Crimes By The Wildlands Conservancy

photo by Tami Quigley

The top photo shows the Robin Hood Bridge, before the Wildlands Conservancy demolished the little folly Robin Hood Dam, just downstream beyond the bridge. The dam was only about 10 inches high, and was built as a visual effect to accompany the bridge in 1941. It was the last WPA project in Allentown, and considered the final touch for Lehigh Parkway. Several years ago, the Wildlands told the Allentown Park Director and City Council that it wanted to demolish the dam. The only thing that stood between their bulldozer and the dam was yours truly. I managed to hold up the demolition for a couple weeks, during which time I tried to educate city council about the park, but to no avail. If demolishing the dam wasn't bad enough, The Wildlands Conservancy piled the broken dam ruble around the stone bridge piers, as seen in the bottom photo. I'm sad to report that the situation is now even worse. All that ruble collected silt, and now weeds and brush is growing around the stone bridge piers. I suppose the Wildlands Conservancy considers it an extension of its riparian buffers.

The Wildlands Conservancy is now going to demolish Wehr's Dam at Covered Bridge Park in South Whitehall. The township commissioners are cooperating, by having a grossly inflated price associated with repairing the dam, to justify a disingenuous referendum. Sadly, by next spring I will be showing you before and after pictures of that crime.

top photo by Tami Quigley

above reprinted from August 2016

UPDATE: To everyones surprise, especially the Wildlands Conservancy and the South Whitehall Commissioners, the referendum was approved by the voters this past November. The Wildlands Conservancy and the South Whitehall Commissioners are now conspiring to have the dam demolished anyway, by exaggerating its problems with the Pa. DEP.. Although, I have documented the communication between the Wildlands, State and township, the Morning Call will not report the conspiracy. As for Lehigh Parkway, the Wildlands Conservancy should be made to remove the former dam ruble that is despoiling the vista of the Robin Hood Bridge piers.

Fighting Sacred Cows

One of the things that sustains me producing this blog, day in and out for ten years, is fighting the sacred cows which roam in our valley. Of course, one of the most influential is The Wildlands Conservancy. Northampton County has officially turned over planning of their park system to those schemers. Recently, when I told the South Whitehall Commissioners that they were in bed with the Conservancy, one of their members took offense. Never mind that the Conservancy officially manages the largest program in their largest park, or that their park director is the son of one the Conservancy's paid officers. Facts aside, he took offense. Despite a voters referendum to maintain Wehr's Dam, its survival is in jeopardy because of back channel communication between the Conservancy and the state DEP. Despite having documented this outrage to The Morning Call, the newspaper refuses to print my exposé, in order to protect the Wildlands Conservancy.

The Wildlands Conservancy has degraded the Allentown Park System, by both deed and silence. They persuaded a weak park director, mayor, and city council to demolish the Robin Hood and Fish Hatchery Dams. Likewise, all summer the creeks are hidden from view, while invasive species clog access to the refreshing water. Our elected officials apparently cannot understand that our parks were not meant to be wildlands.

Although fighting sacred cows and hypocrites is taxing, I gladly pay the price. It's awkward to be told to keep it short and polite before you speak. It's frustrating to see the local media ignore the truth.

Remember, when you visit the parks this summer to keep your kids and pets away from the tick infested bush and weeds along the creeks.

Pawlowski's Pitch

HOST A HOUSE PARTY WITH THE MAYOR
Our campaign has been working hard and now we're getting ready to really ramp things up for the Primary Election Campaign.
As a fun and exciting way to kick off the fall campaign, we're planning Pawlowski for Mayor House Parties across Allentown and we need your help.
Can you help us by hosting a house party?
As a host, we'll ask you to invite your friends and neighbors to come over to your house to spend a fun evening hearing about the great things happening in Allentown and have an opportunity to ask questions directly to the mayor.
A victory in the Primary is an important step toward Reelection. I need your help to finish the job of moving our city forward. Please help us by hosting a house party and getting your friends and neighbors involved in our campaign.
Also if you have friends who might want to host their own house party, please forward this email and ask them to sign up as a host. 
Thank you for all of your hard work and support.
Sincerely, Mayor Ed Pawlowski

Pawlowski has been pitching small Hispanic gatherings at house parties, complete with a power point presentation on how Allentown has been revitalizing under his leadership. With the crowded field, he probably only needs about 1700 votes. However, his strategy is no secret to his opponents, who are endeavoring to match that number. Consequently, this highly contested primary may actually result in a high turnout.

sourced from facebook

Muhlenberg Poll Bodes Well For Pawlowski

A poll by Muhlenberg College indicated about a third of Allentown residents would vote for Pawlowski again.  The Morning Call reporter,  Emily Opilo, was surprised about how many city residents were unaware of Pawlowski's pending indictment.  She must think that everybody reads The Morning Call!!!  In general, the Hispanic minority majority are not well informed on local issues.  As I previously posted,  Pawlowski has been courting this demographic for months.   Many who do know of Pawlowski's troubles are not bothered by the accusations, even if true.  With seven candidates in the Democratic primary,  it will not take many votes to win.

If there is a silver cloud in this poll for the other candidates, it is the fact that Muhlenberg polls are always far off the mark.  Someone suggested that if the other candidates really want to see new leadership in Allentown,  that most of them should withdraw, and throw their support to someone at the front of the pack.  Having spoken to most of the candidates,  I don't see that happening.

Wrestling With Lehigh Valley Indifference

It's not  easy wrestling with the indifference of the Lehigh Valley. Once three cities of concerned citizenry, we're now an area of newcomers. The large growing Hispanic demographic is isolated from local issues by both language and poverty. The wealthy suburban migrants didn't move here to bother themselves with local politics. Consequently, we have an upcoming mayoral election with nine candidates, headed by our own Boss Tweed.

Our newspaper, once owned by a local family, is now part of a national media company.  Its building is now owned by the largest property owner in center city, and principal beneficiary of the largest tax incentive program in Pennsylvania's history.

Advocates who fight for issues, especially against local sacred cows,  are mostly reduced to private soapboxes, to publicize their cause.  Whether you're a blogger trying to inform the public that a municipality is trying to subvert the results of a referendum,  or a former president judge rallying against excessive profits from a tax-free hospital,  the sacred cows are protected by the media.  Furthermore,  the media is very indignant when you point that shortcoming out.  Never the less, there are a few of us who continue to dive into the ring.

NIZ And The Taxpayer

New construction is pretty easy to tax,  the cost is a matter of public record, especially in the NIZ.  Reilly's City Center Real Estate is allowed to harness state taxes to pay its debt service.  When PA's largest tax incentive program was being hawked,  J Q Public was told that the local property taxes generated would be his reward.  As it turned out,  Reilly's attorney found a loose end, putting less money into the local tax coffers.

The assessment on commercial buildings can be challenged based on income generated. Because Reilly charges less rent in his taxpayer subsidized buildings,  his attorney has successfully challenged the assessments based on construction cost.  Although there is some logic to that argument, it ignores the reality of the public subsidy,  and the original rational for the program.  His attorney claims that the public is still getting more than they were before the revitalization, and omits the fact that it's almost a $million less annually than expected.

Because the Allentown School District is experiencing a huge shortfall, this tax reduction for Reilly has real consequences to the public.  Mayor for Life Ed Pawlowski thinks that the tax break for Reilly is fair.

photocredit: The Morning Call

Fake Indignation By South Whitehall Commissioners

In June of 2014,  South Whitehall Commissioners approved the removal of Wehr's Dam by The Wildlands Conservancy.  As this press article from the time clearly shows,  the subsequent study of the dam was only directed at it's removal.

The Wildlands Conservancy designed South Whitehall's Park Master Plan, which calls for the dam's removal.

The Wildlands Conservancy is in charge of the Jordan Greenway Project in South Whitehall's Covered Bridge Park.

South Whitehall allowed the Wildlands Conservancy to send reports to Harrisburg, claiming that the dam is in poor condition.

Since residents voted to preserve the dam last November,  South Whitehall has not modified its MasterPlan calling for the dam's demolition.

South Whitehall has not advocated for the dam, or corrected misinformation forwarded to the state DEP by the Wildlands Conservancy.

Last Wednesday, when I told the commissioners that they were cooperating with the Wildlands Conservancy to subvert the intent of the voters referendum,  they took great offense.

photocredit: ytreephotography.com