3 council members sworn in

FRANKLIN. Gilbert Snyder and Rachel Heath begin new three-terms, and Patricia Carnes starts a two-year term.

| 21 Jan 2025 | 09:26

Gilbert Snyder, Rachel Heath and Patricia Carnes were sworn in to new terms on the Franklin Borough Council during its 112th annual reorganization meeting Tuesday, Jan. 7.

All three incumbents were unopposed in the Nov. 5 election. Snyder and Heath won three-year terms, and Carnes won a two-year term.

This is the start of Snyder’s eighth term. His granddaughter, who held the Bible as he took the oath, has been present for five of them.

Heath and Carnes also had family at the meeting.

Also taking oaths of office were Fire Chief Corey Houghtaling and Fire Department line officers and administrative officers for 2025.

The council then went through a sea of items on the agenda, including appointments to several borough jobs and a review of the past year.

Mayor John Sowden IV was optimistic about the state of the borough and urged his colleagues to continue their work in managing and improving the community.