In a current Morning Call article, Mayor Ray O'Connell says that passing a noise exemption for the Maingate and Ringer's Roost is the right thing to do. In reality, it is exactly the wrong thing, almost by every measure.
O'Connell spends enough time at Ringer's to believe that his friend Don Ringer will not abuse the noise exemption that he has been lobbying for. However, Don, like many of us, keeps getting older, and may have the marketability of his business more in mind. We know from experience that the Maingate would test the noise level constantly, putting the Allentown Police Department in an incredibly awkward position.
In previous posts on this ill advised proposal, I have dwelled on the obvious easy conflicts, such as disrupting the harmony of the neighborhood, and the ambience of the theater on 19th Street.
However, mincing words is not my style. In the photo above the Morning Call referred to Ringer's as O'Connell's headquarters. O'Connell, over the years, has a unique relationship with the current city council, they are essentially all friends. If nobody hasn't noticed, the police department has enough to do with the current shootings and stabbings, without turning the existing theater district into Dodge City and the Long Branch Salon.
If O'Connell and council really want to reform Allentown, avoiding corruption alone is not enough, they must guard against cronyism.
Count on city government to do the wrong thing here. That is their motus operandi.
ReplyDeleteAlways used to go to Ringers.Never knew of a noise or any other issues at the place
ReplyDeleteFirst off Raymond and Donald are at odds Raymond does NOT frequent his establishment. Second to compare Ringers to the Maingate is a joke. The maingates music can be HEARD at Ringers. Why can't Dominic turn down the volume?? It has nothing to do with racism.the music is TOO LOUD
ReplyDeleteWould this not be a conflict of interest for the mayor at least appearing that he is doing a private favor for a single entity owned by a friend?
ReplyDeleteAlso, Allentown has a noise ordinance on the books. An exception would violate this ordinance. I believe the entire ordinance would have to be repealed opening the doors to excessive noise everywhere.