Resolution will not be considered

Allentown council won’t vote to censure Siegel and Gerlach

Allentown City Council has decided not to consider a resolution demanding a censure and no-confidence vote against council members Joshua Siegel and Ce-Ce Gerlach.

The resolution, which was to be introduced at Wednesday’s meeting, claimed Gerlach and Siegel betrayed the oath of office and “are unfit and not worthy to hold the position of councilperson” because of alleged actions taken and remarks made after an incident outside St. Luke’s Hospital-Sacred Heart in which a police officer used his knee to restrain Edward Borrero Jr.

The incident led to a protest that night, July 11, followed by a bigger rally outside Allentown City Hall during council’s July 16 meeting. District Attorney Jim Martin later concluded the officer’s use of force was not excessive.

Councilman Ed Zucal drafted the resolution against Siegel and Gerlach, and council President Daryl Hendicks and councilwoman Candida Affa initially supported it.

When City Clerk Mike Hanlon published Wednesday’s meeting agenda Monday afternoon, however, the resolution was not included. He confirmed that it was withdrawn.

On Tuesday, Hendricks said in a statement that it was removed “due to the press treating the resolution as a statement against Black Lives Matter and not as a statement relating to behavior.”

“We have no concerns with peaceful protests by Black Lives Matter or any other group,” Hendricks said. “We are concerned about certain behavior that creates the potential for litigation and increased costs for insurance.”

The resolution will most likely not be revisited, Hendricks said. Instead, council members will propose amendments to the city’s ethics code to “cover this kind of activity.”

Affa said Monday that while she still had concerns about her colleagues’ behavior, she no longer supported the censure resolution because she believes it’s poorly timed and distracting the legislative body from focusing on more important issues, such as a proposed $16 million bond issue intended to weather pandemic-related financial issues.

“I apologize for my role in the distraction,” she said.