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

Neglect Has It's Reward 2

A lead story, in today's Morning Call, is titled "Pawlowski aggressive in fight against blight"; that's a fair statement, but besides being aggressive, is he being effective or constructive? That's another fair question. I have learned that the landlord issue in Allentown is an easy press conference for our politicians. In this short note I wish only to refer readers to my posting of April 26th, where I document that the landlord of shame, mentioned in today's article, was later paid $93,500 for the condemned property shown. Since that posting, the Director of the Redevelopment Authority, also mentioned in today's article, has purchased the condemned attached building, from the same owner, for over $99,000. These two purchases are not mentioned in the article.

Mayor's Wife Plays Hardball

Lisa Pawlowski, wife of Mayor Ed Pawlowski, is circulating the following email;

Saturday, July 18, 2009 6:59:11 PM

Playground at Cedar Beach

Greetings,

I am writing to drum up some support for a playground at Cedar Beach Park . There are already plans for a big, destination playground on the West end of Cedar Beach , just south of the Pool. These plans have been in progress for the last couple of years. Now that they want to move forward, a group of about 20 men have approached Allentown City Council to protest this park. I have no real idea why. Perhaps they are saying it will bring too much noise to people enjoying the park. Well, we already have a pool, basketball and volleyball courts, and they don't seem to protest that.

Anyway, I'm trying to organize different groups of interested people to perhaps attend the next City Council meeting, Aug 5th, to say that they would like a playground to be at Cedar Beach . Would you bring this to your membership, and either get a petition signed and bring it to the city council meeting, or try to get everyone to come. I won't be able to be there (because of vacation plans), but I'd suggest bringing kids, and signs that say "We need a playground at Cedar Beach ". Also, it will be fully handicap accessible, which we don't have too many of in

Allentown . The handicap apparatus was chosen by a group of mothers of handicap children in Allentown , as well as a Pediatrician.

At minimum, you could direct your members that are on facebook to join my group "Yes, we need a big playground at Cedar Beach Park ". I will have someone bring the list of members of this group to city council, though having people there is MUCH more effective. And kids and signs play well for any media that would be there. If City Council members know that there is a LOT of support for this playground, they won't get in the way.

Please talk to your members, join my fb group, post the group on your networks and invite other people to join, and let me know what you decide to do. I am a mother of 2 kids (10 and 7), and always wished that there were more playgrounds in our wonderful park system. I also happen to be the Mayor's wife.

Thanks,

Lisa

Lisa Pawlowski

XX XXth Street

Allentown , PA 18101

h (610) 434-XXXX

c (610) 349-XXXX



Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, first of all the protesters were not 20 men, most were women, and there were about 70 of them. I can assure you most of these women are also mothers and appreciate playgrounds. Their objection is the scale of the playground. The masterplan of 2005 recommended less usage of Cedar Creek Park, not more. This mega-playground, and it's necessary parking, will most likely force the special events, such as Mayfair and Sportsfest to expand over Ott Street into the Rose Garden side of the park. Now let me be less polite.

It's disingenuous of you to have distorted the composition of the protesters, your husband was in the building and is fully informed who was there.

It's disingenuous of you to bring up the special needs aspect. Mack Playground has such equipment virtually never used. Again, the issue is the size of this playground, large enough to accommodate 567 children.

I believe it is somewhat improper to insert yourself into this issue; sending this email to mother's and women's groups, misrepresenting the facts.

Furthermore, to be blunt, you and your husband know jack about our traditional, nationally recognized park system. Last week your husband said Allentown will develop a world class park system. We have a world class park system, you need only be good stewards of that pride. When Ed ran for mayor, he said nothing about making major changes in the parks, I wish he had, but then you wouldn't be "First Lady" now.

Lastly, people came to the past meeting to defend their beloved park. These are dignified long term residents of Allentown, I doubt they will come to this upcoming meeting to compete with your dog and pony show.

ADDENDUM: I have just noticed that LIsa Pawlowski's letter is dated July 18th. It was apparently written in reaction to the 15
or so citizens who came to the City Council Meeting on July 15th to speak against the park plan. She is correct
about the amount of people, but, then also, the majority of speakers were women. Most of those women
returned for the Park Committee meeting July 28th, and were joined by about 50 more people. Again, most of
the "protesters" were women. Although I regret saying she minimized the amount of protesters, she did inject a
gender "card" into the debate. Of course the recommendation to use children and signs to sway the media and so
that council "won't get in the way" speaks for itself.

Jeanette At Bat

This past Tuesday evening over 70 Allentownians gathered in Council Chambers to express their dissatisfaction with the Cedar Creek Park Plans. There is a special bond between long term residents of this community and our nationally recognized park system. We see the park as perfection of design, requiring only dedicated maintenance. Unfortunately, the new Park Director sees it as a palette to make his mark. By now readers know my reverence for the parks, so lets get to the meat of the meeting. The meeting was called by Tony Phillips, both Chairman of the Park and Recreation Committee, but also Republican candidate for mayor. Although he was stonewalled by the other committee members, and the administration, councilwoman Jeanette Eichenwald joined Tony on the dais. She told the citizens that she fully believed a compromise was needed, and a plan could be reached which served the sensibilities of all involved. Enter Michael Donovan; although Donovan was not at the meeting, on his blog, called Inclusion*, he reveals that he will sponsor legislation to interrupt the project for proper public input. Proponents of the plan must realize that the Rose Garden hasn't had a wedding pavilion for 80 years, a month or two more of deliberation is reasonable. Although Tony may well introduce a similar bill, can democrat Eichenwald really support Pawlowski's opponent? There is probably nobody on council more conciliatory than Donovan, also a democrat. He's looking for someone to second his proposal. I'm confident Jeanette will seize the opportunity to put meaningful action behind her eloquent words.

www.donovanforallentown.blogspot.com

Can Phillips Unwrap the Present ?

Tony Phillips, who thus far has offered little as a candidate, didn't even seem to realize the present he was handed last night. Over seventy people filled Council Chambers to vent their outrage over plans to remake our beloved Cedar Creek Park. Mayor Pawlowski, who was in the building, ignored these taxpaying voters. More insulting, he directed his park director not to attend. In the Mayor's mind, and that of councilman Peter Schweyer, the issue is closed. Truth be known, even the Morning Call reporter doesn't fully understand the ramifications. He quoted the mayor that there was sufficient public input and noted a drawing of the plan was taped on the wall near council chambers for months. Council Chambers hold 125 people, Allentown has 108,000 citizens. When a Mayor from Chicago, and a Recreation Director from Philadelphia, wish to remake Allentown's historic, iconic Park System, public notification must be more than a rendering taped on a wall; that packed Council Chamber last night demonstrates the notification was insufficient. Tony concluded by telling the crowd that they must organize and make their feeling's known to Council. WRONG!. Don't tell the citizens what they must do, they attended last evening expecting you to do something. Last night was the second time some of these people came to the council chamber to express their displeasure. Tony, it's time to show some leadership, especially if you want to be mayor. Council is on record as stating they didn't fully understand the scope and scale of the plans which they approved. Council didn't even see plans for the "Destination Playground" until minutes before they approved it. The City Charter demands fourteen days of due diligence, unless the rules were suspended. There was no such suspension that evening.
Submit an ordinance to your colleagues, Ms. Eichenwald will second it, withholding use of those park funds until which time there is proper public input.