Congratulations To Mayor O'Connell

molovinsky on allentown has declared Ray O'Connell Allentown's new mayor today, Friday March 23rd, at 12:30 pm.   Although the official announcement will not be made until April 6th,  the blog's editorial board has decided to go ahead with our congratulations.

Ray will make an excellent mayor and we look ahead to reporting good things about his administration and positive changes in Allentown.   Once again,  our congratulations.

ADDENDUM: There was some speculation on social media that this post was satire,  it is not! With Roger MacLean apparently not submitting his name,  I am convinced that Ray has the necessary votes with no contention.  I am sincere in my sentiment that Ray will do a good job, and with my congratulations. While other media may report on the next week's interviews as serious deliberation,  I consider the matter closed.

Allentown Voters Are The Peanut Gallery

When I was a small boy, Howdy Doody, although a puppet, was a television star. The live audience in the TV studio was composed of children and was called the Peanut Gallery.  That term has become a metaphor for a group with no real power.   According to an article in the Morning Call the citizens of Allentown can have a say in picking the next mayor.  They can attend the upcoming city council meetings and ask and comment about the applicants for interim mayor. Although the article implies that council will value their opinion,  in reality they are just another Peanut Gallery.

I'm not sure who will be chosen next mayor.  Although the article mentions that the charter may prohibit Roger MacLean from being eligible,  the same charter rule would apply to Ray O'Connell.  My hunch is that acting solicitor Dan McCatrhy's opinion on the charter will be disregarded, and that O'Connell will get the four votes.  If MacLean decides that he likes the view from the fifth floor of city hall, he may fight for the position and get the nod.  If indeed council decides to go outside of their current or immediate former self,  Charlie Thiel will prevail.

Although the Peanut Gallery may hoot, holler and ask questions,  their opinion will not count.

Blogosphere Censorship

Yesterday Bernie O'Hare had a post on Charlie Thiel. In the comment section at 4:20pm, someone essentially stated that Ray O'Connell ran as a write-in to block Hyman, so that he(O'Connell) could replace Pawlowski by appointment, after the conviction. Those who know O'Hare know that when he supports someone, he isn't beyond spinning the obvious, and bashing the opposition. I commented yesterday after Bernie tried to negate the 4:20 comment about O'Connell. When I awoke this morning, I discovered that O'Hare deleted my comment. Like Popeye, I ain't taking that!!!! Bernie and I have gone around on this topic before, and while I will not make my own post on this subject until after the appointment of the interim mayor, I will reprint my deleted comment here today.

Considering how most of the comments on O'Hare's blog are anonymous, you would think that he would allow a signed comment like mine to remain, but apparently not, if it's contrary to the narrative that he is promoting.

Allentown's Rotating Police Chief

As some of you may know, Allentown is once again in the market for a new police chief.  The current one, Glen Dorney, is taking the top position in South Whitehall.  He is probably doing so because although the department is smaller,  a new interim mayor being selected next month could give him the heave ho anyway.

In my opinion the national searches were a disaster.  First we brought in Chief Stephen Kuhn, who turned the department inside out and upside down. Next came Joel Fitzgerald,  whose son ended up suing for violating his civil rights, after he was acquitted for pointing a gun at county detectives.  The young Fitzgerald was represented by Jack McMahon, who would return to Allentown and defend Pawlowski.

I wouldn't mind acting mayor Roger MacLean  appointing a new chief from within, and have the interim mayor appointed next month honor that appointment. MacLean is former chief himself, and spend his career in the department.  No mayor, acting, interim or elected, has ever been better equipped to pick a chief.

ADDENDUM: The first version of this post erroneously stated that Stephen Kuhn was hired by Pawlowski. He was hired by his predecessor,  Roy Afflerbach.

Lehigh's Failing Grade

Among the many groups of people I have no use for are college professors. Spend your life surrounded by 18 year olds, and you become a Peter Pan. I snickered when I read that Lehigh's Peter Pans want to revoke Donald Trump's honorary degree from 1988.

A faculty spokesperson said the motion isn’t about Trump’s politics,  but his behavior, as well as his sexist, racist and Islamophobic comments.  While most people who have such honorary degrees conferred upon them have no real qualifications,  to then take back a degree 30 years later, after the person achieves the Presidency of The United States?

Despite their denial,  their vote is so awash in politics,  one must question if they themselves deserve the degrees which they have.

The Lehigh Trustees wisely decided against revoking Mr./President Trump's degree.  Enter Bill White, Morning Call Columnist and Lehigh journalism teacher. Bill agrees with the students and late night TV hosts that Donald Trump has character defects. He believes that the trustees don't want to offend their wealthy Republican donors, but doesn't understand the principles beyond that not to revoke the degree.  Bill has forgotten that when Trump was awarded that degree in 1988, he was a real estate expert and Art Of The Deal best seller.  Bill has forgotten that before politics in 2014, Trump was a reality TV star with the Apprentice.  Lehigh charges $66,000 a year to take classes with Bill White,  who displayed no insight beyond the TV hosts he eagerly awaits every night.

Stepchildren Of Allentown's Corruption

Back in the day before the FBI raid on Allentown City Hall,  those interested in corruption in Allentown were pretty much limited to myself and O'Hare.  Missing in action was the Morning Call.  Although they would occasionally use this blog as an unattributed source, they avoided my most controversial exposés.  Among them was my revelations about the Neuweiler Brewery.

Although the FBI and  Justice Department decided to prosecute Pawlowski and Company on nine deals,  I suspect that the menu actually had many more choices.  Among them may have been the current Neuweiler Brewery deal.  When Ruckus Brewing was introduced as an applicant for the Neuweiler Brewery, I wrote about it here, way back in 2013.  My research revealed that Ruckus had no experience at the time in either actual beer brewing or real estate.  What they did have was a business consultant very connected to the administration in Allentown, Mike Fleck.

Although Pawlowski and Fleck were indicted and convicted,  the Allentown Commercial Industrial Development Authority proceeded with handing over the brewery to Ruckus.  Ruckus received numerous deadline extensions on their application, and represented the brewery as a done deal to raise cash. All these irregularities were previously reported on this blog, and ignored by the local press. They are currently permitted to rent out space as is in a building in which the previous owner was arrested and jailed for not correcting code violations.

When shenanigans occur in Allentown,  this blog is often the first source to chronicle the questionable activity.

For the full story on the Neuweiler Brewery, please follow the links provided below. 

Post on Neuweiler Brewery from May 29, 2008

Post on Neuweiler Brewery July 11, 2012

Sequel to July 11, Post (July 16, 2012)

Post on Neuweiler Brewery May 2, 2013

Post on Neuweiler Brewery Jan. 31, 2013

The Neuweiler Brewery, A Pawlowski/Fleck Shenanigan, July 8, 2015

Morning Call Catches Up To Molovinsky On Neuweiler Sept. 30, 2015

Allentown's City Council Broom

There are at least a couple of facebook groups devoted to Allentown politics. It is on these groups where one finds opinions about Allentown from those who care most about local politics, besides just at election time.  Over and over I keep seeing people post that Allentown needs a clean broom sweeping.  Although I wouldn't argue with that notion longterm,  they must remember that city council is picking the next mayor.

Some people are even suggesting that the chosen candidate should ask all the department heads to tender their resignations, and that each person in each position should go through an reevaluation.  In all due respect,  let us keep a working city government. There are buildings to inspect.  There are streets to repair.  There are taxes to collect.

Roger MacLean, the acting mayor, is an experienced administrator.  I expect that whoever gets appointed as interim mayor will also have experience.  There are many competent people working at city hall.

The opinion by acting solicitor Dan McCarthy that O'Connell and MacLean are ineligible to be appointed interim mayor on April 6 seems to be gaining steam,  especially with council retaining McCatrhy at least through that date.  Ironically, Candida Affa has been calling for a new face that isn't tainted for the top spot.  Nobody is more tainted than her,  having been Pawlowski's last diehard supporter. She is throwing the last hand grenade in Pawlowski's behalf.

It is my hope that council and the city avoid a purge mentality, and we can benefit from their existing institutional knowledge.

1962 postcard of Allentown City Hall

Charlie Thiel's New Campaign

In addition to Charlie Thiel submitting his application to city council for interim mayor, he has taken to publicize his bid on social media. Although council has sought applications, the $64 thousand dollar question is whether O'Connell and MacLean are eligible themselves under the charter? While it is common knowledge that O'Connell wants the appointment, the next question centers on MacLean; Does he want to remain mayor beyond the current 30 days? If so, but he and O'Connell are advised that they are ineligible, only then does Charlie's application become viable.  Assuming we reach that point, the vote lies with 7 people, not the public, which Thiel is now reaching out to.

On the subject of the upcoming appointed interim mayor,  I was victimized by a fabrication the other day from Bernie O'Hare in his post promoting Ray O'Connell, and I chose to refrain from setting the record straight.  My reply will have to wait until which time the new mayor is appointed.  Unlike pompous O'Hare,  I have no desires or delusions about being a junior kingmaker.

Among other members of the public who have expressed an interest in the mayor vacancy are Nat Hyman and supposedly Sam Bennett.  Council will start public deliberations on March 26.