Who's the NIZ Arson Bug?

September 25, 2016. A fire breaks out in center city Allentown at 20 S Hall Street. It is ruled an arson. Same thing for a 2014 fire at 27 S 8th St and a 2015 blaze at S 8th Street, near Walnut.

What do these arsons have in common?

All are smack dab in the middle of NIZ projects. All the buildings held some sort of historical significance that would make it tough, even for Allentown's lax planners, to approve a demolition. But thanks to these arsons, all will get a raze and repair order slapped on then and can be automatically get torn down.

Public safety, you know.

I'm accusing no one, but these strangely coincidental fires demand a thorough investigation.

Leeson Lawfirm Arson Sparks Lawsuit Against City Worker

On February 9, 2014, in the early morning hours, a fire erupted at the Leeson Law offices at 68-70 E. Broad Street in Bethlehem, just beyond the City's National Historic District. Leeson brothers Bill and Jay watched as firefighters battled a three-alarm blaze at a firm founded by their father, the late Joseph Leeson. Parts of the building, along with many memories, literally went up in smoke. Fire Marshal Craig Baer ruled that this was no accident, but an arson. Two years later, no charges have been filed. But earlier this month, just before the two-year statute of limitations on a possible civil action was set to expire, an insurance company representing the Leesons has filed suit.

It's against the City's Recreation Coordinator, Mark Atkinson, whose salary this year is budgeted at $59,259.00. Bill Leeson is the Solicitor for the City, and they both work in the same building. Jay Leeson is a former Solicitor and member of City Council who currently serves as a United States District Court judge.

Selective Insurance Company, acting as the subrogee of the Leeson law firm and DMAR Construction, filed suit in Northampton County on February 3. Atkinson, who lives on the 4300 block of Greenfield Drive, is named as the Defendant in what is known as a writ of summons. Simply put, that is a notice to a person that he is being sued, and is a way to keep a claim alive when the statute of limitations is set to expire.

Nobody's talking. Attorney Steve Kluxen, who filed the writ of summons, failed to return a phone call seeking information. Bill Leeson, who is City Solicitor, also declined to comment on the case. Atkinson failed to return several calls.

Atkinson incidentally is one of ten City workers who shared in a $1 million Powerball jackpot just days after the arson.

No criminal charges have been filed against Atkinson.