MOUNT CARBON — Last week, a college student stepped forward to take up the mantle of mayor of the Borough of Mount Carbon.
While this is the first time he’s served as a municipal official, Brandon M. Wentz said such community service is in his blood.
“My grandmother was the first female mayor in the history of Mount Carbon,” Wentz, 22, a Democrat, said Monday.
That was Veronica Wentz, 76, of Mount Carbon.
“That was in 1982 or 1983. I only served two years as mayor, then I was on council for a few years,” she said when called for comment Monday night. And she offered her grandson a little advice as he embarks on this adventure: “Keep your thoughts straight. Keep your head on straight. Get a mayor’s manual and just follow the rules.”
“A mayor can be a good mediator between the citizens and the council, to help support the general well being of the public. And, here, we have two streets. We have less than 150 people living here. We have two bars, a pizzeria and a seafood shop. But Mount Carbon is an interesting place and I’d like to maintain it and its culture,” Brandon Wentz said.
In July, the one-time “Youngest Mayor in the U.S.,” Mount Carbon Mayor Jeffrey J. Dunkel, announced his intent to resign after more than 13 years in office. He said he was pursuing career opportunities elsewhere.
A Democrat, Dunkel was first elected in November 2001, when he was 18.
At the reorganization meeting held Jan. 4 at the borough office at 1108 S. Centre St., Dunkel again announced his intention to resign effective Feb. 9. The council accepted his resignation, according to borough solicitor Chris Riedlinger, an attorney from Pottsville.
At the Feb. 9 meeting, Wentz stepped up and announced his intention to fill the mayor’s seat.
“And he was appointed according to the provisions of the Borough Code,” Riedlinger said Friday.
While there are four council seats, only three are filled. The three sitting members of the council were present for that meeting Feb. 9, Karyn Chillemi, Jennifer Raess and Michelle Stephenson, Riedlinger said.
Then Susan B. McCord, the borough secretary, who is also a notary, administered the oath of office.
“Pursuant to the provisions of the Borough Code, he’ll serve until the first Monday in January following the next municipal election. The next municipal election is November 2017. So his current term will go to the first Monday in January 2018. So the mayor position will have to be on the ballot in that November 2017 election,” Riedlinger said.
The next borough council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. March 8.
Born in Mount Carbon, Sept. 5, 1993, he is the son of Janel M. Firestone, Mount Carbon, who was once a borough council member, and Tim Dowd, Mahanoy City. He has a stepfather, Tim Firestone, Mount Carbon. And he has a younger brother, Trent, 12.
He graduated from Pottsville Area High School in 2012 and is a junior at Kutztown University. He plans to graduate in spring 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in professional writing and a minor in literature.
Looking ahead to a career, he said, “I’d like to write for some publication, maybe a newspaper or a magazine. With how everything is going online, I can see myself contributing to a website, or getting published in online journals.”
His favorite books include “Big Sur” by Jack Kerouac, “The Rum Diary” by Hunter S. Thompson and “Invisible Monsters” by Chuck Palahniuk.
He works part-time at the Pearl Stadium 8 at the Schuylkill Mall, Frackville. Being mayor will pay him $22 per month.
Looking ahead, Brandon Wentz said: “I’d like to increase the voter turnout in Mount Carbon. I’m not sure what that is. But I’d like to have everyone in the borough who’s of age to vote voting. And I’d like to increase the borough’s budget by doing fundraising.”