ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Allentown remains without a functioning city Human Relation Commission more than two months after lawmakers scrapped the city’s six-decade-old discrimination ordinance.
City Council in June unanimously repealed the city’s 16-page ordinance enacted in 1963 and approved a 27-page bill to replace it.
The new, more robust ordinance was meant to make the city’s discrimination policies more “reflective of 2025,” Councilwoman Ce-Ce Gerlach said.
But its passage inadvertently torpedoed the city’s human relations commission.
“There are ways to replace this commission right now — today."Jennifer Swann, who chaired the now-defunct human relations commission
The “commission has been disbanded," Gerlach told her colleagues last month. "It does not exist right now.”
She said that sometimes their votes have “unintended consequences.”
Solicitors directed the city to disband the commission after the ordinance’s repeal in June.
Gerlach in July urged council members to quickly establish another commission under the new ordinance.
The measure gives Mayor Matt Tuerk 60 days to appoint at least seven members — the minimum needed for the commission to have a quorum.
It gives council the authority to appoint members after that period.
'A stalling tactic'?
But the commission remains memberless about 80 days after the measure’s June 4 passage.
Jennifer Swann, its former chairwoman, on Wednesday said she is “concerned” about the commission’s status; the commission should be investigating a human-relations complaint that’s been filed but can’t act without members, she said.
“I'm not understanding why 30 [more] days is needed, since they've had 60."Jennifer Swann, who chaired the now-defunct human relations commission
“The city has been sitting on this case for 60 days,” Swann told council members.
Seven people have offered to serve — including many former members — but the mayor has not approved those applications, she said.
“There are ways to replace this commission right now — today,” Swann said.
But council gave Tuerk and his administration 30 more days to get the commission up and running before it appoints members.
Swann called that extension “a stalling tactic” and voiced frustration at the delay.
“I'm not understanding why 30 [more] days is needed, since they've had 60,” she said.
