The bill and resolution for another grant to the BrewWorks has become routine at Allentown City Council Meetings. Since Pawlowski was Director of Community Development, that location, 812-814, has received over $6 million dollars in grants and loans. How much of that must be repaid, or will be forgiven, is a subject for forensic accounting. Last night's request ($360,000) was small potatoes in comparison. What was interesting were the crib notes given to council.
Priority status/Deadlines, if any
Immediate. Please arrange to have this resolution reviewed and voted on in the same night.
Why should Council unanimously support this bill?
Council should unanimously support this bill because it promotes development in the central business district, moves a KOZ project forward, and offers opportunity for new office space on Hamilton.
The approval came one meeting after endorsing the forced expulsion of the merchants in the 700 block. I suppose it was considered better form to separate the victims from the benefactors. There appears to be no limit on what the Administration will do or spend to reset the demographic. They keep thinking success is just one more project away.
Thanks for introducing me to the new term, "resetting the demographic." Don't you love politics MM?
ReplyDeleteThis isn't funny anymore.
ReplyDeleteWilliam J.Hoffman's job as the City Controller:
ReplyDeleteHave financial oversight of City finances, independent of the Executive and Legislative branches and shall review all expenditures of all City departments, the Mayor, City Council and City boards, commissions, agencies and authorities for whom the City provides financial guarantees;
What is William doing? Where are the internal audit reports that he should be performing on a yearly basis?
Again, what is Sara Hailstone doing?
We need some answers...
According to Allentownpa.org: (City 's website under the city controller's tab)
ReplyDelete"Citizens who have observed waste, fraud or mismanagement of your City tax dollars are welcome to call the City Controller and leave a message 24 hours a day. The number is 610-437-7527. Or you can fill out the internet contact form on this City web site and send it to the City Controller."
Please note: Don't expect any response or follow-ups. It's just there as an FYI (F@@k You Immigrants!).
Isn't there already a glut of office space on Hamilton? Granted, it might not be "new" office space, but it is office space nonetheless. Is there a tenant already lined up for the 3rd floor? (I wonder who it is.)
ReplyDeleteI love the Brewworks, but $6 mil could have gone a long way on Hamilton.
And yet, there is nothing this $6 million will do to change the economic demographic of Allentown. I will say, though, that getting a beer at Brewworks and taking a rickshaw to the arena afterwards sounds kinda fun! I sure hope the rickshaws don't incur the wrath of the Allentown Parking Authority, though!
monkey momma, for $5 more the rickshaw will come with a whip, if you want to go faster
ReplyDeleteSecret - The renovations above the "Screw Works" is about supporting the Fegley's going green initiatives.
ReplyDeleteThose in the know know the emphasis has shifted from brewing, not government supported, to green technology consulting, government supported.
They need office space. So this is simply phase two of this economic atrocity that exists on Hamilton Street.
Like many of the businesses in it's current economic shadow, it to will fall prey to dis-economies of scale developing at a rapid pace in the food and restaurant industry.
Excuse me! I am thinking Perkins, Bob Evans, Bennigans & Steak and Ale.
If only downtown merchants could hire a big name attorney to fight this $7M allocation to one business.
ReplyDeleteOne would think the Fegleys would be embarrassed by this constant exhibition of favoritism.
Everyone should read this article: How the Mayor and City Council of Anaheim successfully revitalized this city:
ReplyDelete"The Anaheim City Council
made an early decision not to
use eminent domain in our
efforts to revitalize the stadium
neighborhood...."
http://www.castlecoalition.org/pdf/publications/Perspectives-Pringle.pdf
Allentown adminstration needs to learn by the past, modify in the present, and follow through/reflect for the future.
Some one voted for these Politicians...
ReplyDelete...it certainly was not I.
I told you all many times who you were dealing with. You all refused to listen. You all were too busy being concerned with Civility.
Now, you all can deal with THIS in a civilized manner.
Payback is a bitch.
Elections have consequences.
Yeah, these Politicians won with overwhelming majorities, if I remember correctly. I know Chairman Pawlowski did, at a minimum...
OUTLAW JOSEY WALES
How much money did the Fegleys contribute to Pawlowski?
ReplyDelete"This isn't funny anymore."
ReplyDeleteAgreed and it NEVER was.
ALFONSO TODD
www.alfonsotodd.com