City Council voted for an amended lease agreement Thursday with Cutting Edge Baseball (the Williamsport Crosscutters,) the city and Major League Baseball.

Mayor Derek Slaughter presented the amended lease agreement, which indicates the Crosscutters season begins a bit earlier this year on May 24 and sets the Major League Baseball commitment for the MLB Little League Classic to run through 2023 at Bowman Field.

The Classic is held during the Little League World Series, allowing the Little League World Series participants and their families to view a season-counting game with two Major League Baseball teams playing. Before the game players interact.

The amended lease sets how many games can be played on the field and terms of compliance with the COVID-19 guidelines.

“It’s a nice thing for the city,” said Councilwoman Liz Miele. “The city puts quite a bit of effort into it.”

The amended lease notes the Crosscutters will play up to 30 games and it provides an allowance for the PIAA high school baseball playoff games.

Another economic development for the city was approved. The city will submit a $500,000 state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant on behalf of Lycoming College for site development of a music building at East Fourth and Basin streets.

The college was notified from the Office of the Budget of Gov. Tom Wolf that it was the recipient of the grant, said Joseph Pawlak, city interim finance director.

Chip Edmonds, representing the college, said the music building is a $5.5 to $6 million dollar project with a proposed groundbreaking this summer and scheduled fall 2022 opening.

In other business, council, on second reading, approved zoning text amendments designed to work in the commercial business districts and authorized Tim West, a legally blind city resident, to be on the accessibility committee until 2024.

In a public announcement, Joseph Gerardi, city codes administrator and Mark Killian, city fire chief, reminded individuals that while officials will work with the city residents the snow must be removed from sidewalks, storm water inlets and fire hydrants 24 hours after the storm ends. Officials are trying to be flexible because there has been heavy snow and cold temperatures.

Council President Randall J. Allison also noted that it’s a good idea to get the water valve or gas valves at the curb cleared off and Killian said that the hydrant should be cleared three feet around it to end to the street in order for the firefighters to be able to access water supply in the event of an emergency structure fire.