Carbon County voters elected a mix of seasoned veterans and newcomers to shake up leadership in the new year.
Jim Thorpe Mayor Michael Sofranko was elected to the board of commissioners, to serve alongside incumbent Commissioner Wayne Nothstein (R) and Commissioner Rocky Ahner (D).
“There’s a lot of fiscal issues in Carbon County right now,” Sofranko said when asked about his goals for the county. “There’s a lot of disgruntled employees, over salaries, over wages, over step process. So we’re going to be sitting down with all the row office holders, department heads, and coming up with a vision as to how we can actually address that.”
Sofranko, who served as mayor for 14 years, and on council for 16 years, said he will resign from his mayoral position and his full-time job at Mack Trucks in Macungie in late December. Jim Thorpe Borough Council will have 30 days to appoint a new mayor.
Jim Thorpe voters re-elected Council Vice President Michael Yeastedt, who cross-filed as Democrat and Republican. Two newcomers, 29-year-old Sydney Wernett (R) and 20-year-old Connor Rodgers (R), will join council in January.
Jim Thorpe's new Borough Council:
| Gregory Strubinger | President | |
| Michael Yeastedt | Vice President | Re-elected in 2023 |
| Joanne Klitsch | ||
| Thomas Chapman | ||
| Sydney Wernett | Elected in 2023 | |
| Connor Rodgers | Elected in 2023 | |
| TBD | 2-year term | To be appointed in 2024 |
Rodgers, a 20-year-old college student, served as a Junior Councilman for two years.
“I’ve gotten a good idea of what kind of issues need to be addressed, what kind of problems the borough is facing, so I’m looking forward to putting that knowledge that I’ve gained to use,” he said. “It is a dream for me to serve in a municipal manager type of role.”
Rodgers is studying business analytics at Grove City College in Western PA, with the goal of becoming a borough manager. He said he’ll move his schedule around to attend monthly meetings.
Wernett was elected to both a 2-year term and a 4-year term. She told WVIA News that she will choose the 4-year term, and council will be responsible for appointing someone for the vacant 2-year seat.
“Typically, we’ll solicit letters of interest from people that are interested in the position,” Council Vice President Michael Yeastedt said. “Sometimes that includes people that have run, and didn’t get in, didn’t win an election, and sometimes it’s people who were past members of council, and sometimes it’s just new people.”
Borough council will hold its first organizational meeting in early January, and will then have 30 days to appoint the next mayor, according to state statute. Yeastedt will serve in the interim while council members select the borough’s first new mayor in 14 years.
