Pawlowski Builds "Mancave" With No Permit

She likes to call herself Allentown's First Lady, but I prefer to call her Lady MacBeth. Last Summer, she blamed "inner city" (black) volunteers every time something went wrong at her husband's campaign headquarters, like dirty bathrooms or overloaded trashcans. When somebody wrote "SKATE OR DIE" on a restroom wall, that was the final straw. Inner city campaign manager Jude Denis was dumped, although she was offered a job as a cleaning lady.

Lady MacBeth and her husband, King Edwin, were punished by God on June 1, when he inflicted a flood on them. Fortunately, it was restricted to their basement. No locusts.

Apparently, this was just the excuse Lady MacBeth needed for major renovations to the family's basement. On her Facebook page, she chirps that finally, she can build a real "mancave" for the King. But this is no ordinary mancave. It required several visits from contractors armed with hammers and drills, instead of spears and knives. Throughout June and July, she kept them busy.

Here are a few excerpts of her ordeal.

June 25: "Next week my basement is going to be full of contractors again. I dread it, but am looking forward to the work getting done and getting my basement back. Also, no air conditioning once the work starts on Tuesday."

July 8: "We had a very busy June, as you can see by all the posted pictures and video on my profile. The month began with my basement flooding on the 1st. Then travel to the shore ... and now construction on the basement. Whew, no wonder I'm glad July is slower for us."

July 9: "I thought my contractors were coming at 7:30 am... I hate when I get up earlier than I had to on a summer day."

Lady MacBeth and King Edwin forgot just one thing. Building permits. Even mancaves must have them.

Yesterday, I asked City Hall to produce the building permits, and was told I had to first complete a "Right to Know" request and take it to the Solicitor's office. Now this is kinda' like being asked to fill out a "Right to Know" request every time I look at a Will or Deed, other public records that are routinely examined by members of the public. But I did it, and took it up to the 5th Floor, where the Solicitor is protected from the unwashed masses by double locked doors. You have to ring a speaker phone and state your business.

Instead of allowing me into this inner sanctum, a scared secretary came out to accept my request.

"This is kinda' routine, can't you just get this approved now," I asked.

Nope. They have five business days and will use every one of them as she described a process consisting of emails, committees, reviews, etc. The secretary did say she was sorry.

As I left City Hall empty-handed, it suddenly dawned on me that Lehigh County assessors would know if there were any recent permits. After all, that's what triggers their visits for possible re-assessment.

At Lehigh County's Assessment office, the last thing they had for King Edwin's property was a re-roofing job in 1997. I then spoke to an assessor, who told me the types of improvements being done should trigger a visit, but "we have not seen any permits for that property." I was also told that for work that started in June, the County should have had the permits by now. The County also has access to a City database listing permits, and there are none for King Edwin's castle.

I then visited King Edwin's nice home, making sure to stay on the public right of way. I saw no permit signs anywhere, either at his front door or the rear of his property.

Apparently, Allentown's laws have no application to the King or Lady MacBeth.

Allentown's Lady MacBeth

Life inside the Friends of Ed Pawkowski is not so cordial these days. It seems that every time something goes wrong, it's blamed on those volunteers from the "inner city." And the person wagging her finger more than anyone else is First Lady Lisa Pawlowski, aka Lady MacBeth. "She's so mean to everybody," is what one Allentown politico told me yesterday.

Here's an example. After the primary, when campaign manager Jude Denis was dumped in favor of Easton City Council candidate Mike Fleck, Lady MacBeth told Denis she could stay to clean HQs. Condescending remarks like that tend to be bad for morale.

What really set Lady MacBeth off recently was some little bastard, probably Michael Molovinsky, who surreptitiously spraypainted "SKATE OR DIE" all over the restroom walls at campaign HQs. That really got to her.

King Edwin: "This is a sorry sight."

Lady MacBeth: "A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight."

Lady MacBeth got all kinds of cleaning supplies and ordered her volunteers to wash out that offensive graffiti.

Lady MacBeth: "Yet here's a spot."

Pastors Charles and Randy: "Hark, she speaks. We will set down what comes from her, to satisfy our remembrance the more strongly."

Lady MacBeth: "Out, damn'd spot! out, I say!—One; two: why, then 'tis time to do't. — Hell is murky. — Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our pow'r to accompt? — Yet who would have thought this old wall to have had so much paint in it?"

Lady MacBeth blames "inner city" campaign volunteers for this offense, apparently forgetting that skateboarding is pretty much a middle class (and white) activity. Now, they're all pissed and jumping ship. I have a few names but will keep their identities to myself. One of them is a young lady who recently managed to put herself through college despite the handicap of two parents addicted to crack cocaine. She was deeply offended by Lady MacBeth's accusations, and will apply her talents where they are appreciated.

Cedar Beach MegaPlayground "Grassroots" Supporters

In her Letter to the Little People, which you can read here, Lisa Pawlowski ("I also happen to be the mayor's wife") wants you to cram the next city council meeting with kids and signs, which will "play well for any media that would be there." She also proposes that you join her facebook group, "Yes, we need a big playground at Cedar Beach park (handicap access)!"

This facebook group is 90 members strong, and thus far includes far more politicos and cronies than real grassroots support. Here are some of the members:

* Bethlehem resident and "Lehigh Valley Christain for Obama" Michael Laws;

* LC Dem Party boss and Allentown non-resident Rick Daugherty;

* long-time Pawlowski cheerleader Damien Brown, who has been well-compensated by the Pawlowski campaign;

* anonymous robocaller Rob Hopkins, famous for a Pawlowski-engineered, last-minute, smear campaign against Allentown City Council candidate Lou Hershman.

* Jacob Bruce Oberholtzer, who is still listed as treasurer of the Lehigh County Democrats, and who incredibly argues we should just "let the pros" handle it. (Jacob does have a brother with autism);

* Allentown Brew Works' Richard Fegley, a Pawlowski crony who would do really well with a beer stand at the playground;

* Allentown City Council member Peter Schweyer, who has yet to see a Pawlowski initiative he does not like;

* Easton city council candidate/Pawlowski campaign manager/political consultant/Northampton County Council applicant/former Easton mayoral candidate Michael Fleck, who claims to have a degree from Notre Dame High School;

* Allentown City Council member Julio Guridy, who is up for reelection and is relying on Pawlowski's campain machine to keep him in office;

* Stephen Crockett, a union organizer from Delaware;

* Hillary Kwiatek, a Bethlehem resident running for Lehigh County Commissioner.

Will there be little Flecks and Browns running around at the next Allentown city council meeting? Will the Fegleys supply the booze? Will Hopkins man the phones? Stay tuned.

The First Lady's Children's Crusade

Blogger Michael Molovinsky, falsely referred to as a slum lord by King Edwin, is one of the heathens who dares oppose King Edwin's vision of a super playground - one that can accommodate 567 kids at one time - at Allentown's Cedar Beach. Most City Council members, to say nothing of the public, had no idea of the grandiosity of these plans. On two separate occasions, people who live near Cedar Beach have told Council this is too much.

For his part, Pawlowski has refused to meet his critics, preferring instead to sneak a peak through a doorway. City Council member Michael Donovan is planning an ordinance to stop park renovations and would require a redesign with more public notice than taping a plan outside council's meeting room.

Enter Allentown First Lady Lisa Pawlowski. For those of you who don't know, she's a devoted "Christian." After all, her husband went to bible college, damn it. Like most people who wear their religion on their sleeve, she has a low tolerance level for any beliefs contrary to her own. She's calling on the little people - that's you - to bring your kids and signs to the next city council meeting, who "play well for any media," to demand that 567-kid destination playground. She won't be there herself. Vacation. In case you've forgotten, the Epistle of Lisa ends with "I also happen to be the Mayor's wife." You can and really should read her condescending letter, located here.

Scott Armstrong, who publishes the Allentown Commentator, has a first draft of Queen Lisa's missive.

Greetings,

Recently an angel of the Lord appeared to me in a dream and spoke of the new Allentown. A city that is set on a hill that cannot be hidden, that will be the light of the world. A shining city on the hill with a new mega-playground. Peace filled my soul as the angel spoke of the Trexler Trust's wish to fund the construction of a gathering place for all of the shining city's children. Of course the angel said it must be handicapped accessible and placed in an area where all will be able to witness the joy and innocence of the children's play. Therefore, as commanded by the angel I am writing you to drum up support for a playground at Cedar Beach Park . If you have already been visited by the angel then you already know but incase you were left out of the loop let me tell you there are already plans for a big, destination playground on the West end of Cedar Beach, just south of the Pool. These plans have been in progress for the last couple of years. Now that they want to move forward, a group of about 20 men (agents of the devil?) have approached Allentown City Council to protest this park. I have no real idea why there is darkness in their hearts but clearly evil is about. Perhaps they are saying it will bring too much noise to people enjoying the park. Well, we already have a pool, basketball and volleyball courts, and they don't seem to protest that. Why? I think the answer is clear, they are agents of Satan and are out to thwart the will of God and my husband.

Anyway, I'm trying to organize different groups of interested people of pure hearts to perhaps attend the next City Council meeting, Aug 5th, to say that they would like a playground to be at Cedar Beach . Remember this is a battle between good and evil. I won't be able to be there (because of vacation plans), but I'd suggest bringing kids, and signs that say "We need a playground at Cedar Beach ".

At minimum, you could direct your members that are on facebook to join my group "Yes, we need a big playground at Cedar Beach Park ". I will have someone bring the list of members of this group to city council, though having people there is MUCH more effective. And kids and signs play well for any media that would be there. If City Council members know that there is a LOT of support for this playground, they won't get in the way and evil will be vanquished.

Send a message directly to Satan. Direct your flock to join my fb group. Post the group on your networks and invite other people to join, and let me know what you decide to do. I am a mother of 2 kids (10 and 7 ), and always wished that there were more playgrounds in our wonderful park system. I also happen to be the Mayor's wife. The children are to be the vehicle of the new shining city on the hill, the one with the mega playground. Let's use them.

Thanks,
Lisa