ALLENTOWN, Pa. — There soon could be a new investigator in Allentown.
Allentown City Council on Wednesday night introduced a bill to hire Philadelphia law firm Duane Morris to lead a probe into the city's policies.
Council accelerated the potential hiring by suspending — by a 4-3 vote — its rule requiring proposed legislation be on the city's agenda at least eight days before a meeting.
Councilmembers could take a final vote on the bill at a Jan. 29 committee-of-the-whole meeting.
Duane Morris would be tasked with analyzing Allentown's personnel and nondiscrimination policies and whether city officials have followed them since Mayor Matt Tuerk took office in January 2022, according to the proposed bill.
Council issued a statement this week saying a new probe would “avoid prolonged litigation, prevent delays and significantly reduce legal costs on city taxpayers."
If approved, the measure also would repeal an October 2023 bill that hired former FBI agent Scott Curtis to investigate numerous allegations of racism and workplace discrimination by and against Allentown employees.
It’s unclear if Duane Morris would directly investigate reports of workplace discrimination and racism by and against city employees.
Council issued a statement this week saying a new probe would “avoid prolonged litigation, prevent delays and significantly reduce legal costs on city taxpayers.”
Council in October 2023 asserted its authority under Allentown's home-rule charter to launch an investigation without approval from Tuerk's administration.
Tuerk soon after declared the contract for Curtis and his company — FLEO Investigations — to be “defective” and “void.”
The mayor raised more than a dozen concerns, including council members hiring Curtis after he failed with a previous bid to land the job.
Allentown’s purchasing bureau worked with council members to issue a request for proposals in mid-December 2023, Tuerk said.
Four companies bid on the contract, but two — including Curtis’ — were rejected because they did not submit valid bids, according to the mayor.
Allentown's finance department asked for more time last spring to interview the two qualified companies. But the RFP expired in April after council members denied that request, Tuerk said.
Council hired Curtis in June, despite concerns about a lack of transparency from its three-member selection committee: Ed Zucal, Ce-Ce Gerlach and Daryl Hendricks.
Curtis spearheaded the FBI's investigation into pay-to-play contracting by former Mayor Ed Pawlowski’s pay-to-play contracting practices.
Council sued Tuerk and Finance Director Bina Patel, accusing them of trying to prevent and obstruct Curtis' investigation.
Members paused that litigation the night before lawyers were scheduled to appear for the first time in Lehigh County Court.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
