Voters will be asked to choose four candidates for a four-year term on Emmaus Borough Council.

The candidates include Republicans John F. Belin Jr., Nathan Brown, Chris DeFrain, Lee Ann Gilbert and Jeff Shubzda.

There are no Democrats on the ballot.

The Press asked the candidates the following question: "What makes you uniquely qualified for this position?"

John Belin

Being a resident of Emmaus for the last 18 years, I would use my common-sense judgment in making decisions. I would run the borough budget as I would run my family budget. If there is no money, you don't spend it. As a councilman I would do research before I would vote on any issues. I would do what is right for the entire community not just a few citizens. I would be a breath of fresh air for council. I think it is time for a change. I would work closely with the businesses downtown and the police, fire and ambulance departments as far as response times.

Nathan Brown

What makes me uniquely qualified for the Emmaus Borough council position is the ability to be a leader but yet humbly serve. As a full-time project manager, I need to be be able to complete a project on time and on budget. Being a local elected official for the past eight years, I have learned that there needs to be a healthy balance between maintaining quality of life at a low cost. Keeping the great quality of life up and the cost down is challenging but not impossible. I look forward to serving our community with your support.

Chris DeFrain

I am a certified public accountant and the chief financial officer for a company in the Lehigh Valley. I graduated from Emmaus High School and have been a resident of Emmaus for most of the last 35 years. Emmaus recently made a major building purchase and has many other infrastructure needs in the coming years. I feel that my financial, budgeting and leadership experience can all be valuable to the residents of Emmaus who will be paying for these items. I look forward to helping Emmaus address these challenges.

Lee Ann Gilbert

I love this community. I have been dedicated to this community for many years and have been a volunteer crossing guard for 23 years. I am currently in my fourth term on borough council– the last six years serving as council president. I am chairperson of the borough's public safety committee and serve on the general administration committee and budget and finance committee– the three most involved committees in the borough. I'm dedicated, trustworthy and reliable and have the best interest of the borough at heart. I'm fair and will always do my best to serve the residents.

Jeff Shubzda

I believe my extensive background serving on committees and commissions makes me qualified to serve the borough. Serving the last four years on council, I approach decisions based on obtaining the information on both sides which is one of my strengths. I may not agree but I want to hear what they have to say. I like to hear everyone's point of view on a subject before rendering any decision. Owning and operating a business helps me understand how a business runs with regard to expenses and budgets. Serving the borough for the last four years has been a great experience and I've enjoyed it.