Latest in a series of posts on the coronavirus 
“Why are Covid cases going up again,” Lehigh Valley Ramblings, March 24, 2021
The Gadflies are vaccinated but still skittish.
Our first close acquaintance has the virus. Been hospitalized for a week.
Stay safe.
Latest post in a series on Affordable Housing
“43% of Bethlehem households are cost-burdened. That’s a staggering percentage.”
Tina Roseberry
ref: Crampsie Smith Affordable Housing Task Force advances
ref: Affordable Housing has momentum
What data about Bethlehem reside in your data banks?
What statistics do you know that help us understand the kind of city that we are?
Let’s see . . . population c. 75,000 . . . POC c. 40% . . . budget c. $87m . . . hmm, I’m not getting much further than that.
Well, Gadfly found the numbers laid out by the City at the affordable housing discussion by the Community Development Committee on Tuesday really quite revealing, kind of riveting actually.
If he understands correctly, for instance, 887 apartment units were approved by the planning commission through the land development process between 2014 and 2020, and none were classed “affordable.”
Listen to the City’s Tina Roseberry expand on the following slides.
These are some nasty numbers.
Latest in a series of posts on the Gadfly Forum
ref: Gadfly mayoral forum #2: development
ref: Addendum #1 to Gadfly forum on development: the Armory
Dear Gadfly,
The intrusion that the Armory project has become to a quiet Bethlehem neighborhood is the perfect example of the kind of development that Bethlehem doesn’t need. It reminds me of Cinderella’s stepsisters trying to jam their oversized feet into the tiny glass slipper.
I support redeveloping this site but will repeat again my Mayoral review criteria for projects in Bethlehem and address each point as it relates to this specific site.
“As Mayor, when a proposed project is brought to my attention I will have a series of questions and checklist for the developers of those projects:
It is apparent that since construction started this neighborhood has been negatively impacted by an oversized development designed to maximize return on investment at the expense of those already living in this area. I’ve driven past it several times. I would not want this happening in my own neighborhood. I empathize with the neighbors’ plight. I’m not privy to any “inside deals” between city government and the developer, but my administration will be more demanding when it comes to scale, mass, and parking.
Neighborhood meetings were held, but from what I’ve seen and heard they appeared to focus on disseminating information rather than gathering, and listening to, input. It also doesn’t help when a former Bethlehem Mayor arrives representing a development that he personally profits from. Was he really listening to any concerns, or just paying lip service?
The number of zoning variances requested was exorbitant. When a project is scaled properly for its setting it won’t require this many variances.
The developer received assistance from the city when government conveyed one half of a boulevard-like roadway to the project. I’m less concerned with the loss of half of the roadway than I am with the reason for it: parking. I’ve questioned from the start why parking isn’t being built beneath the project to provide some relief from its parking demand on the neighborhood streets. A less dense redevelopment of this site would have eased this concern. We still don’t know what the end use of the Armory portion of the project will be and what parking demand will be incurred.
Why weren’t condos or owner-occupied town houses considered? I don’t recall any conversation about affordable housing units.
While I have no reason to doubt that this developer is exemplary with regard to their “good citizen” standing, my administration will routinely verify that on taxes and property maintenance for other holdings.
Finally, there is a plethora of environmental concerns with this project. Construction and demolition debris filling a landfill, air quality, noise, vibrations from demolition and site preparation, are again all impacted by the project’s scope.
I will finish by addressing the City’s role of providing community support to the already existing residents. Simply put, the residents were there first. Every possible accommodation, demonstration of support, and application of inspection enforcement will be a priority for my administration.
My opponent for Mayor has taken campaign contributions from the primary developers in Bethlehem: I do not and will not. Therefore, I am at liberty to work in the best interests of the public. I can be fair, negotiate in good faith to bring the best development possible into Bethlehem, and do it in a way that allows us all to “believe in a better Bethlehem.”
Latest in a series of posts on parking 
Gadfly hasn’t been to a Bethlehem Parking Authority Board meeting since the former Board Chair handed him his butt on a platter. (Take a minute and go down Memory Lane to what was not one of Gadfly’s finest moments.)
Not that he is so cowardly for that to be the reason for his absence.
A pandemic got in the way.
But good things are happening in the North Street bunker.
Of especial note in today’s Morning Call article:
In regard to this last bullet, Gadfly remembers our Environmental Advisory Council chair Lynn Rothman discussing such issues with the Board a year and more ago.
Yes, good things happening at the BPA.
Tip o’ the hat to (relatively new) executive director Steve Fernstrom in what has been a tough year for the BPA.
———–
The Bethlehem Parking Authority approved a $1.3 million loan to make repairs to the Walnut Street Parking Garage and hired a new consultant to study the condition of the garage and create an emergency repair plan.
The 10-year loan offered by Jim Thorpe National Bank was approved at the authority’s Wednesday meeting. It has a 2.8% fixed rate with an average annual debt service of $158,487. The loan will not be guaranteed by the city, meaning taxpayers will not be on the hook should the authority fall short on its annual payments.
Steve Fernstrom, the executive director of the Bethlehem Parking Authority, said some extra money was built into the loan as a contingency to account for possible change orders. The authority will only pay interest on the amount of money used and is not obligated to take the full $1.3 million. There are no penalties for paying the loan off early.
The loan is also considered a subordinate loan, which means that should the authority default on its debts, repayment of this loan is secondary to its more senior bonds. The authority issued bonds in 2015 for $9.5 million, $15.4 million in 2016, and $18.5 million in 2019.
The money from this latest loan should be available by the end of April.
Also at Wednesday’s meeting, the authority adopted a policy of using sustainable design standards and operational practices on all of its new and existing parking structures. In addition to the Walnut Street Garage, the authority also plans to eventually replace the Polk Street Garage.
New garages will be built and managed in accordance with Green Business Certification Inc. Parksmart guidelines. Initiatives could include using solar power when appropriate, using environmentally friendly cleaners and sourcing construction materials from within a 250-mile-radius to cut down on transportation costs, Fernstrom said.
Latest in a series of posts in the wake of the George Floyd murder
“This is not about replacing police officers in any capacity, this is about
doing better to serve the residents of Allentown.”
Allentown Police Chief Granitz
Gadfly always keeping an eye on what is going on around us, especially as the one-year anniversary of the GeorgeFloyd event approaches.
You know that Gadfly is a bit frustrated at what seems to him our soft response to that event.
Here is the response Chief Kott gave to Councilman Callahan’s attempt at the Public Safety meeting March 2 to get some information on the kind and extent of training our officers receive.
The Chief gives no specifics. Her answer should be the topic sentence (damn English teacher in me!) to a meeting in which we drill down in great detail.
Unfortunately, the Chief’s answer to Councilman Callahan sounds to this Gadfly like don’t worry, we’ve got it covered, no need to say any more, that’s all you need to know, training is in good hands, we’ve got it, let’s move on to the next question.
(Listen to Councilman Callahan’s tone of voice. We know the Councilman can be tough. We’ve heard that voice. But not here. Would you agree? His tone, to Gadfly, is deferential. Why? I think we need his tougher tone on this subject.)
There was just an enormous settlement in the GeorgeFloyd case — even before the trial.
That’s what’s going on these days.
We are open to great liability.
We should know more.
————
Chief Glenn E. Granitz Jr. also said the department has made strides at bettering community outreach, and the new force has become more reflective of the city’s diverse community.
But since becoming chief in 2019, Granitz said he’s also asked why the department doesn’t do more, given the community outcry over police practices locally and nationwide that have spawned protests in support of Blacks, Hispanics and other minorities.
“We are interested in improving our methods,” Granitz said. “What we decided is, we needed data to show us what we were doing well, and just as importantly, where we needed to improve.”
In addition to the nationwide outrage last summer sparked by the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis and the shooting death of Breonna Taylor in a no-knock police raid in Louisville, Kentucky, there were local protests following the arrest of an intoxicated man in July in which an Allentown officer put his knee on the prone man’s head. Days before the incident, Allentown police released their use-of-force policy.
Then in September, an Allentown man who was beaten during his arrest in 2018, and acquitted of resisting arrest last year, sued the city and eight police officers, alleging excessive force and an official cover-up.
Granitz appeared Wednesday with Mayor Ray O’Connell, other city officials and leaders from Cedar Crest College to announce theCenter for Police Innovation and Community Engagement partnership.
O’Connell said the aim of the data-driven research is to evaluate Allentown police practices in four areas: strategy and practice, community outreach, organization and the transferability of nationally recognized police interventions, including an “active bystandership training” program by the Georgetown University Law Center. Allentown was one of the first 30 police departments in the nation selected for the program, which provides officers with tactics to intervene and prevent misconduct by their peers.
The city and Cedar Crest, which offers a criminal justice major, will work on a three-year process of establishing a community police program with the city. Part of the process will be researching community policing programs in other cities.
“We believe strongly that policing is a process and not an event,” said Scott Hoke, who chairs the department. “And as a social process, anything can be measured and accessed for its effectiveness.”
Hoke said Cedar Crest has begun surveying officers about handling calls among residents with behavioral issues with a goal down the road of developing guidelines such as how often officers need to respond in cases of crisis residents. He said results of the survey will take “months, not days or weeks” to measure.
Granitz said that once survey results are received, police leaders will meet with city and Lehigh County officials to discuss whether any crisis intervention programs or training would require changes.
City Council in November allocated $40,000 per year over three years for the program, part of $40.8 million Granitz sought last fall during the city’s budget review. The college, meanwhile, has committed two student interns per semester to assist in developing crime analysis data, as well offer its campus for several annual police training events.
“This is not about replacing police officers in any capacity,” Granitz said. “This is about doing better to serve the residents of Allentown.
“At the base of this program and relationship is looking at policing in a different way in terms of how are we policing in our community, what are we needing to do to serve residents better.”
Latest in a series of posts on the Gadfly Forum
ref: Council mayoral forum #2: development
Yep, it’s development week on Gadfly.
Even the post on the affordable housing meeting fits in. And additional posts on that meeting will follow soon.
But the Mayoral forum on development brought in what Gadfly thinks are two other good prompts.
As I said in the post on Addendum #1, the candidates have done their assigned homework, but they (even the Council candidates) should feel free to weigh in on these subjects.
At the very least, these are good points, points that we should keep in mind as we think about development in the city.
— The examples in Gadfly’s prompt to the mayoral candidates about development were all, I think, in regard to the Southside. Let’s not lose sight of the fact that there is a long unresolved issue on the Northside that the candidates should speak to. Commercial Airbnb operations continue to operate there in the Historic District several years after initial citation of violations. [See Airbnb and Short term lodging links under Topics on the Gadfly sidebar for context.] The same issue of the tension between dollars and history operates there, and the candidates should be asked if they see it as a problem, and, if so, how they will move to resolve it.
— Gadfly’s prompt on development focuses on the role and responsibility of the mayor. But the volunteer historic boards, the Planning Commission, and the Zoning Hearing Board all play key roles and arguably have not always served us well. How do the candidates see themselves vis-a-vis these entities? They are making recommendations and decisions that affect the whole city. In your view, how well have they been functioning? Are you comfortable with the current staffing of those entities? What will you be looking for when it comes to staffing these entities?
What questions or comments do you have on the subject of development? Gadfly would be pleased to have some feedback on both the mayoral and council candidate responses Friday. What have they made you think about?
Latest in a series of posts on the Arts in Bethlehem
Follow the Facebook Page and help spread the word!
Gadfly is especially interested in the keynote address:
Let’s Play Books Bookstore, in partnership with the Bethlehem Area Public Library, is proud to present, the Inaugural Lehigh Valley Book Festival, to be held annually, the last weekend in March, commencing in 2020.
Latest in a series of posts on the Rose Garden
The Rose Garden folk are also looking for help “the next several weekends, first to move some of the existing roses, then to prepare the center beds for the new roses and plants coming and then, finally, what you’ve all been waiting for, the new roses!!”
Latest post in a series on Affordable Housing
“We’re going to come up with a solid tool box . . . to incentivize
housing that is affordable.”
Councilwoman Crampsie Smith
ref: A Plea for Affordable housing (1)
ref: Good news from Councilwomen Crampsie Smith and Negron
ref: Crampsie Smith Affordable Housing Task Force advances
Gadfly remembers things.
He has a mind in which things stick.
He can never forget the 70 seconds at the absolute end of the May 2019 Nitschmann Middle School meeting on Martin Tower in which an elderly guy (Ha! but probably younger than the Gadfly) made a plea for affordable housing to thunderous applause.
Finishing his thoughts about that night, about that elderly guy’s frail plea, Gadfly wrote then:
“Let’s keep that muffled elderly voice and the vigorous chorus of audience support in mind as we think about what the City can do to remedy the lack of affordable housing. There is a problem, and “we” know in our guts something has to be done about it.”
Gadfly thought of that plea two years ago while at the Community Development Committee meeting last night with “Affordable Housing” smack dab on the agenda.
Thank you, Jesus!
It was one of the most uplifting meetings Gadfly has attended.
Councilwoman Crampsie Smith has taken the lead on this issue and formed an Affordable Housing Task Force that obviously has the full support of (and already considerable thought and work by) key City administrators as well as her fellow Council members.
Gadfly could feel momentum, could feel determination to make something happen.
The talk wasn’t characterized by empty rhetoric, by pious aspiration but by facts, strategies, tactics.
Gadfly sensed that everybody meant business.
He will spend another post or two on this interesting and informational meeting, but first let’s listen to Councilwoman Crampsie Smith talk about the work:
to be continued . . .
Latest in a series of posts on candidates for election
Latest in a series of posts on the Gadfly Forum
It’s development week on the Gadfly!
Gadfly started attending City Council meetings on January 2, 2018, six months before he officially became a Gadfly. Virtually the first thing he heard at that meeting was Westside resident Christy Roysdon talking about the Armory project during public comment. The resident commentary beat on the Armory continued January 16 and February 6 as the discussion moved to the “vacation” of Second Avenue as part of the development. The discussion troubled embryo-Gadfly. He made his first public comment at a City Council meeting the very next meeting, February 20. It would not be off-base to say that tension over the proposal to develop the Armory set him on the road to becoming a Gadfly.
Decisions were made, and the Armory developer pretty much got his way. And things were quiet on this front for a while.
But as you can see and scan for yourself, Gadfly-now-Gadfly opened a file thread on the Armory April 30, 2019, well into the “history” surrounding this project. as things began to heat up again. In his inimitable way, Gadfly described a “defibrillator moment” at one meeting and because of another meeting even floated the need for a City ombudsman as trouble with the project approval process morphed into trouble with the construction process.
That’s where we are now on this project that keeps on giving — trouble with the construction process.
And this week’s Forum topic generated this letter below from some Armory neighbors as a suggested prompt for the candidates, especially the mayoral ones.
The new construction, whose design they were not happy with from the get-go and which secured an inordinate number of variances from the City, some of them now find disrupting the quality of their lives and threatening the very stability of their homes.
And they feel nobody seems to care.
Welcome to the place where the buck stops, candidates — these Armory neighbors invite your comments. However, you have already done your homework on this Forum #2 development topic. If you choose not to comment, at least you (especially new folk Hillary, Kiera, and Rachel) are aware of another example of the devilment of development awaiting your attention.
———–
Dear candidates,
Since the city (including the city council members) authorized the redevelopment of the Armory site, giving green light to 11 variances, making a joke out of the Zoning Ordinances, with the clear opposition of the neighborhood who attended meeting after meeting and expressed their concerns to all the parties involved, we, the adjacent neighbors of this site, have been living under war-like conditions since the beginning of the construction.
Our physical and mental health are rapidly deteriorating due to the constant, noise, pollution, fumes, construction dust, and temblors inside our old houses, which are more than 100 years old. We cannot even open our windows nor sit on our porches. Since the pandemic, many of us are working at home, a task that has become extremely difficult when you have the noise and vibrations coming from all the pounding, excavation, and drilling.
We have expressed these concerns to multiple city council members as well as city workers, and they have answered that there is nothing they can do to protect us during these stressful times. We specifically asked them to do follow-up inspections of the surrounding homes, utility pipes, etc., during and after the construction is over. The answer we received was that the city “does not do that.”
— A lot of previous city members have washed their hands after they approved this project. What would be your response to issues like this?
— Do you think that it should be up to the neighbors to spend thousands of dollars to deal with the damage or to hold the developers accountable?
— Is it too much to ask that after placing such a burden on this community that the city takes some steps to protect the homes, mental and physical health of the surrounding neighbors? Shouldn’t this be a common practice anyway that when constructions of this size are approved especially in historic neighborhoods, that there is a follow-up with the homes around?
This project is supposed to last at least 18 months. We do not even have the weekends off since the construction takes place even during this time
Are we citizens of Bethlehem and taxpayers supposed to live under these inhumane conditions for the remainder of this time?
What are you planning to do to limit the power of developers and protect the mental, physical health, and the homes of the community who are unfortunate to live surrounded by sites like this?
Neighbors adjacent to the Armory
Latest in a series of posts on the Gadfly Forum
The Council candidates comparison chart
“I have always tried to balance everyone’s needs and concerns.”
Bryan Callahan
“It is possible to experience and live in our history while also exploring
and innovating architecturally.”
Hillary Kwiatek
“There is middle ground between economic development and our
commitment to history.”
Rachel Leon
“Thoughtful development exists, change can have conservation at its heart.”
Kiera Wilhelm
A tip o’ the hat to everybody who’s running. 
Gadfly’s depending on you to match the time the candidates gave to responding to his prompts from hell by thoughtfully reading everybody’s statement. He’ll vary the order of presentation each time — this time we are in alphabetical order.
———–
The prompt:
Good people: Bryan, Grace, Hillary, Rachel. Kiera
Let’s have some fun. Go down Memory Lane with me.
You talked about budget in Forum #1, arguably Council’s most important responsibility.
Next for me in terms of importance is the role Council plays in “development,” the role I might call “The Court of Last Resort,” the City’s “Supreme Court.”
There has been significant tension in the City over development decisions. I probably don’t have to tell you that. Think Armory, Martin Tower, the Zest building at 306 S.New, etc. And there are a couple major proposals floating on both the North and South sides now that I am sure you know about and might encounter if you are on Council.
Bryan has been around a long time. He’s seen it all. Grace has been around long enough to see some of the all. But this might be totally new to the rest of you.
Let’s look at one case that I think you can get your arms around fairly quickly by looking at a few newspaper articles. A developer has had approval to build a 9-story building at 4th and Vine (the Déjà Vu, Goosey Gander corner) since 2015. We haven’t heard anything about it for a while, but it is the contentious approval process I want you to think about.
Background:
Focus on the issue of the 9-story height of the approved building at 4th and Vine. You will see that in the guidelines 2-3 stories are considered the norm to be used as the point of reference for new buildings on the Southside. I have heard HCC members at meetings push that up to 4-5 stories as the norm. But either way 9-stories is quite a departure.
Think of that, the height of the building, as the issue for our discussion.
I would say that you will find 2 issues in this case that I would like you to think about, 2 issues that you will likely see again on Council.
Like with the choice in the budget prompt, these are tough calls that I feel very confident you will be called on to make (or make again, Bryan). Think of this as a practice field.
Talk it out in your Forum #2 response.
———-
See Morning Call articles attached
March 19, 2014: HCC approves developer proposal for 7-story building
April 2, 2014: City Council approves HCC recommendation for 7-story building
Sept 30, 2014: developer pitches 9-story building to HCC
Oct 22, 2014: after floating a 12-story building, the developer gets HCC approval for a 9-story building
Oct 31, 2014: as this proposal heads to City Council at Nov 5 meeting, opposition to a 9[story building mounts, including from the South Bethlehem Historical Society
Nov 6, 2014: City Council supports 9-story building – marathon, heavily attended meeting
April 26, 2015: a local gadfly calls Council decision absurd
April 29, 2015: SBHS appeals Council ruling to Northampton County Court
May 28, 2015: Court denies the appeal
———–
For real immersion in the issue, go to the minutes of the Nov 5, 2014 City Council meeting, where 3 dozen residents spoke (!), almost all against the approval that Council eventually gave for the 9-story building by a 5-2 vote (almost all the Council members also spoke to support their votes – don’t miss their rationales).
(Public comment on this topic is not all together, scroll through the public comment section at the beginning of the minutes for headings “Certificate of Appropriateness – 24-30 W. Fourth Street – Benner Project.”)
That’s what makes the case so interesting. Council voted against public opinion rather massively arrayed right in front of them.
Ha! Profiles in courage, or . . .
Hard choices, indeed.
Bound to be in your future!
Do you see the (rather perennial) issues in development?
Thanks for your service, and your willingness to serve.
————
Bryan Callahan
Ed,
I think it was during last year’s budget hearings when Mr. Reynolds asked a very direct but important question to the Mayor and the administration. How much
extra money, each year, does the City need to bring in to pay for health care increases, pension liabilities, and negotiated contract increases? The answer was approximately $2 million each year!! Where will that money come from? As I stated in last week’s prompt, it has to come from one of two sources . . . tax increases or economic development.
Depending on who you are, those are not two great choices. Last year the Mayor proposed and got the votes from the other Council members to increase your taxes 5%. That increase of 5%, which I did not support or vote for, brought in roughly $1.5 million. If that continues for just 5 years, with no economic development, taxes would increase 25% above what they currently are, and that still leaves us with a shortage of $500,000 per year.
Now imagine sitting on Council and having to make that decision. Raising taxes on residents is not a good option for people on fixed incomes, the elderly, the poor, businesses, or, in fact, many at all. Raising taxes also directly causes monthly rents to increase on many renters in our City. This in turn makes Bethlehem less affordable for everyone, but even more so on lower and medium income residents to live here. Shouldn’t Council members be concerned about affordable housing? What other options are there? Oh, oh . . . Economic Development projects! Should Council approve and support economic development projects in the commercially zoned areas of the City, so it brings in more jobs for City residents, more customers for our local businesses, more taxes coming in without raising taxes on our residents? Very hard decisions. Especially when some of the local residents show up to oppose it. What would you do? Do you keep taxing the current residents more and more and make Bethlehem less affordable to live in, do you approve more economic development projects in commercial zones, or do you do a balancing act and weigh the pros and cons of each?
The other issue is that our neighboring cities are always competing with us every year to take economic development dollars from Bethlehem and the customers that come along with it. Should we let that happen and just keep raising taxes? Big decisions. What would you do? (See below from The Express Times)
I have always tried to balance everyone’s needs and concerns.
EASTON, Pa [March 17]. – The city of Easton could be about a week away from approving the sale of the former Days Inn lot to Peron Development. Peron’s design, called the “Confluence,” would be a massive development for downtown Easton. “Iconic. It’s going to be an iconic project for the city, it really is,” said Mayor Sal Panto. Panto said the city is waiting for Peron Development to sign the agreement of sale. Then city council can vote to approve.
The city bought the property, the site of the former Days Inn, for nearly $6 million. Panto said it was appraised at and will sell for $3.9 million.
He said the hotel was a rundown but successful business that attracted the wrong crowds and crime to downtown Easton.
“Anybody who knows real estate knows we bought a thriving business with a building on it. So . . . we had to buy the thriving business and what we’re selling is vacant land,” Panto said. “The city will recover its money, its $2 million, within 4 years with no tax increase, just real estate taxes.” The redevelopment will include condos, apartments, a two-screen movie theatre run by ArtsQuest, a grocery store and space for retail stores. The development will be built 10-feet above ground, a flood plain, with 300 parking spaces below.There had been discussion of including a hotel, but Mayor Panto said that changed during the pandemic. Panto said the development will bring over $100,000 in taxes to the school district during its first year up and running and more than $1 million after 10 years. “I see this as the city making a good investment in their downtown . . . which is going to help our residents and not have to raise their taxes,” said Panto.
———–
The votes taken on November 5, 2014, by Council on this project were twofold – 1) a certificate of appropriateness for the demolition of existing vacant structures and
2) a certificate of appropriateness to construct a 9-story building on the site conditional on the approval of details and materials at 24-30 West Fourth Street.
Having studied historic preservation as part of my graduate degree in folk studies at Western Kentucky University, I am familiar with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards and the principles involved. The standards call for taking “great care” to maintain a cohesive ambience, to pay particular attention to proportional siting, scale, materials, roof, etc.
While I personally do have concerns when a building is proposed that is significantly taller than those on the block on which it will be situated, thinking about this issue also reminded me of a visit to London I was lucky enough to take several years ago. The city has a history that dates back 2,000 years, and tourists flock to see Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. Yet, there you will also see tall steel and glass buildings situated near 300 year-old pubs once frequented by the likes of Samuel Johnson and Charles Dickens. It reminded me that it is possible to experience and live in our history while also exploring and innovating architecturally.
Having said that, I also recognize that providing guidance on historical appropriateness of a building project in the South Bethlehem Historic District is the domain of the Historic Conservation Commission (HCC). Their role is to advise the city on matters such as this. Council tends to affirm the HCC’s decisions (though not always, and not always unanimously) because the HCC is composed of knowledgeable professionals who are well-versed in the secretary’s standards as well as the history of Southside Bethlehem.
The HCC approved the certificate of appropriateness for the project conditionally, which is a very important point. Those conditions mean that the building’s design and plans will have to continue to undergo review by the HCC as the project moves along. In this situation, a majority of Council members felt that with the conditions as stated, they should approve the COA.
Development projects such as the Fourth and Vine project are really a prolonged negotiation. A developer will understandably start by shooting for the moon — eleven stories! It is the job of various bodies of city government, including Council, the HCC, or HARB, the Zoning Hearing Board, and others, to bring the developer back to Earth and to use the process to gain as much benefit for the community as possible. So the November 2014 COA vote was the beginning and not even close to the end of this project’s approval process.
Designating a historic district in a city brings benefits to those who reside within it, including increased property values and an assurance of relative stability of the built environment. But it also creates a tension between private property and community interest. The development approval process, with all its bureaucracy, is where these tensions are addressed and resolved.
Private real estate development projects, even those developed with tax incentives, have the potential to put properties back on the tax rolls and add jobs.They can also bring more residents and visitors to our community and its small businesses. However, projects can jeopardize the balance of a community if they result in upward pressure on the rental market or diminish the sense of place that has been a hallmark of our historic districts in Bethlehem.
As a Council member, I would welcome the opportunity to be a part of the development process to find solutions that can help us preserve what is great about Bethlehem while also growing our tax base. As with everything a Council member does, it is likely the outcome will not please everyone. That’s part of the job and why there are elections.
One last note. I will not be accepting donations from developers for my campaign. When I vote on projects, I want the people of Bethlehem to have complete confidence that I am making those decisions based on my principles and what I believe is in the best interest of the city.
————
Rachel Leon
After reading multiple articles about development in South Bethlehem (where I live) and having conversations with South Side residents about the topic of
development (specifically high-rise structures), I can confidently say this is a topic that evokes a lot of emotion. The amount of feedback I received would take me ten pages to convey, so I would like to stick to the specific talking points we were presented: 1) How closely should the historic guidelines be followed by city council?, 2) Does economic development outweigh our commitment to history?
Regarding city council’s adherence to the historic conservation district guidelines, I believe the court ruling provided a legal argument about the advisory status of the South Bethlehem Historic Conservation Commission (SBHCC). According to the court ruling discussed in the articles provided by the Gadfly, legally, city council does not need to adhere to the SBHCC recommendations. I believe in some instances this has its benefits. From my understanding, the SBHCC was created by city council, and its members are confirmed by a vote of city council. Part of its obligations are to adhere to historic guidelines, which specifically address the replacement of older structures with new structures built within the South Bethlehem Historic Conservation District. However, because council can choose to accept or reject SBHCC recommendations, it’s important to explain how I would approach development in historic areas of our city.
If elected to council, my process would be to listen so the feedback from the community as well as to listen to the case presented by the SBHCC. I believe that residents of this city will want to do what is best for their families and their community. If the residents are coming out against a certain development project, then I believe they will have weighed the benefits of the additional tax revenue to the city against what they would be asked to sacrifice. If they are seeing these additional tax revenues spent in their community to offset their sacrifice, I believe they would be more accepting of slight deviations from the historical guidelines. But these deviations should be met with overwhelming support from the community if it is going to override historical preservation.
The issue of economic development and historical preservation is just as complex as whether to accept recommendations of advisory bodies such as the SBHCC. Bethlehem is a beautiful city with pockets of history scattered everywhere. In many cases developers have been able to marry their modern concepts to the historical preservation that makes Bethlehem what it is. Just recently, a developer in our city has demonstrated what it means to go above and beyond what local laws require to make sure that the needs of the City and its natural environment were placed before the project’s economic success. When it comes to growing our tax base, these are the developers that we should be actively seeking out and attracting. Developers that truly put the core of Bethlehem at what they do.
Bethlehem makes the news on a regular basis as one of the most festive places to visit. Part of the success of so many of our small businesses is due to the charm that brings tourists to our historic city. The argument could be made that we should allow more over-development in the urban cores of our city because it would have a positive economic impact. But my concern is that we could lose all the old world charm to high-rise, modern buildings. This too would have an economic impact, but it would be a negative impact because it would undermine the historic value of our city. To quote a south side resident, “Historic preservation is our brand.” If we diminish the quality of our historic districts by allowing out-of-scale development, we diminish our attraction to tourists who come here for a uniquely historic experience. And I believe the south side historic district deserves the same commitment to preservation that prevails on the north side of the City. Another important point when it comes to development and our commitment to history is that the guidelines for the south side historic district are readily available. Developers who buy property within the borders of the district know that approval of their project are subject to compliance with the historic guidelines. They should not assume that these guidelines will be ignored for the sake of their profits.
I firmly believe that there is middle ground between economic development and our commitment to history. I love to see interest in the City, especially when it shows areas like South Bethlehem to be what I know it is—a beautiful diverse, culturally rich, and exciting area of the city. If the interest in this area comes at the expense of the families that already live here and have for multiple generations, then I believe that is when the City should step in and stand up for the community that is already here. There is so much more to our communities and how they are developed than just the HCC and its guidelines. City Council needs to ask questions about how development will impact traffic, congestion, air quality, and other factors that may undermine residents’ quality of life. In front of my house right now a parking lot is being built. In my community this field has been the green space that children have played in for decades. In the winter it is where they sled, in the summer it is where they played football. Many of the children learned how to climb trees on the giant locust, a native tree crucial to our ecological diversity, that once stood in the field. As development projects eliminate these spaces, we also need to be attentive to recreating accessible greenspace, in places that are safe and equally accessible to our neighborhoods.
Responsible development is a crucial part of keeping Bethlehem’s economy strong, especially in these difficult times. While we continue to grow and develop as a city, we cannot lose focus of the fact that our primary concern needs to be the health, welfare, and happiness of our residents, not our developers. And I say this knowing that developers that love the city as much as I do feel the same.
———-
To say that Bethlehem has a rich history is an understatement.
Bethlehem contains multiple National Historic Landmarks and National Register Historic Districts. One of those districts, Historic Moravian Bethlehem, has been designated
a World Heritage List candidate. Our industrial history is not only honored by landmarks in our own City, it is felt nationwide: it quite literally helped build our nation. It stands to reason that preserving that history—those histories, really—and our historic districts, is of great meaning to many.
Prompt #2 asks us to consider economic development vs. our commitment to history. In a nutshell, I believe these two things don’t need to be (nor should they be) framed as mutually exclusive. They can coexist.
Gadfly, you shared in a recent post the very thoughtful list of ten Community-Centered Principles for Responsible Southside Development put forth by Southside resident and former CACLV Director Anna Smith. These principles are, in my estimation, an ideal balance. In the interest of honoring the present needs of our community, the principles suggest supporting projects that incorporate locally-owned businesses; that create diverse, accessible, and affordable offerings; that include green and public spaces; and that encourage sustainable development practices. They suggest avoiding projects that cause displacement of long-time residents, low-income residents, and local businesses. In the interest of preserving our history, the principles encourage projects that blend with surrounding historic architecture in both design and size and prioritize development on vacant properties over demolishing historic properties. They reflect attention to both things: our responsibility to preserve history and our responsibility to serve the needs of our community today and into the future.
In certain cases, exceptions within an historic district have been made, and likely will be made again. But a valuable new project that requires a departure from any one of the agreed-upon guidelines can be asked to compensate by generously benefiting another. (Or perhaps it requires a departure from one of the guidelines because it generously benefits another.) If, for example, a structure is taller than standard, perhaps it incorporates more truly affordable and accessible housing. If its design departs from historic design guidelines, perhaps it actively supports locally-owned business with particular attention to the needs of residents. Or maybe it is a model of sustainable building practices, or it incorporates vibrant public and/or green spaces that are fully accessible to the wider community.
(It’s also worth mentioning here that thoughtful development exists, that change can have conservation at its heart. We’ve been fortunate to have seen it very recently in the redevelopment of the Masonic Temple and Wilbur Mansion. Regular readers of this blog know well the story of local teacher and nature advocate Jennie Gilrain’s fateful email to developer John Noble and his swift [pun acknowledged] decision to painstakingly preserve the building’s chimney in order to preserve the habitat of the birds within it. This is a shining example, and hopefully will inspire a local trend, in ethical development.)
I love living in a City full of history I can see; there is inspiration and significance in preserving what came before us and in being literally surrounded by it. The history of Bethlehem is part of what drew me here as a college student over 30 years ago. I value deeply that our City honors, with great pride, the landmarks that serve as a tribute to our origins, our resiliency, our path. It’s not just charm; it’s who we are.
I also love living in a City that innovates with creative vision for a vibrant and sustainable future for all of its citizens. A City that embraces its diversity, supports local business, and cares for its environment and those in need. That is invigorated by public art, green spaces, and walkable streets. That builds on its successes, learns from its mistakes, and keeps at its heart the well-being of every resident. All of these things are Bethlehem. Here, we don’t have just one or the other. We get to have both.
————
Residents are welcome to fashion reflections on candidate comments, sending them to ejg1@lehigh.edu. On Gadfly we seek the good conversation that builds community, so please be courteous at all times. Gadfly retains the right to abridge and to edit your reflections and to decline posts that are repetitive or that contain personal attacks. Gadfly will publish resident reflections on the week’s Forum at noon on Friday.
Latest in a series of posts on candidates for election
Possible that Gadfly will miss the noon mark for posting Council candidate forums by an hour or so.
So sorry.
You’re gonna like ’em when you see ’em.
Must meet the Gadfly house quota of doctor visits per month and might not get back in time.
The latest in a series of posts on the Southside
Southside Grocery Store Survey / Encuesta
from Anna Smith:
UPDATE ON AHART’S CLOSURE
INFORMACIÓN ACTUALIZADA SOBRE EL CIERRE DE AHART’S (español abajo)
Mayor Bob Donchez and Bethlehem City Council announced on Tuesday that they will do everything they can to secure a new grocery store for the Ahart’s location. The City government is currently in communication with the property owner and their real estate broker, and would like to provide input from Southside and Fountain Hill residents on what is most important for a new store at the Ahart’s location.
Following the closure of Ahart’s Market on April 30, the City of Bethlehem has arranged for Kellyn Mobile Market to provide access to fresh fruits, vegetables, pastas, beans, bread, and other products at a site near Ahart’s up to two times a week beginning May 1.
If you live in South Bethlehem or Fountain Hill and/or are a regular shopper at Ahart’s, please fill out the questions below to share your opinions about a possible new store and the Kellyn Mobile Market.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR A NEW GROCERY STORE FOR SOUTH BETHLEHEM!
El alcalde Bob Donchez y el Concejo Municipal de Bethlehem anunciaron el martes que harán todo lo posible para conseguir un supermercado nuevo para la ubicación de Ahart’s. El gobierno de la ciudad está actualmente en comunicación con el dueño de la propiedad y le gustaría recibir información de los residentes de Southside y Fountain Hill sobre lo que es más importante para una nueva tienda en la ubicación de Ahart’s.
Tras el cierre de Ahart’s Market el 30 de abril, la ciudad de Bethlehem ha hecho arreglos para que Kellyn Mobile Market brinde acceso a frutas frescas, verduras, pastas, frijoles, pan y otros productos en un sitio cerca de Ahart’s hasta dos veces por semana a partir del 1 de mayo.
Si vives en South Bethlehem o Fountain Hill y/o eres un cliente de Ahart’s, favor de completar las preguntas a continuación para compartir tus opiniones sobre una posible nueva tienda y Kellyn Mobile Market.
¡GRACIAS POR TU APOYO PARA CONSEGUIR UN NUEVO SUPERMERCADO PARA EL SOUTHSIDE!
Latest in a series of posts on candidates for election
Gadfly is always pleased to pass along ways to get to know our candidates.
Here is the inaugural issue of this masked lady’s newsletter!
Latest in a series of posts on the Gadfly Forum
Lookie here!
Now there are, Gadfly thinks, 5 candidates for mayor in Allentown. More than us.
And the topic of this forum is important but narrow: “to learn where candidates running for Allentown mayor stand on issues relevant to the LGBTQ community.”
Are we to have no online face-to-face forums for all candidates in Bethlehem?
The “print” candidates Forums that Gadfly is running here (tune in at noon to see if Council candidates respond to a prompt on development) are good, he says with a smile, but how can primary season be complete without one or more events that bring all the candidates together “live”?
Candidates Reynolds and Callahan, and, perhaps to a slightly lesser extent, Crampsie Smith are “known quantities.”
For good or for ill, Reynolds and Callahan seem like they have been around forever. Many people may have already categorized them.
But, granted he has “history” in Bethlehem government, how many people really know Dana Grubb as a potential mayor? He’s been out of the “public eye.”
In the Council cadre, Gadfly’s sense is that candidates Wilhelm and Kwiatek, though perhaps not active or all that active politically, have a potential base of followers. But how about Leon? Gadfly hopes not to offend if he says that his sense is that she is the most “unknown quantity.” Yet he has talked with her, and there is a lot to her.
It looks like many people will never have the opportunity to hear the voices of Grubb, Wilhelm, Kwiatek, and Leon.
That’s not right.
How can we have a complete campaign season without bringing all the candidates together to strut their stuff in front of us?
Where are the organizations we should depend on to put on these events?
And, for proper time allotment, we should have 2 separate events, right?
Is there a feeling that the election is not important? Or that the conclusion is foregone? Tsk, tsk.
Is Gadfly going to have to do this in between naps at his headquarters in Senior Day Care?
This shy man who was labeled “Edward Scholarhands” by his IT Department.
It won’t be pretty.
Latest in a series of posts on the Gadfly Forum
The Mayoral candidate comparison chart
Tip o’ the hat to candidates Reynolds and Grubb for helping us better understand their views, positions, and minds so that we can become better voters.
The candidate responses are presented in reverse alphabetical order this time.
—————
The prompt:
For 50 years as a writing teacher, I would say to students that the first thing you need to do is identify and imagine your audience. You know that you would give a different set of remarks to senior citizens in the commons room of a high-rise than you would to a lunch meeting of the Rotary. Last time I gave you a scenario. I asked you to imagine your audience as an anguished Facebooker who said, “They raised taxes in the middle of a pandemic?!” This time I would like you to imagine the scenario of addressing a highly emotional guy who needs to be “talked down,” a guy who during the current administration has witnessed and participated in such big “development” controversies as the Armory, Martin Tower, and 306 S. New, as well as such smaller ones as 2 W. Market, 1st Terrace, and 11-15 W. Garrison. Imagine talking directly to a guy who is a bit out of control, whose voice is quavering slightly, who may be prone to exaggeration. Have some serious fun doing this. How would you talk this guy you hear below in a perhaps not so fictional a scenario down into trusting your administration?
————
the scene:
— Steelworkers Hall, a chilly March night, not much heat in the hall
— a concerned resident steps to the microphone, generating some heat
Dana, Willie :
Thank you for your willingness to take on the tough job of mayor. And thank you for coming here to talk with us about your views on a variety of topics.
I have to tell you right off that my main concern is with the way development has been going lately. I think I speak for many in that regard. I see some people nodding their heads.
My vote is going to depend on what I hear from you on this issue.
Let me try to explain the dark place I’m coming from by remembering three specific moments:
The common denominator here is a feeling that outside forces, that economic forces are controlling our destiny, driving our decisions, encroaching on our neighborhoods.
I’ve gotta tell you, I’ve had this same feeling quite recently.
What did I hear? Entitlement. Condescension. Cocksurety. Power.
Who’s in charge, guys? The City or the developers?
It sometimes feels like we have nothing to do but follow the money.
It sometimes feels we do nothing but follow the money.
Now the recent regulation of student housing around Lehigh feels like a step in the right direction.
Tell us, how do you see the relationship between the City and developers? How will your administrations maintain a proper balance between our rights and needs and theirs?
Sorry, I took so much time. But I had to get this off my chest. Thank you.
Thanks for your service, and your willingness to serve.
—————-
Bethlehem has maintained its high quality of life because of the public and private economic investment we have seen over the past 25 years. Billions of dollars of
investment have rebuilt our economy, expanded our tax base and provided jobs to thousands of our residents. Without that investment, we would be facing the very difficult financial decisions that most other cities have had to face. Without that economic growth, we would not be able to provide the high quality services that our residents expect and deserve. We may have even had to consider selling off our capital assets such as our water system. When the Steel closed, our public and private economy took a huge blow. It knocked us down, but we recovered thanks to the public and private sector working together to rebuild our city.
As we look at future development, we need to balance a series of interests. Does the project enhance the quality of life in Bethlehem? Where appropriate, does the project respect the history of our city? Does the project help achieve our goals of increasing affordable housing? Does the project need economic incentives to happen? Does the project help our small business community? These are just a few of the considerations and questions our community must collectively face as we continue to economically revitalize our city.
In order to redevelop the former Bethlehem Steel site, the largest brownfield in America, we needed to offer economic incentives. The cost was simply too high for anyone to take on without incentives. A question that arises every year is “Are the incentives needed?” A few years ago, with that question in mind, I created our Financial Accountability Incentive Reporting (F.A.I.R.) ordinance. Every year our Community and Economic Development releases a report on the effectiveness of our current economic incentives. F.A.I.R. looks to quantify the tax revenue and jobs that our incentives help to create on an annual basis. This is important information as we consider where to offer economic incentives in the future. We also must target our incentives towards community priorities (for example, a new grocery store tenant to replace Ahart’s in South Bethlehem as has been discussed this week).
As new development occurs, we must do everything we can to keep housing affordable for everyone in our community. Councilwoman Crampsie Smith and I have been working on an Affordable Housing Task Force with non-profit leaders, community service providers, and City staff to study the issue and offer potential policy recommendations. We have an upcoming Community Development Committee meeting (3/23) where we will discuss some potential actions the City can take in the short and long term (the student overlay district in South Bethlehem is a good first step, but there must be many more). A version of this Task Force must become a permanent structure in our community as the issue of affordable housing is affecting more and more Bethlehem families every year.
While the redevelopment and revitalization of our community has unquestionably been positive, there have been development mistakes in Bethlehem. Closing Broad Street, the Rooney Building on the South Side, and other examples of urban renewal are a few of the projects that I bet City leaders of the 1970s wished they had back. During my time on City Council, I have been impressed with the work of our Zoning Hearing Board, Planning Commission, and Planning Department in making sure we avoid the mistakes of previous eras. There are still, of course, moments when development ideas need to be altered to fit into the context of appropriate development for our community. Recently, a proposal to put a 135-foot-high building on S. New Street (40 feet higher than the 3rd and New building across the street) came before the Historic Conservation Commission. Thankfully, the Historic Conservation Commission encouraged the applicant to come down in height. Their strong feelings on the issue were almost certainly going to be mirrored by the Planning Commission and City Council when faced with the same opportunity to weigh in on a building that was 135 feet high. There are multiple governmental entities that publicly discuss, consider, and decide if a project is appropriate and congruent with the historical context, priorities, and goals of our community. This system of checks and balances is essential if we are going to continue to produce high quality development projects.
When a project comes before the Planning Commission, Zoning Hearing Board, etc., future Administrations may be able to do a more effective job of communicating City Hall priorities as they relate to the project. How does the project reflect city planning goals? What did the Planning Department push for that they didn’t get? Why weren’t those potential changes included in the final project? What are the environmental challenges that the developer is facing with this project that influence the final design? Often times, it is challenging to understand the various factors that affect the practicalities of a project. Explaining those various moving parts in a complicated development project should be a priority for City Hall moving forward.
We want people to invest in our city. There are still hundreds of acres of the Bethlehem Steel brownfields that need to be redeveloped. We have to work with those who want to invest in our city while balancing the various priorities of our community. It is a delicate balance and one that the City has maintained since the closing of the Steel. It is also one that we must continue if we are going to keep rebuilding and revitalizing our city.
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Dear Gadfly,
Make no mistake about it, we need development to help grow the tax base in Bethlehem. It helps with maintaining a reasonable tax rate so that the real estate tax burden
doesn’t overwhelm property owners, particularly homeowners. However, development must be compatible and appropriate for the neighborhoods and areas in which it takes place.
Some background first.
Although my focus as a city employee and administrator came more on the community development side, my single greatest role probably came during my participation as a lead negotiator with Bethlehem Steel on Tax Increment Financing negotiations and obtaining a HUD Section 108 Loan. Both have been used to create the SteelStacks campus, make renovations to the Stock House Visitors Center, adapt the Hoover-Mason Trestle and construct the Levitt Pavillon, expand adjacent parking lots, build the Southside Greenway, and complete the construction of the public road system and the installation of public infrastructure.
In addition, alongside City Councilman Mike Schweder, City Historic Officer Christine Ussler, representatives from the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, and City lawyers, I participated in crafting the ordinance that created the South Bethlehem Historic Conservation District, which is now a National Register Historic District.
As the city’s Grants Administrator, I provided oversight on the CDBG-funded Facade Improvement Program and the Fund for Revitalization and Economic Development, and administered the revolving loan fund to which repayments were made.
So, my work experience on the economic development side of city government is extensive.
It is frustrating to watch as development proposals are embraced by City administrations at the expense of quality of life for residents, in detriment to the charm and ambience of our neighborhoods and business districts, and in direct contradiction of City ordinances.
Developers may see the city’s Southside Conservation District as an opportunity to be taken advantage of; additionally, the Southside District does not seem to be as highly-respected as is the Bethlehem Historic District on the Northside.
I have attended live and virtual meetings of the Historic Conservation Commission to reinforce what I know to be the intent of of the Ordinance that created this particular National Register Historic District. I am amazed at the ways in which proposals for demolition of historic properties and for the construction of tall buildings have become routine. I would think these developers conduct their due diligence so that they understand the zoning and preservation requirements. Yet they still make outlandish proposals, often with a compromise in the back of their minds that still doesn’t comply with City ordinances.
They seem to think that the Secretary of the Interior’s Guidelines are aspirational but not applicable. They are wrong. Scale, height, and mass of new development are relevant. The continuity of a streetscape matters. And, yes, development can still take place that respects the already existing built environment.
So, as Mayor how will I handle these situations?
In my administration, proposed projects will stand on their own merit, not the size of campaign contributions or any other potential inducements.
I am not soliciting nor am I accepting campaign contributions from the large developers who dominate Bethlehem’s development scene.
As a City Councilman, my opponent has made it a habit of accepting these kinds of contributions: based on the available data from his campaign finance reports, those contributions totaled more than $26,000 as of the end of 2020.
As Mayor, when a proposed project is brought to my attention, I will have a series of questions and checklist for the developers of those projects:
The informed answers to these questions will determine the level of support that a developer receives from my administration.
The attitude surrounding development needs to be changed in Bethlehem. Yes, economics are a part of the development equation, but that must not come at the expense of quality of life for Bethlehem residents, and certainly not as a result of compromising city ordinances.
Developers will find me a willing partner as Mayor if they engage residents and others affected by their proposals, are a good citizen of the community, and show respect for what already exists.
This city can do better, it must do better, and so I ask the voters to believe that it can be better and to “Believe in a Better Bethlehem.”
—————
Residents are welcome to fashion reflections on candidate comments, sending them to ejg1@lehigh.edu. On Gadfly we seek the good conversation that builds community, so please be courteous at all times. Gadfly retains the right to abridge and to edit your reflections and to decline posts that are repetitive or that contain personal attacks. Gadfly will publish resident reflections on the week’s Forum at noon on Friday.
Latest in a series of posts on the Gadfly Forum
click to sing along:
Reminder that we hope for responses to Gadfly Forum prompt #2 on “development” today at noon (the mayor candidates) and tomorrow at noon (the council candidates).
Please check us out.
Gadfly has given the candidates a couple prompts from hell.
The idea in this Forum is, of course, that (especially over the span of a few weeks) the candidates (especially the new faces) have an opportunity for you to know them better and for you to have an opportunity to get to know them better — and to compare them right there in front of you.
But is anybody arranging Zoom events where we can see the candidates “on stage” together, where they can both talk at some length and engage in some back-and-forth?
That would be sooo good.
Gadfly has fond memories of such a “live” event at Steelworkers Hall before the primary two years ago, remembering that he was so proud that we had so many candidates all there together and who spoke so very well.
Gadfly has yet to hear of anyone scheduling something like that. Please prod the organizations most likely to do it. Please alert him if he’s missed an announcement.
The May 18 election day may feel a long way off, but Gadfly has been thinking that “mail-in” ballots will probably be going out in about 3 weeks.
Now the dynamic may be different than last November. Less urgency to vote maybe. More people with shots feeling comfortable with in-person voting maybe. Less worrying about social distancing while standing in line at the polls maybe.
However, the Gadflies have signed up for (ha!) in-perpetuity (and beyond death) mail-in voting and probably will be filling out the ballot pretty quickly after receipt before it gets lost in house clutter. Maybe many more “super-voters” like us around.
It would be interesting to know how that dynamic will work out and how/if it will change campaigns, which probably traditionally did full court presses in the days close to Election Day.
Candidates: please keep Gadfly apprised of events where he can cover you, please use Gadfly when you have something valuable to get out to the public, please alert him if you want him to use different pictures, and so forth.
Latest in a series of posts on candidates for election Dana Grubb is a candidate with 27 years working for the City in a variety of high profile roles, such as Deputy Director of Community Development, Acting Director of Community and Economic Development, Grants Administrator, Housing Rehabilitation Finance Specialist, Civil Defense Director, Sealer of Weights and Measures.
William Fitzpatrick – Block Watch captain
“I have known and worked with Dana Grubb for more than 20 years, For the entirety of that time, Dana has consistently shown the strongest work ethic and an even 
stronger integrity of purpose. He is a tireless worker who loves the City of Bethlehem and its residents. In that regard, Dana seeks out the opinions and issues of others. Apart from his professional career, he is a proud resident of Bethlehem – a good neighbor to everyone. Dana is readily available to those who wish to speak with him. More importantly, he takes a strong role in solving problems and issues, those which concern the everyday citizen of Bethlehem. Dana maintains close contact with the ongoing operations of government and with the many citizen groups that are active throughout the city. One of my own areas of involvement has been with the Block Watch groups in the city. Dana has been supportive of Block Watches and does his best to attend the different group meetings. In the cases when he cannot be present, he is still available to learn the concerns expressed. I have had the opportunity to witness his management skills in dealing the many issues and groups with which he is concerned. He is a worthy advocate who does not equivocate in his support for or opposition to any issue. I firmly believe that Dana Grubb has the necessary skills to become the next Mayor of the City of Bethlehem, and that he merits your consideration.
Jim Smith – retired Streets Superintendent and past President of SEIU (Service Employees International Union)
“I know and worked with Dana for many years. We both have worked under several Mayor’s and I can assure all citizens that your best interest is Dana’s main goal. He is and has been an asset to the city and worked unselfishly for the betterment of the community. He and his cabinet will work for all the people. The right vote for Mayor is Dana Grubb.
Mark Wood – former City of Bethlehem Waste Water Treatment Plant Superintendent.
“I have known Dana Grubb for many years. We played softball together, we bowled together, and we also worked for the City of Bethlehem together. In all of my dealings with Dana, I always came away from those dealings feeling inspired and invigorated. He is one person, that I can confidently say, will give you an honest conversation and if you ask his opinion, an honest answer. I have never met a person with more integrity or more trustworthiness in my entire life. Dana Grubb Is one individual who actually lives and breathes the City of Bethlehem. If Dana says he will do something in a campaign speech or makes promises during his campaign, you can rest assured that he will do what he said and keep the promises that he made. I am endorsing him for Mayor.”
Following up last post.
Good time to remind that this gadfly folds wings May 19, the day after the election.
Three years. Term limits good. Time for new ideas.
Part of the reason he started had to do with the declining state of mainstream journalism.
And the ascending need for citizen journalism.
Every town needs a gadfly.
This gadfly hopes the project will continue.
Will some one take over? In fact, it could be more than one person. The Gadfly need not be the work of one person.
‘Tis time to think about new approaches, formats, goals.
Incentive: will continue to fund the WordPress platform for a year or two.
Contact: ejg1@lehigh.edu
Latest in a series of posts about the Morning Call
Now this is interesting. Reimagining the Morning Call. In fact, the title of the registration ticket for this webinar is “Save Our Morning Call.” Interesting. 
Now Gadfly is an old dawg. He is a newspaper kind of guy. Real “paper.” On the porch in the morning. Over breakfast in the morning.
But even he must admit that there is little in the way of, especially, national news that he doesn’t already know by the time he reads his morning paper.
He’s still a subscriber to the Morning Call. He senses many of you aren’t anymore. And thus he will often link you to a story of local interest.
But the MC is often very “thin.” And very expensive. He’s looking at a bill on his desk right now for $129.50. And every time he goes to write a check he wonders if it’s worth it.
He’s thinking he ought to inventory what parts of the MC he reads: Dilbert, the opinion pages, the letters, the local sports, occasional Bethlehem stories.
You’ve seen him encourage you to subscribe to the Bethlehem Press and to encourage more and different kinds of coverage there.
We need more local news and analysis.
So this webinar should be interesting,
Latest in a series of posts on candidates for election 
Her campaign heating up?
Latest in a series of posts in the wake of the George Floyd murder
Gadfly continues to ride his hobbyhorse of the need for more in-depth conversation regarding how we do public safety.
Mayoral candidate Dana Grubb lists Public Safety as one of his platform issues, but Gadfly is not sure exactly what he has in mind. Council candidate Hillary Kwiatek has been bolder, specifically suggesting that there are “new models” that could be of use in “re-imagining public safety.”
I haven’t heard so far of any scheduled pre-election public events where candidates can expand and be pushed to expand on such ideas.
Maybe Gadfly will make public safety one of the Forum topics.
But in the meantime he continues to call attention to incidents like the one yesterday that suggest the need of that re-imagining, as well as thought pieces like the following.
Editorial Board, “Reimagine Safety.” Washington Post, March 16, 2021.
Since the police killing of George Floyd in May 2020 unleashed what may have been the largest protest movement in U.S. history, the nation has been fiercely debating how to respond — to his horrifying death, and to those of Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and so many other Black Americans at the hands of police.
Some energy has been directed at accountability for specific acts, exemplified by the trial of the man charged in Floyd’s killing, former police officer Derek Chauvin, underway this month.
Some has been directed at reforming police training, discipline and other policies. Several state legislatures have updated use-of-force policies and restricted or banned the use of chokeholds and neck restraints.
But the fiercest and potentially most consequential debate is over mounting a more fundamental response to these tragically familiar incidents.
Today, community activists and law enforcement officers who see eye to eye on precious little agree on this: We rely too much on the police.
Over-reliance on police is preventing us from imagining and investing in other public safety tools — ones that could revitalize the struggling neighborhoods that experience the most crime.
We should think about public safety the way we think about public health. No one would suggest that hospitals alone can keep a population healthy, no matter how well run they might be. A healthy community needs neighborhood clinics, health education, parks, environments free of toxins, government policies that protect the public during health emergencies, and so much more. Health isn’t just about hospitals; safety isn’t just about police.
Past spasms of outrage over horrific incidents of police violence have faded from mainstream attention largely without giving rise to a fundamentally different framework for supporting safe, healthy communities. If this season’s reckoning is to be more fruitful, we must do much more than address police brutality by reforming police unions, training, practices and accountability, though all of that is urgent. For all our sakes, we must break law enforcement’s monopoly on public safety.
Simply put: We need new tools.
Rayshard Brooks was killed by a police officer in Atlanta after Wendy’s employees called the cops to complain that a man, asleep in his car, was blocking the drive-through lane. . . . What if, instead of the police, the Wendy’s staff had been able to call an unarmed community patrol worker — perhaps a neighbor who knew Brooks — to drive him home or to a sober-up station for the night?
Daniel T. Prude died in Rochester, N.Y., after police officers forced him into a hood and then pushed his face to the ground while he was in the throes of a psychotic episode. His brother had called 911, later saying, “I placed a phone call for my brother to get help. Not for my brother to get lynched” . . . . What if instead of facing armed police officers while in the agony of a mental breakdown, Prude had been assisted by a crisis worker and a medic who were trained to de-escalate the situation and could connect him to mental health crisis services?
It’s not just that law enforcement is ill-equipped to help people in crisis and that other organizations could do better. In some cases, police cause unnecessary harm. In many cases, communities and law enforcement would support police functions being reassigned to trained civilians.
Incident response is an obvious candidate. Noting that a disturbing number of killings by police originate in a 911 call, jurisdictions around the country are questioning whether an armed police officer is really the best response to most calls for help. Philadelphia, Dallas, Denver and Atlanta are among the growing number of cities experimenting with new, unarmed response teams to better respond to crisis calls, particularly where mental health is involved.
Not all such programs are new. For three decades, Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets (CAHOOTS) in Eugene, Ore., has sent a medic and a crisis worker in response to 911 calls that involve a nonviolent emergency. According to the White Bird Clinic, which runs the program, CAHOOTS costs about $2.1 million a year. Based on the Eugene Police Department’s estimated cost of $800 per police response, the clinic estimates that CAHOOTS saves the city about $8.5 million in public safety spending per year.
But beyond saving money, reimagining incident response could give people in crisis the help they need
There will always be emergency calls that warrant a responder who can use force, but they are surprisingly rare. In 2020, calls about violent crime — homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault — made up only about 1 percent of police calls for service in many city police departments, including Baltimore, Cincinnati, New Orleans and Seattle.
There will also always be murkier situations in which the presence of someone authorized to use force could prevent harm by de-escalating conflict but might also lethally escalate the situation.
Even then, jurisdictions could experiment with a blended response in which civilians and law enforcement work together. Civilian responders including medics, crisis workers and others with rigorous de-escalation training could try to resolve crises while law enforcement waits nearby, out of sight. If civilian responders aren’t able to resolve the situation, they could call for backup. That capability could save lives, but again might be needed in surprisingly few cases: In 2019, out of 24,000 calls the CAHOOTS team received, police backup was requested only 150 times.
Overhauling incident response is not a panacea. The police can’t solve complex social problems, but neither can civilian responders. Connecting homeless people with medical or social services is obviously more humane and helpful than arresting them for trespassing, but neither will address the toxic web of abuse, affordable-housing shortages and addiction that contributes to homelessness in the first place. Incident response reform must be just the first step.
Still, cities around the country are realizing that this first step is crucial — that they can offer people help they really need while minimizing the chance that a lethal escalation will make a person’s most vulnerable moments their last.
Latest in a series of posts on candidates for election
Latest in a series of posts on the Gadfly Forum
Good morning-
Having been given the opportunity to offer a brief reply to Tuesday’s post, I simply wanted to say thank you to my fellow candidates for participating in this experience; it was clear to me that everybody put heart and thought into their answers, and spoke to their unique perspective. This very first forum gave us opportunities to go in a number of directions with our responses. I particularly appreciated the fact that several of us expressed, in similar terms, the nuance, complexity, and challenges that can surround decision-making on Council—and even that we can question our decisions sometimes. And that ultimately we will, all of us, strive to return to what we believe is best, for the greatest number of Bethlehem residents, as possible.
Kiera
