Tuerk hands over keys to new Managing Director; Immediately added to snow emergency contact list

Council was scripted and predictable.  I watched the video playback so you didn’t have to waste YOUR time.  There was absolutely no one from the public there.  I felt like I was attending a Trenton City Council meeting—empty public seats, heavy scripting, and a lot of back-patting over the new managing director.  There was so much optimism coming from the Mayor and Council that even a Trump rally would pale in comparison.   The thought that a new managing director is the savior to the city is laughable.  

Affa thinks council is already great and the director will make the city so much better.  Yea okay??  Affa is 20 minutes past her 15 minutes in the spotlight.  She is irrelevant at this point.  

I am not sure why the city needs a mayor and a managing director.   Matt doesn’t “show up” for committee meetings or council meetings 90% of the time and really wasn’t missed.  

Oh boy Bina came up and said the city is doing financially great and they will just realign the budget to pay for the new director.  I am not sure how council was able to fully fund a position that has a $131,977 salary and the 2026 budget had it funded for $1.  Basic procedures would make you believe a transfer at a minimum to the position would be necessary.  This was not a fully funded position in 2026.  Bina sucks too…i feel somewhere she wanted to say “we are hiding our plan until after this passes so we can box council in to a decisions that you may not have made”

Mayor said they will not fill some positions so they can fulfill the managing director budget.  

I truly believe the M.D is a waste of money, but not more than the mayor’s position and the Civic Innovations Manager.   The mayor needs someone to blame for his own missteps.  Essentially, he will be Tuerk’s fall guy. 

Mota you choked.   You continue to grovel at the Mayor's tennis shoes. She stated the director will help support the mayor and he is in much need of support. Maybe if he had an effective and present staff?

Executive assistant is filled per the mayor, but wasn’t she just promoted to Civic Innovations Manager? Are my sources incorrect?  Say it ain't so. So when the mayor is absent the deputy mayor was Chief Roca? Too bad the mayor wasn't absent more often. I love watching Roca speak.   Now it will be the managing director.    I read the charter for the Deputy Mayor.  The actual wording is: 

“Upon taking office, the Mayor shall designate a department head or elected City official who shall serve as Deputy Mayor, in the event of the Mayor's temporary disability or absence from the City. The Mayor may change his designation from time to time. The Deputy Mayor shall exercise all the duties of the Mayor, except the power of appointment or removal from office.”

So I believe the city hierarchy now goes mayor, managing director, then whatever Boyer is, then directors.   

Does anyone know why this guy left the county? Josh Siegel is an astute and quality leader.  He is young but that is part of his appeal.  The city and the lehigh valley have an old regime problem where we see the same tired individuals in government.  Josh breaks that mold and I wouldn’t be surprised if he saw that in the Government Center and that is why Allentown has Frank. Could the county position be better than the city?  Mayor didn't answer why Mr. Kane left the county but bless him for keeping Frank employed. 

Napoli tried to explain who the best employees are and I stopped listening because....just because.  

Binder is really growing on me.  He wasnt kissing Kane's ass but instead trying to get him to answer questions.   I don’t think Kane did that great of a job. Remember when you hype up someone like I feel council did, you set an expectation.  Frank Kane didn’t meet the expectations in my opinion.  Which I'm sorry but he is stepping into a failing city with a failure of a mayor, so I wouldn’t expect a revolution to happen in Allentown with this appointment.   Most likely more of the same.

Napoli: any questions or comments from the public?? Lol.  Read the room!! No one was there. No one “showed up” because no one cares anymore. The city is a joke and residents are tired of beating their heads against a wall.  

As a parting comment - Mr Kane would definitely be able to sell a used car. 🚗