Freeport needs a mayor.
James Swartz Jr. served as mayor for 38 years. He stepped down in June.
About three months later, the borough’s executive office is still empty.
Why?
According to Council President Clint Warnick, there haven’t been any qualified applicants.
One could say council needs to be a little less picky. After all, a small-town mayor’s job doesn’t have a lengthy list of specific demands. People are elected to the job all the time with little on their resume besides charm and name recognition. It makes one wonder exactly how unqualified any prospective candidates have been.
“We’re still working through, trying applicants,” Warnick said.
Council had only 30 days to appoint on its own. At this point, the matter has to go to Armstrong County Court for approval.
But that can’t happen until a candidate is put forward. That should happen sooner rather than later.
Warnick said the hope was that one of the council members would take the position, but that hasn’t happened.
Hoping one of the people elected to council will transition to the mayor’s role is not a solution. For one thing, council members have more authority in most situations, which would make it an odd move. Mayors are frequently ceremonial. They get to break ties and can perform weddings. The one thing they do regularly is supervise police.
That doesn’t mean the job can’t be a lot to take. Swartz says he stepped away because of the stress. In recent years, that one aspect has definitely become a challenge. Local police departments are having a tough time filling jobs, too.
But the real issue is one that is seen on ballots where jobs like jury commissioner or constable remain empty and municipalities and nonprofits can scramble to fill committees and find volunteers.
It’s a problem of involvement. There needs to be more of it.
If some people are willing to step up, maybe council should encourage that by not stringing along the process for months.
