- What's the most pressing topic heading into November's election for Bethlehem council? Candidates say it's communication
- Three Republicans and three Democrats are shooting for three open seats
- The current council is made up entirely of Democrats, and two members are not seeking another term
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Three Republicans and three Democrats will go toe-to-toe for three seats on Bethlehem City Council in the Nov. 7 general election.
The council now is made up of all Democrats. Council members Paige Van Wirt and Wandalyn Enix are not running for reelection.
Looking to fill the seats, all of which are four-year terms, are Democrats Colleen Laird, Michael G Colon and Bryan Callahan, and Republicans Thomas Ginthner, Devin Brunges and James Follweiler.
Most council candidates have said that officials need to be fully focused on communicating more effectively when the council takes over.
Here is where the candidates stand on a variety of topics:
Jim Follweiler
Follweiler ran unsuccessfully for Bethlehem mayor in 2003 and city council in 2005.
A lifelong resident of the city, he retired in 2019 as a colonel from the Army Reserves, where he served for 30 years.
He later worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Defense in the civilian sector, during which he was deployed several times to places under crisis from severe weather — such as Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria.
I’m the best qualified candidate when you look at my education and all my varied backgrounds, living around the country and around the world, just seeing how people live, what people want, how governments operate and how governments treat their people.”Jim Follweiler, Bethlehem City Council Republican candidate
“I just want to serve,” Follweiler said. “I believe I’m the best-qualified candidate when you look at my education and all my varied backgrounds, living around the country and around the world, just seeing how people live, what people want, how governments operate and how governments treat their people.”
Follweiler said he believes the current administration’s concerns are out of sync with the average citizen's needs.
Follweiler said the city needs to get back focused on its core missions: roads, parks, police, fire, EMS, water and sewer. He said officials can branch out beyond those concerns when time and money permits.
He said his military background included training in coming up with alternative solutions when problems arise.
Follweiler cited his Oct. 17 proposal to move the city’s police department from under City Hall to West Walnut Street, to sit beside the new garage set to go up on a site there next year.
He said that would not only benefit the department but also the downtown businesses and areas up for a potential UNESCO World Heritage designation.
He said he wants to see more discussion among council members, and having a Republican join the panel could help to guide those talks.
Follweiler has a master’s degree in finance said he could help both council and the public get a broader understanding of city budgets.
Thomas Ginthner
Ginthner said he feels “extremely confident” about his chances of securing a council spot Nov. 7.
With a background in sales, he said he’s being sure to talk to everyone he can about what troubles them and plans to continue following up on their issues. He said that would translate well to council.
“I believe my sales experience in marketing and networking that I’ve done over many, many years gives me the ability to negotiate, even if it’s a hostile party or people that don’t agree,” he said.
“I’m willing to listen to everybody’s opinions and ideas and work to come up with a better solution than what I’m seeing right now.”
Ginthner said whether it’s speaking with church groups, forums, small one-on-ones or talks with whole neighborhoods, he’s attuned to seeking out solutions.
He said he feels citizens are feeling neglected, and officials need to listen intently to people’s questions and concerns.
“I’m willing to listen to everybody’s opinions and ideas and work to come up with a better solution than what I’m seeing right now.”Thomas Ginthner, Bethlehem City Council Republican candidate
A notable topic he said he’s hearing a lot about is the recent approval to demolish the Walnut Street Garage.
People wanted more input into that process before any approval was signed off on, he said.
“I don’t care if you’re a Ph.D. or a truck driver, you should have some kind of input as to what’s going on in the city,” Ginthner said.
Folks are upset about city infrastructure as well as the conditions of parks, sewers and streets, he said.
He added that his "A, B, C and Ds of government function" could help get council back on track to addressing what’s troubling the city. Those are “accountability, balance, common sense in government and diversity of thought,” Ginthner said.
Devin Brunges
Brunges is focusing on equality, community and transparency in his campaign, he wrote in an email.
Brunges said the government must be “a servant of the people,” and city council decisions should promote the best interests of the people it serves.
“There is an impression that special interest groups and nonprofits run the city of Bethlehem,” Brunges said. “Our citizens are no longer satisfied with not being heard or represented in their city government.”
He said he views himself as a “proverbial outsider,” and considering he’s semi-retired and works locally in the transportation industry, he felt that puts him in a unique position to keep the residents at the forefront of his potential work on council.
Brunges said he’d look to restore a sense of trust between the community and city leaders if given the chance.
“It is time we restored balance,” he said. “It is time we question the motive of the administration and faceless bureaucrats.”
“It is time we restored balance. It is time we question the motive of the administration and faceless bureaucrats.”Devin Brunges, Bethlehem City Council Republican candidate
Brunges retired from the Army as a major after years involved with field artillery operations. Part of his career included leading a remote military installation assigned to NATO.
He also at one point commanded a “highly specialized NATO special weapons detachment,” he said.
Following the Cold War, he was deployed to Bosnia as part of a peacekeeping force, where he worked with multinational forces to bring an end to the Bosnian Civil War.
He said his military experience trained him to be confident in his abilities to achieve “routine excellence.”
After retiring from the military, he worked in journalism, as an executive with Boy Scouts of America and as a sales director for a photography company.
Brunges also is working toward a certification in parliamentary procedures, and holds experience in nonprofit management, grant writing and fundraising.
He moved to Bethlehem in 2017 to be closer to his grandchildren.
Colleen Laird
Colleen Laird, the top Democratic vote-getter in May's primary, is a lifelong Bethlehem resident.
She stressed that meeting people where they’re at should be of utmost concern for the council moving forward, as recent forums have provided a healthy outlet for people to voice their troubles.
Driving that engagement is a key strength of hers, she said.
“With the larger community, I’ve worked in leadership roles with the Bethlehem Food Co-Op, the PTO at William Penn Elementary School,” Laird said.
“It’s one of my roles at my day job at Moravian [University], where I am tasked with bringing people together, whether that’s formal conversation or informal.”
She pitched the idea of providing dinner and childcare during official council meetings so parents can take the time they need to attend and actively take part.
Laird also said collecting data through short surveys regarding residents’ opinions on issues is a distinct possibility.
“I think that there’s an opportunity for making more formal communication easier and more accessible. But also for that informal communication where people can just air a concern that they have, ask a question that they have just because they happen to run into you.”Colleen Laird, Bethlehem City Council Democratic candidate
“I think that there’s an opportunity for making more formal communication easier and more accessible," Laird said.
"But also for that informal communication where people can just air a concern that they have, ask a question that they have just because they happen to run into you.”
She said she's looking into broader promotion of the MyBethlehemPA app and its ease of use to share concerns with city officials.
Regional collaboration to address environmental concerns would be crucial going forward, she said.
Laird also spoke of the troubled housing market that’s affecting Bethlehem and beyond. Along with that, she said she’s heard lots of concerns from people regarding their neighbors who are experiencing homelessness as the colder months approach.
Michael Colón
Colón, who is council president, got the second-most votes in the primary, behind newcomer Colleen Laird.
Colón, a lifelong resident of the city, said he’s campaigned through door-to-door interactions and while out and about at Musikfest, the Rose Garden Farmers Market in West Bethlehem and at the recent Trunk-or-Treat Event at the library.
He said he’s still been busy as the current council president since 2022, while also working a day job and working on a master’s degree.
Colón said he’s happy to be a resource for city residents whenever he can guide those with questions to proper resources among city staff.
He said crime is declining in Bethlehem, and most people would see it as a safe place to live.
“I’m a little bit biased; I’ll always recognize my bias, but Bethlehem’s a good place to live. It was a great place to grow up. I’m very proud of the work that not only I do, but that we all do — whether it’s at our city council meetings or the people that work at City Hall every day.”Michael Colón, current Democratic president of Bethlehem City Council
“I’m a little bit biased; I’ll always recognize my bias, but Bethlehem’s a good place to live,” Colón said. “It was a great place to grow up.
“I’m very proud of the work that not only I do, but that we all do — whether it’s at our city council meetings or the people that work at City Hall every day.”
Colón recognized the recent federal money to plan a revamp of a Northeast Bethlehem neighborhood in which he grew up.
That effort from the city was part of broader plans to address the housing crisis around Bethlehem and beyond.
He said “continued time and effort” would bring those plans to fruition.
“I hope to continue to be an advocate for the work that we’re trying to do, and keep pushing forward so that we don’t lose focus and stall on the work that’s being done right now,” Colón said.
Bryan Callahan
Callahan, a former eight-year member of council, didn’t respond to a request for comment for this report.
For the May primary, Callahan said he hopes to provide an “independent voice” to the council dialogue. Along with that voice comes a need for clear communication from the top down in the city, he said.
“I want to be the people’s voice. If they have something that’s bothering them, I want them to know that they can come to me; they still do know that they can come to me.”Bryan Callahan, Bethlehem City Council Democratic candidate
“I want to be the people’s voice,” Callahan said. “If they have something that’s bothering them, I want them to know that they can come to me; they still do know that they can come to me.”
He stressed fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget is a must for the city officials.
He was an educator at Freedom High School before his current position, owning and operating Callahan’s Driving School and Testing Center.
