Tackling troubles around Bethlehem Township with 8 commissioner candidates

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — As the Bethlehem Landfill sees a potential expansion, roadways suffer and the pace of redevelopment remains contentious, eight candidates are in the running for two spots on the Bethlehem Township Board of Commissioners.

All say they hope to address some of those issues.

• Eight people are on the ballot between the at-large and Ward 1 seats of the Bethlehem Township Board of Commissioners
• Candidates spoke on the importance of managing the budget, traffic flow, redevelopment, law enforcement and other township topics
• The primary election will take place on May 16

Here are the candidates and their positions on the issues.

At-Large Candidates

Luke Verdes

Luke Verdes, a Democrat, was appointed to the board in November, after the death of Commissioner Malissa Davis in October.

Verdes also has been on the township Civil Service Commission since January 2020.

He’s worked in the nonprofit, social services, health care and government sectors for two decades. Since January 2022, he's been a senior project manager for Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Verdes said he’s tried to lead the way on the proposed expansion of Bethlehem Landfill, advocating for the township to join other municipalities in the fight against it.

He said township planning over the past two decades has involved a bit of “rubber stamping” by some former commissioners. Future people involved need to remain community-minded, he said.

Verdes said he wants to work with the other commissioners and planning director to ensure qualified members are appointed to the planning and zoning board.

“We want people on there who are going to take a good, hard look at things through the lens of how this is going to impact the township and the residents that are closest to where the vote is going to be, rather than to say, ‘Well, it passes this regulation — good,’” Verdes said.

“If that’s all they were there for, then we wouldn’t need them.”

He said Bethlehem Township Police work hard for the good of the community.

“I want to continue to support them, particularly around more resources for mental health, substance abuse and how to help folks that they come across in their day-to-day get connected with services,” Verdes said.

Among other issues, he said he also wants to place focus on local road conditions and stormwater management.

He said he wants to pay more attention to how state funds and other allocations are used to make these fixes around the community.

“One thing I don’t want to do is raise taxes on folks to do that,” Verdes said. “I think we probably have money in the general fund or money that can come in through other avenues that we can move around and be a little more creative with our budgeting to do more every year.”

Verdes, a native of Upper Darby, Delaware County, said he and his wife moved to the Lehigh Valley because it’s halfway between his family near Philadelphia and hers in New York. They have a son.

Michael Hudak

Michael Hudak, a Democrat, said that what sets him apart from other candidates is his more than 60 years of living in Bethlehem Township.

He said his level of experience outnumbers that of the current commissioners combined.

Kudak served Ward 2 in a previous commissioner role.

He said communication is key, and said the current commissioners, for the most part, work over email while he doesn’t mind anyone calling his line at any time, day or night.

“A lot of people don’t even have emails,” he said. “A lot of the senior citizens in this township — and there are a lot of them — don’t even own computers.

“In my years of service, all you had to do was pick up your phone and dial my cell phone number. And I picked it up, always.”

He said some of the current commissioners don’t understand the history of the area or have its best interests in mind.

“I’d like to get back into it and represent the people, and get us back on track with a sense of normalcy and common sense,” Hudak said.

There’s “no room for politics” in township government, he said.

“The only thing that should matter to any of us is what is best for the people,” Hudak said.

“What sets me apart is I’m accessible, I have the knowledge, I have the experience, I understand what the job is and what its requirements are. … I can relate to the public.

“I have no conflicts of interest as far as who I work with or for. And more importantly, I always represented what the people want — not my personal thoughts or feelings.”

He said the board needs to be more open to redevelopment options, and he wants to be part of those renewed efforts.

Steven Greco

Steve Greco, a Republican, said he moved from New Jersey to Bethlehem Township more than 35 years ago, for a more affordable cost of living.

Greco is on the township Recreational Advisory Board and Environmental Action Committee.

Greco has worked in the horticulture industry for a greenhouse operation that supplies plants to clients all around the country and has worked with Freedom High School for almost two decades, helping with football and track meet operations.

He said he’s recently seen people all around the community become more involved and hands-on with township issues. He said one concern he’s heard from residents is highway and street litter.

And since government services have affected things such as trash pickup, he said residents have come out in droves to make the community a better place to live.

One of these groups is called Trash Raiders Lehigh Valley, and Greco said he recently volunteered with them to pick up trash around the township’s roadways.

“One of the reasons I’m very enthusiastic about running here is trying to get more people involved with this stuff, because I think, right now, you have a lot of people that want to be involved with the community,” Greco said.

“I think a lot of people, including myself, we step back for years thinking that all this stuff is going to be taken care of by the government.”

The rate of expansion for Bethlehem Township is another concern he mentioned, as he moved to the area when it was mostly rural.

Another point of his campaign involves maintaining support for local law enforcement and other first responders, as he said safety is a universal concern among residents.

“People want to feel safe where they live and where they’re raising their kids,” Greco said. “So making sure that we have a well-funded and well-stocked police force and ambulance services [is important], to which we do in this town.”

He spoke of his “sensible conservative” values and ideas based on common sense. He said party ideology isn’t at the forefront of his campaign.

“When you assign yourself to a party, there’s baggage that goes along with it to a degree, certain ideas people think about you because you’re in that party,” Greco said.

“And I want to be there for people that have those values that are looking for somebody to voice or listen to, hear what their concerns are and voice those opinions.”

Paul Weiss

Paul Weiss did not respond to several requests for comment for this article.

Ward 1 Commissioner Candidates

DeAnn Lawrence

DeAnn Lawrence, a Democratic, joined the board in March to replace Commissioner Dale Sourbeck, who died in February.

“He introduced me to a lot of the residents, and he showed me different areas of the town that, for a lack of a better term, might need more as far as police presence,” Lawrence said. “So I took note of everything he showed me.”

She said she brings experience with budgeting and management, as she has owned local businesses and was a manager for Comcast some years ago.

She said reaching out to the residents about the budget and their related concerns is important to her.

“I believe in making sure that our budget in the town makes sense,” Lawrence said. “We shouldn’t overspend on things that aren’t important.

“And the only way you can do that is to not only go out and reach out to the constituents in the town but be involved in the community.”

She said accessing different services and grants has been important in preserving the township’s green spaces and stormwater management.

She’s been in law enforcement for 25 years and now is a correctional officer in the New Jersey Corrections Department.

“I’m an advocate for the necessary training and essential equipment for employees such as the police and fire departments,” Lawrence said.

“I’m in law enforcement, so I know how important it is for them to be trained to keep our town safe, and just to make sure that they’re always at the ready.”

She said she wants to promote more open dialogue between the residents and the township government.

“A lot of people have these platforms, but either they don’t follow through, they have followed through or they just run their own agenda,” Lawrence said.

“I feel any politician or anybody running for an office should really meet with the people that they’re supposed to be advocating for and place their needs first and foremost.”

She said she avoids political “mudslinging” and prefers to remain observant.

She holds degrees in English, criminal justice and experience in psychology.

Lawrence is married with six children.

Wayne Buller

Wayne Buller, a Republican, is a Hackettstown, New Jersey, native and has lived in Bethlehem Township for 36 years.

He said he believes in reinforcing the police force in the area.

Also, he said raising taxes is always a common concern among residents, but a smart use of money should be the ultimate goal.

“What I’d like to try to do is review all the spending in the township and see where we can actually possibly be proactive on reducing some things,” Buller said.

“There’s things you can do to cut things out without hurting" the township. And try to do what’s good for yourself, the organization and the other residents.”

He said the potential expansion of the Bethlehem Landfill is among his concerns.

And while he said he agrees that modern landfills have to meet strict safety rules and regulations, he said he wants to listen to his constituents on how the expansion potentially could affect the environment and traffic flow.

Buller said he has one ultimate goal through his campaign: doing what’s right by the people.

“I do have 64 years of growing up in knowing what’s right and what’s wrong, and I try to get the input from the residents on what’s good for the township,” he said.

“I’m not better than anybody. I’m just trying to do what’s right.”

Buller described himself as a “straight-shooter,” aiming to treat everybody equally and with respect — and he added that would be a goal of his to maintain if voted into the position.

Buller has worked in the water and wastewater business for 43 years.

He is married, and with his wife, has three children and two grandchildren.

Rodman Law

Rodman Law, a Republican, moved from New Jersey to Bethlehem Township in 2004.

Law said he began attending budget meetings about 15 years ago, and seven years ago was appointed to the township Zoning Hearing Board.

He said running for the commissioner position would be a logical next step for himself.

“[Considering] some things that are coming up over the next four years in the township, I think my voice can add some value to what’s going on,” Law said.

He spoke on the importance of the budget and fiscal responsibility from the commissioners.

Law said the township’s last comprehensive plan was completed in 2017, and, if voted in, he would be eager to begin the process of starting the journey to an updated plan.

Development and its respective pace is a contentious topic in the township, Law said.

“We’re very built out in the township here,” he said. “And it’s always a balancing act setting priorities.

"But if you want tax ratables, you just can’t stop development. But I think we have to be smart about it.”

Law said that considering his experience on the zoning hearing board, he has built a rapport with other township officials, adding credibility to his nomination.

He said he would appreciate seeing more awareness and continued communication “both up and down” the government ranks.

“I’d like to see a little more interaction between the commissioner level all the way down to the all of the board we have here,” Law said.

“I’d like to see a little more attempt with the boards — and maybe through the commission — to inform the citizens as to what the role of these [groups] are."

An attorney with Greenberg Traurig, Law said he commutes to the Morristown, New Jersey, office every day.

Arthur Murphy

A graduate of Notre Dame and a native of Long Island, Arthur Murphy is a former certified public accountant with experience as a Bethlehem Township commissioner and member of the zoning hearing board.

He said that from the outside looking in, as well as from what he’s been told by acquaintances, he wants better from township leaders.

“I don’t like the way the board is acting, in the sense that they seem to have agendas,” Murphy said. "I believe the board is there to serve the people, not the people who pass their own agendas.”

Murphy has been a controller with Selvaggio & Sons Plumbing and Heating for 22 years.

He said that by using his experience and skills in accounting and other fields, he can make others understand the importance of income versus expenses in the context of the township government.

He said that experience matters in the realm of commissioners and other town leadership.

He said that as a Republican, his politics in the township differ from the national stage.

“Local politics is not political,” Murphy said. “Local politics is serving the people.”

Murphy said he was proud of his experience coaching youth sports in the township, Freemansburg and other organizations around the area.

“I think through my years of coaching, I’ve developed a lot of relationships,” he said. “And I think I’m an honest, caring person.”