Patch Readers Question L. Saucon Council Candidate's Absence

In comments recently posted to the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Patch "Boards," several readers have questioned the extended absence from meetings and possible ill health of Lower Saucon Township Council president Glenn Kern, who is running for re-election.

Under "Speak Out," a reader posting under the email address corkylie@verizon.net said this week that transparency is needed in light of the upcoming Nov. 5 election.

"It's been reported he is ill and unable to attend council meetings due to his illness. As a private citizen he has the right to his medical privacy, but as a councilman serving our local government, we as constituents need to consider before voting on Nov. 5 if his absence due to his medical condition will negatively affect his ability to fulfill his duties as councilman now or in the future. It goes without saying he is wished well, but should he be running for an 'ACTIVE' seat on council or resigning due to medical reasons?" the poster wrote.

"The people have a right to know whether or not a candidate is in good enough health to be able to carry out his or her responsibilities," agreed a commenter posting under the name Thunder Buddy. "That goes for any candidate in any election. Mr. Kern hasn’t been at a council meeting for months and I haven’t heard anything about if or when he’ll be back, so I think it’s fair and appropriate to raise questions about his ability to serve going forward."

Other comments posted in the thread express support for Kern, and question the motives of anyone who would want to draw attention to his absence.

"Of course he plans on being there, why else would he run?" wrote Mike E. "He has been there for the community in a big way for many years! His opposition must be getting desperate to stoop this low."

According to meeting minutes published on the Lower Saucon Township website, the last council meeting Kern attended was on June 19.

There has been no official statement from council, the township or Kern about his absence in the intervening months, or when he is expected to return.

A publicly visible message posted last month on Kern's Facebook page references a discharge from St. Luke's Hospital on Sept. 9, as well as a hearing loss he was reportedly suffering at the time.

Supportive comments from friends posted on the Facebook page offered Kern encouragement during his recovery.

Kern is running for re-election as part of a team that includes fellow incumbent council member Ron Horiszny.

A campaign website details their positions on various issues, as well as their experience.

Kern's biography posted on the site states that he is president of Integrity AV Designs Inc., a former township planning commission member, a husband, a father of two college-age children and a coach for the Saucon Valley High School golf team.

Kern and Horiszny are being challenged by Donna Louder, a township resident and landfill committee member who has been outspoken in her opposition to the proposed expansion of IESI Bethlehem Landfill.

Council has yet to vote on whether or not to approve the expansion, which has been discussed and debated publicly at various meetings and hearings for the past 20 months.

What do you think? Do candidates running for election or re-election have an obligation to appear in public or offer an explanation if they do not, regardless of personal circumstances? Tell us in the comments.

Photo: Lower Saucon Township Council president Glenn Kern (Patch file photo)