By MARCIE SCHELLHAMMER

marcie@bradfordera.com

Four members of the City of Bradford Police Department were promoted at Tuesday’s meeting of city council.

Lt. Raymond Douglass was promoted to captain, patrolmen Matt Gustin and Clayton Yohe were both promoted to the rank of sergeant and Patrolman Mark DeLuca was promoted to detective. The four officers completed the necessary requirements in accordance with the city’s Civil Service guidelines to qualify for the promotions.

‘All the promotions were earned and well

Council… page A-8

Four members of Bradford City Police were promoted during Tuesday’s city council meeting. From left are Sgt. Matt Gustin, Sgt. Clayton Yohe, Capt. Raymond Douglass, Chief Mike Ward, Detective Mark DeLuca and McKean County District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer.

Bradford City Police deserved,” Mayor Tom Riel said after the meeting.

Also at the meeting, council members passed on second reading an ordinance to place a home rule government study commission on the ballot in the November election.

Riel took a moment to address it before the vote.

“We’re looking to explore home rule, it doesn’t mean we’re going to go with home rule,” he said. “A commission would have to be elected and it has to be put up to the public to vote for.

“There’s a lot of misinformation going around out there that people have no idea what they are talking about,” Riel said. “I would urge those people maybe educate themselves a little better.”

It doesn’t mean that home rule is a given, and the matter isn’t about raising taxes, he stressed.

“This does not mean we are automatically going to home rule and the sole purpose is to be able to raise property taxes,” the mayor said. “That’s not what any of us up here want to do because every one of us lives in the City of Bradford.”

In a work session held last month regarding home rule, Terri Cunkle of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development explained that form of government offers other options to a municipality rather than just the state’s antiquated tax laws. The work session is recorded on the City of Bradford’s YouTube channel for public viewing. Council also

■ Approved paying Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett $3,509 for legal services for the OYO Hotel hearing;

■ Appointed Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Kloss as fire code official;

■ Approved a quote of $1,708 from Jeffrey Associates for two additional trash receptacles at Callahan Park;

■ Accepted a proposal from E&M Engineers for construction administration for asphalt parking lots at the Chestnut Street multi-tenant center for $5,375; and a proposal from them for construction administration and inspection services for Callahan Park in an amount not to exceed $9,500;

■ Purchased a 2025 Chevy Silverado from Lake Auto for $42,584 for the parks department; and

■ Approved the sale of three properties from the county repository, 57 School St. to Anthony Byerly, 159 E. Main St. to Bradford Sanitary Authority and 3 McCourt Place to Triangle Works Collaborative LLC — Carolyn Newhouse.

The next council meeting is set for 6 p.m. April 22.