Bradford City officials continued talks on possible parking changes and tax incentives for business owners at a work session held prior to Tuesday’s regular council meeting.

The city is currently considering a plan to offer mercantile and business privilege tax exemptions for new downtown businesses or for established businesses that move. It has been proposed that the taxes be imposed on a graduated scale, with the business paying a higher percentage over a period of a few years until it begins to pay the full amount.

City officials must answer one question before moving forward with such a plan: Is it legal?

Anita Dolan, community/economic development manager and Main Street manager, said Butler — a city comparable to Bradford — instituted an exemption similar to what Bradford is considering.

“Casey (Graffius) could not find anything to authorize this,” Hollenbeck said, noting that Graffius — an attorney in his firm — is trying to reach officials in Butler to discuss it further. Hollenbeck explained there is a rule in taxation that calls for equal treatment of taxpayers, “unless explicitly authorized by the state.”

When Dolan asked council for their thoughts on the tax exemption, Mayor Tom Riel indicated he liked the idea if they could determine that it is legal.

“Years ago we found out just because someone has an ordinance somewhere doesn’t mean it’s legal,” Riel said.

Regarding parking, the city has two big issues to consider: updating meters payments for the modern age and finding better parking options for tenants of Main Street apartments, possibly by allowing overnight parking on Main Street.

Regarding parking on Main Street, Hollenbeck explained his understanding of the current ordinance states there is no parking between 2 and 5 a.m. There is a need to make parking more accessible to tenants to make the apartments more marketable, he said.

Hollenbeck believes an overnight parking ordinance can be done, with consideration made for the reason behind the original overnight parking prohibition.

Riel suggested odd-and-even parking.

At the idea of allowing only downtown residents park overnight, Councilman Brad Mangel was worried it would be “too complicated.”

During the discussion, Dolan noted the ordinance will probably include the downtown area, not just Main Street.

On the discussion of parking meters, the city is considering using a Meter Feeder app.

Previously, the city looked into installing smart meters, but there were significant costs associated with them.

Dolan said the Meter Feeder app “seemed like a good compromise.”

The city will be able to keep the meters it has. People will have the option to either put coins in the meter or pay using the app on their smartphones. With the app, people can change parking spaces within the same zone without paying extra money if they still have time left. Also, they can add time using the app without going outside.

There would be a 4.9 percent convenience fee using the app.

The parking enforcement officer will be able to tell using a tablet computer if someone paid using the app.

Dolan has contacted the city of St. Marys to talk to officials there about the Meter Feeder app, as they already use the app.

At the regular council meeting that followed, Willard Avenue resident Alan Poyer attended to follow up on a concern he had at the last meeting: a wall along Bennett Brook that is close to falling down.

Mangel told Poyer city officials have started looking into who owns the property, and they have confirmed that Poyer does not. Poyer said they can contact him if they need access to the property, which is near his home, and City Administrator Teri Cannon agreed they will probably have to send someone to look at it.

Also at the meeting, council appointed Angela Shipman to the Downtown Bradford Business District Authority. She will complete an unexpired five-year term that ends January 2021.

The following people were appointed to a negotiating committee for the 2020 labor contract between Bradford City and the William Hanley Sr. Lodge Number 67, Fraternal Order of Police: Hollenbeck, Mangel and Cannon.

Council also approved the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness to Greg Ross, Goldenwest Group LLC, for brick red and white paint and a red-and-white awning at 72 Main St. The Historical Architectural Review Board recommended the permit be issued at a special meeting June 17.

The site is the future location of a new business — the Bradford Chocolate Factory — according to bradfordchocolatefactory.com.

Council authorized a special events waiver for Festa Italiana allowing for consumption of alcoholic beverages Aug. 8-10 on Festival Way between Main and East Corydon streets with certain conditions.

They also passed on the second of two readings an ordinance amendment that eliminates metered parking on the west side of South Avenue between Chautauqua Place and West Corydon Street in front of the new Terminal Plaza.