While I had his ear, I told him that a park masterplan commissioned in 2005 concluded that the parks, especially Cedar Park, was being overused. He told me that he was an officer of the new Parknership, and that they would be commissioning a new masterplan.
The new Parknership will be mostly funded by the Trexler Trust. While the Trust recognizes that the city and park system must change with the times, I believe that the word Trust implies an appreciation of the traditions associated with the founder's concepts. To that end, in addition to all the innovations of current times, the parks should also continue to reflect the tranquility so appreciated by Harry Trexler.
I believe that Harry Trexler would appreciate a voice and memory of the traditional park system on the new Parknership board.
A believe a voice for General Treler has been absent from the Trexler Trust board for too long. The board has completely lost sight of, or is ignorant of the Trust's mandate. The results are plain the see, never has West Park look worse, Little Lehigh shabby and overgrown, very scrubby, Cedar Beach the same but less so, wait for the Rose Garden to follow in the General decline as apparently the city employee largely responsible for that park's beauty has retired. In the meantime the trust is doling out General Trexler's trust money to non profits that have zero to do with the parks. They have lost their way and it shows. Matt leading this new board doesn't inspire trust that anything positive will result. It will merely be a yes board just like the old Ed days.
ReplyDeleteJust to clarify for other readers: The Trexler Trust board members decide how to allocate the Trust funds every year, with a percentage going to the Allentown Park system. This new Parknership is a new entity between the Trust and the park dept. The park dept. recreation aspect seems to be growing every year. Cedar Beach is enjoying or suffering (depending on your point of view) constant use. I'm campaigning to be included on the Parknership board, not the Trust. It is my understanding that the Parknership is still searching for a professional (paid) president.. Although over the last two years they have reached out to dozens and dozens of people for feedback, nobody has reached out to me. Without this campaign I'm waging, I would surely be excluded from the board.
DeleteLooking for a paid president? Lord! Does anyone know how to volunteer these days? I'm old enough to remember when respected retired people would step forward to serve their city. They ran for a poorly, or no pay elected position, serve on boards or commissions, and selflessly donated their time, talents, and treasures to local charitable causes and organizations. Lord how things have gone down hill since we approved increasing compensation,provided compensation and created entirety new positionsthat once wete held bybestemed volunteers. An entirely new and I would say, far less stellar group of people have since replaced the far better and selfless leaders of the not so distant past.
DeleteThis new partnership is just covering for those that have left the parks derelict and lacking upkeep. These people that have directly been allowing the parks to become derelict are paid for there ignorance.
ReplyDeleteA couple decades ago, I discovered each member of the Trexler Trust Board received about $35,000 salary for attending their meetings throughout the year. I have no idea if this practice remains.
DeleteThe current mayor of Allentown is deeply concerned with DEI matters and the behavior and attitudes of people who are sensitive to social and political injustice.
ReplyDeleteThe park system of Allentown is a sidelight.
If a master plan identified overuse in 2005, it certainly stands to reason that given the growth and attitude changes over the past 20 years, a new plan is definitely needed. Spending to hire an educated president also sounds like a positive step. The mayor is also well versed and committed to environmental impact. Was the mayor concerned that your "outspokeness" might interfere with your capacity to listen and reason and you would thwart the mission of the Parknership?
ReplyDeleteThe mayor states on Allentown Chronicles, a facebook group, that the "issue" with me is that I'm a "reporter", and that would compromise the board's privacy. I replied that as a board member I would do no reporting on board deliberations.
DeleteI don't consider you a reporter, but instead an "activist" for the City parks and old architecture. While I do not always agree with your take on tearing down some older downtown buildings for new construction (emphasize always), your activism for the parks is admirable. One would think the current mayor would appreciate having an "activist" on his parknership team.
DeleteI suspect they only like activism when it fits their poiitical aims.
I find the "reporter" issue more of an excuse than a reason. In addition to whomever they choose knowing only a fraction of what I do about the parks, they will probably all belong to multiple groups, and have many more conflicts than me.
Delete6:38 Wow, in your dreams. The current mayor can’t pass up an opportunity to show off his sneakers at any photo-op… I understand that knife murders have more gravity than parks, but this guy has been on the job for quite awhile and hasn’t gotten his priorities straight. Unfortunately I don’t think the parks will get the attention they need as the mayor seems headed for more internal trouble due to HR problems. .
ReplyDeleteWell Mike, you are a report now, and heaven forgive if the public should learn about anything happening at a public meeting about their city parks. Imagine, if the truth got out to the people? That could be catastrophic to their secret plans.Clearly that's something that can't be allowed to happen, not here in Allentown. Not while Matt is mayor. Scott Armstrong
ReplyDeleteBy the way, does anyone have a lineup card for this new commission? Will it be filled with the usual willing accomplices seeking, virtue signaling resume enhancers?
ReplyDeleteThis is the kind of thing opportunists relish to put on their resume's. Looks good to the voters and they can talk about how they serve the community being stewards of the historic park system and all that
DeleteFilled with the usual accomplices seeking virtue signaling resume enhancers? No doubt! Knowledge of parks and recreation not necessary and being female or person of color most important
DeleteDid you offer to shut down all anonymous criticism of the Snow Globe/bloated staff in exchange for a seat on the Parknership. You could also have offered to speak nice about the NIZ and utilize political bias by promoting the mayor and his agenda on MOA.
ReplyDeleteOr hold a campaign finance event for Matt's reelection campaign? Have you tried that? That usually does the trick.
DeleteThese comments sound like they’re getting to the core, especially Aug 14, 5:38, 6:37, and 9:56 AMs. Toward the end of Chief/Council President David Howells’ time in office, he called out critics and asked them to do his job for so little pay. You do a job like that, or community advisory boards, for a number of reasons: pay, altruism/service, status/recognition, or leverage/power. I know someone once briefed, “If you do not pay your security people well, you attract the wrong kind of person,” or words to that effect. Years before that, inside the Beltway, I played for free in my off time for a while. In describing it to a classmate/coworker, I said, “It’s one thing to be abused and get paid for it. It’s something else to be abused for free. There’s something very wrong with that.” (Movie reference was conscious as I was saying it.) Voluntary board membership or free community service? Fine, in a vacuum. But in a toxic stew of bitterness, greed, backstabbing, and subversion, from multiple fronts, _including_ those who claim to be advocating for you? The people you’re trying to help undercut you? Forget it, you can’t pay me enough, and I’m taking a nap. Good luck. P.S. - Thank you, Mr. Molovinsky, for opening the window so that many in the community can have a voice. You make many see and think outside their silos. If only they hear.
ReplyDeleteMike it's hard to wake up those that have been cognizant and claiming ignorance for far to long, only to have uncle Harry's decrees become parksoweeds under the guidance of this new ppartnership. Look at all Allentowns electronic billboard job opening paid for advertisements were the lunatics are running the asylum, just so happens to be on the partnership property.
ReplyDeleteSo the issue with you is that you might “Compromise the board’s privacy”?
ReplyDeleteI would think that the bigger issue is that a new non-profit is being set up with the highest-ranking city official as an officer in an apparent attempt to skirt public meeting and right-to-know laws.
That the mayor doesn’t seem to realize this - or doesn’t care - is telling.
Where is the Morning Call’s “watchdogs” on this? Busy getting their bellies rubbed or just asleep on the job (again)?
Related but not related... I ventured out today and returning I was detoured by the many road closures here in town. I always avoid Hamilton St and today I ended up rolling down it. What in the world are they doing???? Those things I'll jokingly call "planters" are a disgrace... they look just like the edges of the creeks in the parks... HORRIBLE!!! If those messes were planted intentionally, the idiot who thought of it should be horsewhipped!!! It makes the downtown look like the devil!!! If my yard looked half as bad, they'd ticket me!!!
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side, I left early Monday morning before 6AM and saw them watering the light pole planters downtown... they look much better than the weeds we had a few years ago... and I mean WEEDS!!! Those planters ARE a figurehead of Allentown and have been for eons... too bad they tore down the General's greenhouse which, at one time, provided beautiful foliage for the downtown lamp post planters and probably other places. Sorry to state, we can no longer do anything right...