READING, Pa. – Reading City Council on Monday night voted to set the expiration terms for the three newly appointed and sworn-in members of the Reading Redevelopment Authority.
Because the terms of the five members are required to end in five different years, the expirations were set as follows:
S. Sergei Szortyka (CEO of Quaker Maid Meats): Dec. 31, 2025.
Joey Miranda (president of the Pagoda Foundation): Dec. 31, 2026.
Kevin Yarnall (a realtor and real estate broker): Dec. 31, 2028.
Councilmembers Jaime Baez and Melissa Ventura objected to council President Donna Reed putting the dates on the agenda without giving the full council the opportunity to discuss the matter.
Because Szortyka received the highest score of the candidates, Baez said he should have been given the longest term.
Reading City Council struggled through numerous contentious motions to appoint new members to fill three vacancies on the city redevelopment authority.
Reed, however, explained her rationale was because Szortyka had the highest score, she recommended his term expire at the end of this year, so that council can reappoint him in January, giving him a term lasting until 2030.
Baez disagreed with Reed’s thinking and attempted to amend the resolution, but the motion to amend failed in a 4-3 vote. Ventura and Rafael Nunez sided with Baez.