the Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute which offers courses for local officials and also in an alternative certification and I think this is really important for Easton for specialized roles. certifications in historic preservation may be relevant. And certainly we have a historic city here. We've got issues of combining today's modern design and technology with a beautiful historic city and great concerns about are we doing that properly? Are we doing it well? So, there's a lot there to consider. And what I'd suggest is that our our chairperson for our codes and planning committee, Mrs. Rose, set up an ad hoc committee, not for lengthy con consideration, but to discuss a variety of these subjects and possible uh development of a criteria for that hiring practice. Now, I know you're planning on doing it or at least putting it out to bid very very soon, but I'm hopeful that we could at least for this position really take some of these issues, some of these recommendations into consideration for that very important position. So, that's why

um Thank [clears throat] you, Kurt. Sorry, are you done? Oh, yeah. Um, and this could be for Lewis and and Crystal, but my recollection is it required a BA and seven years of experience in urban planning. Six years of Yeah. Well, that's great. Was that made public? Yeah. Was that in the advertisement? It's in the advertisement that's going out. We also um worked with

No, we didn't put it out yet. We also uh spoke with [clears throat] um LVPC to to get their feedback and things when we've been planning this for the last six months, five months. So, excellent. We took their feedback as well and Lewis and they worked with them. So,

the the other the one thing that um that wasn't mentioned is that we also required a zoning certification as well. Uh so, because this this position overlaps has both duties of planning and zoning. I thought the one interesting criteria that you had brought up was on the historic um component. Um but we uh just for clarity it was discussed either either at at um through council either at a c it's definitely at council meeting or through a a committee as well. I don't I don't recall. So it was it was discussed here um and at one point it was on the agenda um or formal approval. But um we did take that off the agenda because it we determined it didn't necessarily require formal approval as long as we were uh collaborative and sharing the information on this new position with council. So we didn't get any objections. We we did have some discussion.

So that criteria is set and can't be adjusted or other ways of

I I think that that's something that we can add. um generally speaking that that one uh component that Kurt I think it would be best maybe if you put it in in writing what you just said and email it to me so I can see it more clearly. Sure. It would have been good to have this discussion maybe a month ago or during you know the budget deliberations when we were deciding to put this together but um but we can certainly take a look at it and always take into consideration it's never too late. Kurt, just lastly, just as an FYI, we also looked at comparable municipalities and and going rates uh and and and salaries for qualified planners with experience and things. So, we made sure that we we uh uh uh used a salary that would attract qualified and that was competitive uh in the area uh with with um municipalities such as our size and our growth and different things of that nature. So, we put a lot of of effort into it. So,

and I don't know if there are that many people here who are aware of how important this position is, but using that kind of an approach and thank you for sharing that. Um, and thank you for all the work that you've done, but that is not it hasn't felt that that was the approach taken before as we worked through um um the position over prior years. So, thank you all of the work that you've done and well I don't think we we didn't have a certified planner over the last how many years we had a certified planner but we certainly had a city planner and and actually she is now well yeah Becky that was our last one right

well thank you so that's pretty much my point she's been here for a long time right absolutely so um it's really important so thank you very much

I agree with you this is a very important pos position for the city and it's very needed especially with everything we've been going through the last year with other proposals. Um and um I I I do want to thank the mayor and city administrator. We have we have had public discussions about the job description and and they have taken um feedback from council too. So I I appreciate that and appreciate being involved in you know the hiring and interviewing process as well um since it is my area of assignment. Thank you for all of your efforts. Appreciate it. Thank you, Kurt. Thank you. You have a motion for adjournment.

I have I have one other Sorry, I don't want to drag out this meeting all night and I didn't want to keep the chief, but I did see reports from downtown residents about meat sticks, pieces of meat sticks having hooks in them. And as a downtown resident with two small dogs who are very food made mo motivated, what kind of deranged person could do something like this? But I was really thankful to hear the update from Chief Scouser that this person was apprehended by the East Police Department and that they're being held on $50,000 bail for animal abuse. So, thank you to our Eastn Police Department for keeping our dogs safe, but people should be v vigilant when they're out there with the snow melting in case there are pieces around it. It's just something to be aware of. Um, but I am thankful that person was caught. Motion. Mayor, I'll make a motion to

adjourn. Second. Roll call. Yes. Mrs. Hartwrapinger. Hi, Mayor Panto. Hi, Mr. Brown. Hi, Miss Zander Dennis. Hi, Mr. Pinnabone. Hi, Mrs. Rose. Hi, Mr. Graziano. Hi, thank you. tomorrow. Yeah, was just going to come back to me.

Yeah, Tracy's going to talk to her and she's going to validate it and then come back and talk to me about it. But it sounds like we're just giving out fire alarms. Put on first. That's fine. That's fine. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Oh yeah. Have they already commissioned my letter? the barister.

Did you know this is what I mean? I'll answer them. That's yours. [clears throat]

All right. Do you like clean up and stuff? That's rude that the mayor just leaves this such a man. It's like being a mother.

You recycle these? Yeah, I'll take I'll leave this so you can recycle it. I'm going to take the the candy.

I'll take this one, too. Okay. The appeal may want to come in and they could dump everything that was there before entitled.

Okay.

Yeah, we just finished city.

So, I'll see you. Yeah, have a wonderful trip and be safe. At least you'll have Robin there. Turn off the lights. Excuse me. Turn off the lights when you leave. Turn off the lights when I leave. Do I sing a song to um you have you have those? Take a look at that material.

It's interesting. And that's that's Reed Smith. Wait, that's April 16th. I know.