Here's a shocker.Jarrett Renshaw reports that three members of Allentown's Ethics Board have cleared Mayor Edwin Pawlowski of all wrong-doing as a result of home renovations he started last year and continued throughout this summer, including a nice new mancave. Pawlowski failed to get permits until this blog dropped a dime on him.
Dr. Bob Romancheck, Lou Hershman and City Council VP Michael Donovan had all raised concerns about this failure, but none received invitations or notices of yesterday's hearing. They all expressed a concern that the Mayor needed to clear the air, but no opinion was distributed to the public. In fact, the three members who voted did so online. Jarrett had to ask them to vote in public, something they had already done behind closed doors.
I didn't see this one coming.
Updated 5:45 PM: - Ethics Opinion Online! - Jarrett Renshaw has posted the Ethics Board Opinion at Valley 610. It indicates he both failed to obtain a permit in a timely manner, and he underestimated the actual cost of the work. Then they give him a pass. After all, he's the Mayor.
23 comments:
WOW! What a complete surprise this news is.
Did Mayor pick Malkames to be the attorney for the ethics board. If not Mayor, Who. Also, did he appoint the members who voted on the Ethics complaint. How did Mayor decide on Stellar Construction to do the work. Hope Mayor answered this in his written response and showed copies of the bills being paid. I believe many more questions will be asked.
I can't answer exactly what happened. From what I hear, the Mayor did get off on a legal technicality. I am researching whther I can get that opinion under the RTKL.
Wait. No opinion, no notice to those making the complaint, and an on-line vote? And this is the ETHICS committee?
Who are the Pawlowski flunkies on the committee that would go along with this? They should be ashamed.
Cool. So I can get the permits after I build my mancave and only if someone finds out. Golden.
Who careas about the permits. That's really not the big deal. I mean it's wrong, but generally, when someone does work without a permit all that happens is they get a stop work order until the permit comes through. Don't get me wrong, it's bad, but here's what's worse:
Elected officials go to JAIL for taking gifts like this from a contractor. The initial reporting said that he paid $500. If that's true, that's criminal. Now, the ethics commission said that it was water damage and insurance is paying $23,000. Who knows.
But it makes a statement that all these questions even have to be asked.
Does anyone know who Grant Harrity is married to?
Think the mayor does appoint ethics members. Funny how impartial they must be. Why are we surprised at this finding's outcome. Bernie
please use your talents to obtain the findings report in print form.
Isn't it public information available under the Right to Know law? Not sure.
I'm trying to find that out.
Malkames said the board could vote again in public if "you want them to." The members -- Hugh Gallagher, Maria W.E. Tjelveit and Grant Harrity -- then unanimously voted to dismiss the complaint.
Anyone know anything about these guys? Did anyone see this meeting announced beforehand on the city's Web site? We know how much the mayor wants the public to be informed, imagine it was.
The members -- Hugh Gallagher, Maria W.E. Tjelveit and Grant Harrity --
Are they all registered Democrats?
Who appoints these members should be able to be discovered by calling
city clerk.
Bernie
You mean these three members didn't even meet together at city hall?
That's pretty disgusting as we suspect there are city residents who would be honored to serve on this committee but are never asked.
Seems like Allentown now needs to
investigate the ethics committee. What a city.
Is it possible two of these ethics members are ministers?
Something about this story doesn't add up.
According to your report, the ethics members did not meet in person; rather so busy they couldn't be bothered to travel to city hall and voted online.
How then did the Call reporter then get his story? Did he receive a press release from the mayor's office and go with that or did he call the board members and interview them? How did this become a story?
THE mancave cost 3000. above what mayor received for water damage. Who paid the difference.
It's good to be king.
OK, so the defense wrt not obtaining the permits in a timely manner seems to be "@#$% happens", and the finding seems to be that Pawlowski din not use undue influence to avoid getting a permit, but surely there must be some penalty for not getting a permit.
Having just done a major remodel on my home in Allentown, I can tell you the contracters were frickin' fanatical about making sure all the permits were in place, and were absolutely paranoid about not doing anything to p-off the city inspectors.
So does anyone have any first-hand experience with the penalty for not obtaining a permit for mere mortals?
the penalty for not getting a permit is a stop work order, which can be cleared up in under 2 hours on many projects (residential it can be done quickly... commercial projects take a longer time b/c you might need architect renderings or code certifications). This would have been a slap on the wrist for the contractor who would have had egg on his face for not completing the project in a timely manner. It's sloppy for the mayor to do, but there wouldn't have been big fines or anything.
A couple of years ago, we replaced a small roof on our orch. We were cited because I failed to get a permit. Well, excuse me I did not know I needed one. It cost $100 plus the money for the permit.
So, MR MAYOR, I think it is no more than fair for you to pay the fine & fees also.
THIS IS THE FAILURE OF OUR SYSTEM WHEN THE ONES RUNNING IT DOESN'T FOLLOW THW SAME RULES AND LAWS WE DO!! MR. MAYOR YOU ARE ONE OF THE REASON WE NO LONGER TRUST GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AND IT YOUTHINK ABOUT RERUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION, WE WILL REMEMBER.!
Anonymous said...
THE mancave cost 3000. above what mayor received for water damage. Who paid the difference.
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No, according to the ethics report one portion of the work cost $23,000 which was reimbursed by the insurance company.
Another segment of the work cost $26,000 and was paid for by the official (Pawlowski).
However, no request was made for contractor invoices or canceled checks showing payment. They basically accepted whatever the Mayor told them as being the truth.
I never liked this stupid moron. He is not my mayor. He always got a phony smile on at public meeting any other time you see this jerk in the diner ect he got a sour puss on that thing he calls a face and he looks right through you .
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