Re-elect * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Councilwoman Priscilla deLeon

BIO

Growing up in the Slate Belt, I graduated from Bangor Area High School and, in 1969, graduated from Philadelphia General Hospital School of Radiologic Technology. I was employed for twenty years as a radiologic technologist in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas. I was a member of the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.

After moving to the village of Steel City in Lower Saucon Township in 1985, I became very involved in the community as an active member of the Steel City Fire Company and Community Organization. I was one of the organizers of the “Anti-Quarry Committee,” leading the fight against a proposed stone quarry in the “Narrows” section of Riverside Drive, which led to me running for elected office in 1987, which I won.

I took a seat on Lower Saucon Township Council in 1988, and I have been serving the citizens, representing them, and helping them with their concerns since then. I am currently serving my eighth consecutive four-year term (twenty-eight years).

You can count on me to stay on top of all the issues and continue to ask questions insisting on a more responsive government. I promise to be fair and work toward better communication between the Township and the community throughout the Saucon Valley area.

I am very dedicated listening to your needs and respecting your rights when making decisions. I balance your needs with those of your neighborhood and the entire community. I am aggressive in the enactment of laws and policies that protect those rights and improve your quality of life. I am not a rubber stamp, and I feel preserving our sense of place is very important and keeping us unique while preserving our rural characteristics is a must.

It is very important for the residents to get involved by not only exercising their right to vote, but to attend council meetings and to provide valuable information which will help your elected officials make informed decisions. Council represents the people, and I welcome and encourage community involvement. I am always available to work with the residents and to offer solutions and provide guidance through a common sense approach. In my many years on Council, I have tried to make certain that residents are treated fairly and consistently and have never forgotten the feelings and questions I had sitting in the audience. Because of that, I try to be helpful to those calling seeking my help and advice. I have recently attended Township meetings, sitting in the audience watching the board members deliberate, ask questions and listen to residents speak. I feel there should be more information available to the residents regarding agenda items on all boards and will work to make that information readily available on the website, etc.

I believe that Council has the responsibility to provide for checks and balances in the day-to-day operations of its administration to ensure the efficient conduct of municipal affairs. In dealing with these checks and balances, I focus on strict compliance in the execution and administration of all laws and policies passed by Council and hold the administration accountable for their day-to-day actions. Council must always act as a body and vote publicly when convened at an advertised public meeting. I refuse to participate in the polling of council members outside of a council meeting, which would be in violation of the Sunshine Law.

I continue to insist on strict compliance with the letter and the spirit of the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance of the Township. My focus, as in the past, is on preserving the rural character of this beautiful Township by controlled growth and preservation of open space. I favor legislation protecting environmentally sensitive areas - especially carbonate geology areas, steep slopes and woodlands, stream valleys and natural habitats. I make sure the funds generated by the Open Space Referendum are used to protect these sensitive natural areas as well as agricultural, recreational and historic land.

Always insisting on a detailed budget to maximize the efficiency of your tax dollars through approved expenditures, I continue to look for ways to lower taxes without losing services, such as applying for private and government grants. Economic development is crucial to our survival and I support commercial development that serves the needs of the Township citizens. I supported the creation of the Economic Development Task Force with a goal of increasing the Township’s tax base and employment opportunities.

Concerned that the negative impacts of a casino would result in an increase in costs to the taxpayers, I urged the legislators to revise the Gaming Law to give adjacent municipalities priority when applying for annual grants. I was appointed by Northampton County Council to serve on the Northampton County Gaming Revenue and Economic Redevelopment Authority and was chosen as its Secretary (2010-2012).

Feeling very strongly about preserving our heritage through historical preservation and environmental protection, I have never forgotten Article 1, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, called the Environmental Rights Amendment. I have worked hard to support the beliefs that people have a right to clean air, pure water, and aesthetic values of the environment. I am active in the preservation of the natural, scenic and historic elements of the community.

I am a founding board member and past president of the Saucon Valley Conservancy, Inc., founded in 1993. The organization is dedicated to work in partnership with governmental bodies, community organizations, business groups and concerned citizens. The Conservancy is the major steward of the Michael Heller Homestead which is part of the Heller Homestead Park. During my term as president, the Michael and Margaret Heller House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I structured the Heller Barn Stabilization Project and the first phase, completed in May of 2011, preserved the character defining stone archway and its adjacent walls of the Hell Barn ruins. I was the inspiration of the Saucon Valley Conservancy’s Annual Barn Tours.

I was one of the leading proponents for the Township accepting ownership of the Lutz-Franklin Schoolhouse and the preservation efforts of the Old Mill Bridge which was acquired by the Township. I was a past board member of the Lower Saucon Township Historical Society and currently serve on the Advisory Board. I am supportive of the preservation of Meadows Road Bridge owned by Northampton County. I also favor historic preservation throughout the entire Township, especially along the Delaware & Lehigh Navigation Canal National Heritage Corridor; the Redington Historic District; Applebutter Road Historic District; and the three township owned properties on the National Register of Historic Places: the Ehrhart Mill Historic District / Old Mill Bridge, the Michael Heller Homestead and the Lutz-Franklin Schoolhouse. I supported the Saucon Rail Trail which is now open and enjoyed by many.

Since 1988, I have been involved with all aspects of landfill activities of the Bethlehem Landfill now owned by IESI. I am proud to be a part of a team of Township professionals providing Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) with comprehensive reviews of operations and permit applications on behalf of our Host Community. I am a Council Liaison to the Township’s Landfill Committee which addresses issues regarding groundwater and air degradation and daily and long term impacts around the landfill site. Over the years, a tremendous amount of money has been spent by both state and local levels reviewing incomplete or revised documents for various permit modifications and operational changes at the site. I have taken steps to alleviate this financial burden on the Township by requiring better state coordination and providing testimony to the Citizen’s Advisory Council (CAC) so that the Host Community, other reviewing agencies, and the public can review complete submissions rather than piecemeal submissions.

I was influential in the reorganization of the Ad-Hoc Committee with Lower Saucon Township, Hellertown Borough and the Saucon Valley School District, which, in 2004, led to the founding of a council of governments (COG). The organization, which was formed as the “Saucon Valley Partnership,” was established with the goal of improving the quality of life for residents of the Saucon Valley area in the face of increasing pressures due to economic and population growth. I currently chair this Partnership which works together as a group to build stronger relationships and pursue strategies that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of municipal services to save tax dollars. The Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan, approved in 2009, was one of our joint ventures as well as the Saucon Valley Compost Center which is well liked by residents.

During the years 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, I was appointed by township council to serve as President and in 2006, was appointed by township council to serve as Vice President.

I have served on various Township committees: Audit Committee, Saucon Valley School District's Facilities Surplus Properties Task Force Committee, and Ad Hoc Committee with Hellertown, the Ad Hoc Committee with the Fire Companies. I was appointed by council to serve as council liaison to the Township’s Pension Committee, the Saucon Valley Conservancy and the Landfill Committee and is the township’s representative on the Hellertown / Lower Saucon Council of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Board.

In recognition for my dedication and years of service to the Hellertown / Lower Saucon communities, the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Council of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce honored me with the Distinguish Service Award in 2006.

Since 2007, I have been a board member of the Historic Barn & Farm Foundation of Pennsylvania and am currently serving as vice president. I work with a group of enthusiastic people preserving and protecting our historic barns in Pennsylvania. In 2013, I chaired the HBFF annual meeting and historic Saucon Valley Barn Tour.

I co-founded the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Association of the Lehigh Valley in 1992 to help sufferers make informed decisions regarding their health care. I was very proactive and lobbied at the state and federal levels for increased CFS awareness and funding for many years. From 1995 to 2000 I served two terms as a member of the Board of Directors of The Solve ME/CFS Initiative, formerly The Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Association of America, Inc., the nation's leading 501(c) 3 charitable organization dedicated to conquering CFIDS by supporting education, public policy and research programs.

I love living in the Saucon Valley and find it very rewarding serving the residents and volunteering in the community.

Councilwoman Priscilla deLeon Lower Saucon Township

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Published in the Saucon Source for November 3, 2015 General Election

http://sauconsource.com/

LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP COUNCIL CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE:

Name: Priscilla deLeon

Age: 66

Experience (100-word limit, but you may provide a link to a webpage with additional information):

· Lower Saucon Council, 28 years;

· Distinguish Service Award by Hellertown Lower Saucon Chamber of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber (2006)

· Community Service Award by Saucon Valley Community Center (2014)

· Board Member of: Saucon Valley Partnership, Saucon Valley Conservancy (founding member), Hellertown Lower Saucon Chamber, Historic Barn & Farm Foundation,

Attended numerous conferences and workshops regarding township affairs. Please see website and blog for other accomplishments, etc.

Website/Facebook Page (if you have one):

https://www.facebook.com/citizensforlspreservation/

http://councilwomanpriscilladeleon.blogspot.com/

Question 1: Why are you running for Lower Saucon Township Council?

It has been a privilege to serve the residents of Lower Saucon Township. My reasons for serving have not changed. I ran for Council in 1987 because of my concerns about residents’ quality of life and the environment. I feel that controlled commercial growth is important to maintaining a viable tax base, but not at the expense of the health and welfare of the entire community. I am committed to being available to listen and respond to the residents’ needs and respecting their rights when making decisions. I will continue to insist on a more responsive government. I am aggressive in the enactment of laws and policies that will protect those rights and improve quality of life. Preserving our sense of place is very important in keeping us unique. Preserving the rural characteristics of our Township is a must.

Question 2: Based on your knowledge of the most recent proposal, if you had to vote on the matter today, would you support rezoning the land to the west of IESI Bethlehem Landfill to light industrial--a zoning change that would allow the facility to implement its proposed western expansion plan?

Please explain why you would vote yes or no.

NO. I oppose the landfill expansion outside the Light-Agricultural Zone into the Rural Agricultural Zone. When IESI purchased the existing landfill from Eastern Environmental most of the land to the west was already zoned RA (rural agriculture).

Please ask yourself how you would feel if a business wanted to expand a commercial or industrial business next to your home which is zoned rural agriculture. Lower Saucon Township is a zoned community and we should respect the planning and expectations of residents that live within the various zoning districts in the Township.

Economic development is crucial to our township so long as it serves our needs. When considering changes, I will balance your needs and expectations with those of your neighborhood and the entire community. Businesses would need to bring long term benefits, help maintain low taxes, respect our heritage, and protect our environment. We want our businesses to be neighbors we can trust and count on to serve all residents’ needs.

Question 3: Lower Saucon Township Council has adopted a resolution opposing the proposed PennEast natural gas pipeline. Explain why you believe the pipeline would be bad for LST.

I am opposed to the PennEast Pipeline and voted in favor of Resolution #32-2015 opposing the construction of the proposed PennEast Pipeline through Lower Saucon Township. The PennEast Pipeline Company, LLC is a limited liability company which may exposed property owners to consequences of pipeline damage. The township has kept all the documents sent to township by PennEast in one location to stay informed. http://www.lowersaucontownship.org/penneast/pefiling.pdf

The proposed pipeline is approximately 108 miles in length and consists of a 36 inch diameter pipe crosses about one and one-half miles of Lower Saucon and includes the Hellertown Lateral which is approximately a 2.1 mile, 24 inch diameter new pipeline. In my opinion, it will negatively impact the residents all along the route. PennEast has provided no offer of continued compensation for its ongoing use of our land. We have not received any offers by PennEast to provide training and additional equipment to our emergency personnel who will need to respond to any emergency caused by the pipeline.

One of my concerns are property values and possible decreased taxes paid to the County, Township and School District because of decreased property value. I will continue to do whatever I can to help those residents and oppose this or any pipeline.

“It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.” Ansel Adams

Question 4: What do you believe is the most important issue facing Lower Saucon Township today and why?

I always insist on a detailed budget to maximize the efficiency of your tax dollars through approved expenditures, I continue to look for ways to maintain our tax base without losing services, such as applying for private and government grants. I supported the creation of the Economic Development Task Force with a goal of increasing the Township’s tax base and employment opportunities.http://www.lowersaucontownship.org/pdf/2016draft.pdf

Silver Creek Country Club has requested a zoning change to allow townhouses on three tracts with the rest of the land deed restricted open space in perpetuity and the rest maintained as a golf course. The proposed zoning amendments are being reviewed by the Township. http://www.lowersaucontownship.org/pdf/silverland.pdf

The remaining undeveloped land in this township is very attractive to developers. We cannot jeopardize quality of life of our residents under the guise of favoring commercial development.

Progress Waste Solutions (IESI PA Bethlehem Landfill), based in Canada, has submitted “Southeastern Realignment” (SER) Expansion plans to the Township and PADEP. This does NOT include the land to the west of the landfill. The property on the Southeastern side is within the zoned Light Industrial that allows landfills. According to submitted documents for the SER expansion, the landfill will provide approximately 11 jobs. I am not opposed to the SER expansion because the area is already zoned to allow landfill use in the “Light Manufacturing” zoning district. I will not oppose the application unless it fails to meet all applicable regulations. http://www.lowersaucontownship.org/expansion.html

PennEast Pipeline – see above

CLOSING STATEMENT (250-word limit): This is your opportunity to speak directly to the voters of Lower Saucon Township about why you believe you are deserving of their vote on Nov. 3.

I would like to ask that you vote for me on November 3. You can count on me to stay on top of all the issues and continue to ask questions insisting on a more responsive government. I have and always will make serving the Township one of my top priorities. I have and will continue to make myself available to everyone who was questions and concerns. I have and will continue to spend countless hours reviewing documents and learning about the complex issues within our Township. I promise to be fair and wication.

I am very dedicated listening to your needs and respecting your rights when making decisions. I am aggressive in the enactment of laws and policies that protect those rights and improve your quality of life. I am not afraid to speak up for our rights. I am not a rubber stamp, and I feel preserving our sense of place is very important and keeping us unique while preserving our rural characteristics is a must.

It is very important for the residents to get involved by not only exercising their right to vote, but by attending council meetings and to providing valuable information which will help your elected officials who make informed decisions. Council represents the people, and I welcome and encourage community involvement. I am always available to work with the residents and to offer solutions and provide guidance through a common sense approach. In my many years on Council, I have tried to make certain that residents are treated fairly and consistently and have never forgotten the feelings and questions I had sitting in the audience. Because of that, I try to be helpful to those calling seeking my help and advice. I have recently attended township meetings, sitting in the audience watching the board members deliberate, ask questions and listen to residents speak. I feel there should be more information available to the residents regarding agenda items on all our boards and will work to make that information readily available on the website, etc.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you. No business or special interest group contributed to my campaign.

Priscilla deLeon

Published in the Valley Voice, May 15, 2015

A Chance to Learn Who Is Running & Their Views

Seven candidates seek three Lower Saucon Township Council seats. All candidates were invited to submit their views on these five questions.

1) What motivates you to serve on Lower Saucon Township Council?

It has been an honor and privilege to serve the residents of Lower Saucon Township. My reasons for serving have not changed. I ran for Council in 1987 because of my concerns about residents’ quality of life and the environment. I feel that controlled commercial growth is important to maintaining a viable tax base, but not at the expense of the health and welfare of the entire community. I am committed to being available to listen and respond to the residents’ needs and respecting their rights when making decisions. I will continue to insist on a more responsive government. I am aggressive in the enactment of laws and policies that will protect those rights and improve quality of life. Preserving our sense of place is very important in keeping us unique. Preserving the rural characteristics is a must.

2) Are there programs or parts of the township budget that you believe should be reduced or eliminated to save money?

I believe the police and municipal employees provide a valuable service to the township; however, I believe they should contribute towards the cost of their health insurance premium. A typical resident pays a portion, is not all, on their health insurance. Currently, the police and municipal employees contribute nothing towards their health premium - both single and dependent coverage. However, January 1, 2016, the police will begin to pay $10.00 per month for dependents and $20.00 per month in January 2017. The municipal employees will continue to contribute nothing towards their dependents until a new agreement is reached. I voted NO against the current police contract and I will vote against the municipal employees’ contract until there is some provision for them to start contributing towards single coverage at a rate that is similar to what a typical resident in the township pays.

3) With sinkholes forming lately on Easton Road and ‘The Narrows’ section of Riverside Drive, several other township roads need of overhauls or safety upgrades. How will you push for improvements to township-owned and state-owned roads in Lower Saucon?

I will continue to be responsive to complaints regarding all township and state roads and push for improvements where necessary. In the past, PennDot has responded favorably to the township’s request for a study of Flint Hill Road and other roads in the township.

The Public Works is charged with maintaining all Township roads, facilities, and Township property. They plow and maintain approximately 87 miles of roads within the township. The Public Works department posts various schedules and road projects on the website to inform residents.

4) Many Steel City residents have attended council meetings for more than two years, calling for change regarding odors in their section of the township. Many have said they favor closure of IESI Landfill, telling council to stop endorsing expansion. Do you support or oppose such an idea? What will you do to push state and federal agencies to order and enforce notices of violations for companies that create nuisances by allowing odors to continuously drift over their property lines.

Every property owner has a right to develop their property according to zoning. IESI has submitted a permit application to PADEP for the Southeast Realignment Expansion to expand approximately 29 acres within the Light Industrial (LI) zoning district that currently allows for waste disposal in accordance with current zoning. To date no application has been filed with the township. Depending on daily tonnage amounts, the currently approved Phase IV operating area has a remaining life of approximately 1 year of space. If the Realignment Expansion is approved by all regulatory agencies, will provide approximately another 5.5 years. IESI was aware of the zoning when they purchased the site and bought the surrounding properties.

In addition, I am not in favor of changing zoning to allow a landfill expansion beyond this current application to expand into the Rural Agricultural (RA) zoning district. That would further pose these harms to our residents for years to come.

I will continue to insist that state and federal agencies protect our residents and to work hard to support the belief that people have a right to clean air, pure water, and aesthetic values of the environment.

5) In April, more than 30 acres of Lower Saucon woodlands were scorched in wildfires caused by carelessness. In the past, Lower Saucon Council has debated an open burn ban. As brush fires seem to have increased the past five years, is it time to again debate a burn ban, why or why not? Do you support or oppose a burn ban?

Residents need to think about safety and exercise caution when burning. Most of these fires have been caused by carelessness. We live in a rural community and we have yard waste. I urge residents to recycle and use the Saucon Valley Compost Center if possible.

In 2002, Council voted to revise the Nuisance Ordinance to prohibit the burning of certain materials (Ordinance #2002-11). Solicitor Treadwell said the revisions met his approval. The majority of residents did not want a burn ban.

If the ordinance is not working, I would like to hear that from residents and will look into it.

This was published in the Saucon Source for the Primary Election - May 19, 2015.

Saucon Source requested that each candidate submit a position statement that includes information about about why they’re running for office along with information about their background, educational/professional experience, involvement in community affairs and volunteer experience. Each candidate was also asked to answer this question: What do you believe is the most important issue facing Lower Saucon Township, and how do you plan to address it if elected?

POSITION STATEMENT

I was elected to Lower Saucon Council in 1987.

The most important issue at this point is preserving quality of life for our residents!

I will continue to stay on top of all the issues, ask questions to insure a responsive government, and promise to be fair working toward better communication.

Economic development is crucial to our survival. I support commercial development that serves the needs of the Township citizens. I supported the creation of the Economic Development Task Force with a goal of increasing the Township’s tax base and employment opportunities.

Unfortunately, the remaining undeveloped land in this township is very attractive to developers. We cannot jeopardize quality of life of our residents under the guise of favoring commercial development.

I will continue insisting on strict compliance of the comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance of the Township. My focus is on preserving the rural character of this beautiful Township by controlled growth and preservation of open space.

I will not support rezoning that will change our existing comprehensive plan from R20 (1/2 acre minimum), R40 (1 acre), or R80 (2 acre) to UR (urban residential) that would permit the construction of apartment complexes, nor will I support the rezoning of RA (rural agriculture) to light industrial that would permit the expansion of a landfill that was already agreed to have a specific life term.

I will continue to attend meetings and listen to not only our residents, but also residents in neighboring communities that would be impact by proposed changes. For example, I do not support the PennEast Pipeline project.

I will continue to be dedicated to listening to residents’ needs and respecting residents’ rights when making decisions. I am not a rubber stamp. I am aggressive in the enactment of laws and policies that will protect those rights and improve our quality of life. I have supported the acquisition of “open space land” where it served the betterment of the community.

I will encourage residents to actively participate in their township by not only exercising their right to vote, but also by attending council and sub-committee meetings and sharing their concerns about the issues before them, by considering serving on one of the many sub-committees so the same people aren’t serving on all the sub-committees, and by holding the township administration accountable by exercising your “Right to Know”.

As in the past, I have always insist on a detailed budget to insure your tax dollars are spent wisely and I will continue to do so. I will continue to look for ways to maintain our current taxes levels without losing services.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you!

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