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Politics & Government

Six Candidates Vie for Four Seats on Macungie Council

Three are four-year seats. The other is for a two-year term.

It’s hard to explain what’s happened in Macungie Borough politics, but one council candidate took a shot at it.

“I was on borough council a few years ago, and I used to call Macungie another ‘Mayberry RFD,’ ’’ said Linn Walker, who was born in 1942 and has worked at local high-tech companies all his career.

“People used to give me a hard time, saying it was more exciting here than in Mayberry. Well it would be nice if we could get back to Mayberry now.’’

In the last couple of years, Macungie has been more like “Blazing Saddles.”

Here’s just a taste of it in recent months:

*Macungie Police Chief Edward Harry Jr. was given the OK to live in Hazleton, four years after he was hired.

* Five borough council members wrote a letter backing police Chief Harry -- and not Mayor Rick Hoffman.

*  Macungie may need to raise property taxes 17 percent  to close a large budget gap.

Debra A. Cope, born in 1957, is the only candidate for Macungie Borough Council to be on both the Democratic and Republican ticket thanks to a strong showing in the primary. She’s running for one of three seats in a four-year term in the Nov. 8 general election.

“The major issue facing the borough is the ongoing conflict between the mayor, council and the police department,“ she told the League of Women Voters. “It’s like we’re frozen in time and can’t move forward…’’

Guy Ramsey, the current council president is a Democrat who would like to see more competition for his council spot.

Ramsey, born in 1954, works at R&D Circuits Assembly in Allentown, and says he like to see more qualified people interested in improving Macungie. He‘s in his fourth year with council.

Christopher T. Becker, who didn’t disclose his birth date, has been a professional estimator for 30 years.
A Republican, he has been a member of the township zoning board and of the Macungie sidewalk ordinance committee. He’s running for a four-year term.

Gregory A. Hutchison, a Republican,  was born in 1949 and graduated from Emmaus High. He’s worked at Knoll, and was on the township zoning board for 20 years. He’s running for a four-year term.

Walker is a Republican running for a two-year term on the council. He graduated from Milton Hershey School and has been employed at Air Products and Chemicals, Buckeye Partners and Acme Cryogenics.

Kim Sherr, born in 1968 and a Republican, is assistant director of planning and project management for Moravian College. She is currently studying for an MBA at the college and is a write-in candidate for a two-year term.

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