Blogger's Note: There are seven members of Bethlehem City Council. The seats held by Grace Crampsie Smith, Hillary Kwiatek, Rachel Leon and Kiera Wilhelm expire at the end of this year.
Cantelmi is a Freedom High School graduate whose career has included editorial positions for business trade publications, including Women's Wear Daily (WWD) in New York City. After returning to Bethlehem in the early 90s to raise a family, Cantelmi became a popular weekly columnist for The Morning Call, a freelance feature writer for national and local publications, and a public relations consultant.
Small business development will be a leading platform for Cantelmi, the granddaughter of the founder of a century-old South Bethlehem retailer. "Small businesses are essential to the local economy—they bring a unique character, provide essential local services, and create a sense of community," she says.
Additionally, the candidate supports the following platforms.
Affordable Housing: Advocate policies to increase affordable housing options for residents.
Arts and Culture: Promote current programs and encourage the development of new programs to enrich the lives of people of all ages city-wide.
Economic Development: Support local businesses and attract new investments to boost the local economy.
Public Safety: Enhance public safety measures, including pedestrian and bicycle safety; police and fire support.
Environmental Sustainability: Implement eco-friendly policies to protect the environment. Promote our Tree City USA designation; boost awareness of tree care and the city's shade tree ordinance.
Infrastructure Improvement: Maintain and improve local infrastructure - roads, bridges, parks, and public facilities.
Education Support: Collaborate with local educational institutions to support quality education for all residents.
History and Tourism: Promote and protect the city's rich cultural heritage. Invest in improving tourism services, such as public rest areas, to attract additional tourism revenues year-round.
Health and Wellness: Promote health and wellness programs to improve the community's overall well-being.
Fiscal Responsibility: Ensure responsible budgeting and financial management to maintain the city's fiscal health.
"Our neighborhoods are highly distinctive, with deep histories, diverse ethnicities, beautiful architecture, trees, and waterways. Bethlehem is a precious place to live. I believe in protecting and enhancing our city as we grow into the future," sums the candidate.
Cantelmi earned a B.F.A. from The New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred, New York. She continued her studies at The Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC, where she later served as an adjunct professor.
For the past decade, Cantelmi has provided communications and event planning for the Judith Adele Agentis Charitable Foundation, a small Bethlehem-based non-profit dedicated to providing nourishing meals for families at hospice in addition to establishing the Judith Adele Agentis Education Fund and the first Palliative Care Fellowship in Pennsylvania at St. Luke's Hospital.
Cantelmi lives in Bethlehem with her husband, Robert Agentis. They have three daughters and four grandchildren. In her spare time, Cantelmi often creates large, lively, contemporary abstract paintings.
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