One new ordinance would create the position of City Operations Superintendent for the Public Works Department. The timing is striking: it has now been more than four months since the AFSCME union contract expired, a negotiation that was originally promised early this year but delayed until after the municipal elections. While city employees remain without a contract, leadership is moving forward with expanding management at the top.

Energy policy is also on the agenda — and under scrutiny. In recent weeks, the council amended zoning laws to restrict ground-mounted solar panels in residential areas, arguing that backyard arrays do not align with the city’s “strategic plan.” This decision arrives at a time when residents are already weighed down by Miller’s 1% sales tax hike, the Republican-passed 1% food tax, and rising energy bills. Homeowners may still consider rooftop solar, but high property taxes, costly insurance premiums, and the steep price of roof replacement make that option unrealistic for many. Meanwhile, large-scale corporate solar projects have continued to receive the city’s support, underscoring a double standard that leaves residents paying more for less.

The airport is another flashpoint. City Manager Rob Boyer has moved to terminate the current management arrangement at Albertus Airport, reviving a process that previously collapsed when the administration attempted to steer control toward Heritage Aero. Now, Boyer and Mayor Miller are recommending a United Airlines pilot with ties to Heritage Aero — a candidate whose earlier leadership cost the airport substantial grant funding. Critics warn that the maneuver looks less like reform and more like an attempt to quietly hand airport control back to the same circle of influence.