Mayor Ed Pawlowski may be the best advocate for the City of Allentown, and he is inviting businesses to set up shop in his town.

During a recent Mayor's Breakfast Series of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce at the Hamilton Family Restaurant, Hamilton Boulevard, Allentown, Pawlowski brought along several department representatives to provide business owners a peek inside city hall and the one-stop shopping available for them to move into the city.

"We try to create a one-stop shop," Pawlowski said. "Unlike the suburbs, we pride ourselves on working with businesses.

"Our goal is to work with you to make sure your business is successful."

Joining Pawlowski at the breakfast presentation were Allentown's Zoning Supervisor Barbara Nemeth, Business Development Manager Todd Collins, Director of Building Standards and Safety David Paulus, Assistant Fire Chief Lee Laubach, Associate Director of Environmental Health for the Health Bureau Jeffrey Stoudt, Business Development Liaison Duane Tolson, Manager of Bureau of Solid Waste and Recycling Ann Saurman and Engineering Department Construction Manager Ted Berger.

These individuals gave a brief presentation on what their departments can do to aid new businesses coming into the city.

Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Vice President Miriam Huertas introduced the mayor.

Pawlowski told the gathering Allentown is the "fastest growing city in the commonwealth."

"We will soon overtake Pittsburgh in population," Pawlowski said. "We want more businesses here."

Collins then spoke to the business owners in the audience.

"Our goal in city hall is to create an environment friendly to business," Collins said."This program is an intimate opportunity to engage the mayor."

Nemeth advised business owners to find out if a particular zoning district allows their type of business.

"[If not] we will help you get into somewhere else to start your business," she said. "Small businesses keep the community going."

Paulus said the city wants to be involved from the beginning when a business seeks to move into Allentown.

"Customer service is not a department," Paulus said. "It is an attitude. We want to see it done right. We want to be involved from the beginning."

Laubach told the business owners his department provides information on sprinkler systems, fire alarm plans, fire extinguisher training and fire reports for insurance companies.

He also stressed the importance of having a KNOX-BOX, which provides rapid entry into businesses for firefighters and EMS personnel during an emergency.

Saurman then discussed recycling in the city.

"Recycling is the right and proper thing to do," she said, adding some small businesses could be categorized as residential and receive lower rates.

One of the business owners in the audience was Brent Stanley of Stanley Sweeping, Weisenberg Township.

"We are a small business," Stanley told the mayor. "We would love to be the first to bring our business to Allentown.

"We would be very proud to to be a part of Allentown."

Collins suggested he and Stanley meet and discuss the space and anything else, including financing, he may need to make the move.

Pawlowski also suggested Stanley have his company placed on the puchasing list so he can bid on various city jobs.

Before the event came to a close, the mayor received a special award from the U.S Conference of Mayors.

Managing Director of the Partner America program of the USCM Jeffrey Bean honored Pawlowski with the Partner America 2013 Small Business Advocate Award.