Your suggestions are very welcome in the comments. Below are some people I'd like to see.
Managing Director. - Nat Hyman. This is a very smart guy who, like most of his contemporaries, could have easily left Allentown. He stayed. And thrived. He is energetic and innovative. It would take him a few months to understand the nuances of city government, but he'd have a pretty good teacher.
Community and Economic Development. - Rev. Dave Jones. This former Lehigh County Comm'r is actually an in-City Allentown kid with a pretty good handle on economic development from three terms in county government. He runs a local nonprofit called "My Brother's Keeper," which is all about empowering and mentoring the City's youth. This ties in rather nicely with O'Connell's goal to strengthen neighborhoods and schools.
Director of Public Safety. - Scott Curtis. He's the hard-charging FBI agent who took down Fed Ed. After a few years of wiretaps, it's safe to say he knows how the city is run. With him on board, Allentown firefighters might finally get the equipment they badly need.
Solicitor. - Allentown needs to break away from a pattern of hiring political operative as Solicitor in favor of people who actually know and practice municipal law. All arrangements with the Norris, McLaughlin law firm should end.
50 comments:
You can not be serious. So you want city council to put long time Pawlawski buddy and insider O'Connell in as Mayor and think that is a clean break? That is crazy. You may love O'Connell but he is a direct link to the stinky past of Allentown. Just because he is your basketball buddy does not absolve him from helping Pswlawski get re-elected. The council must pick a person with no ties to the old regime for a fresh start. That person must then immediately can Pawlawski insiders buddies McCarthy and Muller.
Ismael Arcelay is experienced in politics and is a good a pious man with roots in the community.
His star is rising,
Scott Curtis could presumedly facilitate the arrest of another dozen or so City employees up and down the ranks who escaped indigments in the first round of corruption trials.
That would be super helpful.
It would be a mistake to discount the very real possibility that Mayor Pawlowski will prevail in his appeal process and a miscarriage of justice will be corrected.
At that time no one will be better positioned and have the leadership skills, proven experience and the support of the community that Mayor Ed Powlowski brings to our growing city.
You can’t argue with success.
bernie is for a guy who the allentown voterrrs turned down twice.if they put in o'connell-his plan worked perfectly
Joyce Marin could hit the ground running as CD Director.
The ASD Board runs like a well oiled machine, verifying Charlie Thiels leadership ability and financial acumen.
It seems that the O'Connell/Hendricks plan, [the write-in campaign], worked. It prevented enough cross-over votes going to Hyman and O'Connell walks in the door. As a Pawlowski protege' who gave "Fed Ed" free reign over all aspects of city government and who prospered by the failed write-in campaign, I have serious reservations about his appointment as mayor. If he comes in and sanitizes government by throwing all the Pawlowski appointments, temporary or not, out on their ears, he can claim to be no better than the great deceiver; by keeping his corrupt administration in power.
As far as Scott Curtis, this is a complete pipe dream. Just because he is an excellent investigator and a member of the FBI, doesn't make him a good candidate for municipal police chief. I do agree with the resignation of Glen Dorney and his second-in-command, the opportunity avails itself to needed change. For years, Pawlowski did nothing for public safety and capitalized on a national downturn in crime. He should be hung for what he did to the AFD [fighting fires in pickup trucks]. APD must embrace community orientated policing in the neighborhoods where it all starts. If O'Connell gets the nod, he has the opportunity and capacity to make change, if he doesn't, his two years will be a waste which Allentown can't afford. Carson S. Gable III.
O'connell was a leader in the allentown schools for over 35 years -- look at the results --no excuses bernie the administrators were payed well and I mean well to do a job and like the politicans they are look at the results O'connell will do the same thing to the city as he took a major role in the decline of the schools he already said the taxes are going up he is going to help the schools his job will be to help allentown get over his former buddy -who hired his son over many good candidates I know this is not nepotism ,but the good old boy system. if he is put in office by the politicians on the board allentown will sink even more into the cesspool it is.
Mike Sclossberg and Peter Schyer have the talent and drive to fit in anywhere they might be needed.
Could they possibly keep their current positions and work in a new reform administration?
Jenn Mann!!!!!!
Why settle for a surrogate?
Schlossberg & Schweyer allowed corruption to swirl.
There can be a decided upside to political dynasties.
Ray and Hendricks both have their sons employed in City jobs.
O’Connell/Hendricks could be an enduring contribution to the City Without Limits.
Schlossburg & Schweyer are innocent men.
I voted for Schlossburg twice.
The first 13 comments just do the usual trashing of people, done anonymously, of course. But not one comment actually addresses my question. Who should Ray hire, and in what position?
The silence speaks volumes.
It tells me (1) the same person has made several comments and (2) people have a much easier time deciding what is wrong than in coming up with solutions.
Is Vic Mazziotti still alive?
It's time for Allentown to move on from Pawlowski and O'Connell. Why put someone in as Mayor who has been a part of the "old guard" of this failing city. Allentown needs new life and someone with energy, vigor and personality. Re-Electing Pawlowski showed what type of future Allentown wants so if they want O'Connell to continue to put them on the same path of barely keeping their head above water with rising crime, a failing school system, higher taxes and no economic future by all means let Ray be the mayor. Sadly, Allentown reaps what it sows.
Department of Housing: Ken Heffenfarter
Ahletic director: Mike Kaminski
Chief of police: James Spang
Deputy mayor: Mark Ackerman
Finance director: Glen Hunsicker
Chief yackety-yack: Dennis Pearson
Facebook moderator: Lou Hershman
LCB enforcer: Don Ringer
Don’t forget his kids need jobs too....
Bernie -- your basketball buddy should retire allentown needs new blood..
if o'connell has the opportunity to pick a team a-town is in trouble.
Speaking of the TEAM.
Where does Sam Bennett fit in???
How about your Solicitor pick,who would it be ???
Have to find a place for Tom Hahn.
J.B Reilly for Community and Economic Development.(OH SORRY, HE ALREAY HAS THAT JOB).
Where does Thiel fit in???
He is doing a great job as School Board president?????
Most important thing O'Connell can do is work with Council to create positions of City Manager and Deputy City Manager and hire properly qualified, highly competent, preferably non-City residents, to these positions. Give him or her a long term contract and let them manage the City under the Mayor's guidance but with no interference from locally elected hacks on City Council. Secondly, for Community and Econ Dev Director, same thing, hire a competent professional with the proper experience and qualifications. The City desperately needs competent professional manager without political interference. These staff members should not be made to live in the City either. Let them live where ever they want, the key is good quality, competent professionals.
“Democracy is dead in Allentown. They do what we tell them to do.”
Michael Fleck
FBI WireTranscripts
Truer words were never spoken.
A billion in development money, millions in a FBI investigation and millions more prosecution and trial, and the place is no less a cesspool.
Bernie, Scott Curtis as 7:01am States, he could be the one to clean out the cesspool crawlers too other levels of HELL left crawling in the various administrations that participated in hiding the fed ed indictment venue for all it's years of selling a sack of shit as false HOPE for Allentown at a cost to public and blight as a whole like face paint on a pig? A simple drive through tells the tail that feet on the street is in no way tangible accounting for genuine prosporious commerce in a forward motion.
republican redd
no party favor
Spell checker sucks
Vic Mazziotti would be excellent in finance.
IF he would still live in the valley, Ted Kohuth would be an excellent choice for Police Chief. But I understand he now lives in Florida. This means he would have to go outside of APD for an experienced Police Chief. However it should be a local PA hire. Re-hire Eric Weiss for Code Enforcement and Betsy Levin for Community & Economic Development. Brett Hartzell seems to be doing a good job as finance director. Craig Messinger has been doing a good job as Public Works director. He should separate Parks & Recreation. Hire a new recreation director and make Rick Holtzman Parks director. Get rid of Arcalay & Moore and do not replace them. The MAyor is supposed to run the city, not a managing director.
Pawlowski is by all accounts a pious man, and look where that got us.
And Arcelay is a former Fleck client himself.
God save us!
Indict Rick Holtzman for bid rigging and conspiracy, or at the very least furlough the guy for incompetence.
The man is a gutless Pawlowski toady.
Holtzman is the Peter Principle in the flesh.
What about Ed White?
Why not just hire the whole bar scene from Star Wars?
Ask yourself what it takes to make a city work? It takes hard work and drive. Of what you may ask? People! People make the city work --- Not buildings - Buildings are only the shell or body of the City ... A tool to be utilized by the people ... The Soul of the City is its people and I believe the City via its elected leaders has compromised the good intentions of a proud and self-sufficient people. Therefore it has abused its soul.
I give this Bible inspired thought to all people in dealing with all government officials whether local.. state , federal and even international ... If you sit down and eat with a ruling prince. keep your mind on the business at hand; If you come out of greed forget it and go home for you will become overwhelmed by government enticements because those in government are ambitious and greedy as well.
Time is now for the people, the soul of the city, state, country and world to reset the button and move our directions toward a positive future ..
As much as I with the Lord's help wanted to be an instrument to reset the button and move us positively toward a better future ... That was not my mission up front ... But I still can produce positive changes for the future through hard work and drive from multiple directions ... And for the soul of Allentown ---- the people --- it is time to reset the button with a new Mayor and new leadership in Council and in the City's bureaus and departments.to move the city forward hopefully without leadership lacking people abusing ambition and greed.
Allentown - the so=called city without limits must do so without my help because it can not call me from the bullpen because I am no longer in the bull-pen I been waivered.
There are many people in the ocity who have legitimate concerns over O'Connell being Mayor. Just because he is your pick not all who disagree are cranks or "one person".
@11:58AM
Anyone who sat through Rick Holtzman’s testimony during the Pawlowski trial doesn’t need to be reminded what a POS Holtzman is.
If this God forsaken place is to have any chance for a civic revitalization the foot soldiers in Pawlowski’s reign of corruption and crime need to be weeded out.
Holtzman is a poster boy for the pernicious rot remaining in Allentown goverment.
4:01,you have distorted what I said. I asked for comments on who O’Connell should bring into city government, instead of providing anything close to an answer, the response was a series of anonymous attacks that look as though they came from one person.
There should be a couple of the homeless people that were made that way due too administrational designs. The man from the log cabin in the parkyway comes to mind as he sunk much dedicated work beautify that little piece of his heaven.
Anyone having anything to due with this feASSco should be fired and pensions put into a fund for the victims of fed edz bully tactiks carried out!
I suspect there is more than one person paying attention on this thread.
I know that none of the names you have listed should be in any seat. Dave Jones used to be a Pastor at Life Church. He has ties with Ismael Arcelay, which is a long time member of Life Church. Life Church and Pawlowski have been in cahoots with Pastor Randy Landis Sr. There are so many corrupt people it's hard to suggest anyone that has not been connected with the previous Mayor and his clan. But I do feel that Eric Weiss should be hired back as the head of inspection and Safety get rid of Bob Sandt.
"I suspect there is more than one person paying attention on this thread"
That is not what I said. Again you twist things. What I said was that (1) the same person has made several comments and (2) people have a much easier time deciding what is wrong than in coming up with solutions.
This is your second attempt to distort what I said, proving that i was right. THANKS.
6:15, Jones is no longer associated with Life Church. I am suspicious of people who wear their religion on their sleeves, and thus, was suspicious of Jones. Over time, I came to realize he is very well-intentioned. He could have run for Mayor and Comm'r at the same time, but chose not to do so.
I named some people in my 11:58 am post. It will be hard to determine other positions because so many had their lives ruined and not only left city government but the area due to Pawlowski. This is the dilemma facing the incoming Mayor. Allentown lost the core of its city government and has to rebuilt it, much like APD has to.
@6:15 AM suggested Joyce Marin. She was another Pawlowski hire that even testified in his favor at the trial. She is as tainted as he. Among the positions that still need to be filled are a Planning Director, Zoning Supervisor, Recreation Director, & Solicitor. McCarthy is gone prior to the new Mayor taking office.
As I stated in my earlier post, I think the next Police Chief will have to come from outside APD. No one in the command structure of APD currently has the experience to fill the position. While Scott Curtis is an excellent investigator and detective, I am not sure he has the administrative skills to be a police chief.
I agree with Trump, Make Dennis Pearson Mayor. Could things get any worse than they are?
@3:52
Beam me up Scottie
Where is Ron Angle when we need him? Might he be persuaded to move to Allentown and take over this mess? We need his acumen and determination now more than ever.
Anonymous said @7:51 PM
Another example of Abuse of the Soul of the People ... Where should Scottie send you?
First let me address some of the stupid comments left on this subject. If any of you were properly educated on how the city charter works, you would not be talking so stupid! The city charter give any and all power to the mayor and none to city council. O’Connell and Hendricks have been fighting with the mayor for years over the things he has done so there is no love lost there, but you people with your stupid comments would have realized that if you attended or watched any city council meeting. I guess you didn’t attend or listen to any of the meeting and that is why you are all seemingly experts on the subject. Here is the funny part which, based on your comments, you will not agree but here it goes anyway. Three city council members voted against O’Connell to be able to be interviewed and 4 voted for him. The three that voted against him were given the same information about Charlie Thiel as the othe4 four but those three will vote for Charlie Thiel because they don’t care that Thiel was involved with our pas mayor in the illegal activity he was found guilty of but the same three, and I can’t stress this enough, will vote for Thiel because of someone not affiliated with the city and who has what they think is their own master plan for the city. I am sure you people who think you are extremely smart here will think it’s ok to have Thiel or Hyman as mayor which, if you had any clue at all, you would never allow that to happen.
Anonymous March 26, 2018 at 7:10 PM
I don't think Donald Trump made any comment about me being appointed Allentown Mayor ... Fact is, one can not be appointed if one does not apply; and I didn't apply ... While still owning a home in Allentown, I am no longer an official resident of the City without limits ... But I can answer with certainty ...Allentown might have done better with me ... But historically we will never know ... Maybe in an alternate reality we might know ... But this is not an alternate reality...
Good luck to whatever candidate is selected .... Whomever is selected the President's Council of the Allentown Crime Watch expects the successful applicant to be at the Leonard Buck Banquet on April 19, 2018 at the Palace Center.
well the good people on allentown city council changed it;s own charter=so they could put their own in the mayors seat--allentowm politics will never change
Post a Comment