Altoona

Pennsylvania

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Meeting Minutes - April 13, 2026

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Meeting Overview

The Altoona City Council met on Monday, April 13, 2026, at 6:00 P. M. in the Council Chambers of the City of Altoona Training Facility. The meeting was televised on Public Access Channel 14 and re-broadcast the following day.

Attendees:

  • Present: Mayor Pacifico, Council members Beatty, Butterbaugh, Clinich, Ellis, Ickes, and Kelley.
  • Absent: None reported.

Public Comment Highlights

The council heard from numerous residents regarding housing, homelessness, and city ordinances. Key themes included:

  • Homelessness & Housing: Residents Caleb Hogan, Padraic Farrell, Pam Beckwith, Michael Allison, Autumn Temple, and Marianne Sinisi urged the council to address the root causes of homelessness rather than criminalizing it. Suggestions included rent caps, subsidized housing, and using funds from the sale of the ICE building to create shelters.
  • Ordinances: Several speakers (Carol Taylor, Devon Saylor, David Edge) criticized the "urban camping" and public gathering ordinances, arguing they unfairly target the homeless and impose unfair fees.
  • Other Issues: Stephen Guice noted a lack of funding for social workers at AHA. Jay Eiman asked if the council had been approached by ICE.

Resolutions & Contracts

The council approved several resolutions regarding city business, contracts, and property:

  • Minutes: Approved the minutes from the March 9, 2026 meeting.
  • Liquor License: Approved an Inter-Municipal Transfer for The Athenian Café LLC (License No. R-10305) to move from Logan Township to 601 7th Avenue, Altoona.
  • Street Reconstruction Funds: Approved the use of $272,120. 99 from Blair County Act 32 Liquid Fuel Tax Monies for the 2026 Capital Street Reconstruction Project.
  • Building Painting: Awarded a contract to Clark Contractors, Inc. for exterior painting at the Booker T. Washington Building for $41,482. 45.
  • Stormwater Maintenance: Awarded a contract to Guyer Brothers, Inc. for supplemental stormwater maintenance for $29,940. 00.
  • Road Materials Bids (2026-2027):
    • Package A & C: Awarded to New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co. , Inc. for $32,749. 50.
    • Package B: Awarded to Grannas Bros. Stone & Asphalt Company for $126,150. 00.
    • Package D: Awarded to Woodland Equipment & Supply Co. for $16,919. 00.
  • Major Construction Projects:
    • 2026 Capital Street Reconstruction: Awarded to Grannas Bros. Stone & Asphalt Co. , Inc. for $1,638,249. 23.
    • 2026 CDBG Street Reconstruction: Awarded to New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co. , Inc. for $216,951. 91.
    • Parking Lot Renovation (12th Ave & 13th/15th St): Awarded to Ventura Construction Services, Inc. for $500,276. 20.
  • Juniata Gap Path: Rejected the bid for pedestrian path lighting improvements and returned the bid security.

Ordinance & Property Conveyance

The council passed Ordinance No. 5852 by a vote of 7-0.

  • Action: Authorized the conveyance of city-owned land located at 320 E. Chestnut Avenue to the Redevelopment Authority of Altoona for $1. 00.
  • Purpose: Councilman Beatty stated the goal is to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) allowing community members to submit proposals for various types of housing.
  • Additional Notes: The ordinance reaffirms Chapter 405 and repeals conflicting ordinances.

Other Business

  • City Manager Updates: None reported.
  • Mayor’s Announcement: Mayor Pacifico invited the public to a first-time home buyers seminar.
  • Councilwoman Clinich: Read a statement into the record regarding Halfway/Recover Houses.
  • Media: Questions were taken from Bill Kibler (Altoona Mirror) and Sydney Roach (WPSU/NPR).

The meeting was adjourned at 7:27 P. M.

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