ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The price of a long-running investigation into claims of racism and discrimination within Allentown city government continues to climb.
But the eight-month probe is all but over, with investigators set to announce their findings at a news conference at 11 a.m. today, Thursday, Sept. 9, in City Hall.
A proposed funding transfer introduced by City Council on Wednesday revealed the growing costs of the investigation.
Allentown City Council is likely to approve spending more than $376,000 to cover five months of work by Duane Morris LLC.Allentown City Council agenda
Members are likely to approve spending more than $376,000 to cover five months of work by Duane Morris LLC.
Duane Morris quoted a price of $450,000 to $1 million for the investigation, council solicitor Maria Montero, said in January.
The company agreed it would try to limit its billable costs to $450,000; it also agreed to submit monthly bills for council’s review.
But the transfer introduced Wednesday would pay the company from March through July; it still must submit bills for work after that, City Clerk Mike Hanlon told members.
That could see the total cost climb by thousands more.
Two investigators, one report
Council by a 4-3 vote in January hired the Philadelphia-based law firm and ended its contract with former FBI agent Scott Curtis, to whom council handed the investigation in June 2024.
Curtis — who led the probe that ended with former Mayor Ed Pawlowski’s arrest and conviction on conspiracy, bribery and other charges — conducted dozens of interviews over six months before council changed courses.
The sum of all investigation-related costs is north of $550,000, with some fees still to be tacked on.Allentown city documents
But he had not yet been paid for any of the $68,000 he was owed because Mayor Matt Tuerk had concerns about the process that led to his hiring.
Allentown taxpayers will end up covering about $113,000 in legal fees after council sued Tuerk this spring for not paying Curtis.
Council paid its attorney about $68,000, while the mayor’s administration spent about $45,000 to defend city officials from council’s lawsuit, which was settled before reaching court.
That puts the sum of all investigation-related costs north of $550,000, with some fees still to be tacked on.
