ALBURTIS, Pa. — It's a race of familiar faces in Alburtis, as five current borough council members run for four open seats in the Republican primary.
No candidates filed for candidacy on the Democratic ticket for the May 16 election.
- In the small Borough of Alburtis, five current council members are running for four open seats on the Republican ticket
- Candidates, while familiar faces, are a mix of old and new members of the council
- The primary election is May 16
Voters will choose from current council members Ron DeIaco, Mehmet Birtek, John Aleszczyk, Chad Atkins and Ashlynn Rivera to move on to the general election in November.
For the candidate not chosen, there may be another chance.
The seat now occupied by Ashlynn Rivera will be listed on the November ballot for a two-year term. Candidates for that race will be nominated by party officials, according to Lehigh County Board of Elections Clerk Timothy Benyo.
Here are the candidates for the four-year terms:
Ron DeIaco
Current Borough Council President Ron DeIaco is a longtime member of local government, having originally won a council seat in 1976.
DeIaco also was mayor from 1990-2002, after which he said he retired from politics to complete his doctoral program in educational administration and leadership. Since then, he has rejoined council and retired from 43 years of working in special education, 10 of which were in administration.
He said his priorities for the upcoming term include the ongoing efforts to control truck traffic on borough roads, which he refers to as a team effort with Lower Macungie Township; nearby warehouse owners; and the developers of the nearby Sauerkraut Lane extension.
He also said he seeks to see the completion of four major projects in the borough through state and federal grants, funding including stormwater drainage work on Chestnut Circle and School Street, and curb and sidewalk work on Franklin Street and Church Street, and Lockridge Lane.
John Aleszczyk
John Aleszcyk said that for his more than 16 years on borough council, he has worked to "protect your tax dollars and producing results."
"Some call it cheap, questioning spending," Aleszcyk said. "I prefer to call fiscal responsibility and spending every tax dollar wisely.
"Over the years we have been able to maintain the tax rate, despite not having the businesses and income dollars that our neighboring communities have. Over the years, we have had many infrastructure improvements throughout the borough and will continue to do so."
Aleszcyk has a bachelors degree from Penn State University and a masters in business administration from Moravian College.
He said he and wife are proud to live in Alburtis, and he's proud to serve the borough's residents.
Mehmet Birtek
Mehmet Birtek volunteered to fill a council opening in 2021, and now is running for re-election.
He said his aim is to help keep Alburtis a safe, clean and a wholesome environment for all of the borough's families, and he hopes to continue serving his community in this capacity.
Birtek was born in Ankara, Turkey, and has a bachelor's degree in business management from the University of Istanbul.
He moved to the United States in 1997 to learn English and complete his master’s degree at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia.
Birtek began his career in finance at SEI Investments in Oaks, Montgomery County, and later moved to New York City, where he was in investment banking, including at Société Générale.
With his wife and three children, he moved to Alburtis in 2020, and changed his career path to the wholesale food industry.
Birtek said he believes that the family is the foundation of a healthy community and a strong country, and his decision to move to Alburtis was motivated by his desire to raise his children in a safer and cleaner environment.
Chad Atkins
Chad Atkins first joined borough council in 2021, appointed following the resignation of Councilman Steven Kaufman. Later that year, Atkins was elected to a two-year term.
He grew up in Mertztown, Berks County, and is a graduate of Brandywine Heights Area High School.
He has been an Alburtis resident since 2014. As an administrator of the primary Alburtis area Facebook group, he said communication is among his top priorities.
"My goal has always been communication and sharing of information with the residents of the borough," Atkins said.
"Even before I became a council member, I saw that need and that’s why I made a Facebook discussion page for the residents, that we can all utilize for information for things happing in the borough."
That especially includes truck traffic that those in the borough have experienced — a hot topic often discussed online and by the borough government.
Atkins works in Health Insurance as a plan coordinator and coder. He previously worked for Kraft Food for nearly 13 years.
Ashlynn Rivera
Ashlynn Rivera is seeking her first elected seat on Alburtis Council, after having been appointed to the panel in a 5-1 vote on Feb. 22 to replace former council member Stephen Nemeth, who was appointed borough manager.
Rivera, a lifelong Alburtis area resident, is a licensed physician assistant.
She has a master's degree from Philadelphia University.
Rivera has been involved in the creation and promotion of special events in the borough, such as the upcoming Community Day and recent Halloween Parade and slate of related events as Vice President of the nonprofit Alburtis Area Community Center.
She said her goal as a council member is to serve the community to the best of her abilities.
