The Damn Dam and Damn Blogger

When I made my presentation to the County Commissions on Wehr's Dam, I was preceded by Farmland Preservation advocates.  I knew that farmland preservation is a fashionable topic, and even referenced it in my speech.  In addition to being met with silence at that time, I have heard since, that the commissioners are not taken with the idea of adopting the dam.  But,  I have just learned that while they want to dwell on the farmland topic,  Lehigh County has already preserved 22,000 acres, at up to $5,000 an acre. It's hard for me to imagine spending so many millions of dollars preserving land that may not be developed anyway, but not caring about preserving an irreplaceable historic structure of beauty, which has been treasured by generations of people from Lehigh County.

For those new to this blog, I'm no diplomat.  I tend to become somewhat blunt when it comes our historical structures which cannot be replaced, once gone.  Readers may be surprised, especially the ones who comment with a pseudonym,  that I see and talk to the officials that I criticize.  Yes, it can be awkward, but along the way I saved a couple of structures, and caused a few more to be repaired. Could I have done it more diplomatically, perhaps, but I'm an old dog.

The Wildlands Conservancy are hypocrites, who harvest state dam demolition grants because they're allowed to keep 15% for administrative fees.  The South Whitehall Commissioners are reneging on their 2014 vote to keep the dam, and are disingenuously greatly inflating the repair cost,  to accommodate the Wildlands and justify a referendum.  Let us hope that the County Commissioners show more respect for the things that matter to the residents of Lehigh County, and save the dam.

An Extra Inning For The Establishment

When you're fighting the establishment in Lehigh Valley, you better get your P's and Q's in line before the deadline,  because there are no extensions. However, for the establishment, deadlines are just the beginning.

When Chris Kocher of the Wildlands Conservancy said two years ago that if the South Whitehall Commissioners voted to keep Wehr's Dam, that would be the end of the issue, he must have given himself a good chuckle.

When Lehigh County reached the deadline for farmland preservation, they simply reset the clock. Their goal is to preserve 25% of all the land in the county, so far, they have only 10%. Now, of course that doesn't mean that the remainder is being developed, most of it will remain farmland. Those figures pertain to land officially preserved. It doesn't count in their eyes unless the development rights are paid for with our tax dollars. What these advocates really know about farming or land, you could stuff in one organic tomato.

Last week, when Allentown's Shark Tank business subsidy plan failed to attract enough applicants, they extended the deadline. On the other hand, when a local judge ruled against taxing the arena, the Allentown School District decided not to file an appeal. While there is a limit on trying to save the taxpayer some money,  there's no limit on how much of our money can be spent.  We learned that the NIZ board will be able to keep their full annual $million dollar budget, which they need to scrutinize project applications. As if they really scrutinize Reilly, Butz and Jaindl, or would ever deny them.

The King Has Abdicated

In 1958 my father had a food stand at the fair. It took him about an hour to realize you cannot sell hot dogs in the King's back yard; Yocco, the Hot Dog King. When Yocco's claimed last year they were not at the fair because their canvas ripped, I was skeptical. This year it's official, they have abdicated their spot. Tonight the fair was jammed. In Ag Hall the granges still compete in vegetable canning. A wiseguy still incites you to dunk him. The world's smallest horse hasn't grown. Maybe Yocco's is gone, but the fair is still much more like 1958 than any other aspect of Allentown.

REPRINTED FROM AUG.28, 2007

UPDATE 2016: Yocco's has announced that they have closed their original location in the 600 block of Liberty Street.

The Crucifixion of Ce-Ce Gerlach

While Jesus of Nazareth was killed in Jerusalem,  Ce-Ce was crucified in Nazareth.  One anonymous commenter after another cast stones. The mob found Ce-Ce guilty,  because she accepted a scholarship from DeSales for NIZ residents,  which was underwritten by the Trexler Trust and City Center Real Estate.  Although, she took no direct assistance from J.B. Reilly,  over 80 comments condemned her. The recipients were chosen by the college.  I must confess I may be somewhat responsible for the lynching.  I found some irony in Ce-Ce mentioning the scholarship on her facebook page,  considering she has been portrayed as the advocate for community benefit by the NIZ.  I mentioned this thought to an acquaintance,  who in turned mentioned it to blogger Bernie O'Hare.

After imagining her hanging on the cross,  and feeling somewhat responsible,  I come to her defense.  Comments on Ramblings suggest that the scholarships are not intended for people of means who already have a college degree.  I personally have no knowledge of Ce-Ce's finances, or the criterion used in selecting applicants,  but neither do those condemning her.   Ce-Ce remains one of the more sincere people offering her time and energy to serve the city.  If she is willing to drive to Center Valley one night a week to further her education,  perhaps we should be grateful.

Open Letter To Ed Pawlowski

Mayor Pawlowski, the last thing Allentown needs is another park. In all due respect, I forgot more about the park system than you ever knew. There are endless items throughout the system that are in need of repair. The most used pavilions in the city, in Cedar Park on Honochick Drive, are in dire need of roof shingles and paint. Yes, I know that they are scheduled for replacement, but that is the story of the park department and the city, since your arrival in Allentown. Defer maintenance, and build some new feature. I know that maintenance looks boring on a resumé.  The repaired wall in Lehigh Parkway does look good, but you're only fixing it because it's a retaining wall, and it must be repaired to reopen the road. It was deferred maintenance that caused the problem in the first place.

Anyway, back to the incinerator parcel. I know it adjoins the Basin Street parcel that you should have never bought from Abe Atiyeh. Making a new park out of the incinerator and Basin Street is just cover for one of your political maneuvers. How sad that you're sucking in the new park director on this transparent scheme. But, she's a big girl, and should speak up about priorities.

p.s.  You should speak to Scott Unger, he may need that bridge to bring the choo-choo back to S. 10th Street.

Butz Offers Opportunity

Butz's are offering more than rental space, you have an opportunity to join in the revitalization of Allentown. Now, your opportunity will not be as lucrative as Butz's opportunity. Because of the NIZ, he can use your state income tax, and that of your employees, for his debt service on the building. Butz doesn't mention that in the promotional video, rather he talks about the time being right for their third phase. Actually, it's only right because the absurd NIZ legislation is an offer the family can't refuse, but the renting will be slow. To fill the previous two phases he had to call on his connections, placing both the County Visitor Center and the Chamber of Commerce as tenants. The new building even compromises the view and light for his existing building. I wish him well with the new space, but with Butz, Reilly and Jaindl having the same valley connections, the pickings are getting slimmer.

I would like to clarify for my readers that I have no ill will toward the Butz's,  Jaindl's or J. B. Reilly.  Although, my sure none of them have any use for me and this blog,  my issue with the NIZ is the law itself, not the people involved.  All the people I criticize as beneficiaries of the NIZ are otherwise contributing members of the community.  I don't even fault them for taking advantage of this subsidy on steroids.  I fault the excuse of a state government in Harrisburg,  where we could teach even New Jersey the tricks of the trade in corruption.