Council Proposes New Hiring Process Following Interim Chief Ragland's Departure, a New Downtown Substance Abuse Center, and a Study to Reunite Manchester and Chateau—City Council Week of March 3.

Update

• The City’s child care program for employees participating in select community events is available to community members attending those events.

This Week’s Top Three Agenda Items

• Council to consider a standardized hiring process for a new Police Chief following Ragland’s resignation.
• A new substance abuse center to be created downtown using state and opioid funds.
• Council to fund a study on highway changes to reunite the Manchester and Chateau neighborhoods.

Council to Consider Standardized Hiring Process for a New Police Chief Following Ragland’s Resignation

• On the agenda for the March 5 Standing Committees Meeting was a vote to extend acting Police Chief Ragland’s contract by 90 days. Following Ragland’s abrupt resignation on March 4, the discussion shifted to the circumstances surrounding his departure.
• Background:
• At the February 12 Standing Committees Meeting, Councilperson Coghill requested delaying the vote until residents and community organizations could engage with Ragland at public meetings.
• Coghill subsequently negotiated six public meetings—one per police zone—and requested that Ragland testify under oath before the Council.
• Ragland cited becoming a “political football with endless delays and pressure for political dealmaking” as the reason for his resignation, a point that divided Councilmembers during the March 5 discussion.
• Councilperson Kail-Smith reiterated the need for a standardized, transparent hiring process for a Police Chief and expressed concerns about implementing such a process during the upcoming mayoral elections.
• The Council voted unanimously to consider a new bill that would establish a standardized hiring process for future Police Chiefs.

New Substance Abuse Center to Be Created Downtown from State & Opioid Funds

• The City received a $1,875,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Drugs and Alcohol Programs—funded partly by opioid settlements—to create a drop-in center for individuals with substance use disorders.
• While details are limited, the center will provide social services for people in crisis.
• The center will be located at 611 Second Avenue (Downtown), a site formerly identified in 2022 for a city-run drop-in needle exchange program that never materialized.
• The grant, effective from February 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027, will cover space rental, staffing, and supplies.
• The resolution has been referred to the Committee on Public Safety and Wellness.

Council to Fund Study on Highway Changes to Reunite Manchester and Chateau

• The Council is considering funding a $1,356,447 study to explore potential modifications to PA Highway 65, which currently rises 40 feet above ground level, dividing the Manchester and Chateau neighborhoods.
• The study will evaluate alternatives—possibly including lowering the highway—and provide recommendations on land use, economic policy, and funding strategies, potentially involving a new TRID similar to The Esplanade Development
• The resolution has been referred to the Committee on Land Use and Economic Development.

Tell The Council What you think

Let the City Council know how you feel about the above issues by taking this brief survey. We'll share everyone’s thoughts directly before they take a vote (We wont be presenting in person until we get to 50 respondents).