Eight people are seeking four seats on Coplay Borough Council. Each seat comes with a four-year term.

Democratic voters get to vote for four people who will advance to the November ballot.

Only one candidate, Mel Procanyn, is running on the Republican ticket and will advance to the November ballot.

Originally, nine candidates announced their intention to run for council. However, Democrat Sherry Maikits has pulled out of the race.

Lou Bodish

Incumbent Lou Bodish is currently council president. A lifelong Coplay resident, he has worked 26 years for General Supply Co. and more than three years with MRD Lumber, Orwigsburg. He also worked for the borough from 1975 to 1979.

He is a life member of the American Club of Coplay and the Sons of Legionaires, Coplay Post 426. He is a member of the Coplay Athletic Club, which was founded by his father. He served as an officer in all positions, including president.

"I like to give something back to the community," said Bodish, whose father also served on council.

Bodish said he tries to do what's right for everyone but that's difficult because people don't always agree.

He wants to see the borough continue to avoid wasteful spending and develop some cash reserves in case of emergency, he said.

He also wants to maintain the best fire and police departments "because that's what the people deserve in this borough."

Steve Burker

Incumbent Steve Burker was appointed in March to fill the unexpired term of Michael Mazur, who resigned. Burker is now in his third year as chairman of Coplay Community Days, a major fundraiser for Coplay civic groups. Funds raised through the event will provide $17,000 in improvements to the community parkway, marking the first major update since 1971. He is also co-owner of My Angel & Co.

He said he is running "to make a difference. The only way we can move forward is to eliminate finger pointing ... and do the right thing for the people of Coplay," he said. "This means limit politics, power and ego trips and ending vendettas."

Burker said he plans to bring business sense into the decisions made by borough officials and he will foster teamwork.

"You learn more by listening than talking," he said. "People of Coplay, I am listening."

Sophie Kesselring

For more than 20 years, Sophie Kesselring has taught kids ages 3-21 at KidsPeace psychiatric hospital.

She has one daughter, Amanda, who is a junior at Whitehall High School, and three dogs Churro, Tinker Bell and Ginger.

Kesselring is seeking elected office because she wants to become more involved and make changes. She is concerned about senior citizens, some of whom have a difficult time getting their grass cut.

She coached a Tri-Boro boys soccer team for two years and wants to get youth more involved in the community. She wants to promote honest government while keeping taxes down.

She is a eucharistic minister at St. Peter's and volunteers with the church's annual homecoming picnic. She is administrative chair of the Coplay Properties of Merit committee and a trustee for the Coplay Democratic Fund.

She and her daughter also volunteer for the "warmth for a friend" coat drive annually at Thanksgiving.

Carl Luckenbach

A lifelong Coplay resident, Carl Luckenbach owns his own contracting company, giving him some management experience. He believes this will be useful on council.

Luckenbach described himself as "straightforward and honest" and said he wants to see "good government." He enjoys working behind the scenes and helping other people.

Bev Miller

Bev Miller is a former Coplay councilwoman, having served 14 years. She was council president from 2004-08. She is a former health board member and chairman of Coplay Community Days. She is treasurer of the Coplay Town Watch, coordinator for Coplay's annual bicycle rodeo and a member of the Saylor Cement Kilns Preservation Society. She has also served as secretary of the Coplay Athletic Club.

She said she sees the biggest issue in Coplay as open government.

"When I was on council before we had long meetings but we got a lot done and people knew what was going on," she said.

Residents are most affected by local politics. This is also where residents have the most say.

"I'm very concerned that the borough may lose what few assets we have, the library, pool, Coplay Sports, Legion baseball. We should be working together to enhance these attributes," she said. "The people need a voice and I'm not afraid to be that voice."

Charles Sodl

Incumbent Charles Sodl was appointed to council in September 2012 to fill the unexpired term of Marvin Mann, who resigned.

Sodl retired in 2006 from Bridgestone/ Firestone, where he worked for 45 years both as store manager and store managing partner.

He has been a director of Coplay Sports Inc. for 25 years, served as an officer for Coplay Community Days for 10 years. He is currently chairman of the Coplay Planning Commission.

His slogan is "accountability." He wants to remove politics and make decisions using business practices.

"I have not only emphasized accountability but demonstrated it by reducing expenses for the Coplay Fire Co. as well as upgrading its training by forming a panel ... of neighboring fire chiefs to review and evaluate our fire department," he said.

Jocelyn Wedge

Jocelyn Wedge is the owner of the Friendship Tree in Bath. She also served as manager of the Coplay pool from 2011 to the present. She is also a sales associate at Boscov's.

She is a trustee of the Coplay Democratic Club and a member of the Coplay Town Watch and a member of the park and recreation board.

She wants to promote honest, open government while working to keep taxes low. She also would like to see the Coplay newsletter once again be delivered to all residents of the borough.

Also, among her goals is working to help senior citizens and all residents with whatever concerns they may have.

"Together, we can improve and make a difference in Coplay," she said.

Mel Procanyn

Mel Procanyn is the only Republican candidate for Coplay Borough Council.

He has attended Coplay Borough Council meetings for the past 12 years and believes in a quote by Margaret Thatcher: "There's no such money as public money. There's only taxpayer money."

Procanyn holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and served as a CEO, CFO and financial consultant for various companies before retiring.

He wants to see more financial transparency in the borough and to provide council with the necessary information to make better financial decisions.

"I want the people in Coplay to have transparency and the financial knowledge on a monthly basis of what our expenses are in the borough."

He believes government should be run by the numbers, not by emotions.

He wants to see Coplay keep taxes at the current level and not raise them.

They should know "so they can go to the borough and ask the borough secretary 'what did you spend the money on?'"