Letter From The Shadow Mayor

Dear neighbors of Cedar Creek Park,
Since of the quality of your life and the value of your property is about to take a serious hit, I would like to blame all of your anxiety on misinformation. I can assure you that these plans had intensive input, just because you never checked what was taped on the wall inside City Hall is no fault of the Administration. We have justified these plans with the Master Plan of 2006, even though that document recommends less use of the park.

Among the improvements will be new restrooms, and although we never keep the old ones very clean, perhaps you can help. We will be building new attractions,but no new parking lots. In case the plan to create more spaces by creative striping on the existing lots doesn't completely fulfill the need, please consider letting visitors use your driveways and perhaps your bathrooms.

On the pool side of the park we will build a destination playground on the only area with no tree's. Although Mayfair and the other special events will have to expand over into the Rose Garden side to even maintain their current size, we have made suitable plans to accommodate that inevitability. The current jogging path will be paved and lighted, not unlike a fair midway.

A wedding pavilion will be built in the Rose Garden to encourage overuse of that jewel. All the above construction costs will be paid for by the Trexler Trust. You will pay for the intensive maintenance costs thereafter. Although 39 city workers have been laid off, the new attractions will be so appreciated that the visitors will leave less trash and litter.

You will soon be receiving a similar, but different letter from Mayor Pawlowski. He encourages you to attend a special meeting Aug. 13, to learn the error of your recent ways. I also urge you to attend, to convince City Council that they must assert themselves with a cease and desist order against the Park Department.

The Shadow Mayor,
Michael Molovinsky


ADDENDUM: Web address for Pawlowski's letter; http://www.allentownpa.gov/Portals/0/files/Parks_Recreation/cedar-creek-renovations/CC%20MASTER%20PLANV4w.pdf

The Two Professors Fail

There are two college professors on City Council, and last night they both failed the public. I intended on addressing a posting about Michael D'Amore, Council President, in a few days. Both our professors are Michael's, so I will be using last names. D'Amore, through procedural shenanigans, was attempting to stop the public from speaking, but wouldn't admit it, even when his intentions were repeatedly questioned. The other professor, Michael Donovan, supported D'Amore's position; that all 80 plus citizens should wait till Aug. 13th for discussion. Even though guilty of the same crime, I was prepared to give Donovan some slack, after all, those of us opposed to these constructions on our park system need his support. Donovan however, has written a defense of his position on his blog, called Inclusion*. One of his rationalizations was to give adequate time for excellent notification. I have been attending Council Meetings for Decades. Last nights meeting had more publicity than any in recent memory. Wednesday morning The Morning Call had a rather large story, by recent standards, about the meeting. Donovan himself is quoted in enlarged type in a special box; "I want to force an appropriate discussion to get this thing right. I think it's clear to me that there has not been enough widespread discussion...." In addition to the newspaper story we have learned that the Mayor's wife sent out an email encouraging proponents to attend. The meeting was also mentioned on local radio several times.

For this posting I'm not even dwelling on the fact that the City Charter demands Citizen Discussion through the Petition Submitted. D'Amore teaches Political Science

Donovan, on his blog, goes on to note the important parties were not present, Mayor Pawlowski and Park Director Weitzel.

Mr. Donovan, the petition requested that implementation of the Park Plan be suspended because of lack of information and public input. You and Mr. D'Amore repeatedly conceded that the Administration was less than forthright with the plans. Both Pawlowski and Weitzel have repeatedly avoided the Council Chamber when the public sought information for the last three meetings. Last night several citizens testified that Weitzel wouldn't provide information when asked. The public has come to the well three time in the last month, and you and D'Amore can only say try again next week.

*Mr. Donovan's explanation can be found at www.donovanforallentown.blogspot.com/

Mr. Donovan, I will be happy to cut and paste a similar size (to this post) reply from you here.

Park Plan Proceeds

City Council this evening demonstrated that they do not have the will to stop the Cedar Park Plan. Had they been so disposed, they could have turned the Citizen Petition into a motion, suspended the rules, and passed it under the Emergency Ordinance Clause of the Charter. Although Council President Michael D'Amore gave some mumbo jumbo about the Park Department not proceeding with the playground until Aug. 20, he was maneuvering to not even let the citizens speak tonight. I credit Councilwoman Jeanette Eichenwald for intervening in that regard, and the public did get it's say. Council has scheduled a "Meeting of the Whole" for Aug. 13th to discuss Mrs. Eichenwald's non binding resolution to stop the plan; here non binding is the key word. Councilman Michael Donovan will be introducing an ordinance to provide more oversight in the future. There was some discussion about the legality of them stopping the plan. Had they the will, they should have passed the cease and desist order this evening and let the Administration challenge it's legality.

Stop The Bulldozer

City Council will meet this evening to consider several proposals and resolutions. It is good that they want to go through legislative procedures to prevent this "misunderstanding" about the parks from occurring in the future, but in the meantime the patient is bleeding to death on the operating table. City Council wants to force an appropriate discussion, the Mayor will not comment until any measure is submitted to a council committee, but in the meantime the bulldozer has it's engine idling.

A citizens petition has asked Council to immediately suspend all implementation of the Cedar Creek Plan. Council has the authority to issue an emergency ordinance ordering the Park Department to cease and desist if there is a clear and present danger to property. There is no property more meaningful to Allentownians than their parks.

Meeting at 7:30 in City Hall

photocredit: Thomas Grim

Three Ring Circus

In the last few weeks much has been said about the Destination Playground. The opposition centers around the scope of the project. There is no debate about our children needing playgrounds, especially those with special needs. The question is where should they be, and how large. The most dire consequence of the Destination Playground is the effect it will have on the Rose Garden side of the park. The Rose Garden side, the west side, has for the most part remained passive, until now. The Cedar Creek Park Plan means to change that. The other components of the plan are a wedding pavilion in the Rose Garden, and the paving and lighting of the rose garden side jogging path . Although brides being photographed is a time honored tradition in the garden, actual weddings is a different story. The amount of cleanup, distraction from the real role of appreciating the flowers, and parking will stress that icon beyond it's limit. Why light and pave the walkway? Because when the playground and it's required parking are built on the east side of Ott Street, Mayfair and other venues will be expanded over into the Rose Garden side. Ironically, a master plan done in 2005 recommended less usage of cedar Creek park, not more. How presumptuous of a new mayor, and a newer park director, to think they have a mandate to re-design our time honored park system.

The park was never meant to be a three ring circus. The Park Director, Greg Weitzel, told City Council he envisions a park with activities for every age and interest, and if you can't find something, just walk a few more feet. The east side of Cedar Park already contains a variety of athletic and recreational venues. Historic picture postcards of Allentown largely show our magnificent park system. Let not this beauty become just a memory on a postcard.

Citizen Initiative Under HomeRule Charter

SECTION 1010
CITIZEN'S RIGHT TO PLACE AN ITEM ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
A. The qualified voters of the City of Allentown, upon receipt of a petition by the City Clerk, may
enter one agenda item on the regular agenda of City Council.

B. The petition filed with the City Clerk must contain the signatures and addresses of thirty-five
(35) registered qualified voters of the City, and the item to be placed on the agenda of City Council for
discussion/consideration before Council. Upon receipt of such petition and a two (2) day
review/certification period of the petition by the City Clerk, the President of City Council must include the
item on the agenda at the next regularly scheduled meeting of City Council.


Such an Agenda Petition, prepared by the City Clerk with the following item;

That the Department of Parks and Recreation shall immediately suspend all implementation of the so named
Cedar Creek Plan until which time City Council re-examines certain aspects of that plan and the public is
allotted more input.

has been circulated and returned to the City Clerk, duly conforming with all requirements to be placed on the
agenda for Wednesday, August 5th.

ADDENDUM: THE ABOVE CITIZEN AGENDA ITEM HAS BEEN ACCEPTED AND VERIFIED FOR DISCUSSION/CONSIDERATION
TOMORROW EVENING BY THE CITY CLERK AND PRESIDENT OF CITY COUNCIL