Ray O’Connell unanimously was elected the new president of Allentown City Council Wednesday night.
His top priority? “We will have dignity and respect in City Council chambers.”
O’Connell, a retired Allentown School District administrator, was applauded immediately after the 7-0 vote, as he shook hands to thank each of his colleagues.
The new president’s wife Mary Beth and daughter Kaitlin were among those applauding in the audience.
Because it was a snowy night, he jokingly scolded them, saying: “I told you both not to come in this bad weather.”
Julio Guridy, who has served as council president for three years, was elected vice president.
Before the vote, Guridy explained none of the other five council members had asked to be considered for either position.
Guridy nominated O’Connell for president and O’Connell later nominated Guridy for vice president.
Guridy also was elected unanimously.
O’Connell and Guridy immediately switched positions at the dais.
“I get the gavel,” said O’Connell, pounding it twice. “It works.”
He is starting his sixth year on council, but never served as president before.
“I am truly honored and humbled to serve council as president for 2015,” said O’Connell.
“I’ve been a public servant for 43 years— 38 years with the Allentown School District and five years on City Council,” said the 65-year-old president, adding he’s always been dedicated to helping people.
“It’s not a cliche,” said O’Connell. “I care deeply about Allentown. My roots are here. And I only want the best for all its residents.”
Shortly after being voted in, he declared: “My first executive order tonight is to eliminate courtesy of the floor — only kidding, only kidding. Some of my favorite ‘courtesy of the floor people’ are not here tonight. That was a little poke at them.”
Some public comment segments of City Council meetings, called courtesy of the floor, have been marked by angry debates between residents and city officials, with time limits being ignored.
On a more serious note Wednesday, O’Connell indicated his top priority will be “to bring total respect and dignity to council chambers.”
“We might not always agree on issues, but I will treat all in council chambers with the utmost respect and dignity,” he said.
“I might have to say politely: ‘Sir, your three minutes is up, your five minutes is up, please be seated.’ But we will have dignity and respect in City Council chambers.
“You give respect, you give dignity. In return you get respect, you get dignity.”
City Council has had so many stormy sessions on controversial issues in the last few years that an armed and uniformed police officer now attends all its meetings.
O’Connell said another one of his goals will be to take council “on the road,” by meeting in various sections of the city, rather than always meeting in council chambers.
“That's very important,” he said. “Not everybody can come down to City Hall. We need to go to the residents.”
He also wants to improve communication by reviewing options for using social media and the city’s website for meeting notices and other information about City Council.
And he wants to look at “best council practices” throughout the county, valley and state. “Why reinvent the wheel if somebody is doing a best practice in another locality?”
He said he will work with the administration and all constituents “to make this city a better place to live, work and play.”
In a speech lasting about six minutes, O’Connell said Allentown is coming back, but added: “We can build beautiful buildings and great restaurants and all, but we need more than that. We need to serve the people of Allentown.
“Restaurants and buildings don’t always make a city great. People make a city great.
“We could use the terms revitalization, economic development, a renaissance. But it takes people — not buildings, not bricks, not mortar.
“We need the buildings. We need the arena — that’s fantastic. We need great restaurants.
“But we need people who are on the fringe in Allentown to benefit from what is happening in Allentown.”
O’Connell is a native of Hokendauqua, the Whitehall Township where he grew up. He moved to Allentown when he got married in 1976.
He was a teacher at Mosser Elementary School in the Allentown School District, then assistant principal at Raub Middle School and principal at Trexler Middle School. He then served as executive director of secondary education for the district, in charge of the four middle schools and two high schools.
O’Connell became seriously ill in the fall of 2013, yet won re-election to a second term on City Council that November.
That illness left him weak and gaunt. “I couldn’t even vote for myself,” he said. Despite being too sick to campaign, he racked up the second highest number of votes among five council members who were elected.
O’Connell was unable to attend any council meetings from mid-October 2013 until Jan. 6, 2014, when he was sworn in for the new term.
He said that illness prevented him from making a bid to become council president in 2014.
Guridy wants better communication with residents
Guridy thanked O’Connell for being willing to take over as president, saying: “I know some people think it’s all glory, but it’s not.”
Guridy also wants to increase communication between council and city residents.
He said a City Council newsletter will be developed. He also suggested joint meetings with the Allentown School Board and Lehigh County commissioners.
Looking back, Guridy said: “We had some great debates with the administration and the public that made our city a better place to live and work.”
Guridy, who has been on City Council for 14 years, reviewed accomplishments during his three years as council president, including the “heart-warming” transformation of the city.
“Every place I go, when I tell people I’m from Allentown, they already know that it’s a city that is being redeveloped.”
Committee chair appointments
Later in the meeting, O’Connell announced new committee assignments for council members.
Jeff Glazier will chair the budget and finance committee, Guridy will chair community and economic development, Joe Davis will chair public works and O’Connell will chair rules, chambers, intergovernmental relations and strategy.
Other council members will remain as chairs of the same committees: Daryl Hendricks on human resources, administration and appointments, Cynthia Mota on parks and recreation and Jeanette Eichenwald on public safety.
O’Connell said he worked hard to match committee chairmanships with the strengths of council members. “I want them utilize their unique skills, their experience and talent.”
Other appointments
In one unanimous vote, council appointed a number of residents to city boards, council and commissions Wednesday.
Juan Camacho was appointed to the Allentown Zoning Hearing Board, where he has served as an alternate. Camacho will serve four years. He will replace zoning board member Michael Engle.
Other appointments:
• Joe Hoffman to the Environmental Advisory Council.
• Dan Kainz and Peter Lewnes to the Allentown Public Art Commission.
• David Howells, Sr. , David S. Jones, Sr., and Fred Banuelos to the Civil Service Board.
• Gus Al-Khal and Theodore W. Schick, Jr., as alternates on the Civil Service Board.
Announcements
At 6 p.m. Feb. 4, City Council will meet as committee-of-the-whole to discuss and vote on an ordinance to change some of its regulations involving weapons.
Those provisions will be repealed to comply with a new state law and help the city avoid a lawsuit.
That state law gives individuals and gun rights groups legal standing to challenge local gun laws. Harrisburg already has been sued for not coming into compliance with state law.
Eric Trimmer of Allentown, a member of the Lehigh Valley Tea Party, advised council that his organization’s lawyer already has sent the city solicitor a letter stating Allentown is in violation of state law.
O’Connell said all members of council have received copies of that letter.
“We urge you to do the right thing and move forward quickly and repeal the offending ordinances,” said Trimmer at tonight’s council meeting.
Council member Mota invited everyone to City Hall between 4 and 6:45 p.m. Feb. 18 for a local celebration of Black History Month —with food, performances and educational presentations.
The council meeting ended with O’Connell predicting: “They’re not all going to be this easy.”
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