GENERAL ELECTION 2011 IN MY OPINION---

IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, THE TWO INCUMBENTS LISTED ABOVE, MARVIN MANN II AND DAVID S. ROYER, CONSIDERING THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY, DESERVE TO BE RETURNED TO OFFICE IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS.  MATT RECKER, A TOTAL NEWCOMER, SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN, TO APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHT HE HAS GAINED WHILE SERVING AS A LEGISLATIVE AIDE TO OUR CURRENT PA STATE LEGISLATOR IN THE 133RD DISTRICT DURING THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

EVERY ELECTION IS IMPORTANT TO A COMMUNITY.  THE 2011 GENERAL ELECTION IS IS EVEN MORE SO IF COPLAY IS TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD.  IT IS ONLY TWO MONTHS SHY OF THREE YEARS SINCE A YOUNG LADY, WHO WAS SERVING ON COUNCIL AT THAT TIME, MADE A MOTION TO PLACE MARVIN MANN'S NAME IN NOMINATION FOR THE POSITION OF COPLAY BOROUGH COUNCIL PRESIDENT.  IN MY OPINION, THAT LADY COUNCIL MEMBER HELPED STEER COPLAY COUNCIL GOVERNMENT IN A NEW DIRECTION.  WITH MARVIN MANN'S LEADERSHIP, WORKING COOPERATIVELY WITH OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE FIND OUR COMMUNITY IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE AT THIS TIME. ROSE ALLEY WAS TOTALLY REPAVED AND SO WAS ALL OF 7TH St.  A SHADE TREE COMMISSION THAT BECAME INEFFECTIVE PRIOR TO 2008 (NO FAULT OF THE PEOPLE SERVING IN THAT CAPACITY) BECAUSE OF BEING UNDERFUNDED BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION. AND IT IS THE SAME COUNCIL GROUP THAT ELIMINATED THE 50/50 TREE REMOVAL AND SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT COST THAT WAS SHARED BY THE BOROUGH AND THE HOMEOWNERS.  THIS WAS CHANGED WHEN MARVIN MANN FORMED A COUNCIL SHADE TREE ADVISORY BOARD MADE UP OF CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBERS.  THEY QUIETLY IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM TREES AND SIDEWALKS IN TOWN, PUT TOGETHER A PRIORITY LIST, AND HAD THE BOROUGH WORK FORCE REMOVE THE TREES AND REPLACE THE SIDEWALKS ----  AT NO COST TO THE HOMEOWNERS.  "NO COST !!!"  IN ADDITION, THE BOROUGH HAS ACQUIRED A NEW CRUISER CAR, A NEW FIRE TRUCK AND ADDED A NEW SANITATION TRUCK WITH LARGER CAPACITY,  WHICH WILL BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN THE SANITATION BUDGET.  DURING THIS SAME PERIOD, A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WAS FORMED, PUBLIC HEARINGS HELD, ADJUSTMENTS MADE AND THE PLAN ENACTED.  THERE WAS A DIVISIVE ISSUE IN THE COMMUNITY SINCE 2004, WHICH RESULTED IN A COURT COST EXCEEDING A REPORTED $30,000.00 BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION AND THIS ALSO WAS RESOLVED AFTER THE COURTS RULED THAT THE COPLAY FIRE CO.  BUILDING WAS INDEED OWNED BY COPLAY FIRE CO. NO. 1, AND THIS ORGANIZATION, FACED WITH A DEBT AND AN EXTENSIVE REPAIR BILL, DEEDED THE TOTAL PROPERTY AT 165 CHERRY ST. TO THE BOROUGH OF COPLAY. THE BUDGET PRESENTED A YEAR AGO FOR THE YEAR 2011 WAS ALMOST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. 

THERE WAS NO PROPERTY TAX INCREASE AND NO SANITATION (GARBAGE) TAX INCREASE. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT I MAY HAVE MISSED OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THIS BOROUGH COUNCIL AND FOR THAT I HUMBLY APOLOGIZE. I MAY BE BLINDED BY THE LOVE OF OUR COMMUNITY.  PLEASE VOTE ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 8TH, 2011.  MAKE COPLAY A WINNER!!! 

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.

I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT MENTION THAT COPLAY ALSO HAS A GENTLEMAN ON THE BALLOT FOR THE WHITEHALL/COPLAY DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD.  HE HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN VARIOUS APPOINTIVE POSITIONS IN THE BOROUGH OF COPLAY FOR MANY YEARS AND TRULY DESERVES YOUR CONSIDERATION ON NOV. 8, 2011

PLEASE VOTE FOR RONALD HELMAN, SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR.

ON THE LEHIGH COUNTY LEVEL:
RONALD ROSSI FOR SHERIFF - HELP HIM TO CONTINUE TO SERVE US.
TOM SLONAKER FOR COUNTY CONTROLLER

THERE IS A FOURTH INDIVIDUAL RUNNING FOR COPLAY BOROUGH COUNCIL.  AT THIS TIME, I AM NOT GOING TO DISCUSS HIS CANDIDACY, BUT I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO POSSIBLY REASSESS THIS DECISION PRIOR TO THE GENERAL ELECTION.