Author Archives: Maddie Conley

Dauphin County asks for resident input in comprehensive plan creation

January 27, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Dauphin County Administration Building. File photo.

Dauphin County is planning for the future.

The county announced Tuesday that it has begun drafting a long-term comprehensive plan that will guide land use planning for the next 10 years.

To aid in planning, the county is asking residents of all 40 municipalities to complete a brief survey to help determine public priorities.

The county’s planning commission will also host public meetings with local officials and stakeholders early this year. Those who are interested can find event information on the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission’s website and on social media.

Dauphin County Planning Coordinator Jerry Duke said that the input from residents will help set priorities and identify issues like housing, transportation, economic development, land use and environmental sustainability.

“It will also ensure that as we shape the Comprehensive Plan, it will reflect the community’s values and guide decisions that affect our growth and quality of life,” Duke said in a statement.

The plan is expected to be completed in 2027. Dauphin County creates new comprehensive plans every 10 years.

To take the survey, click here. For more information, visit Dauphin County’s website.

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Free Harrisburg garage parking available ahead of forecasted snowstorm

January 22, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Locust Street Garage

City residents can have some parking peace of mind during the projected snowstorm this weekend.

Harrisburg shared on Thursday that Park Harrisburg would offer free garage parking starting Saturday evening, as snow is expected to hit.

Residents can park for free in both the Locust Street Garage and City Island Garage, beginning at 5 p.m. on Jan. 24.

The U.S. National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch from 10 p.m. on Saturday to 1 p.m. on Monday, with a potential for six or more inches of snow in Harrisburg.

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Harrisburg mayor, council face off in court over legality of defunded and “interim” positions

January 21, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Members of Harrisburg City Council, (from left) Rob Lawson, Ralph Rodriguez and Lamont Jones, exited the Dauphin County courthouse on Wednesday.

A Dauphin County judge is expected to make a decision in the coming weeks on whether or not City Council was within its rights by defunding salaries for top city officials.

During a lengthy evidentiary hearing on Wednesday, attorneys for council and Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams debated which powers each body has, following a tense budgetary process this winter.

Williams sued council earlier this month for its action to defund several top city positions as part of the 2026 budget. After council initially passed the budget, the mayor line-item vetoed amendments that council made to cut funding for the interim business administrator, project director for business administration/LERTA and the police bureau’s director of community engagement and relations. Council also zeroed out the city’s portion of funding for the interim director of building and housing and economic development. Following Williams’ veto, council overrode the vetoes.

In front of Dauphin County Judge Jeffrey Engle, Williams testified, as did Samuel Sulkosky, the previous interim business administrator who was terminated along with staff in the two other completely defunded positions. Board chair of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (ICA) Doug Hill also testified.

Much of Williams’ testimony regarded the understanding of her powers as mayor under the Optional Third Class City Charter, which Harrisburg adheres to. Williams said that she had the power to hire and fire personnel, while council serves as the legislative body.

This was the crux of Williams’ lawsuit against council, in which she said that council’s action “invades” her powers.

“This wasn’t a fiscal action,” Williams said during the hearing. “This was personal.”

Williams emphasized the importance of the roles in the city and that the business administrator role, specifically, is statutory and required under the city charter.

City council has explained previously that part of its decision to defund the two interim director roles was due to the fact that the appointees had not been approved by council.

Gloria Martin-Roberts was appointed as the interim director of building and housing and economic development in June 2024, and Sulkosky was made interim business administrator after council declined to affirm him in the role, which he had served in since October 2024.

According to the city’s code, the mayor can appoint an “acting” director, who can serve for 120 days before requiring council approval. However, both sides said that “acting” is not the same as “interim.”

Williams said that she was not aware of any provisions for appointing an “interim” director in the code, but said that she made the interim appointments “on the advice of my attorney, the city solicitor.”

Sulkosky, during his testimony, also noted that several previous mayors have utilized interim directors.

“This concept of ‘interim’ is imaginary,” city council’s attorney Casey Coyle told TheBurg. “It doesn’t exist in the law.”

Coyle explained that, because Williams is seeking equitable relief in a civil suit, based on the “unclean hands doctrine,” she should not receive that relief if she has engaged in misconduct.

Coyle said that the judge’s eventual ruling should clear up the practice of appointing “interim” directors and whether or not it is admissible.

“The hope is that we get clarity and that council is respected as a co-equal level of government,” he told TheBurg.

Referring to the other two defunded positions–the director of community relations for the police bureau and the project director for business administration/LERTA–Coyle said that, because they are not statutory positions, council could not be in violation of the code.

Council has previously stated that they defunded the project director for business administration/LERTA because they were dissatisfied with former director Jason Graves’ work and that the director of community relations for the police bureau position was redundant.

However, during her testimony, Williams maintained that by defunding the positions, council essentially fired the employees and rendered the positions unable to be filled.

“Why would anybody work for free?” she said.

Williams and Sulkosky also detailed their concern that essential city functions will be negatively impacted or interrupted without people in these roles. For example, Williams said that union negotiations with the Fraternal Order of Police and AFSCME have stalled, because Sulkosky has previously worked on them, and grants are in limbo.

At the beginning of Wednesday’s hearing, Coyle attempted to get the suit thrown out, saying that none of those potential harms, due to council’s action, actually harm Williams herself and are speculative.

Coyle also said that the case may create a “dangerous precedent” that would threaten the separation of powers between the council and the mayor.

Engle overruled the objections, allowing witnesses to take the stand.

The third witness was Hill, who testified in relation to the ICA’s, a state-appointed financial oversight board for Harrisburg, evaluation of the 2026 budget.

Following the budget passage, the ICA released a statement generally approving of the new budget, but raising concerns over the defunded positions. During his testimony, Hill reiterated his concerns that the defunding of those positions could hurt the city, which is still coming out of financial distress, and limit the city’s ability to bolster economic development. Without a project director for business administration, and with the interim director of building and housing and economic development unable to do work outside of her federal responsibilities, he expressed concern that an economic development plan for the city would not get done.

“We believe it’s important to have those positions funded,” Hill said.

Council members Danielle Hill, Lamont Jones, Crystal Davis, Ralph Rodriguez and Robert Lawson were in attendance at Wednesday’s hearing.

Council’s side did not call any witnesses.

Engle adjourned around 3 p.m., saying that he wanted time to review the evidence, but that he wanted to address the matter as quickly as possible.

Engle gave both attorneys seven days to submit their briefs from today’s hearing, sometime after which, he would be expected to make his decision.

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Broad Street Market budget reflects slim margins, new fundraising hopes; board discusses future

January 16, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Broad Street Market Alliance board met on Wednesday at the Historic Harrisburg Association Resource Center.

The Broad Street Market Alliance is trying to find new ways to stabilize the nonprofit’s finances.

With a recently passed 2026 budget showing a yearly deficit, the board brought forward plans for fundraising at its Wednesday meeting.

The $921,999 budget, which was published on the market’s website this week, showed expenses exceeding revenue by $87,231, even as the board attempted to tighten its belt with spending cuts to areas like advertising and personnel.

“There’s a challenge to the overall business model that we need to address,” said board Secretary Paul Gellerman. “We really need to focus on the financial foundation of the market.”

While the budget on paper shows a deficit, Treasurer Merrick Green said that one state grant carried over from the previous year and a Dauphin County grant that the board has not yet received are not factored in. With this in mind, he believes that the market will have enough revenue to cover expenses.

Regardless, market board members agreed that a long-term plan is needed.

Even when the fire-ravaged brick building is rebuilt and reopens, Gellerman doesn’t think that vendor rent payments will be enough to cover operating expenses.

New TV screen in the market’s stone building to be used for advertising, announcements and sponsorships.

Much of Wednesday’s board discussion was around the market’s new revenue stream, an 85-inch TV hung near Zeroday’s Outpost in the stone building. Green explained that people can now purchase advertising space, which will appear on a slideshow of ads on the screen. So far, he said, four organizations have committed to buying ads, which cost $1,500 for six months. The budget projects $20,000 in ad revenue for the year.

In addition to ad purchases, the screen will serve as a way for the market to thank sponsors for donations, as he seeks new partners and donors, Green said.

In the budget, the Friends of the Market donation program, which allows community members to support the market, is estimated to raise only $1,000 this year. Currently, Gellerman said that the yearly income from the program is less than that.

Green has also worked to get the market its sales tax exemption, since it is a nonprofit, something that he said was not done in the past.

As part of the 2026 budget, the board will begin to spend its $500,000 state Fresh Food Financing grant that it received in May. The money will allow them to replace the stone building’s roof and update HVAC.

Board members said that they are working to submit additional grant applications.

Green said the board also is still waiting on a grant agreement with Dauphin County to receive its $75,000 in gaming grant money, which was dependent on a new lease agreement with the city. Harrisburg City Council recently approved a one-year extension of the current lease.

Gellerman said that he hopes to foster a better partnership with the city and potentially work to get annual financial support for operations from the city.

While this year’s budget does not include a rent increase for vendors, Green and Gellerman said that the market will likely have to build in annual increases in future years, something that they said is normal for comparable markets.

“The goal is to make the market a place of commerce for the community,” Green said.

Ultimately, board members are hopeful about the trajectory of the market, especially with a slate of new directors on the board.

At its Wednesday meeting, the board welcomed five new members, three of whom were in attendance.

However, board Chair Tashia James was not present on Wednesday and other board members noted that she had missed several meetings.

“We need leadership,” said market vendor Tito Tep, a board member. “We need to move on.”

Tep nominated Gellerman to step in as the new chair, after the board discussed a reorganization. Gellerman accepted the nomination, but asked that the board wait to vote until the next meeting.

The board did, however, unanimously vote for new director Doug Rickards to take the seat as vice chair.

“I feel very hopeful about the board,” Gellerman said after the meeting. “I appreciate everybody who has contributed to the board in the past and now.”

In other Broad Street Market news:

The board decided to continue Wednesday market hours, something that Market Manager Cherri Parks-Taylor had implemented during the holidays. The market will now be open on Wednesdays, in addition to typical Thursday to Saturday hours, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
New vendor Damion’s Fried Chicken is slated to open in the stone building by the end of January. The business is a locally owned startup.
Parks-Taylor said that holiday events at the market, including a Christmas tree lighting and private events, were successful.
Doggie Delights, a vendor in the market’s tent, announced that it will close at the end of January, citing a struggle maintaining business in the tent. Doggie Delights sold its gourmet dog treats in the brick building before the devastating July 2023 fire shuttered that building.

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Local officials, service providers weigh in on increased concerns about ICE, immigrants’ safety

January 15, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg City Council (file photo).

As reports of ICE sightings on social media and through word-of-mouth ramp up in the region, local officials have weighed in.

In the past several days, online posts and public comments during city meetings have highlighted a growing concern over federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents potentially in the Harrisburg region.

During public comment at Harrisburg City Council’s Tuesday night meeting, several community members said they’d heard that ICE was in the area and implored council to take action to protect residents.

When reached by TheBurg, Gloria Vazquez Merrick, director of the city’s Latino Hispanic American Community Center (LHACC), said that she has heard the same concerns from the center’s neighbors.

“This is not a new thing for us to have ICE around,” Vazquez Merrick said.

However, she added that she does believe there has been an increase in ICE agents in the neighborhood around the center recently.

Harrisburg Police Bureau Deputy Chief Kenny Young said that he does not know if there has been an increase in the federal agents’ activity in the city. The bureau, he said, does not partner with ICE and is not alerted by the federal government when they’re in Harrisburg. No patrol officers have brought any information about ICE presence to his attention, he said.

“They’re not looking to us for information, and we are not helping them in that way,” he said.

At Tuesday’s meeting, council member Jocelyn Rawls asked about the relationship between Harrisburg and ICE. According to City Solicitor Neil Grover, there was a written agreement between the police bureau and customs enforcement in the past, related to people selling “knock-off” products, but that has expired and there has been no formal agreement since.

Young said that the bureau will only interact with ICE agents if officers are called to a scene to assist with safety issues and help to “keep the peace and keep everybody safe.”

Rawls also asked Grover if there was anything that council could do to show support for city residents. Grover replied that council has the ability to draft a resolution showing support for people despite immigration status, but advised that there may be pushback.

“I cannot tell you, under the current federal atmosphere, whether that would have a repercussion or not,” Grover said.

When reached by phone Thursday, Rawls said that she wants to draft a policy that would create clear parameters against city police assisting ICE. Rawls cited Lancaster’s 2024 legislation, which limited police from working with ICE and sharing information, as a model.

“We need this now,” she said. “It’s scary right now.”

Rawls said that she hopes to make progress on legislation over the next few weeks.

Vazquez Merrick said that LHACC is trying to inform people about their rights and is encouraging immigrants to carry documentation on them in case they need to present it.

She has also seen an increase in the number of people, who are here on visas or other legal avenues, requesting help with obtaining citizenship. On the other hand, she’s seen others, disillusioned by the challenges they’re facing and by the national discourse, deciding to return to their home countries.

Vazquez Merrick noted that LHACC’s main focus is assisting people with basic needs, such as with groceries and job placements. She said that they serve anyone and do not ask about their citizenship status.

“We are trying to do what we can,” she said.

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Harrisburg mayor sues City Council, seeks to restore funding for city positions

January 8, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

(From left) City Communications Director Mischelle Moyer, Mayor Wanda Williams and Interim Business Administrator Sam Sulkosky during a press conference at city hall last month.

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams has sued City Council.

The suit, which alleges that council acted outside of its authority by defunding several top city positions, was filed in the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas on Thursday.

The lawsuit comes after a tense back and forth between council and the mayor about the city’s 2026 general fund budget. In December, council passed the budget, after making amendments to remove salaries for Harrisburg’s business administrator, project director for business administration/LERTA and the police bureau’s director of community engagement and relations. Council also zeroed out the city’s portion of funding for the interim director of building and housing development.

Williams then vetoed the changes, but council overrode her veto. Directors of each role, besides the building and housing director who still receives a federal salary, have been terminated. Williams said that she believes the move was a personal attack by council against her.

Williams, in her lawsuit filed by attorney Renardo Hicks, said that council’s action “invades powers assigned to the Mayor/Executive.” Hiring, firing and personnel matters are the mayor’s authority, which council is not legally allowed to execute.

“They need to stop trying to do my job as the administration,” Williams told TheBurg Thursday morning.

However, council President Danielle Hill has maintained that council did not fire the staff, just defunded their positions.

“It was not to move anyone out of those positions,” Hill told TheBurg Monday. “We defunded the roles. That does not mean the people had to be fired. The mayor fired them. They could’ve easily been, maybe moved to a temporary position. There are other positions that are vacant.”

Hill said that council was concerned about the length of time that the interim business administrator and building and housing director were in their roles without council approval. Council also expressed dissatisfaction with the work of the project director for business administration/LERTA and said that the police bureau’s director of community engagement and relations position was redundant and unnecessary.

Williams’ lawsuit notes that the business administrator is a statutory position required by law under the Third Class City Charter Law. In her filing, Williams said that council’s action renders the city unable to fill that position, among the other defunded roles.

“Council did not simply remove real people from necessary work on behalf of the city and its citizens, they directly interfered with the mayor’s ability to fulfill her legal obligations under the Strong Mayor Council Plan A form of government authorized in the Optional Third Class City Charter Law,” the court documents said.

Williams’ filing said that the work that typically falls under these directors is hard to shift to other employees. She has previously stated that their work will now fall to her. The suit also noted a potential negative effect on ongoing collective bargaining negotiations with police and AFSCME employees and possible safety concerns in housing and construction work.

Williams asked the court to issue a declaratory judgment that would deem council’s actions illegal and an injunction that would re-fund the roles. While the court weighs the case, Williams also requested an emergency injunction that would immediately restore salaries to the roles.

Hill said that council has selected legal representation to defend itself.

“Harrisburg City Council feels strongly that mediation should have been held instead of filing a lawsuit,” Hill said in a text to TheBurg Thursday night.

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Harrisburg awarded significant state grant for Greenbelt relocation

January 8, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Greenbelt detour at S. Front and Sycamore streets.

Harrisburg has received a boost to reconnect the Greenbelt trail.

The city on Thursday announced that it won a $750,000 state grant to support the relocation of the Capital Area Greenbelt in south Harrisburg, which was interrupted by several housing developments for veterans in the area.

“This investment reflects who we are as a city,” said Mayor Wanda Williams, in a statement. “We believe in honoring our veterans and first responders, and we also believe in protecting the spaces that bring our neighborhoods together. Reconnecting the Greenbelt in South Harrisburg is about access, equity, and quality of life. It is about making sure every part of our city remains connected, walkable and welcoming.”

The city will receive the grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and work with the Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA) to implement the project.

In total, the section of trail in south Harrisburg will be rerouted to go to Sycamore Street from S. Front Street, just before the PennDOT building. The trail would then follow Sycamore over the railroad tracks and veer right through one of two privately owned lots, before Cameron Street, and then connect with the current trail near Shanois Street.

Reached by phone, CAGA President Doug Hill said that they hope to begin work on phase one of the relocation this year, which would include creating a crosswalk across S. Front Street near Sycamore and widening the sidewalk on Sycamore, from Front to Pennsy Drive, to 10 feet for pedestrian and cyclist safety.

Phase two, which includes creating a new section of the Greenbelt through private land, is dependent on CAGA reaching agreements with landowners.

The city and CAGA also have additional grant applications pending and are fundraising for the project.

Currently, the Greenbelt is detoured from S. Front Street to Sycamore to Cameron Street.

“CAGA is grateful to have a strong partnership with the city and the city’s legislative delegation, which enables us to continue our work to preserve and improve the Greenbelt on behalf of the city residents and neighborhoods, and our visitors,” Hill said.

For more information about the Capital Area Greenbelt Association, visit their website.

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At city hall ceremony, Harrisburg swears in new officers to police bureau

January 8, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg will soon have three new officers on patrol.

Mayor Wanda Williams on Thursday swore in three police officers to the Harrisburg Police Bureau and promoted another during a ceremony at city hall.

“You are stepping forward at a time when the responsibilities of law enforcement are more complex than ever,” Williams said. “Our residents expect professionalism, compassion, accountability and a willingness to build trust with every neighborhood in this city. I believe you are ready for that challenge, and I am proud of each of you for choosing a path that places community at the center of your work.”

New officers include Cedric Bowling, a Harrisburg native and former city park ranger, William Fellenbaum, a Lancaster County native, and Melvin Torres, a McCaskey High School graduate who is bilingual.

The officers will enter field training with the police bureau after completing HACC’s police academy.

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams and Police Commissioner Tom Carter swore in newly promoted Capt. Kyle Gautsch.

Additionally, officer Kyle Gautsch was promoted from lieutenant to captain. Gautsch has worked in the bureau for over 20 years and oversees the Criminal Investigations Division.

Bureau officials also recognized the retirement of Capt. Terry Wealand, who served from 1998 until Jan. 2. Sgt. Tyron Meik, who began in Harrisburg in 1999, Cpl. Derek Fenton, who began in 2002, Forensic Investigator Karen Lyda, who began in 2001, and officer John Doll, who began in 2002, will also retire this month.

At the ceremony, Police Commissioner Tom Carter welcomed the new officers to the bureau.

“Harrisburg police is a family,” he said. “We are a family because I believe, and I know, we have the best officers.”

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Harrisburg area ranked #2 in nation for first-time homebuyers, says report

January 7, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

A house for sale in Harrisburg

Harrisburg has made the list of top markets for new homebuyers.

Realtor.com announced that the Harrisburg region ranked second in the country for first-time homebuyers in 2026, the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR) shared on Wednesday.

“This ranking highlights the strength of the Harrisburg region as Pennsylvania’s capital— a place where opportunity, affordability, and community come together,” said Tracee Carter, president of GHAR.

The report identified areas based on affordability, abundant for-sale inventory, local amenities and positive metro-level housing forecasts and economic outlooks.

The full list is as follows:

1. Rochester, NY
2. Harrisburg, PA
3. Granite City, IL
4. Birmingham, AL
5. North Little Rock, AR
6. Syracuse, NY
7. Baltimore, MD
8. St. Louis Park, MN
9. Pittsburgh, PA
10. Garfield Heights, OH

According to Realtor.com, in Harrisburg, and the other listed regions, a typical 25- to 34-year-old could buy a median-priced home and spend less than 30% of their income on the monthly mortgage, which the release said is the standard benchmark for affordability.

The company forecasts that, for 2026 in Harrisburg, 25- to 34-year-old homeowners will make up 19.90% of households, and that the average commute to work will take 23 minutes.

For the 12-month period ending in November 2025, the inventory was 37.9 per 1,000 households and the median listing price was $151,999.

For 2025, Harrisburg’s first-time homebuyer location score was 9.3 out of 10.

Wendell Hoover, an agent with Iron Valley Real Estate of Central PA, was pleased to hear of the ranking, but noted that Harrisburg has been a great place for first-time buyers for a while.

“I think it has just slowly increased over the years,” he said. “We are one of the few cities that are very affordable, especially compared to bigger cities.”

Not only does he see people moving into the region to purchase homes, but he also believes that people are buying homes here sooner in life. In other cities, they may have had to rent for much longer to save up money.

Hoover said he believes the positive trend will only continue.

“We should celebrate that,” he said.

For more information, visit Realtor.com.

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Harrisburg City Council members sworn in; president, vice president chosen

January 5, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Judge Hanif Johnson swore in Robert Lawson, along with others, to city council during a ceremony in city hall.

Harrisburg City Council swore in members and voted on president and vice president on Monday.

After four council members were sworn in, council voted for Danielle Hill to serve as council president for another two years and for Lamont Jones as vice president.

Before a reorganization meeting, Magisterial District Judge Hanif Johnson swore in re-elected council members Ausha Green, Jocelyn Rawls and Ralph Rodriquez, and newly elected Rob Lawson, who was appointed by council previously and served for one year. Lawson replaces Shamaine Daniels, who did not run for re-election.

Harrisburg City Council during its reorganization meeting Monday.

Hill will return as council president, having been unanimously elected after serving in the role previously. Jones unseated Green as vice president with a vote of 4-3, with Green, Rodriguez and Crystal Davis voting for Green.

“This is something that I want to do to yet again show the city of Harrisburg that I am someone that’s committed to serving us and standing firm in my stance, in my position, in what I believe in, and what I believe the people of this city deserve,” Jones said.

Council will hold its next legislative session on Tuesday, Jan. 13.

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