SHAMOKIN DAM — There are no hard feelings, a couple of Shamokin Dam brothers say, after the younger brother beat out the older sibling for a Borough Council seat in last week’s election.
David Herbert, with 130 votes, earned one of the four council positions up for grabs. His brother, G. Robert Herbert, received 103 votes, just shy of enough votes to remain on the council.
Incumbent councilmen Mark Benner and Malcolm Fleming will return to the council next year, and newcomer David Smeltz will replace incumbent Robert Noll.
David had served on the council from 2004 to 2007 and previously was the borough’s tax collector.
“I enjoyed it,” he said, which made him want to run again. “The closer you are to the action, you can see more of your tax dollars being used on a local basis.”
During those years, he served on the council alongside his brother, Bob, who has served for 26 years and is board president and former vice president.
“Unfortunately, he lost this time,” David said. “I feel bad now that it happened that way.”
“I would have liked to have had 30 years,” Bob admitted.
And now, after almost three decades, he will have to find a way to fill the time that once was filled with hours of council meetings.
“I don’t know what I’ll do the first Monday of each month now,” he said.
However, he is not giving up. Bob said he plans to continue his involvement through borough committees.
“I just want to serve,” he said. “Everybody should serve. I figured that was my right. Not everybody does that. I wanted to make a difference.”
While on the council, he said the members put fluoride in the water, banned open burning and was responsible for the Postal Service changing residents’ addresses from Selinsgrove to Shamokin Dam.
Bob said blood is thicker than water, so the turnout at the Nov. 3 election will not cause any rift in their family ties.
“I’m sure he’ll do good job,” he said.
And David clearly recognized the hard work and time that Bob invested, especially as president.
Though the two don’t agree on everything, Bob said when it comes down to it, they always made decisions that were best for the borough.
“I think they’re both excellent people,” Mayor Joe McGranaghan said. “They don’t come any better.”
Bob is an excellent council president, he said. “We will certainly feel that loss.”
On the other hand, David’s financial background and dedication to the council “will certainly be an asset,” he added.
The brothers both have a genuine interest in local government, said Ed Hovenstine, borough manager. “It’s getting harder and harder to find people who want to be involved,” he said.
Other council members are Donald Musser, Rue Rothermel and Andrew Bickhart.
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