- South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners has three seats up for election on Nov. 7
- Two Republican incumbents, Jacob Roth and Diane Kelly, are teaming up to campaign with township Public Safety Commission member Chris Peischl
- Only one Democrat is on the ballot: former commissioner Thomas Johns
SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — Four candidates are running for three open seats on the South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners in the Nov. 6 election.
The board is the governing body of the township. It passes laws, makes hiring decisions, adopts the township budget, appoints committee members and more.
South Whitehall's Board of Commissioners has five members. Currently, all are Republicans.
Two Republican incumbents, Jacob Roth and Diane Kelly, are teaming up to campaign with township Public Safety Commission member Chris Peischl, who also is a Republican. They say they have similar priorities and visions for the township.
Former commissioner Thomas Johns is the only Democrat on the ballot. Kelly and Roth also won Democratic nominations through write-in votes.
Commissioner Brad Osborne is not running for re-election. He previously said he wanted to be on the board to ensure the township had a balanced, process-oriented approach to its issues, and that goal now “has largely been achieved.”
Election Day is Nov. 7. Residents can check their voter registration here, and find their polling location here.
Thomas Johns
Johns did not respond to multiple requests for comment for an interview about the general election but was interviewed during the primary election.
He said then that he used to be a Republican, but switched parties because he does not like the direction the party is heading.
Johns previously served on the township Board of Commissioners for eight years, from 2010-18. He owned and operated his own business, Phoenix Construction & Development, for many years and now is partially retired.
Johns said he thinks some members of the current board are not qualified and are all in “lockstep” with each other.
“Right now, this board is not out to look for the best interests of the public,” Johns said.
Johns then said he thinks he is the best person for the board because of his financial background running his company.
He said he disagrees with some of the financial decisions made by the current board and thinks it is “spending money like it’s water.”
“But you'll have people if you look back over years who don't want to do business in South Whitehall because the cost of the engineering is so expensive.”Thomas Johns, candidate for South Whitehall's Board of Commissioners
Johns said he thinks the township should support more industrial development north of Huckleberry Road so the township can get more revenue but also wants to preserve open space whenever possible.
Johns also said he wants to ensure that the board treats every developer fairly and makes it less expensive to develop in South Whitehall.
“They're bringing revenue into your township for you, with the tax base and all that,” Johns said.
“But you'll have people if you look back over years who don't want to do business in South Whitehall because the cost of the engineering is so expensive.”
"Are we going to continue on the positive trajectory that we're on now? Or are we going to go back to the days of unnecessary tax increases, incomplete audits and the board taking actions that just lead to out-of-control development?”South Whitehall Commissioner Jacob Roth
Roth said he does not know Johns personally but that he thinks the township was “not on the right track” when Johns was on the board of commissioners.
“The election is really a choice: Are we going to continue on the positive trajectory that we're on now? Or are we going to go back to the days of unnecessary tax increases, incomplete audits and the board taking actions that just lead to out-of-control development?” Roth said.
Candidate group
Kelly, Peischl and Roth are running individual campaigns but are helping each other with things such as posting signs and canvassing.
Diane Kelly is the president of the board of commissioners and is currently its longest-serving member. She was elected to the board in 2019 amid the height of public discourse about the controversial mixed-use development, Ridge Farms.
Kelly also is a member of the township Planning Commission; she was appointed before becoming commissioner.
Jacob Roth was unanimously appointed to the board in December to fill the vacant seat left by former commissioner Michael Wolk’s resignation.
Roth is a 2020 graduate of Parkland High School. He studied at Penn State University and now attends Villanova University School of Law. He became involved in local politics in 2017 when Ridge Farms first was proposed.
Chris Peischl has served on the township Public Safety Commission for more than 12 years. He has worked in Emergency Management Services for 30 years and has served in several positions in the Greenawalds Fire Company, including firefighter and assistant chief.
“We all have the same vision of open government, maintaining a solid tax base without overdoing development and keeping open spaces."South Whitehall Board of Commissioners candidate Chris Peischl
Kelly, Roth and Peischl all say they share priorities, such as balanced responsible growth, promoting public safety, keeping taxes low and maintaining transparency on the board.
“We all have the same vision of open government, maintaining a solid tax base without overdoing development and keeping open spaces,” Peischl said.
Roth said, “We might not always agree on every single issue, but we have common values and a common vision.
"And we pledge if we're elected to treat each other with respect, both when we agree and disagree on the issues.”
The candidates also all said voters to whom they have spoken have a positive outlook on the way the township is headed.
“Generally, the feedback that I've gotten is that they're pleased with the direction the township is moving," Kelly said. "And multiple residents have shared that they feel their concerns are being addressed promptly when they contact the township."
“It's an important election for local issues. Leaders that we choose make decisions that will affect our community, pretty much on a daily basis."Diane Kelly, president of the Board of Commissioners
All three candidates said they were worried about potential low voter turnout because there are no national elections this year.
“We try to get out to talk to as many people and get mailings out to remind people that, hey, it's still an election,” Peischl said.
“Your votes count. It's one of the few things you get in return for your tax money, is an opportunity to vote for your officials.”
Kelly said, “I'm always hopeful that many of our residents will come out to vote. It's an important election for local issues. Leaders that we choose make decisions that will affect our community, pretty much on a daily basis.
“So I hope our community will come out and vote. It's a good opportunity for them to speak to us and also learn the things that we're dealing with, and vice versa.”
