Aug. 6, 2025
— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
Below is a statement from Bethlehem City Council member Grace Crampsie Smith on a debate about an appointment by Mayor J. William Reynolds to the Planning Commission.
That usually routine item led to lots of debate Tuesday at Council, while Musikfest went on its merry way nearby. The mayor appoints people to various boards and commissions, and Council usually votes without much debate to approve the choices.
Now, a little background before we get to her statement.
I didn’t watch the whole thing, because some City Council meetings have become cruel and unusual punishment for viewers.
Conflicts are a serious issue, and in municipal government, inevitable. How they are managed, and what may be deemed excessive, has to be worked out each time.
Bethlehem has a population of about 79,000, and my guess is maybe 5% of the residents care enough about city government to devote much energy to it.
So the pool of candidates isn’t huge and finding people with expertise who aren’t already involved in an issue, and who are willing to spend many unpaid hours at long and often boring meetings, cuts down the number of eligible people even more.
It’s not easy to find people who know about topics such as development and can make impartial decisions, or “recuse” themselves, that is, not vote, when they have a strong tie to a project or the parties involved with it.
It’s a balancing act and there is no easy answer. I don’t have one and I won’t venture more than the above.
Here is a link to the agenda (see Item 7B) and here’s a connection to the webcast. The fun starts around the 33:30 mark and goes on for some time. Ultimately, Richard Pongracz, a Realtor, was appointed to the Planning Commission, which tries to guide development issues such as housing density, building heights, exits and entrances, parking and more.
Multiple people spoke in favor of Pongracz at the meeting.
Council member Smith and Mayor Reynolds are Democrats who ran in the primary election for mayor, with Reynolds prevailing.
And here it is: Council member Grace Crampsie Smith’s statement on Tuesday’s debate. Her opinions are her own:
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I never post about City Council Meetings; however, after last night’s meeting I am compelled to
do so and the residents of this city need to be aware of how our city government is functioning!!
Last night, the mayor proposed an appointment of an individual to the Planning Commission.
I was opposed as this person is presently a Realtor AND has a business association with one of
the city’s biggest developers. While I noted my appreciation for this individual’s willingness to
serve, the probability they would have to recuse themselves due to conflict of interests could be
too often, thus my lack of support.
The mayor stated he did not know the individual was a realtor, meaning he did NOT review his
resume before appointing him?
The mayor also took $15,500 in campaign donations from the LV Realtor’s Association,
another conflict!
But what was equally concerning to me is that council members Hillary Kwiatek and Kiera
Wilhelm, in their continual lack of objectivity when it comes to the mayor’s actions, attacked me
AGAIN, stating that I was personally attacking the appointee and alluding that I had ulterior
motives. Ms. Kwiatek once again laughed and made inappropriate faces while I
was speaking, including when I referenced my deceased brother!
Since I became a councilperson, my intentions have always been to represent the residents of this community and assure city government is functioning efficiently, effectively, and fairly.
That is exactly what I did at last night’s meeting. It is unfortunate that other council members fail
to see this, and conversely, feel compelled to attack me for doing what a council person should
be doing- assuring impartiality in authority, board and commission appointments!
Additionally, as I noted, development in our city is at a critical point in that we see continual
development of apartments that are unaffordable to most residents, as well as plans to demolish
neighborhood homes to put up apartments. Thus, now more than ever it is crucial that we vet
appointments to the Planning Commission!
While the mayor tried to downplay the commission’s role by stating they are a recommending
board, the city website notes the power the commission possesses as follows:
“The use of land in the City of Bethlehem is regulated.
Though much of the city is urbanized, vacant land or buildings to be removed, replaced, or
substantially altered for a new use are required to be reviewed by the Bethlehem Planning
Bureau and the Planning Commission, which administer the Subdivision and Land Development
ordinance. Changes to the Zoning Ordinance and comprehensive planning are also administered
by the Planning Bureau and Commission.”
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Lehigh Valley News Briefs 