Wave In The NIZ Tide

The Reverend Gregory Edwards contends that his appointment to the NIZ board was blocked by our Harrisburg elected officials, with threats of withholding funds to our fair city. After making the incendiary allegation, he portrays himself as a harmonizer for the city, by withdrawing his nomination. With no evidence for his extortion contention,  his claim is actually corrosive to the city's harmony.

My larger purpose for this post is my amusement at the wokeness of local appointments. Years ago I rented an apartment to someone who had just purchased the former Brass Rail on Hamilton Street. Mayor Pawlowski immediately appointed him to some Hamilton Street board, although this fellow knew absolutely nothing about Hamilton Street or Allentown. Likewise, the new director of the art museum, and the president of Muhlenberg College, who were also newcomers,  were appointed to the NIZ. The artsy one went so far as to say his main criterion for additional appointments was diversity.

Getting back to Edwards, among the qualifications he cited for the NIZ is being on the board of Promise Neighborhood....now that appointment did seem appropriate.