Allentown City Council Pays Tribute to Recently Deceased Controller Jeff Glazier

Blogger's Note: This site has been a safe haven for those of you who want to rip elected officials or wannabes of every stripe and persuasion. Don't get me wrong. I do it myself all the time. It's great sport. We have nicknames like Lamont McClueless, Pee Wee Tuerk, Crooksy Brooks, Bullhorn Zrinski, Me-Me Gerlach and, my personal favorite, "Fed Ed" Pawlowski. But many if not most of the local officials I know actually try very hard to make their communities better and serve the people who live there. 

Glazier, you may recall, became Allentown City Controller because his predecessor resigned after being charged with a conspiracy to deprive the good people of Allentown of honest services. As a member of City Council, he was a reliable Fed Ed ally. But that's only a part of his story. In a well-written news release, City Council Public Affairs Officer Genesis Ortega presents a far different picture of Glazier than the one I drew. 

I like her version better.

May 27, 2026 — Allentown City Council is mourning the passing of City Controller Jeff Glazier, whose decades of service helped shape the city he loved so deeply.

Jeff dedicated much of his life to public service in Allentown, serving on the School Board, City Council, and as City Controller — but to many who knew him, he was more than a public official. He was also a steady and familiar presence in the community.

He believed in public service, and he carried that belief without pretense. Jeff held firmly to the idea that government should be honest, careful, and accountable, even when the work was difficult or went unseen. That conviction shaped the way he served and the way he led throughout his career.

As City Controller, Jeff was responsible for overseeing the city’s finances and ensuring transparency and accountability in government operations. He approached that role with care and discipline, earning respect across city government for the seriousness with which he treated the public trust.

Those who worked in City Hall will also remember the small, everyday moments of his presence, including his dog, Artemis, who was a constant companion. She was often by his side in his office or walking through the building, familiar to many who worked there. Jeff also brought warmth and personality into the workplace through his love of music. Colleagues also knew his office for the sound system and endless music collection he kept there and was always eager to share.

Beyond his official duties, Jeff’s kindness showed itself in quieter ways. He spent years helping provide beds and furniture to children and families in need across Allentown. Much of that work was rooted in his family’s furniture business, and he never made a point of talking about it; he simply believed it mattered and did something about it.

Council President Santo Napoli said, “Jeff Glazier loved this city and served it with a level of integrity and humility that set a standard for all of us. He cared deeply about the people of Allentown, and his absence will be felt across this community in ways that are both public and deeply personal.”

“I worked alongside Jeff for over a decade, during that time he became both a trusted colleague and a friend,” Vice President Cynthia Mota shared. “He carried himself with kindness and thoughtfulness in every setting, and he never lost sight of the people he was serving. His passing is deeply personal to me and to many of us who knew him well. May his memory be a blessing.”

Councilwoman Candida Affa said, “There are some people whose presence becomes woven into the life of a city itself. Jeff Glazier was one of those people. His fingerprints are on decades of public service, but his true legacy is something deeper: trust earned, lives touched, and a community strengthened by his goodness.”

In honor of Jeff’s memory, and to allow members of Council and staff time to grieve, tonight’s scheduled Council meetings will be rescheduled.

All the members of Allentown City Council extend their deepest condolences to Jeff’s family, his friends, and all who are mourning him across the city.

Allentown is better because Jeff Glazier chose to serve.

Chris Pez Waging Write-In Campaign For Allentown Controller

Chris Pez lost an election challenge in Allentown's GOP Mayoral race, and has decided to wage a write-in campaign for the Republican nomination. Incumbent Controller Jeff Glazier, a Democrat, is running unopposed. Pez is a graduate of Allentown Central Catholic High School and Arizona State University.

Glazier Defends Eichenwald Reform Delay

Thanks to a bad back that occasionally flares up, I was unable to attend the Allentown City Council Committee that has decided to delay taking any action on Jeanette Eichenwald's bill to provide for more oversight over city contracts. Fortunately, activist Lou Schupe videotaped the lengthy hearing. The fireworks begin near the end, when Eichenwald confronts Jeff Glazier. He's the council member who unilaterally decided to delay her bill.

Eichenwald approached at the end of the meeting. She noted that once a bill has been introduced and seconded, it is customarily reviewed by a committee. But Glazier wants her reform measure reviewed by an "ad hoc" committee that includes citizens. She found it ironic that Glazier, who ordinarily wants nothing but silence from the public at meetings, would suddenly want to reach out. She indicated Council has had ample opportunity to research good government reforms in the six weeks since the FBI raid. "The citizens of Allentown are looking for good government, and it is the responsibility of members of City Council to do what is in their utmost capability to provide that. I am extraordinarily upset about this decision and I find it inappropriate and certainly not in the interest of good government."

Glazier defended his decision, calling himself a "most astute observer of things on Council." He stated that Eichenwald has herself delayed placing a gun bill that has been introduced by the administration.

"We were told by the law department, our own Solicitor, that we should not have that particular legislation here, that it would open us up to be sued.

Glazier then stated he wanted "to take a few moments" to understand the "ramifications of the bill" and then actually seemed to complain that the bill is too much like a similar contract oversight law in Bethlehem and that his agenda was too full that night.

Sticking to her guns, the Iron Lady accused Glazier of delaying the bill, calling it a "disservice to the citizens of Allentown."

In an exchange with reform activist Robert Trotner, Glazier stated he supports the bill.

Daryl Hendricks justified dragging his feet, and complained about "new legislation." He supports a delay of six to eight weeks and said it is "very unfair" to accuse him of being part of the problem because he was a cop.

The bill is scheduled for review on September 10.

Glazier Asks Voters to Elect Him to Allentown City Council

Jeff Glazier should understand the needs and concerns of small business owners better than most. His family has owned and operated the prestigious Glazier's Furniture Store, located on Hamilton Street, for the past century. Jeff is the third generation owner. He issued a news release yesterday to indicate he's running for Allentown City Council.

Glazier states he's running for re-election, but if truth be told, he's never been elected to this office. He's been appointed twice, If elected, it  will be the first time his appointment comes from the voters.

But he's no stranger to electoral politics. He served for three terms on Alentown's School Board, including a stint as President.

In addition to being an appointed City Council member, Jeff is also a member of the Planning Commission. This is inappropriate. A Planning Commission is an advisory body to City Council. When it is composed of members who also sit on City Council, it makes little sense to call it advisory.

Glazier, in my view, is part of the Lehigh Valley Urban Growth Regime, and has pretty much been a rubber stamp for Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski. On the other hand, he is transparent and has never failed to answer an email. Though I'm suspicious, I'd like to hear him explain how he differs from the City Administration.

He is also well-suited to City service, having both a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Public Administration from PSU.

Updated 9:10 am to correct a factual error in the story as originally published.