As Allentown Turns

LATE MORNING EDITION

 The presses were down overnight, but we expect to be back to normal publishing hours by July 4th; Then again, Cedar Park Pool was suppose to be open by now. Otherwise, here at molovinsky on allentown, the staff remains intrigued by the race for mayor.

Although, write-in votes are normally a tremendous hill to climb, Ray could easily create an effective machine election day. A write-in no longer has to have his name spelled out correctly. Any version that conveys the voter's intent suffices. The voters would only need to type in RAY. He already has enough support to man all the polling stations. If he can be competitive with campaign funds remains to be seen. It will be an interesting race.

Blood In The Water, Allentown 2017

The last time the Republican Party actively participated in Allentown politics was 2005,  when Bill Heydt ran for mayor against Pawlowski.  In 2009 Tony Phillips was a default Republican candidate, left to his own devices.  In 2013 the party fielded no candidate,  and Michael Donovan was the second man on the ballot as an independent.  Now come 2017,  with Pawlowski facing a pending indictment, and the party apparently thinks that the city is in play again, for the first time in twelve years.

Ray O'Connell told me that he has received numerous calls telling him that he will only benefit Pawlowski if he runs as a write-in.  The Republican's aren't saying that they want their man to win, but instead that nobody should do anything that will enable Pawlowski to win office again.  They're saying that Ray should put the city first,  not his own ambition; How civic minded of them!

Now, I'm not saying that the Republicans are wrong in their calculations about Ray being a spoiler, but I'm questioning their motive;  Is it a better Allentown they seek, or a Republican Mayor for the first time in over a decade?

Many of my posts offend one party or another,  sometimes both.  Readers should understand that I'm nonpartisan, and that this blog's mission is to provide informed commentary.

O'Connell's Methodology

In a call yesterday, Ray O'Connell stated that he is employing a methodology to determine if he can win in November.  His team is conducting a poll of registered voters.  If they determine that a plurality of voters will support him, he will proceed waging a write-in campaign.  He expects the survey to be completed by late July.

I don't initiate such conversations; I find them to be somewhat constricting.  If I express any doubt here about everything that I am told,  the caller usually takes even more offense than I normally cause.  Likewise,  although I will occasionally endorse a candidate,  I have no interest in an on-going promotion of any candidate or office holder.  However,  I am always available to hear out anybody.  I never want this blog to misrepresent anybody's position.

I do believe that O'Connell is trying to be scientific about his decision.  If emotion and enthusiasm cloud his data,  we'll know the morning after the election.

The Ray O'Connell Do-Over

A week ago I posted how Ray O'Connell is apparently going to wage a write-in campaign for mayor.   Yesterday, Bill White used much the same material for his Morning Call column.  Both White and Bernie O'Hare think that O'Connell will be the spoiler guaranteeing Pawlowski's victory.  What gives that viewpoint more weight with me is that Scott Armstrong comes to the same conclusion.

However, I think that the outcome could be different.  Hyman will take all the Republican voters, although they are in the minority.  Pawlowski and O'Connell will divide the Democratic vote, perhaps allowing Hyman to still prevail.

Bill White asked O'Connell if he was indeed running as a write-in, and Ray replied,  "I have not made a decision yet."  Although, I'm unsure of the election outcome,  I do take O'Connell's answer as a yes.

Allentown's Anti-Corruption League

While Allentown is beginning it's week on Mondays, The Anti-Corruption League is gathering in a North 4th St. coffee house. It's leader, Robert Trotner, has been supporting idealistic concepts and candidates for years. Of course, when you juxtaposition Trotner's ideals with Allentown's reality, he is about 0/20. Never the less, he forges on. Yesterday he was hoping that somehow, someway write-in candidate Ray O'Connell saves the day for Allentown come November. O'Connell, as of this time, has yet to verify his off ticket write-in candidacy.

Robert Trotner on left, with Eugene McDuffie

Cedar Beach Pool Leaks Integrity

When I was a boy in the early 1950's, Cedar Beach Pool already starting serving the residents of Allentown.  About five years ago then park director Greg Weitzel, under Pawlowski, wanted to build a destination water park,  almost like a commercial amusement park. The plans alone cost $80,000. The idea was so gradiose,  that even Allentown City Council, which was still in it's rubber stamp mode,  balked.  That monstrosity would have extended from the current pool area up to Hamilton Blvd.

Several years ago when the pool supposedly developed a bottom crack, and the city said that it couldn't be fixed, I doubted it.  Last year, when the city said that the old pool walls weren't thick enough,  I doubted it. Now the renovation project has another problem.  The new filter isn't large enough for the pool's volume of water.  The renovated pool actually has less water than the original, because it no longer contains a deep diving area, and there is a large island bisecting the middle. Perhaps they should have just used the old filter.

I don't know when the renovated pool will be finally completed,  but I do know that it won't last anywhere near the sixty five years that the previous one did.

ADDENDUM: Link to Cedar Beach Pool history, courtesy of a reader.

Brown's Bet

While Pat Browne certainly has been good for J.B. Reilly and the Allentown NIZ, he has also directly benefitted the taxpaying citizens. He led the fight for the long overdue Pension Reform legislation, and now is resisting the push to legalize video gambling machines outside of the casinos.

Pennsylvania has a long storied history about gambling. When I was growing up, people were jailed for selling games of chance, or even organizing card games. In the late 1970's, compromising because of the need for additional revenue, they organized the state lottery. That evolved into the state actually promoting that you must Play To Win.

Needless to say, passing the casino bill was the big gambling frontier.  There is now real competition for our gambling dollars.  Browne claims in the above mailer that he is fighting to keep the state's own Lottery Fund viable, to sustain the various programs which it supports.

Stevens Park

My apologies for an earlier post where I acted so haughty about Stevens Park. Ive been sick the past couple weeks. That being said had family over today and bragged about the new park. Took my 2 yr old and a couple other toddlers with parents. Trash everywhere! Dirty needles...I picked up 6 heroin used bags. I was horrified! We left, kids in tears. Me on the verge! I went later with husband and cleaned it up. Ive been so excited for the young neighborhood kids....it will soon just get totally trashed. And Im moving......

The above comment appeared on a community facebook page. I have redacted the writers name. The Morning Call did a pictorial spread on the the renovated park, but of course the women above gives us an actual nitty gritty experience from visiting the park. Despite the reality of who will congregate there after hours, and whatever nefarious activity that may take place, it is important to provide attractive parks within the urban center for children.   However,  the nature of the neighborhood requires that the park receive extra cleanup and surveillance.

As a frequent critic of the  park system, allow me to commend the Parks Department on a renovation well done.

photocredit: The Morning Call/Harry Fisher