Local resident Jeffrey Dutt has announced his candidacy for Whitehall Township Commissioner.

"Whitehall is already a great place to live, but can be made even better with specific types of improvements within the community," Dutt said.

Dutt said he feels the township needs to become more cohesive and welcoming to new businesses. He also believes that taxes need to be maintained at a reasonable level for residents and employers.

Several ideas Dutt is proposing involve creating a local community center for residents, developing solutions to entice people to purchase difficult to sell properties, such as the former Lehigh Valley Dairy. He also is proposing an increase in communication with residents through town hall meetings that will give residents a forum to voice their concerns and opinions. In addition, Dutt would like to see tax incentives put in place that would attract new businesses to the area.

Dutt's years of experience as a teacher at both William Allen High School and Lehigh Carbon Community College have helped him develop a strong skill set in terms of creative problem solving, organization and effective communication. He was also part of the REACH board of directors at LCCC, which positively impacted the instruction of education classes on campus. He has devoted the last year and a half to sponsoring a student run a cappella group at William Allen High School, and has assisted these performers in developing a positive reputation within the school district and beyond.

Dutt is a lifelong resident of the township and a graduate of Whitehall High School. He received his bachelor's in social work from Mansfield University in 1990 and his master's in special education from Lehigh University in 1993. He has been married for 22 years.