Voters in Valley townships look for leaders to take on development

As frustrations have continued over the Ridge Farm development, South Whitehall Township residents have taken it into their hands to make changes, with Tuesday’s election appearing to add to the ongoing turnover in the Board of Commissioners. It was one of a number of townships that saw changes in elected officials over issues of development.

South Whitehall politics have been contentious for years, with residents’ continuing to be fired up about the large Ridge Farms project that first came up in 2017, and issues surrounding its development. Residents voiced their opposition to the 780-unit, mixed-use project at contentious public meetings, mobilized the formation of a Concerned Citizens group calling for more moderate growth and supported like-minded candidates in a crowded 2019 race that saw three new commissioners elected.

Since that election, the Board of Commissioners has often split 3-2 amid contentious debates. Commissioner Matthew Mobilio abruptly resigned in early April, citing his frustrations. On Tuesday, voters appeared to have selected former township and Lehigh County Commissioner Brad Osborne to fill out the remaining two years of his term, according to unofficial results. Osborne, a Republican, had 3,168 votes while Democrat Jamal Ahmed had 2,232 votes and Libertarian Matthew Schutter 214.

Wednesday’s unofficial results showed Republicans Monica Hodges and David Kennedy in the lead for two four-year seats on the board. Hodges and Kennedy had 3,078 and 3,049 votes, respectively. Democratic incumbent Joe Setton and fellow Democrat Thomas Johns earned 2,393 and 2,206 votes, respectively.

Hodges and Kennedy supported each other in their campaign, and shared concerns about how Ridge Farm was approved.

“We are honored by the trust [the voters[ have placed in us,” reads a joint statement from Hodges, Kennedy and Osborne. “Over the past few years, residents have consistently felt underrepresented and ignored by our local government. But today, we turn the page and begin a new chapter. From this point forward, we will lead the effort to not only enact change through policy, but to prioritize citizens’ needs and concerns.”

Whitehall Township

Two of three Democratic incumbents are keeping their seats on the seven-member Board of Commissioners while a Republican challenger has taken a third seat. In unofficial totals, challenger Andy Roman and incumbents Thomas Slonaker and Joseph Marx Jr. won with 2,550, 2,452 and 2,307 votes, respectively. Democratic incumbent Michael Dee and Republican challengers Karen Wilt and Lori Ann Fehnel received 2,246, 2,237 and 1,889 votes, respectively.

“I am truly honored to be elected as the only Republican in Whitehall Township government,” Roman said. “I thank the thoughtful voters who have put their trust in me to serve our community with integrity and an eye toward ensuring government is accountable to we the taxpayers. I won’t let you down. Oh, and we are going to find that missing $77,992 dollars!”

Unlike many areas where development was the main issue, the election in Whitehall centered largely around the township’s financial health, money missing from the treasurer’s office and public safety.

The township’s money issues include COVID-related losses suffered by local businesses and the disappearance of $77,992 from treasurer Colleen Gober’s office. Gober said she returned from sick leave in June 2019 to discover the money missing. Authorities conducted a 16-month investigation ending in December that found no conclusive evidence of theft or mismanagement due to records being so poorly kept. Commissioners did not fire Gober, but voted 4-3 to approve a vote of no confidence in her and ordered her to implement better security measures.

Upper Macungie Township

Democratic challenger Sunny Ghai appeared to defeat Republican incumbent Sean Gill, 2,9492,748, for a six-year seat on the three-member Board of Supervisors, according to unofficial totals. Ghai has been active in fighting further warehouse development since 2014, when Old Dominion Freight Line proposed a trucking terminal directly behind his home.

Both Ghai and Gill focused on development in the township, with both candidates’ agreeing on limiting warehouse expansions.

The township supplies 26% of the Lehigh Valley’s industrial space, according to a recently completed 2019 comprehensive plan.

However, Upper Macungie is “substantially developed and is at the break point of its ability to mitigate impacts of the existing warehouse cluster and any future expansion of this cluster,” the plan states.

Upper Mount Bethel Township

Republican incumbent John Bermingham and Democrat David Friedman, who both prevailed in write-in campaigns in the May primary to get on the November ballot as a candidate for both parties, appeared to have won two six-year seats on the five-member Board of Supervisors. Bermingham and Friedman had 1,278 and 1,110 votes, respectively, while Independent Wayne Smith received 349 votes in unofficial totals as of Wednesday morning.

“I’m really appreciative for the people of Upper Mount Bethel putting their trust in me,” Bermingham said. “I’m humbled, privileged and honored to represent them.”

Friedman said, “As in the primary, party affiliation was put aside to address the issues. Hopefully, the people will be finally be listened to as far as development in our township goes.”

Both Bermingham’s and Friedman’s campaigns centered around township supervisors’ vote in September 2020 that eased the way for River Pointe Logistics to build 13 manufacturing and distribution buildings on 725 acres of undeveloped land near Interstate 80. Residents say this would increase truck traffic and cause an eyesore while developers argue it would bring more jobs and tax revenue to the community.

Smith, an engineering supervisor, ran on a platform calling for more open dialogue and civility among township leaders at public meetings. Tense meetings about River Pointe Logistics over the summer gave the final push for him to run.

Plainfield Township

Republican incumbent Glenn Borger had a big lead in his bid for another six-year term on the Board of Supervisors while Democratic challenger Donald Moore had a smaller lead over Republican Robert Cornman Jr. Unofficial results with all precincts reporting showed Borger with 1,241 votes and Moore with 879 votes. Cornman and Democratic incumbent Joyce Lambert had 813 and 554 votes, respectively.

The election could determine what happens with Waste Management’s Grand Central Sanitary Landfill. Supervisors last year denied an early request that could have allowed the landfill to operate for an additional 20 years.

“Though I was told we legally couldn’t have a referendum putting the question to the voters on whether the landfill should be allowed to expand, that’s essentially what we did with this election,” Moore said. “We need to have a place to dispose of our trash, but the problem is that more than half the trash being disposed of comes from New York and New Jersey. I suggested last year that Grand Central post a sign banning out-of-state trash. We shouldn’t be using landfill space and then have to create endless expansions to accommodate more trash we haven’t created.”

If the landfill closes, an interim trust fund could tide the township over for 15-20 years while alternative sources of revenue and good-paying jobs are explored, Moore said.