Lehigh County's Hypocrisy

As Lehigh County celebrated it's 200th Anniversary yesterday at Agricultural Hall, it's real commitment to history will be tested this coming Wednesday evening. County Executive Don Cunningham, and his director of destruction, Glenn Solt, have already failed the test. The issue is the Reading Road Bridge, built in 1824, and rebuilt in 1980, when a pedestrian bridge was added. Glenn Solt recently told a Morning Call reporter that the bridge is filled inside with debris and junk. Two years ago, when I started the campaign to save the bridge, he told blogger Bernie O'Hare that the bridge was filled with crap. Although conceding it's structurally sound, he's speculates that a storm in a few years could destroy it, and he already has approved plans and funds to replace it now, ready to go. Solt also points out that the bridge was never officially designated historic. Considering that the bridge is 188 years old, survived hurricane Diane in 1955, I believe it has more chance of getting hit by a meteorite than failing in a rain storm. Preeminent local historian Frank Whelan signed copies of his book at yesterday's event. The book contains old photographs of many Lehigh County structures which no longer exist. Let us hope that Wednesday evening the County Commissioners save our bridge.
Cunningham photo by The Morning Call/March 10,2012/Donna Fisher

Morning Call Blog Contest

If you vote for Bernie O'Hare and me today, we'll gladly buy you a hamburger tomorrow. Bernie and I have decided to enter The Morning Call Blog Contest. Unfortunately, rather than being judged by journalists, it's a simple popularity contest. We need you to vote for our blogs, and place the votes every day, until March 25th. Please consider Bernie (Lehigh Valley Ramblings) for the Politics category, and this blog (molovinsky on allentown) for Opinion. Click here to reach the contest.

Revelation In A Hallway

When I arrived at City Hall Wednesday evening, the Council Chamber was already packed by union workers, and closed to the public. Stranded out in the hallway, were many of those who came to speak against Delta Thermo's trash to energy plant. What they had in common, for the most part, was being informed on the issue, and being supporters of Pawlowski. Some were families, like Jeff Fegley of the Allentown Brewworks, cut off from his brother, already inside the Council Chamber. Others were couples, like non-profit director Julie Thomases, cut off from her significant other, environmental activist Dan Poresky. Although new Council Member Cynthia Mota had been impressed with the science fair poop dryer that she saw on her field trip to New Jersey, these informed opponents know better. That little demo machine didn't even contain a combustion chamber, or consequently, evaluate the emissions. This is the unproven technology that the citizens of Allentown will be submitted to, for the profit of Delta Thermo. If there was a revelation in the hallway, it was that the Price of Admission, with the Mayor, has significantly increased. Delta Thermo is fronted by Marcel Groen, a power broker with state-wide influence. The arena project now involves hundreds of $millions of dollars, and the Lehigh Valley Hospital. Previous supporters can't even get in the door anymore.

Government by Intimidation

Wednesday Evening, 8:40PM
This evening, hundreds of out of area union workers packed City Hall Chambers, forcing police and fire marshals to deny access to dozens of local opponents of the Trash to Energy project. Among those who had to push through the hallway crowd to reach the council chamber, were the Morning Call reporter and Frank Concannon; I presume he was summoned by the Mayor as a safety vote. In the hallway, a former high ranking city employee explained to me how the project jeopardizes all the City's previous investments, in both trash removal and sewage system. The Trash to Energy Plant would burn both trash and sewage, in an unproven technology. Adding irony to this attack on our air quality, many of the most informed opponents work for non-profits, dependent upon the City, for both funds and contracts. Those opponents not intimidated by the union workers, must then worry about the Mayor. How many will be unable to speak this evening because of the union maneuver to jam and close the room? A proper reaction by Council would have been to postpone the meeting, and move it to a larger venue. Experience tells me that it will be a long meeting, with the yes vote coming about 11:30.
UPDATE: The Trash to Energy plan passed about 1:00 am. The vote was 4 to 2, with Cynthia Mota's compliance. Frank Concannon left before the vote. When he arrived about 7:40pm, he had to go through a group of bikers in front of city hall.

Union Made in Allentown

There was a time in Allentown when the label Union Made, or Made in USA, referred to a product, now it's a pandering politician. Although the City has yet to secure a developer for the proposed office building and hotel on the arena block, the Administration's hand puppet, the ACIDA, announced that all construction will be union done. Morning Call reporter Scott Kraus notes that the construction unions contributed over $36,000 to Pawlowski in 2011. When the construction is completed, nothing will be produced in these new buildings. There are no union jobs in these new buildings, instead, people stick their McDonald's wages into slot machines, look at art or toothless skating Canadians. The rat pictured above, visited Reilly's City Center Development Company this past summer. If the chosen private developers will also be required to use union construction, has yet to be announced.

A Force in Allentown

I received a nice compliment the other day, somebody told me that I was a force in Allentown. I'll take the compliment as remuneration for the time and effort put into this blog. I see blogging as a component of community activism. Andrew Kleiner has put his blog to use to promote ecology in the park system. Bernie O'Hare functions as a one man newspaper, and is a force in the entire valley. My posts, in addition to Allentown politics, also cover local history. These subjects are not unrelated, as local political ambitions and projects are often at the expense of our history and culture. Perhaps, even my occasional boxing posts relate to those who wouldn't mind punching me in the nose. I regret my lack of diplomacy, but blame genetics. Today's photograph predates the current concrete Hamilton Street bridge, with it's two west side entrance ramps. The former old metal bridge, had Union and Hamilton Streets merged into one ramp, passing the massive Arbogast & Bastian Meat Packing Plant. Next week, another historic bridge is in jeopardy. Although structurally sound, Lehigh County has appropriated funds to replace the stone arch bridge by Union Terrace. More on that later....

The Strange Case of Dr. Mota

Thurs. March 8, 2012*. Last night, only weeks after being appointed to City Council and promising to represent the little people, Cynthia Mota joined the Administration Machine. Her change of vote to support the Trash to Private Cash scheme was expected. Her reprogramming began immediately after she voted against it, two weeks ago. Although she admitted to Colin McEvoy of the Express Times that she received threats, that behavior was overlooked, to forward the Administration's agenda. Although she will not be representing the interests of the Hispanic Community, she now becomes the second si vote on Council.

* This blog often posts about the past, so today we cover the future.