As a 19-year borough resident, former wraparound coordinator in the Catasauqua Area School District, and Realtor, Catasauqua Borough Council candidate Christine Weaver says she knows that a motivated, engaged group of people can do great things.

"I want to give people a reason to live here, shop here and start a business in Catasauqua," she says. "By expanding the business district and exploring new residential development, we can keep our taxes low, attract shops, cafes, restaurants and artisans and create a thriving, sustainable economic center. We can get back to the business of being a community through effective planning, zoning, code enforcement and a collaborative spirit.

"My first and best lessons were learned growing up in a family of nine," she says. "We taught each other the fine but boisterous art of negotiating, lessons in getting along, and the value of being resourceful."

Weaver says she honed those skills when she worked with the United Way, YMCA, Lehigh and Northampton county service providers, probation officers and teachers to help children and their families succeed. Weaver says she realized the importance of effective teaming and partnerships.

"We simply couldn't get anything done alone and we couldn't be effective without trust, hard work, and cooperation," she says. "We knew we'd never all agree on everything so we endeavored to not let our personal feelings or disappointments get in the way of achieving goals."

Weaver was also involved in mentoring, fundraising, grant writing, and community asset-mapping. She chaired Lincoln Middle School's Success Team to plan school and community events and community service projects.

Weaver says she applies the same collaborative approach to her work as a Realtor.

"It's a joyful but stressful process for clients and it's our job to understand factors affecting property value and to pass that knowledge on to them so they can achieve the best results," she says. "We organize the process, negotiate deals and achieve positive outcomes, working with contractors, lenders, attorneys, planning, zoning, and code enforcement officials."

Weaver says if elected, she will use her knowledge and experience to help the borough maximize the use of resources and to identify new resources. She'll also share information with residents to help them increase their property values.

"I look for the best in people and usually have no trouble finding it," she says. "Without us, there is no Catasauqua."