Tag Archives: Gloria Martin-Roberts

April News Digest

March 30, 2026 | by TheBurg Staff

City Council

Housing Director Finally Approved

Harrisburg’s director of building and housing development will remain in her job, ending a lengthy legal and political controversy over the position.

In a 4-3 vote last month, City Council approved Gloria Martin-Roberts as director of the department. The vote occurred just after council filed a legal motion to hold Mayor Wanda Williams in contempt of court for not bringing Martin-Roberts to council for approval.

On March 6, council filed a motion accusing Williams of not adhering to a legal agreement that the two legislative bodies reached in February. The agreement seemingly closed a legal battle that began with a lawsuit by Williams alleging that council acted outside its power by defunding several top city positions as part of the 2026 budget.

Judge Jeffrey Engle sided with council earlier that month, but, shortly after, council and Williams agreed that council would re-fund several positions. Also in the stipulation, Williams agreed to get council approval for every department head hired in the city within 120 days of their appointment, a requirement that she and previous mayors had occasionally circumvented by giving directors “interim” titles.

Council also sought to eliminate that practice last month by voting to amend city code to take away directors’ salaries if they remain in a position without council’s approval past 120 days.

Council alleged that Williams had not held to the legal agreement by keeping Martin-Roberts on staff in an interim role since 2024 without council approval.

At last month’s legislative session, council finally voted on Martin-Roberts’ position, narrowly voting in her favor. Council President Danielle Hill, Vice President Lamont Jones and council member Jocelyn Rawls voted against confirming her appointment.

Council member Ausha Green told TheBurg that she voted to approve Martin-Roberts because she felt that the position becoming vacant would be a detriment to the city. She also said that council would be punishing the wrong person over their dissatisfaction with Williams for not bringing her up for a vote.

“No one said, ‘I’m voting against her because she can’t do the job,’” Green said. “I didn’t feel like it was fair to punish the employee because of what her supervisor did.”

William Penn, February 2026

William Penn Demo Discussed

Harrisburg school officials discussed demolition contractor search options for William Penn High School at a meeting last month, after voting to demolish the building in February.

The 250,000 square-foot, 100-year-old neoclassical building could be torn down as soon as this summer. It was last used as a technical school 15 years ago and has sat vacant, deteriorating, since.

Most board members voiced interest in hiring a demo contractor using a cooperative purchasing system, which would speed the process.

The other option, public bidding, would push the demolition back to late 2026.

Chief Operations Administrator John Reedy explained to the board that the cooperative purchasing program the district has used over the last few years, Keystone Purchasing Network (KPN), “saves a tremendous amount of time” and has produced “high-quality work at a reasonable cost.”

It also allows the district to maintain control over the contractors used, he said.

“Our expectation would be that they are a local company that could get the job done in a timely manner,” Reedy explained.

In an informal 6-2-1 straw poll vote, with board member Brian Carter voting for neither option, the board asked the district to pursue the cooperative purchasing path, over public bid.

Home Sales Hold Steady

The Harrisburg-area housing market held steady in February, as both home sales and prices were largely unchanged from a year ago.

For the three-county region, 389 houses changed hands, compared to 398 in February 2025, as the median sales price inched down to $278,000 from $279,750, according to the monthly report from the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 187 houses sold in February, versus 195 in the year-ago period, as the median sales price rose to $268,000 from $260,000, the report stated.

Cumberland County had 170 home sales, a dip from 179 the prior February, as the median sales price fell to $300,000 from $315,000, reported GHAR.

In Perry County, 26 homes sold, an increase from 24 a year earlier, as the median sales price rose to $311,600 from $237,500, according to GHAR.

The pace of home sales slowed in February, as “average days on market” rose to 47 days versus 34 the prior February, GHAR stated.

Cody Goss, new executive director of Harrisburg Young Professionals

So Noted

Beth Siegfried last month was named executive director of Dauphin County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), which provides advocates for children in foster care. In addition, Sarah Horton has assumed the role of board president, previously serving as vice president, according to CASA.

Cody Goss has been named the new executive director of Harrisburg Young Professionals (HYP). Goss, of Harrisburg, has served as the nonprofit’s part-time communications coordinator since 2024.

Downtown Harrisburg received funding last month for both its revitalization and safety efforts. The commonwealth gave $75,000 to the Downtown Improvement District to extend safety measures on weekends, while the Capital Region Economic Development Corp. (CREDC) received $350,000 to begin initial improvement projects.

Harrisburg International Airport officials last month announced a record year in 2025, as 814,718 passengers boarded flights through the facility, a 12% jump from the year prior. They added that the airport anticipates another record year for 2026.

Harrisburg Police Bureau has released crime statistics for 2025, with homicides falling to 14 versus 22 in 2024. In other categories, drunken driving, assaults and drug offenses all increased, while auto thefts and trespassing incidents declined.

Harrisburg School District officials last month stated that they had no interest in participating in the city’s LERTA tax abatement program for 2026. They added that the district asked the city in December about making changes to the program but received no response.

Joseph Culos last month was named senior vice president of retail for Members 1st Federal Credit Union. In this position, Culos will lead and support retail and branch operations for the Enola-based financial institution, according to Members 1st.

Whitaker Center has opened a new exhibit entitled “Survival of the Slowest: Counterintuitive Adaptations” in its downtown Harrisburg facility. The exhibit, running through May 24, features 19 habitats that demonstrate how slow movements assist as a survival strategy.

Changing Hands

Bailey St., 1302: Global Supply Group LLC to UVI Real Estate LLC, $150,000

Berryhill St., 2340: R. Heilman to L. Weldegebriel, $145,000

Calder St., 111: C. Bailey to R. Hendrickson & H. Griffie, $250,000

Cumberland St., 211: L. Caruso to G. Kiteck, $205,000

Derry St., 2600: D. Laus to A. Rojas, $125,000

Emerald St., 518: Flip Vision LLC to JK Realty & Home Repair LLC, $145,000

Fulton St., 1705: R. Dickinson to M. DeCavalcante, $210,000

Green St., 801 & 1213 N. 2nd St., 901 N. 2nd St., 903 N. 2nd St.: WG PA Holdings LLC & B. Golper to Arm Real Estate LLC, $1,280,000

Green St., 1525: C. & S. Bikle to First Choice Home Buyers LLC, $85,000

Green St., 1623: B. Golper & J. Wu to Arm Realty Estate LLC, $320,000

Green St., 2224: A. Cooper to L. & R. Rivera and K. Castro, $177,550

Hamilton St., 338: T. & L. Sneidman to O. Fonseka, $140,000

Hoffman St., 3135: E. Phillips to R. Wittle & P. O’Brien, $169,000

Jefferson St., 2660: G&W Rentals LLC to F. Chan, $135,500

Kensington St., 2260: T. Brown to T. Jones, $136,000

Luce St., 2332: R. & B. Lomax to TBS PA LLC, $85,000

Melrose St., 1007: A. Mohamed to Rebuild the Capital LLC, $110,000

Miller St., 1716: M3 6 Realty LLC to Ardoise Investments LLC, $65,000

Miller St., 1718: M3 6 Realty LLC to Ardoise Investments LLC, $71,000

Nectarine St., 428: H. Ramirez to RKE Investments LLC, $55,000

Nectarine St., 430: H. Casado to RKE Investments LLC, $55,000

North St., 1947: C. Estrada to Rebuild the Capital LLC, $135,000

N. 2nd St., 2615: B. Clark to A. & R. Clark, $330,000

N. 3rd St., 1608: JMR Ventures LLC to J. Aguilera, $195,000

N. 3rd St., 3007: YR Holdings LLC to R. Lomax, $205,000

N. 6th St., 2639: D. Glick to M. Shafer, $145,000

N. 14th St., 1220: Jhon Leo Home Renovations LLC to A. & M. Perez, $263,000

N. 18th St., 803: Bridger Investments LLC to AR Enterprise Build Flip or Ride LLC, $52,000

N. 19th St., 1005: G. Graham to Knight Development & Management, $90,000

Norwood St., 914: S. Rucker to D. Torres, $150,000

Park St., 1625: M3 6 Realty LLC to M. Wijaya & I. Lim, $63,500

Penn St., 2145: T Wy Enterprise LLC to Capital Key Properties LLC, $118,000

Penn St., 2152: Z. Magid to S. Lapp, $105,000

Ross St., 622: Y. Morgan to Camino Property Management LLC, $100,000

Showers St., 606: T. Buehler to Anniemac Private Equity Cash2Keys, $251,500

S. 13th St., 1518: H. Adams to M. Bedon & J. Arnao, $105,000

S. 16th St., 525: M3 6 Realty LLC to T. Cisse, $65,000

S. 16th St., 534: T. Cisse to JCM Realty Investments LLC, $115,000

S. 16th St., 540: B. Ortega to J. & S. Hans, $95,000

S. 19th St., 1216: Medina & Croussett Realty Ventures LLC to C. Merritt, $198,000

S. 20th St., 214: J. Roxbury to JRH Realty LLC, $165,000

S. 20th St., 222: Future View Restoration Co. to SPG Capital LLC, $115,000

S. Front St., 591: T. Buehler to E. & L. Burkholder, $290,000

S. River St., 317: B. Snyder & Truist Bank to M. Cuervo & J. Mullin, $199,000

State St., 1332: A. Cunningham to R. Then, $120,000

State St., 1600: BCR 2 Properties LLC to R. Payano, $265,000

Swatara St., 1613: A. Ayard to J. Barrios & J. Avila, $85,000

Walnut St., 1908: H. Tejada to A. Flores & C. Linares, $175,000

Woodbine St., 622: K. Chow to E. Disla, $143,500

Zarker St., 1943: J. Torres to M. Rodriguez, $155,000

Harrisburg property sales, February 2026, greater than $50,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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Harrisburg council moves to withdraw contempt motion against mayor, following Tuesday meeting

March 11, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Dauphin County Courthouse

Harrisburg City Council has withdrawn a motion attempting to hold Mayor Wanda Williams in contempt of court.

On Wednesday, council made a motion to withdraw the contempt motion, following a Tuesday meeting where council confirmed a city director in her role, previously claiming Williams was in violation of the law for not allowing council to vote on the staffer.

At Tuesday’s legislative session, council voted 4-3 to keep Gloria Martin-Roberts, director of building and housing development, in her role. Council filed the contempt motion against Williams last week, saying that Williams had kept Martin-Roberts on staff since 2024 in an “interim” role, without council approval.

Council and the mayor had recently come to a legal agreement that included ending the practice of appointing “interim” directors instead of “acting” department heads to circumvent council’s approval. The mayor is required to bring “acting” directors to council for approval within 120 days.

The legal agreement followed a lawsuit by Williams against council, claiming the body acting outside of its power by defunding several top roles in the 2026 budget.

Although council President Danielle Hill and Vice President Lamont Jones opposed keeping Martin-Roberts on staff, voicing their frustration Tuesday, other council members decided to keep her on.

Council member Ausha Green told TheBurg that she agreed that Williams should have brought Martin-Roberts before council for approval, but said that ousting Martin-Roberts would be punishing the wrong person.

Since Martin-Roberts has now officially received council approval, she will take on a permanent department head role.

Therefore, council asked Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Engle to withdraw its contempt motion or consider it moot.

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Harrisburg council keeps housing director on staff, following legal attempt to force vote

March 10, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Director of Building and Housing Development Gloria Martin-Roberts appeared before City Council at a legislative session Tuesday.

Harrisburg’s director of building and housing development will remain in her position, following an attempt by City Council to get her in front of them for a vote.

In a 4-3 vote on Tuesday, council approved Gloria Martin-Roberts as director of the department, following a legal motion on Friday to hold Mayor Wanda Williams in contempt of court for not bringing Martin-Roberts to council for approval.

On March 6, council filed a motion accusing Williams of not adhering to a legal agreement that the two legislative bodies came to in February. The agreement seemingly closed a legal battle that began with a lawsuit by Williams alleging that council acted outside its power by defunding several top city positions as part of the 2026 budget.

While Judge Jeffrey Engle sided with council earlier that month, shortly after, council and Williams agreed that council would re-fund several positions. Also in the stipulation, Williams agreed to get council approval for every department head hired in the city within 120 days of their appointment, a requirement that she and previous mayors had occasionally circumvented by giving directors “interim” titles.

Council also sought to eliminate the practice on Tuesday by voting to amend city code to take away directors’ salaries if they remain in a position without council’s approval past 120 days.

Council alleged that Williams had not held to the legal agreement by keeping Martin-Roberts on staff in an interim role since 2024 without council approval.

At Tuesday’s legislative meeting, council finally voted on Martin-Roberts’ position, narrowly voting in her favor. Council President Danielle Hill, Vice President Lamont Jones and council member Jocelyn Rawls voted against confirming her appointment.

“No one said, ‘I’m voting against her because she can’t do the job,’” Green said. “I didn’t feel like it was fair to punish the employee because of what her supervisor did.”

Williams nor Hill was sure what the vote meant for the standing contempt motion against Williams. Williams said that she was meeting with her attorney on Wednesday to discuss.

According to Williams, she did not bring Martin-Roberts to council for a vote following her agreement with council because she believed she was “grandfathered” into her position and that the new requirements didn’t apply to her.

Hill called Williams’ decision to not bring Martin-Roberts to council for approval “unacceptable.” She also disagreed with Green’s statement that, had council not approved Martin-Roberts, they’d be punishing the wrong person. Hill said that Martin-Roberts has expressed interest in city positions before, and said that she believes Martin-Roberts has “served her time,” but that there are “younger generations of leaders in this city” ready to take leadership positions.

“It’s a violation of the law—645 days, 21 months and 92 weeks in an interim director role,” Hill said. “Nobody can answer my question as to why it took a motion for contempt for Miss Gloria Martin-Roberts to come before council for a vote.”

Williams said that, when she hired Martin-Roberts, it was meant to be a temporary position and said that no one was applying for the role. She said that she believes several council members’ issues with her are “personal.”

During the council meeting, members questioned Martin-Roberts about her qualifications and accomplishments in the department.

When asked what her greatest accomplishment was, Martin-Roberts said she was proud of maintaining Harrisburg’s U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding and working to get more in the future.

Hill questioned if that was a “baseline function” of the role and remarked, “Isn’t it an indictment on your nearly two-year tenure in the role that your biggest accomplishment is maintaining federal funds that you haven’t spent?”

Council member Crystal Davis praised Martin-Roberts for the work she has done. Council member Ralph Rodriguez asked questions about how federal funding and the department’s work would be affected if the position became vacant.

When council voted in favor of Martin-Roberts, a large section of the room cheered, including Williams. However, Williams said that any possible future reconciiation with council would take a “healing process.”

Hill said that she was disappointed that people were “rubber-stamping” the mayor for allegedly violating the law.

In other news, council approved a new ordinance that would have the city install trash cans outside of corner stores and bodegas. The ordinance would also require the store owners to keep them up, but the city would regularly empty them.

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Harrisburg mayor, council to go back to court over mayor’s alleged contempt of agreement

March 9, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

Dauphin County courthouse

Harrisburg’s mayor and City Council are slated to head back to court, putting a recent legal battle back on the table.

The Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas on Monday set a March 20 court date for Mayor Wanda Williams and council to appear in regard to a recent complaint by council alleging that Williams is in contempt of court.

While Judge Jeffrey Engle sided with council earlier that month, shortly after, council and Williams agreed that council would re-fund several positions. Also in the stipulation, Williams agreed to get council approval for every department head hired in the city, a requirement that she and previous mayors had occasionally circumvented by giving directors “interim” titles.

However, in council’s recent contempt filing, they claim that Williams has not held up her side of the deal and has kept a director on staff without council approval.

Gloria Martin-Roberts, director of Harrisburg’s Department of Building and Housing Development, has served as an “interim” director since mid-2024, well past the 120 days in which directors can serve without council consent.

Council said that Martin-Roberts still remains in her position.

In council’s filing, it says that Williams told council that she would not bring Martin-Roberts before council for a vote, instead saying that she believed Martin-Roberts was “grandfathered” into her position.

Council’s attorney Casey Coyle said, in a letter to Williams’ council, that “grandfathering in” positions was not within the stipulation.

Council requested that, as a penalty, Williams be fined $1,000 every day that she is in non-compliance, paid out of her own pocket, with potential jail time if she does not comply within a 30-day period. Council also asked that Williams reimburse the city for her attorney fees as part of the ongoing litigation.

In a press release on Sunday, city Communications Director Mischelle Moyer said that the city was “surprised and disappointed” by the filing. Moyer said that council and Williams had several constructive conversations recently, during which she said that she would bring Martin-Roberts before council for a vote.

Moyer said that council members and Williams met last Monday and were scheduled to meet last Friday, but did not because the contempt motion was filed before the scheduled meeting.

“The residents of Harrisburg deserve a government that works together to solve problems,” said Williams, in a statement. “I have been clear that I am prepared to bring this position before City Council for a vote so that the matter can be addressed transparently and through the proper legislative process. Litigation should never replace communication when we have the ability to sit down and work through our differences.”

In Monday’s court order, Judge Engle said that Williams has 30 days to file her response to council’s motion and that an evidentiary hearing will take place March 20 at 1:30 p.m.

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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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Harrisburg mayor fires back at council after budget veto override, exploring legal challenge

December 30, 2025 | 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.

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams may bring a lawsuit against City Council after it passed a 2026 budget with changes that she called “short-sighted and foolish.”

At a press conference on Tuesday, Williams addressed council’s decision to override her vetoes on several amendments to the budget, all of which zeroed out salaries for top city staff.

“City Council has now crossed into territory that does not belong to them. Hiring, firing and personnel management are executive functions,” Williams said.

Council passed Harrisburg’s 2026 general fund budget earlier this month after making amendments to remove funding for the city’s 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 the salary for the interim director of building and housing development, which supplements the portion of the salary funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Last week, Williams vetoed those changes, saying that council gave no financial explanation for cutting salaries. However, at a special legislative session on Monday, council overrode Williams’ veto.

Williams said that she would meet with outside legal counsel today at noon to weigh the legality of the funding cuts and next steps, which could include a lawsuit.

“I will pursue every lawful option available to protect the proper function of the government,” Williams said.

In the meantime, Williams said that the city will likely need to lay off employees in the defunded positions.

When it comes to the business administrator position, Williams said that officials aren’t sure if council is legally allowed to defund it, and she stressed the importance of the role in the government.

“It’s a statutory position under city code and ordinances. It is not optional. It is not symbolic. It is required for the lawful operation of city government.”

Without a business administrator, who oversees daily operations of the city, Williams said the work will fall to her.

Council explained its decision to zero out funding for the interim business administrator and interim director of building and housing development as a concern with the length of time that the officials had served without approval. Interim Business Administrator Sam Sulkosky was hired in October 2024, but council denied confirming his position in February. He has since moved into an “interim” role. Interim Director of Building and Housing Development Gloria Martin-Roberts was appointed on a temporary basis in June 2024. “Acting” directors in city hall are allowed a 120-day period before council must approve their role, however, the city code lacks clarification on the length of time that “interim” directors may serve.

For the project director for business administration/LERTA, council members expressed dissatisfaction with director Jason Graves’ work, and for the police bureau’s director of community engagement and relations, members said the role was redundant.

However, Williams said that she felt council’s moves were personal.

“This is personal, and more importantly, this is harmful to the residents of Harrisburg,” she said. “Harrisburg deserves better than grandstanding. It deserves competence and respect for the rule of the law.”

During council meetings, council President Danielle Hill and others said that communication with Williams has been largely nonexistent, but placed the blame on Williams. Several members said they believed the mayor had blocked their cell phone numbers.

On Tuesday, Williams fired back.

“No one has ever called me, and that’s been in two and a half years,” she said. “You go in the elevator and don’t say a word. In the parking lot, they walk right past me and don’t say a word. I’m there and I’m always available. I haven’t intentionally blocked anybody.”

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Burg Blog: Five Takeaways from Election Day

November 5, 2025 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg city hall on Election Day

In Harrisburg, another election is in the books, so what have we learned? Here are my five takeaways from a surprisingly interesting evening watching the polls from the 2025 municipal election.

Williams Knows How to Win
Despite how you voted, you must give credit where it’s due: Wanda Williams knows how to win elections. Sometimes, she squeaks by, as in the last two mayoral primaries. Sometimes, she dominates, as in the last two general elections. She also won repeatedly earlier in her political career, as a long-time member of City Council and school board. A Harrisburg native, she has built a strong base of support through a lifetime of connections and service, and she leverages that network to turn out her voters. I’ve sometimes called myself a “turnout guy.” Sure, things like messaging, candidate quality and style matter in campaigns—I don’t doubt that. But you must have the political savvy and on-the-ground capability to turn out your core voters, something that Williams and her team have perfected.

Accept Your Losses
For the fourth straight mayoral election, a Democrat who lost in Harrisburg’s primary ran again in the general election—and lost again. In fact, for Dan Miller, history just repeated itself. He did the same thing in 2013: lost the primary, got the Republican nod through write-ins, accepted the nomination and lost in the general, at that time to former Mayor Eric Papenfuse. Papenfuse himself (2021) and former City Council President Gloria Martin-Roberts (2017) both launched write-in campaigns in the general election after losing in the primary. In my view, the lesson to future mayoral candidates is clear. Go all out in the primary, campaign like mad, leave nothing on the field. If you lose, accept the outcome with grace and maybe try again next time. In Harrisburg, oddly, the opposite often happens. Candidates run weak, barely visible primary campaigns then, after losing, put more effort into extremely long-shot general election campaigns, running as Republicans or write-ins. This is completely backwards, with predictably dismal results in the overwhelmingly Democratic city.

Dissatisfaction Displayed
Williams won re-election handily, with about 56% of the vote. That said, Miller received an impressive 42% of the vote in a surprisingly high-turnout general election—on the Republican side of the ticket. His vote total was much greater than I expected, which, to me, demonstrates that many city residents are not satisfied with how things are going. It’s my hope that, in her second term, Williams will take dissenting viewpoints openly and seriously. A second term should consist of assessing what went well in the first term, building upon that, and then thoughtfully addressing what didn’t go so well, making changes where necessary.

New Democratic Era?
A while back, registered Democrats began to outnumber registered Republicans in Dauphin County. Still, for years, you couldn’t tell that from the results, as Republicans continued to win nearly every countywide election. In fact, a few years back, I wrote a blog openly questioning why that was—and took a lot of heat from local Democrats in return. My, how things have changed. Several cycles ago, Democratic candidates began to creep up on their Republican opponents, even if they still lost in the end. Then, in 2023, the three-member county board of commissioners surprisingly flipped to become a Democratic majority, a trend affirmed yesterday with Democrats winning two row offices and two judgeships. Democrats also showed gains in other municipalities and counties, as the Harrisburg area continues its long, gradual makeover from red to blue.

Midterms Up Next
In my view, area Democrats seem well-positioned to perform well in next year’s midterm elections. Of course, I can’t read the future, and unexpected events can—and often do—intervene to change political fortunes. However, several factors seem to be converging to continue favoring Democratic candidates locally. As mentioned above, the greater Harrisburg area has become increasingly blue. Moreover, midterm elections nearly always favor the out-of-power national party, and the backlash to President Donald Trump’s policies seems especially strong based on yesterday’s election results nationally. This could well impact our area’s marquee race for next year—the battle for the 10^th congressional district. Last year, Democrat Janelle Stelson came enticingly close to unseating long-time incumbent Republican Rep. Scott Perry, solidly outperforming Democratic candidates nationally. I’m not one to make electoral predictions (at least not publicly), but thirsty Democrats now must be eyeing our district as one of their top prospects for a flip in 2026.

Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.

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Harrisburg communications director to leave post; city recruits replacement

September 9, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg Communications Director Matt Maisel, right, takes a question at a press conference in 2023 (file photo)

One of Harrisburg’s most visible public officials is moving on, as the city’s spokesperson announced he’s leaving for another job.

On Monday, Communications Director Matt Maisel said that he would depart his post on Sept. 20 to take a position with Penn State Health’s communications team. He described the change as “bittersweet.”

“The last two and a half years have undoubtedly been the most challenging and rewarding of my career, and I will be eternally grateful to Mayor Williams and her former Chief of Staff Dan Hartman for entrusting me with the role,” Maisel said, in a statement.

Early last week, the city posted the job opening and, according to Maisel, already had 25 applicants by Friday.

“We’re thrilled there were that many applicants, and, based on the names I saw, some qualified candidates too,” Maisel said.

The city’s deputy communications director, Melissa Mesones-Ortiz, will serve in the post on an interim basis until a permanent replacement is named, Maisel said.

In recent months, the city has lost several other top officials, including Hartman, former Finance Director Marita Kelley and former Building and Housing Director Dennise Hill, all of whom were hired when Williams took office in January 2022.

Hill was replaced by former City Council President Gloria Martin-Roberts, who is serving on an interim basis. According to Maisel, the city continues to recruit and interview qualified candidates to fill the chief of staff/business administrator and finance director positions.

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July News Digest

June 27, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg Names New Officials

Harrisburg has two new top officials, replacing recently departed city employees.

Gloria Martin-Roberts, a former City Council president, last month became the interim director of the Building and Housing Development and Economic Development Department, following the departure of former Director Dennise Hill.

Additionally, Harrisburg recently hired Joel Seiders as the city engineer, filling a position that was left vacant when former engineer Dan Snow departed in March.

Martin-Roberts will retain the interim position until Harrisburg hires a new director, she said. In her role, she will help administer federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for affordable housing projects, as well as federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

She previously served as a Harrisburg council member for eight years and as council president for two years. She has also held positions as the director of prevention in the state’s Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, the director of preventative health programs in the state’s Department of Health, the chief operating officer at Hamilton Health Center and as a workforce development and drug and alcohol consultant.

“Building and housing and economic development are things I’ve been consistently involved in,” Martin-Roberts told TheBurg. “These were major priorities for me.”

Seiders, a Perry County native, began as city engineer on May 20. He previously worked as a PA bridge manager for Camp Hill-based Volkert, Inc., as a civil engineer consultant for the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and as a civil engineer consultant for PennDOT, among other positions.

Seiders said that he took the position to help make a difference in the city and to bring together his various engineering experience and skills into one role. His priority is to continue ongoing road projects and promote additional safety improvements, he said.

Hill, the former housing department head, became the most recent Harrisburg official to resign in recent months, following the departure of Snow and of city Business Administrator Dan Hartman.

School District Seeks Superintendent

The Harrisburg School District last month named a temporary superintendent while it searches for a new top official.

Receiver Dr. Lori Suski appointed Dr. Marcia Stokes, the district’s chief financial officer, as acting superintendent, following former superintendent Eric Turman’s resignation.

Turman announced in May that he would step down and take a position as superintendent of Central Dauphin School District.

Stokes will fill in as acting superintendent starting July 1, until the district finds someone to fill the role.

The district shared that it will accept applications through July 8, expecting to appoint a new superintendent in August.

According to a statement, the district is looking for a candidate who has an aptitude for working in a culturally diverse environment and has skills in school finance and budgeting.

“Harrisburg School District appreciates Eric Turman’s leadership during his tenure with the district,” Suski said, in a statement. “We look forward to beginning our search for a well-rounded candidate who will work collaboratively with the receiver, elected school board and community and keep our students’ academic success at the forefront of their work.”

New Bicycles, Stations in Harrisburg

Harrisburg has some shiny new bikes, providing an inexpensive, accessible and healthy way to get around the city.

SusqueCycle, Harrisburg’s bike share program, announced that it has upgraded its bike inventory, replacing 60 bicycles with brand new ones and donating its old bikes to local nonprofit, Recycle Bicycle.

SusqueCycle, which is operated by Tandem Mobility and administered by Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, is in its second season, with 10 stations in Harrisburg and one in Hummelstown.

“The idea is to give people in and around Harrisburg an inexpensive and healthy way to get around,” said Steve Deck, executive director of the commission.

The organization recently upgraded bicycles to newer models with more comfortable seating and sleeker designs for a better, easier ride, Deck said.

SusqueCycle is also adding new stations, including one at the TransitPark lot at 10th and Market streets, with another one set to be installed near the state Capitol at Commonwealth and North streets.

Additionally, the new bikes include a GPS system that tracks riders’ routes to gain data for future planning and to see where bike lanes and bike facilities are most needed.

Recycle Bicycle will donate the old bikes that are in good condition to residents in need and use parts of the more worn bikes to build new ones.

“Harrisburg is a great biking city,” Recycle Bicycle founder Ross Willard said. “And a lot of people can’t afford a car, so we help them get an affordable, sustainable basic transportation method.”

Home Sales, Prices Higher

Harrisburg-area home sales and prices both popped higher in May, according to the latest report on the market for previously owned houses.

For the three-county region, 616 houses sold compared to 533 in May 2023, as the median sales price increased to $284,950 from $264,000, said the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, 300 houses sold in May versus 258 in the year-ago period, as the median sales price jumped to $265,000 from $234,200, GHAR stated.

Cumberland County had 275 home sales, up from 240 a year ago, as the median price rose to $314,900 from $299,950, according to GHAR.

In Perry County, 33 houses sold, an increase of two homes compared to the prior May, as the median price increased to $285,000 from $217,841, GHAR said.

The pace of home sales was steady in May, as “average days on market” held at 25 days year-over-year, GHAR stated.

So Noted

Harrisburg has hired city-based Alexander Building Construction Co. to serve as construction manager for the rebuilding of the Broad Street Market’s brick building, which was partially destroyed in a fire last July. City Council narrowly reversed a prior vote in a move to support Alexander for the position.

Harristown Enterprises last month completed a streetscaping project for the SoMa (South of Market) district, the location of new retail shops and summer block parties. These improvements include permanent brick pavers, bike racks, planters, bollards, logos and, as a centerpiece, a massive, lighted “Welcome to SoMa” sign.

Imaginary Friends has debuted as the newest attraction in Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg. Two shows will run throughout the summer, thanks to owner and production designer Bill Kassay and a troupe of puppeteers and performers.

Julia Mallory last month cut the ribbon on her new studio, Ten Oh! Six, located at 1006 N. 3rd St. in Harrisburg. Her new studio will showcase some of her art and the apparel and paper goods that she creates and sells, as well as serve as a creative meeting place for the community, she said.

Karen Roland last month was named senior vice president of marketing for Members 1^st Federal Credit Union. Most recently, Roland served as an associate executive vice president with State Employees Credit Union (SECU) in North Carolina and, before that, held executive roles with both Members 1^st and PSECU.

Lidl last month debuted its newest area store, located at 5125 Jonestown Rd. in Lower Paxton Township. Lidl, which began as a small grocery store in Germany in the 1970s, now has around 12,000 stores in over 30 countries, including locations in York, Lancaster and Reading.

TheBurg won 26 total awards, including the Sweepstakes award, in the 2024 Keystone Media Awards, an annual contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation. TheBurg won awards in many categories, including for reporting, column writing, illustration, page design and photography. Assistant Editor Maddie Gittens won the special Distinguished Writing Award, a single, statewide award that honors high achievement in the craft of news writing.

Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (TCRPC) last month moved its offices to the third floor of Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg. For the past 40 years, TCRPC was located in the Veterans Memorial Building on the first block of Market Street. The move was required due to the sale of that building and plans for its conversion into apartments.

Veterans Outreach of Central Pennsylvania has cut the ribbon on its tiny home village, which will house homeless veterans in a riverfront location in south Harrisburg. Veteran’s Grove includes 15 tiny homes and a community center and will function as a transitional living community for men and women who are homeless and in need of assistance.

Winding Hill Park North in Upper Allen Township last month unveiled a Celebration of Nature—a new sensory garden that contains a variety of plants, each targeting a specific sense. The site features different kinds of flowers, plants and shrubs, as well as berry plants and fruit trees, among other elements.

Changing Hands

Bailey St., 1237: C. Peralta to A. Griggs, $95,000

Barkley Lane, 2519: T. Truong & K. Ngo to Richmond & Richmond LLC, $126,000

Bellevue Rd., 1902: D&L Development Group Inc. to PACC HBG 2 LLC, $120,000

Bellevue Rd., 2007: SPG Capital LLC to R. Suriel, $170,000

Benton St., 516: P. Goodman to N. Eras and M. & E. Ordonez, $175,000

Boas St., 257: R. Lowery to M. & J. Rivino, $200,000

Briggs St., 1912: C. Shomper to B. & V. Doan, $102,000

Brookwood St., 2462: R. Kumar to J. Dodson, $124,000

Chestnut St., 2045: Q. & C. Hazelton to R. Bravo, $169,900

Emerald St., 520: First Choice Home Buyers LLC to Mau Properties LLC, $100,000

Evergreen St., 11: Meridian Realty Holdings LLC to Golden Triangle Investment LLC, $80,000

Evergreen St., 32: D&L Development Group Inc. to PACC HBG 2 LLC, $120,000

Forster St., 412: D&D LLC to A&N LLC, $260,000

Green St., 1930: I. Bailey to T. Lewis, $280,000

Green St., 2138: Round Rock Investments LLC, SHG Investment Fund & Chad Gallagher LLC to G. Weaver, $230,000

Herr St., 1625: A. Tumer to C. Smith, $158,000

Hummel St., 240: Tri County HDC Ltd. to L. Roth, $124,900

Hummel St., 242: Tri County HDC Ltd. to T. Adekola, $124,900

Hummel St., 244: Tri County HDC Ltd. to S. Nahomy, $124,900

Hummel St., 341: G. & B. Hoerner to M. Bonetti, $77,320

Kelker St., 638: Buonarroti Trust to B. Jarkow & R. Reuveni, $90,885

Lenox St., 1901: B. Bentz to Cheema Ranvir LLC, $325,000

Logan St., 1933: V. Pillich & G. Cruz to RKE Investments LLC, $55,000

Logan St., 2431: J. & J. Austin to G&W Rentals LLC, $65,000

Maclay St., 249: R. & D. Requa to Dreams2Reality Services LLC, $215,000

Market St., 305: L. & D. D’Antuono to 305 Market Pizza LLC, $280,000

Muench St., 202: PD Estate Properties LLC to D. Leaman, $133,000

Mulberry St., 1924: J. Dukes & R. Sumpter to M. Abapoli, $139,900

Nagle St., 106: J. O’Handly to T. Edwards, $80,000

North St., 1934: O. Blanco to Cofield Group LLC, $110,400

North St., 1942A: B. Wargo to J. Pavana, $63,000

N. 2nd St., 1631: J. & K. Morgret to Green Street Properties Ltd., $170,000

N. 2nd St., 1801: S. Basore to A. Danks, $250,000

N. 2nd St., 2321: Central PA Buyers LLC to Elite Remodeling Realty LLC, $117,000

N. 3rd St., 3028: C. Jones to L. Reapsome & A. Labs, $205,000

N. 4th St., 1418: A. Manana & S. Morel to A&W Homes LLC, $117,000

N. 4th St., 2144: Saheeb & Inez Affordable Homes LLC to Mau Properties LLC, $71,000

N. 4th St., 2215: K. Torres to Prime Realty Solutions 4U LLC, $76,000

N. 5th St., 1600: First Choice Home Buyers LLC to C&C Homes LLC, $110,000

N. 5th St., 2524: B. Debeljak to A. Louis, $175,000

N. 5th St., 2705: M. Suriel to F. Zaman, $210,000

N. 5th St., 3118: Willowscott Investments LLC to J. Millard, $145,000

N. 6th St., 3103: K. Malinoski to A. Couch, $164,000

N. 6th St., 3129: E. Ewing to MS AM Properties Inc., $135,000

N. 6th St., 3140: M. Kennedy to TKO Rental LLC, $95,000

N. 7th St., 1010: Pennsylvania State University to Harrisburg School District, $3,100,000

N. 12th St., 47: E&K Homes LLC to Wright Restoration Properties LLC, $91,000

N. 13th St., 126: S. Samuel & K. Lucas to C. Teel, $125,000

N. 15th St., 517: J. Sherman to Golden Triangle Investment LLC, $65,000

N. 15th St., 1521: R. & L. Ravenel to D. Baylor, $50,000

N. 16th St., 1004: C. & S. Orellana to K. de Estevez, $169,000

N. 17th St., 53: L. Malik to J&V Investment LLC, $150,000

N. 18th St., 47: T. Paul to Cooper Hawk LLC, $76,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 401: A. Witte to C. Wood, $230,000

N. Front St., 2743: Alternative Rehabilitation Communities Inc. to First Choice Home Buyers LLC, $250,000

N. Summit St., 116: T. Johnson to M. Sacasari, $80,000

Park St., 1822: 1822 Park LLC to J. Bailey & M. Wright, $58,300

Penn St., 2132: M. & W. Eisenstein to E. & A. Ho, $84,000

Pennwood Rd., 3208: L. Harris to S. Morris, $180,000

Reel St., 2468: D. Boyle to F. Solorin, $60,000

Revere St., 1618: A. & R. Burgos to E. Mejia, $140,000

Rolleston St., 1243: V. & J. Athens to Equitable Builds LLC, $90,000

S. 12th St., 1516: D. Dhahir to P. Diaz & J. Sanchez, $155,000

S. 13th St., 36: 513 South Shippen Street to NM Penn Group LLC, $270,000

S. 16th St., 564: M. Dones to S. Arzuaga & D. Ware, $90,000

S. 16th St., 922: R. Haines & D. Siegel to Landaff Enterprises LLC, $150,000

S. 17th St., 600: South Seventeenth LLC to 791 Flory Mill Road LLC, $3,556,000

S. 18th St., 8: Kabir Holdings Inc. to T. & H. Hoto, $165,000

S. 24th St., 628: A. & M. Medina to Central PA Buyers LLC, $117,000

S. Cameron St., 425: Queen Street LLP & H. Sugarman to D. Tran, $150,000

State St., 1915: Sego Realty LLC to C. Anderson, $275,000

State St., 1924: CLR Holdings LLC to H&K Rental Properties LLC, $645,000

Susquehanna St., 1737: L. Reapsome to H. Pham, $182,900

Vernon St., 1433: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC, $51,000

Vernon St., 1435: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to Val de Vie Estate Investment LLC, $51,000

Vernon St., 1513: J. & C. Peters to C. Monje & E. Shirk, $130,000

Walnut St., 1804: Tender Loving Care Health Care Services LLC to Briony Spaces LLC, $151,000

Wiconisco St., 505: Divine Nest LLC to A. & S. Glick, $410,000

Woodbine St., 237: Penn Properties LLC to J. & J. Amway, $250,000

Woodbine St., 344: PA Deals LLC to C. Risser, $130,000

Zarker St., 1913: Bedrock Capital Management Inc. to C. Foltz, $52,000

Harrisburg property sales, May 2024, greater than $50,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

June 7, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

A past Proudly PA! Festival. Photo courtesy of Dauphin County.

It’s looking like sunny days and blue skies all weekend long in Harrisburg. If you’re looking for ways to enjoy the nice weather, look no further than our June issue of the magazine, which is packed with stories highlighting summer fun in our area. You may also find a little inspiration from our local news from this week, below.

The arts community in Harrisburg deserves more support and appreciation, argues our publisher, in his column. Without an organization dedicated to arts advocacy, the creative community faces a vacuum in leadership, advocacy, direction and funding, he says.

Bob’s Art Blog highlights three local artists who find inspiration in everything from color to nature to advocacy. Blogger Bob also previews some of their upcoming exhibits.

Community Corner highlights June’s special events in and around the Harrisburg area. For even more live music, theater and educational experiences taking place this month, check out our Happenings column.

Gamut Theatre’s “Comedy of Errors” brings local audiences a “ridiculously over-the-top” comedy, says our reviewer. The play is Gamut’s featured show for its summer “Shakespeare under the Stars” series, which brings free entertainment to Reservoir Park in Harrisburg.

Harrisburg announced this week that it would offer a co-application opportunity for nonprofits and other organizations looking to apply for Dauphin County’s annual gaming grant money, our online story reported.

Harrisburg appointed Gloria Martin-Roberts as the interim director of the city’s Building and Housing Department, filling a vacancy recently left by former director Dennise Hill, our online story reported. Also, Joel Seiders was hired as the new city engineer, a position that has been vacant since March.

Jackson Lick pool in Harrisburg is slated to open for the summer on June 12. Our online story reported. The pool recently received some much-needed painting, patching and repairs.

June concerts will bring a wide range of genres and sounds to the area. Find our columnist’s recommendations, here.

Juneteenth HBG will showcase Black history and culture through a week-long celebration, our online story reported. The festivities will include a concert, arts expo, Juneteenth Jubilee, and many other events.

Proudly PA! Festival will return to Dauphin County this weekend with entertainment, food and drinks, our online story reported. Additionally, the county has weekly summer movie nights planned.

Sara Bozich has a list of all the best events happening this weekend in Harrisburg. Find them, here.

Sycamore Homes, an affordable housing development in South Harrisburg, is slated to open in September, our online story reported. This week, the developers, Latino Connection Foundation and Fernandez Realty Affordable Homes, hosted a walk-through event to tour the building.

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