Five seats on Norco council up for grabs
Republicans look to gain a majority on Election Day
In the race for Northampton County commissioner, voters will fill five seats in the Nov. 4 election that could flip the majority of county council from a Democratic majority to Republican.
Lori Vargo Heffner, current council president, is the only incumbent Democrat on the council running for reelection as Democrats Ron Heckman and Jeffrey Corpora declined to run for another term.
Heffner appears on the Democratic ticket with David Holland, a political newcomer and nurse practitioner specializing in mental health; Theresa Fadem, a newly appointed zoning official in Hellertown; Jason Boulette, a Wind Gap council member who works in financial services; and Nadeem Qayyum, who worked as a lawyer in his native Pakistan.
Republicans also have a full slate of candidates led by incumbents John P. Goffredo and John Brown along with Bethlehem police officer and business owner Sam Elias, volunteer firefighter and pilot Daniel Campo and restaurant owner Juan E. Martinez.
Democrats have a 6-3 majority on council. That could change to 5-4 Republican, however, if Republicans at the very least capture the positions vacated by Heckman and Corpora and Goffredo and Brown are reelected.
A big item of concern for all candidates is Gracedale, the county nursing home, which has faced staffing shortages and financial problems.
Attracting quality nursing is a priority. Eighty percent of the staff comes from temp agencies, a trend that Goffredo would like to end, but one that he said has been the norm.
“We need to attract quality employees,” he said, discussing the difficulties faced when competing with the private sector for nurses.
“I am deeply concerned for Gracedale,” said Fadem in a recent interview, “especially in light of recent audits and coverage of how funds have been spent and staff shortages. I look forward to working on the county level to ensure full financial transparency and accountability.”
Boulette has faith in the county nursing home’s new administrator, Michelle Morton, who was hired in the spring.
“We have a new administrator at Gracedale who has a wealth of experience and a new plan for moving the nursing home forward. I’m excited to have a reset of relations: a new administrator, a new council, and a new county executive to hopefully decrease some of the hostility and get management of the facility back on a more positive footing,” he said.
“I’m optimistic about the plan to reduce the number of agency nurses,” Boulette said. “I am committed to maintaining Gracedale as county-owned and operated, and I believe we need to pay our staff appropriately for the vital care they provide for the individuals entrusted to us.”
As a commissioner, Heffner has encouraged an independent survey of Gracedale operations to see how it should move forward with services.
JASON BOULETTE — Democrat
Jason Boulette, 44, lives in Wind Gap where he is finishing his first term on borough council. His wife, Vanessa, was born and raised in Northampton County (North Catasauqua) so the pair decided to raise a family there.
Boulette grew up in various places, including Virginia, Delaware, and California. “We moved to Wind Gap because I’ve always loved the mountains, and its proximity to the Appalachian Trail, Jacobsburg, and the Delaware Water Gap, while still being close to historical and cultural amenities in Easton and Bethlehem, appealed to us,” he said.
Boulette graduated from St. Mark’s High School in New Castle County, Delaware, and attended the University of Delaware. He left college when his mother needed help supporting their family, and that’s how he ended up in the banking and finance industry.
Boulette has a vice presidential role at BNY, where he leads a team of programmers as a business systems analyst. He explains his job requires him “to excel at data analysis, finance, project management, and technology.” He said these skills have helped him on borough council and will also apply at the county level.
Boulette said that county council often does not have adequate representation of the Slate Belt and its residents’ concerns.
“A few years back, Northampton County developed a blight plan working with municipal governments countywide,” he said. “Slate Belt leaders pointed to a number of different tools they needed to address this, assistance they needed from the county, including help transitioning paper records to electronic, help setting up vacant property registries, a legal manual, and a program to share code enforcement across multiple municipalities. But I don’t believe progress has been made on those goals.”
He considers himself a proponent of regional planning, something Wind Gap has used.
He cited Plan Slate Belt as one such effort. Boulette said that while other local municipalities are withdrawing from that entity and forming something smaller and focused on a tighter region, he didn’t want to abandon previous investment and progress.
In addition to zoning, traffic and traffic safety are important issues, especially when it comes to new development. Boulette feels PennDOT’s traffic study requirements are not strong enough.
Another major issue on the county level, according to Boulette, is the need for affordable housing.
He also stated that he was the only Wind Gap council member to vote against rezoning farmland so that the Grand Central Sanitation landfill could expand. Waste Management asked the council for a letter of support.
“It was a difficult vote to take, because Waste Management contributes a considerable amount of money to our budget, and the landfill’s operations allow for the continued funding of the Green Knight Economic Development Corp., which offers a ton of support to the school district and area businesses and nonprofits. But I heard from a lot of residents who felt that even with the money the landfill brings in, it’s not worth the degradation of their quality of life.”
JOHN BROWN — Republican, incumbent
Brown, 64, served one term as Northampton County executive, before losing his reelection bid to Lamont McClure in 2017. In 2021, he was elected to county council and is seeking reelection to a second term.
Before he was elected county executive, he served as mayor of Bangor. In 2016, he was the Republican nominee for auditor general and lost to Democrat Eugene DePasquale. In 2022, he ran for lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania and lost the primary.
In his current role on county council, he is a member of the human services committee, governance committee, finance committee, and capital projects and operations committee. He also serves as the liaison with Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority.
Brown, who has worked in the private sector in business revitalization, has a bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame University. He did not respond to phone or email requests for information.
DANIEL CAMPO — Republican
Daniel Campo, 29, a commercial cargo pilot by trade, left Venezuela at the age of 11 with his family to escape the communist dictatorship and lived in Mexico City, Mexico, before legally coming into the United States and settling in Montgomery Township, N.J.
He moved to Bethlehem Township when his job brought him to Lehigh Valley International Airport.
In December 2022, Campo purchased a home in the city of Bethlehem and “proudly” became a U.S. citizen, he said in a recent email interview. “My journey has given me a deep appreciation for freedom, opportunity, and community,” he said.
Campo considers himself committed to public service, especially with his service as a volunteer firefighter, including stints with Bethlehem Township Volunteer Fire Company and Nancy Run Fire Company. He said on his website that he has “stood shoulder to shoulder with neighbors in times of crisis, and helped families through their hardest days.”
His experience on “the front line” means he knows “what it means when government shows up — and when it doesn’t.”
This, when combined with his experience as a pilot, means he can make smart decisions quickly, keep public safety concerns in the foreground, and maintain discipline and focus with a steady hand, he explained via email.
Campo wants to approach the work of county council with a sense of responsibility and preparation. According to his website, he aims to provide “a local voice for Northampton County” with “integrity, transparency, fiscal responsibility.”
“Transparency means keeping the public informed and involved in the decision making process. Integrity means ensuring that every decision is made honestly and in the best interest of the people, not special interests. Fiscal responsibility means managing taxpayer dollars wisely, focusing on priorities, and eliminating waste,” he said. “Together, these principles create a government that residents can trust and that truly works for them.”
Campo considers one of his greatest assets to be his experience living in three different countries “with very different systems of government,” and while traveling extensively, he has seen “many ways that nations approach leadership and problem-solving,” he said.
There are five key issues in this election, Campo said. First, taxpayers deserve accountability — “especially for money that has been going missing or misallocated,” he said. “Second, employee morale in county government is at an all-time low, which affects services for residents. Third, Gracedale Nursing Home is falling apart and desperately needs real leadership. Fourth, the sheriff’s office cannot fully do its job because it is under the direct control of the county executive, limiting its independence.”
He added in his email interview, “Finally, the county’s rainy-day fund has been wasted instead of being responsibly managed for emergencies. These issues must be addressed to restore trust, stability, and efficiency on county government.”
Campo graduated magna cum laude from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide Campus with a bachelor’s of science in aviation, while working full time. “This experience taught me the value of hard work, time management, and perseverance — qualities I bring to serving our community,” he said.
He currently flies Boeing 747s around the world. He has worked for two cargo airlines and has piloted a private jet.
SAM ELIAS — Republican
Sam Elias’ parents came to the United States after emigrating “from a war-torn region” to downtown Easton. As part of a family that “didn’t have much,” Elias and his siblings immersed themselves in sports and activities at St. Anthony’s Youth Center (now Easton Area Community Center).
“The journey my family traveled has taught me the value of community and service,” Elias, 47, said on his website. (Elias did not respond to telephone and email requests for information.) “Those sacrifices shaped who I am today, driving my commitment to giving back and making a difference.”
His parents purchased a home in Forks Township in the early 1990s. He and his wife, Marisa, also bought a home in the same neighborhood “a few blocks from my childhood home” and next door to Marisa’s parents. Elias has six children and “keep[s] faith and family at the heart of everything.”
Elias cites three main areas as the focus of his campaign: strengthen the county workforce by focusing on employee retention and development; repair county facilities; and invest in local communities.
“These efforts will be funded using already allocated budget resources and unobligated funds,” Elias said on his campaign website. “No tax increases, just more responsible use of the funds we already have.”
During the last 20 years, Elias stated, county residents have been “let down by politicians who put themselves first.”
“They’ve built privileged careers by serving wealthy donors and special interests,” he said, “leaving the citizens behind.”
Elias believes that tax dollars have been “wasted on political agendas, culture wars, and social activism.” He said the county needs to focus on declining services, lack of quality affordable housing, and underfunded human services.
“For too long, we’ve watched our representatives lose sight of the basic responsibilities of county government. I’m going to change that. This has to stop,” Elias said on his website. “We need leadership who will focus on practical solutions, not partisan politics.”
As a police officer, Elias has 26 years of public service in the county, currently serving as a police supervisor with the city of Bethlehem. He also has a liberal arts associate’s degree from Northampton Community College.
He has a small business, Sunset Holdings, which specializes in redeveloping real estate.
THERESA FADEM — Democrat
Terri Fadem, 56, who moved to the Lehigh Valley from New Jersey more than 20 years ago, was vice president of Hellertown Council until she resigned from council when she was appointed as borough zoning officer in May.
“My experience as a community manager combined with my deep love for my hometown and my commitment to public service has definitely given me the tools to succeed in this role,” she said.
She has more than 20 years of experience as a real estate manager for community associations where she handles finances, rules and compliance. She believes her professional background and civic involvement will provide “fiscal responsibility and positive community development.”
Fadem lives in Hellertown but has also lived in Easton and Palmer Township.
“Serving on Hellertown Borough Council has … given me a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities our communities face,” she said.
“I’m running for County Council now because I see a real need for strong, experienced leadership at the county level, someone who can advocate for local concerns while making sure the broader decisions reflect the values and priorities of our residents.”
On her Facebook campaign page, she discusses the “power of community,” stating that a “thriving” community means affordable housing, better health care, and sustainable growth.
In her professional life, she sees families struggle to keep a roof over their heads.
“One issue that especially resonates with me is how incredibly difficult it is for a single mother to qualify financially for even a basic two-bedroom apartment,” she said.
If elected to county council, she said she would work with state representatives to implement a cap on rent increases so families are not priced out of their homes overnight.
“I also believe in holding developers accountable,” she said, “whether through incentives or regulations, to ensure that affordable housing is prioritized in new development.”
At the county level, Fadem would like to use strategic zoning and land use policies to prioritize affordable housing.
“I would also push for greater transparency and accountability in how housing assistance funds are distributed. I believe the county can lead by example, whether it’s piloting rent stabilization policies, expanding housing voucher programs, or incentivizing mixed-income developments,” she said.
JOHN PAUL GOFFREDO — Republican, incumbent
Incumbent John P. Goffredo, 37, was born and raised in Northampton County, with his ancestors arriving in Roseto in the Slate Belt in the 1800s.
He first ran for county council four years ago, spurred by the county reaction to the pandemic. He hopes to be reelected because he feels this is a “volatile time” and that he wants to continue to be a part of solutions.
“People are not listening to others,” he said in an interview, “and [are] too quick to see the other side as an enemy. In an era where we have so much social media and news coverage, people are too plugged in.”
Goffredo said too many political leaders are motivated to “get clicks” by “saying the most outrageous things.” He would prefer to “dial the temperature down and move in the direction of sanity.”
He breaks his platform into two parts: priorities for the government itself and priorities for the county as a whole.
“As a government, we need to focus on our core services and ensure we are delivering an excellent product,” Goffredo told Vote411.org.
Council needs to find ways to do this without raising taxes, he said. He would be to listen to county employees about the best way to streamline their departments, not dictate policy from the top down nor to maintain historical patterns of “doing what we’ve always done.”
He believes the county must “make sure we maintain our top-notch court system,” ensure “we have fast, fair, and honest elections;” and “most importantly, mak[e] Gracedale an asset again, not a liability.”
In terms of “outside the government center,” Goffredo said that Northampton County needs “to promote and encourage small business growth.”
Goffredo is the vice president of Nu Cor Management, a construction management, general contracting and carpentry company located in Wind Gap but servicing the Poconos, Slate Belt, and Lehigh Valley.
He would like to “entice new businesses to invest here in the county, and preserve our green spaces and assist our farmers to not only survive but thrive,” he said.
Goffredo, vice president of county council, serves as the current chair of the economic development committee. He is a member of the election integrity committee, the capital projects and operations committee, and the energy, environment and land use committees. He is the liaison to 911 and the county Conservation District.
Goffredo graduated from Pius X Catholic High School in Roseto and attended West Virginia University for civil engineering. He left school during the recession of 2008.
LORI VARGO HEFFNER — Democrat, incumbent
Incumbent Lori Vargo Heffner, the Northampton County Council president, has been a resident of the county for nearly 30 years, most of those in Lower Saucon Township.
“I believe the essence of good government is to be an independent voice and work to ensure a high quality of life for all residents,” she said.
Heffner, 64, is a psychotherapist for St. Luke’s University Health Network. She is a licensed professional counselor in New Jersey and a licensed drug and alcohol counselor in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Heffner holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Moravian College, a master’s degree in counseling from Kutztown University and a master’s degree in adult and organizational development from Temple University.
Her priorities for council include advocating for working-class families. To her, one of the most important issues is the need to focus on human services. With federal shutdowns and budget issues in Harrisburg, Northampton County officials will have to do “everything they can” to continue the “birth-to-death services” offered to residents.
“Do we have enough financial support?” she asked, referring to the current state of affairs as a fiscal crisis. “Will we be able to come back from this? We have an obligation to provide services whether we receive funding or not.”
She has served as council president for four years. She is seeking a third term on council, citing recent successes, such as eight years of no tax increases (and one tax cut) and continued core county services.
But now, she said in a recent phone interview, county council has to be more careful moving money around because a lot of these funds have diminished and there’s no money left for an emergency.
She also would like to see improved morale among county workers. County employees aren’t happy, she said. She’s not sure whether that means finding ways to increase pay, show more appreciation or deliver a better work-life balance.
Northampton County also has to improve their service level on Election Day, Heffner said. “We can’t repeat past debacles,” she said. “There are always grants offered for election-related expenses and we need to look at if we have enough machines and how they are maintained.” (The county’s voting machines improperly tallied votes in a few selected contests in the elections of 2019 and 2023, which required a review of the backup paper summaries to determine the actual vote count.)
As a mental health professional, she would like to improve services in this area.
“I have worked with judicial services to support their service delivery needs and identify ways to collaborate on the statewide mental health population crisis in our prisons,” she said on her website.
Communications remain a big issue for the county, as the county invests in radios and supporting infrastructure; county officials also need to be sure that community first-responders have the money to buy the equipment, which may require collaboration among local, county, state and federal offices.
“These things aren’t sexy,” she said, “but they are important.”
Regardless of who gets elected as county executive or county commissioner in November, Heffner emphasizes that communication needs to improve, and needs to improve as soon as everyone takes office. It’s important for residents to realize that the county executive makes proposals and county council approves the final action.
“We are not a sidekick,” she said. “We’re here to be a voice and representative of the people.”
In addition to her role on county council, she serves on the Discover Lehigh Valley board and is a member of Assumption BVM Catholic Church, where she serves as a lector and on the liturgy board.
DAVID HOLLAND — Democrat
David Holland, 61, who has lived in Bethlehem Township for most of his life, touts his “deep roots in Northampton County” and more than 30 years experience in public health, mental health care and higher education.
His professional background includes time as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, a professor and educator at East Stroudsburg University, Cedar Crest College and Kean University, and a health care administrator and consultant. He previously served as a member of the Quakertown Community School Board, when he lived in Bucks County.
Holland holds a bachelor’s of science in music education from West Chester University, an associate’s degree in nursing from Northampton Community College, a master’s in health care administration from St. Thomas University, a master’s in nursing education from Drexel University, and a Ph.D. in administration and leadership studies from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He also holds a post-master’s certificate as a psychiatric mental health nurse from Wilkes University.
On both his website and in an interview before the primary, Holland said he has the “ability to bring people together, solve complex problems, and create positive change.”
He pledges to be a “voice for all.” He wants to prevent warehouse overexpansion; deal with traffic infrastructure and enforce truck limitations; preserve farmland; modernize the county, especially regarding broadband and digital access; strengthen mental health services and ensure fair elections.
Holland states that the “explosion” of warehouses is “threatening our environment, overloading our roads, and changing the character of our communities.” To combat this, he believes in ending tax incentives for warehouse developers, enforcing truck route regulations, upgrading transportation infrastructure, and creating stronger zoning protections to preserve open space and farmland.
In addition to warehouse traffic and congestion, Holland also sees road deterioration and flooding as threats to county residents’ quality of life and safety. He would like to rebuild roads and bridges where needed, push for better stormwater management to prevent flooding and further damage, and hold developers accountable for infrastructure upgrades needed as part of their plans.
In digital infrastructure, Holland would support a public-private partnership to expand broadband across the county and include free community Wi-Fi zones in his plan.
As a public health advocate, Holland believes mental health care is underfunded and understaffed in the county. He would like to expand crisis intervention programs so that first responders and law enforcement could respond to mental health emergencies effectively.
Holland did not respond to requests for an up-to-date interview before the general election.
JUAN E. MARTINEZ — Republican
Entrepreneur Juan E. Martinez, 44, has remained involved in his community while raising a family and running several businesses. He and his wife and son live in Easton.
Martinez is the founder of Martinez Hospitality. which owns Don Juan Mexican Grill, with five locations in the Lehigh Valley, three in Northampton County. His professional experience includes 14 years of banking in the Lehigh Valley and Chicago, which he credits for giving him the “real-world experience in finance and development” that made his business a success.
He is also a champion for other small business owners, both as the chair of the Restaurant Advocacy Fund of the National Restaurant Association and as a director of First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union. He serves in these roles to help strengthen the economy.
With his experience in business and his academic background, Martinez believes he can bring practical solutions, fiscal responsibility and commitment to county council. He has already built businesses, created local jobs, and empowered others in the community, so now he would like the opportunity to do that at the county level.
Martinez lists his campaign slogan as “Leadership. Accountability. Growth.”
Martinez has a bachelor’s degree from Muhlenberg College and an MBA in finance from DeSales University, He has also participated in advanced studies at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
He did not respond to phone or email requests for information.
NADEEM QAYYUM - Democrat
Nadeem Qayyum, 44, who lives in the Highlands of Easton’s South Side, practiced law in his native Pakistan and has more than 30 years of business management experience, including at Ladybug restaurant, which opened in Phillipsburg, N.J., in 2011 and closed in 2013. In law, he specialized in the prosecution of white-collar crime, something he still does for former clients via virtual proceedings.
On his website, he credits his time at the restaurant for developing his sense of fiscal management and calls himself an “unrivaled expert of balancing budgets” while “maximizing the value of a dollar.”
In an email interview this spring, Qayyum said he has lived in the Lehigh Valley for 25 years, 12 of those in Northampton County. In addition to his professional experiences, he has worked in the warehouse industry and also done professional driving, which he feels gives him a broad perspective of life in the region – “from intellectual to physical work” – and an awareness of the community’s needs.
He holds a master’s of science in administration from the University of Phoenix, as well as two bachelor’s degrees. In 2023, Qayyum ran for county controller and lost in the Democratic primary to Tara Zrinski, who was later elected to the position.
“I earned 9,323 votes. Though I didn’t win, it was a true grassroots effort — I knocked on over 12,000 doors and stayed deeply engaged with voters,” he said.
“Before that I ran for district judge, further strengthening my connection to the people of this county. Those experiences taught me the importance of listening, building trust, and showing up for communities.”
In the Northampton County Council campaign, Qayyum is campaigning on several issues: transparent government, job creation, affordable housing, and climate action/environmental protection. He also pledges to reduce taxes. He considers himself a progressive.
Qayyum bemoans insufficient tax revenue in Pennsylvania and its impact on local life.
“Over the last 15 years, corporate tax cuts have reduced Pennsylvania tax revenue by $3.9 billion a year,” he said. “This means less money for education, environmental protection, infrastructure improvement and development, and other critical services. During the same period of time, middle class property tax rates have gone up.”
Qayyum backs freezing property taxes for seniors and reducing property tax bills by 50% for homeowners making less than $50,000 a year.
Qayyum said he would push the county to pay all contracted workers at least $22 per hour. He proposes requiring installation of solar panels on warehouse roofs to reduce strain on the power grid and mandating electric truck fleets at warehouses to reduce diesel emissions.
He is concerned about the environmental impact on the county with projects like potential Bethlehem Landfill expansion in Lower Saucon Township.
“I oppose this due to its environmental and health risks,” he said. “We need stronger county level reviews, state legislation to limit landfill growth near homes, and renewable energy projects (like solar farms) on degraded land instead.”
He would also like to see the county transition to 100% renewable energy by 2030 and would create a climate task force at the county level.
Another project that Qayyum opposes is the apartments in the former Dixie Cup plant in Wilson. He would like to see the Dixie Cup repurposed into affordable housing and a homeless shelter. All new housing projects should contain 20% affordable units, he said.
Qayyum is married to Taiba Sultana, an Easton council member who lost her bid for reelection in the May Democratic primary. Qayyum did not respond to requests for an up-to-date interview before the general election.
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