Lower Saucon Race Tally Going Against Landfill

Priscilla deLeon

The Bethlehem Landfill, through  IESI, the corporation that controls the Bethlehem Landfill, has poured $125,200 into the Lower Saucon Council race in an effort to get a Council willing to approve zoning changes for an expansion. It used a a "high-stakes public strategy" firm to pound voters with robo calls, flyers and mail. It wanted to get rid of a bi-partisan anti-landfill slate consisting of Priscilla deLeon (incumbent), Dave Willard (incumbent) and Donna Louder.

They were running for three seats on the board against Sandra Yerger, Tom Maxfield (incumbent)and Gary Gorman.

The landfill appears to have succeeded in getting Sandra Yerger elected, at the expense of Dave Willard.

But two members of the anti-landfill slate have been elected, too.

According to a canvass of the votes in Lower Saucon, conducted by the elections office on Monday afternoon, the votes are as follows:

Donna Louder - 1244
Sandra Yerger - 1175
Priscilla deLeon - 1158
Tom Maxfield - 1153
Dave Willard - 1069
Gary Gorman - 776

The unofficial tally on election night only gave deLeon three votes more than pro-landfill incumbent Tom Maxfield. But it now appears she has five votes more, although elections officials said it was four.

The official results will not be certified until the military ballots come in and are counted.