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WILKES-BARRE &mdash; The estimated savings of $700,000 this year by the city didn&rsquo;t matter to the people who called in to the council meeting Thursday night to demand police reform.
				Council took phone calls and answered emails as it met online again due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and the inoperable elevator that restricted access to the fourth-floor meeting room at City Hall for people with physical disabilities.
				The majority of the nearly 20 comments focused on the Citizen Police Review Board ordinance voted down 3-2 at the June 16 meeting. Council did not respond to them.
				The legislation proposed by councilwoman Beth Gilbert McBride would have established a civilian board with oversight of the police department and the authority to investigate alleged misconduct by officers.
				Instead council&rsquo;s vote last month signaled its approval of the existing policies and procedures that allows for the department to handle discipline on its own and investigations by outside agencies.
				One of the callers, John Suchoski echoed what others said.
				&ldquo;I just really think you guys should reconsider the Citizens Review Board and find some kind of way to pass that. We need some kind of oversight, maybe if you have to make some changes in it,&rdquo; Suchoski said of the ordinance that failed to get enough votes for passage.
				In a move that did not require council&rsquo;s approval, Mayor George Brown began the process of creating the Wilkes-Barre Police Advisory Committee.
				Brown provided an update to council members, telling them he&rsquo;s been receiving applications and been in contact with the Philadelphia City Police Advisory Commission about how it operates.
				&ldquo;The idea is to create a committee that will show the diversity of the city and show each segment of diversity in the city that will be sitting on that committee. So we&rsquo;re in the process of doing that,&rdquo; Brown said.
				Also in the works is an online form for the public to file complaints about their interactions with police. Brown said he along with Police Chief Joseph Coffay, who attended the council meeting, and City Administrator Charlie McCormick will review it to make sure &ldquo;it meets all the needs that we have.&rdquo;
				The advisory committee has been well received, Brown added.
				&ldquo;So I just haven&rsquo;t had people calling in because I didn&rsquo;t think it was necessary. But we have had very positive responses and we are going to continue with the Police Advisory Committee.&rdquo;
				McBride responded to Brown&rsquo;s comment, saying,&rdquo;Just for clarification, I&rsquo;m not having anyone call in. This is the will of the people and I haven&rsquo;t asked anyone to call in.&rdquo;
				Demonstrators gather
				Some of the calls came from a group of 15 people outside City Hall in the parking lot. They were members of the Democratic Socialists of America and Black Lives Matter.
				They said they would continue to call for the creation of the review board. &ldquo;Until then we&rsquo;ll be out here,&rdquo; said Shaneequah Zigler.
				Inside, McBride thanked the callers for supporting the proposed board.
				&ldquo;As I said before I&rsquo;m not giving up and I know that police reform will happen in Wilkes-Barre eventually. It&rsquo;s going to be an uphill battle but it will happen,&rdquo; McBride said.
				Refinancing supported
				Council was united in its support for the refinancing of $21 million in bonds and increasing the fee for littering to $300 from $100.
				With the interest rates low, it&rsquo;s a good time to refinance, Brown explained.
				&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be over $700,000 and the key here, council members, is that this is not what the old scoop loans are where you kick the can down the road,&rdquo; Brown said.
				The loans will maintain their maturity dates, but the interest will be lower at approximately 2 %. There also will be future savings with the consolidation of six loans into one and the elimination of annual bank fees, said Louis Verdelli of RBC Capital Markets, who&rsquo;s handling the refinancing.
				Council also approved the elevator upgrade project. A Request for Proposals has been issued. The overall cost of the project and how to fund it have yet to be determined.
				Director of Operations and Deputy City Administrator Butch Frati estimates ranged between $75,000 and $250,000 to repair the antiquated elevator that&rsquo;s prone to breaking down.
				&ldquo;There are so many different ways to do this. We just want to make sure that we&rsquo;re doing it the right way,&rdquo; Frati said.

Police Review Board still a hot topic for Wilkes-Barre City Council