EARLY RETURNS PUT SILEO, SMITH AND HEARNS AHEAD.

Byline: CHARLES F. BOSTWICK Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Vice Mayor Henry Hearns was leading the race for mayor and Councilman Ed Sileo and Planning Commission Chairman Ron Smith were ahead for two council seats, according to early returns Tuesday night.

With Mayor Frank Roberts opting against seeking a sixth turn, Hearns was in front of the six-candidate field that also included Peter B. Ware, Gene Gaynor, David Paul, Douglas Sichley and Irv Mitchell.

Sileo and Smith were ahead in the 10-person race for Sileo's and Hearns' council seats.

The other council candidates were Nellie Tillman, Janette Crawford, Barry White, Kenneth Williams, Roger Price, David Abber, James Abadejos and James Young.

Population growth, crime and community involvement were among the issues in the election - with Hearns, Sileo and Smith saying city officials are working on all three fronts, while the challengers said new blood is needed.

The strongest attacks against the current city government came from mayoral candidate Gaynor, who ran unsuccessfully against Roberts in 2004 and 2002, and from council candidate Abber, who ran for mayor in 2000 and 2002.

development. Gaynor also said the city has not done enough to fight crime and that the morale of its residents has fallen.

The mayor's post, a two-year term position, carries the same powers as a council position, but the mayor also chairs City Council meetings, signs documents on behalf of the city and serves as the city's chief spokesman.

Council members serve four-year terms.

Charles F. Bostwick, [phone] chuck.bostwick(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

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(1) Lancaster mayor

(2) Lancaster City Council