05/19/2025
To the Residents of Hellertown Borough,
After 16 years on Borough Council—12 of those as your Council President—I’ve taken time to reflect on where we’ve been, what we’ve built, and where we’re going. This reflection hasn’t come lightly. Like many of you, I’ve watched the tone of local government change. But I still believe in this town, and I still believe in the work. That’s why I’ve decided to run for re-election.
When I first joined Council, our parks were rundown, our infrastructure was aging, and we had no real digital presence. Today, we’ve reinvested millions into our community, rebuilt and expanded our parks, and became the first local government in the region to use social media to engage directly with our residents. These weren’t small wins—these were the product of vision, hard work, and teamwork. Together, we transformed this borough into a more connected, accessible, and vibrant place to live.
But we can’t pretend everything is headed in the right direction. A small but vocal group on Council has made personal attacks, constant conflict, and obstruction part of their political brand. Their actions are more about division than direction. They don’t build—they break. And it’s not just frustrating—it’s harmful.
This behavior has created a toxic and demoralizing atmosphere for our borough staff—public servants who come to work each day to serve this community with professionalism and pride. Instead of being supported, they’re often met with micromanagement, second-guessing, and an undercurrent of intimidation that makes it harder for them to do their jobs effectively. That’s not leadership—it’s dysfunction. We should be lifting people up, not tearing them down.
I also want to address the issue of the former police chief—honestly and directly. Yes, we trusted him. He was the Chief of Police—his trust should have been beyond reproach. He fooled every single one of us—from Walnut Street to Cherry Lane. When a chief tells us he’s working on a county-led drug task force investigations, we aren’t privy to the details, nor are we supposed to be. The idea that any mayor or council member is supposed to babysit a sitting police chief is not just foolish—it undermines the structure of law enforcement leadership.
That former chief has since pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to crimes only uncovered after his departure, in a plea deal recommended and agreed to all parties including those who now question the deal, this is the process under our judicial system and that deal made sure he can never do this again to anyone. His actions were his and his alone. Attempts to link others to his conduct are nothing more than calculated deflections—efforts to shift attention away from the disruptive and toxic behavior of those who have sparked police investigations and created ongoing turmoil themselves.
That behavior—the very behavior they deny responsibility for—is the problem. It’s divisive. It’s damaging. And it cannot be the future of our borough.
But let’s not forget what we’ve built. Hellertown is a town of neighbors, families, and volunteers. A place with pride. A place with potential. I believe in this community and the future we can continue to shape together.
I’m running again because I care deeply about this town. I’m running because our progress shouldn’t be derailed by petty politics and personal agendas. I’m running because Hellertown deserves steady, proven leadership—leadership that gets results, not headlines.
If you believe in facts over fear, teamwork over tantrums, and progress over politics—I hope I can count on your support regardless of what party you are registered with.
Let’s keep Hellertown moving forward.
Thomas J. Rieger
President, Hellertown Borough Council
Candidate for Re-Election
