In a five-minute meeting Tuesday, Bradford City Council made several changes to the fire department and took steps to raise fines for violating city property codes.

At the meeting, councilmen took the first steps to restructure an ordinance pertaining to the city code for the Board of Health.

After the meeting, Mayor Tom Riel said, “The primary purpose was to restructure the ordinance with higher fines.”

The Board of Health and property maintenance department have been meeting with frequency to bring blighted properties forward for repairs or to be listed for demolition. When the board has met and heard from Health Director Brandon Plowman on conditional issues at the properties, member Kris Goll, who is the city councilman who oversees the Department of Property Maintenance, has often asked how many fines have been levied against the property owners. The answer, frequently, is either that no fines have been, or that they are levied and the owner still does nothing.

Department officials told the board that often, fines may be ignored or even paid, yet the noted repairs never happen. Board members indicated at a recent meeting that perhaps it was time to raise the fines, which is the goal of the action council took at Tuesday’s meeting.

In other business, council made some changes at the city’s full-time fire department. Longtime department member Butch Kreiner has retired, and sworn in to fill the vacancy was Mike McConnell, who has worked part time for the department for four years. He has also served as chief of Rew Volunteer Fire Department, and on the board of the Tri-County Fire School.

Council also appointed Gabriel Green and Donovan Green as temporary firefighters/EMTs, beginning June 1. The two had been appointed part time earlier in the month, but will be full time until Sept. 2.

Jahmair McKenzie was appointed as full-time firefighter/EMT for summer help as well. He will serve in that role from June to Sept. 2.

Also at the meeting, council

Approved a memo of understanding with Bradford Area School District and city police for services to the district for 2026-27;

Authorized a waiver for Festa Italiana to allow for the consumption of alcohol outside Aug. 7 to 9;

Accepted the resignation of Travis Crawford from the Department of Property Maintenance and Inspection; and

Authorized a waiver for JJ’s Saloon for the Kids and Cancer Motorcycle Dice Run to allow for the consumption of alcohol outside July 26.