Boy Scouts Lead Ford City Government

By Jonathan Weaver

For one day, Ford City Borough was led by a Rural Valley graduate.
Four Boy Scouts in Boy Scout Troop #676 ran the Borough government for a few hours yesterday as an opportunity to earn credit toward a required merit badge.
The ‘Citizenship in the Community’ merit badge required scouts to interview a public servant, so Scouts Jace Armentrout, Spenser Franklin, Alex Peat and Greg Kircheis were all sworn in by District Magisterial Judge Gary DeComo at 10AM before stepping in as faces of the local government.
Armentrout, 16, took the Oath of Office to be magisterial district judge, and will spend this morning with Judge DeComo – including observing five criminal hearings.
Judge DeComo told the scouts he handles 2,500-3,000 traffic citations each year as well as 1,000 non-traffic citations for crimes such as disorderly conduct and harassment and 40-50 civil wedding ceremonies.
“I appreciate the Boy Scouts,” Judge DeComo said. “Most of the problems we have is lack of discipline and lack of respect of authority. In 20 years here, I’m convinced when you’re raised without discipline or respect, it’s all downhill from there.”
Armentrout looked forward to this morning’s interaction.
“It’s going to be cool, I think,” Armentrout said.
Franklin spent Monday morning with Borough Mayor Marc Mantini – who explained that Borough government is set up “weak Mayor, strong Council” while also mirroring the three branches of the federal government – legislative, judicial and executive. As the President of the United States would oversee the military, Mayor Mantini oversees the Ford City Police Department.
“All government all starts at the local level,” Mayor Mantini said.
“He’s the boss – we answer to the Mayor,” Sgt. Atherton said.
Franklin admitted he was a little nervous before his tour yesterday.
Peat, 15 of Templeton, got to run patrols, consult on personnel applicants and shadow other day-to-day operations with Sgt. Atherton yesterday, while Kircheis went around town with Interim Borough Manager Eden Ratliff.
Ratliff himself was a Boy Scout and achieved Eagle Scout through Troop 55 in 2009 in West Chester outside Philadelphia. He praised the four scouts that were involved yesterday.
“I think all the Scouts did really well – I know Greg learned a lot. He was a good processor – he kind of knows how government works,” Ratliff said. “Every day’s different.
“I think the skills you learn as a Scout are lifelong. I use skills I learned every single day.”
The four scouts ended their interviews with a mock Council Meeting at the 4th Avenue Borough Offices at 1PM.
The activity was the idea of Assistant Scoutmaster Frank McKinney – who was the burgess of Kittanning Borough for a day when he was a Scout.
“I did this when I was a Boy Scout,” McKinney said. “We took over the commissioners, the main judge, everything.
Assistant Scoutmaster Kody McConnell achieved Eagle Scout in 2012 and said he wished he had the opportunity.