Feeling marginalized, Freeport mayor to call it quits

Freeport Mayor Zack Gent is planning to step down at the end of the year due to his new, on-the-road job and what he called clashes with council over fiscal responsibility.

The five members in attendance at this week’s council meeting barely reacted when Gent informed them of his surprise decision.

There, he only mentioned the demands of the role he took in April at a chemical sales and service company, which requires him to travel parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland and other nearby states up to a dozen times each month.

Council President Rick Fennell was the only one to acknowledge his statement.

“Thank you, Zack,” Fennel replied before moving onto the planning commission report.

Gent later told TribLive his relationship with Fennell has frayed over the course of the year.

“The council president doesn’t take me seriously,” he said. “He doesn’t want me involved.”

Fennell did not respond to requests for comment, though after the meeting, he credited Gent for his willingness to listen to diverse resident feedback.

At times, Gent complained about council at-large. When it comes to this year’s overdue audit to the state, it was a bit of a told-you-so moment for the mayor, who said he’s supported passing an ordinance to at least transition the borough from elected to professional auditors for some time.

The borough’s three elected auditors resigned in May — a month after the deadline to scrutinize its books. Mark Turnley, a certified public accountant, was finally hired last month.

“It took all of our auditors resigning for them to actually entertain that idea,” Gent said.

He also said a lack of communication and less-than-ideal use of state financial planning resources have contributed to his frustration and, ultimately, resignation announcement.

It’s not as though Gent views his roughly two-year tenure as fruitless.

The self-described moderate Republican gave up his seat on council to finish Mayor James Swartz Jr.’s term through 2023, and went on to easily win another two-year stint last November.

Gent has overseen the borough hiring its first manager and adjusting to life as part of the Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department — both things he cited as collective accomplishments.

Borough Manager Zachary Filous, for his part, said the mayor has been great to work with and “nothing but an asset for the community.”

Gent also touted his relationships with state and federal officials, like state Rep. Abby Major and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, as well as the Freeport Borough Virtual Mayor’s Office, a public Facebook group that he moderates.

A single father of three, Gent, 38, is open to the possibility of returning to the role once his kids grow up or he retires.

But for now, the clock is ticking to find — or at least prepare to find — a replacement.

Fennell said he won’t push council to make any decisions about the process until Gent’s resignation is formal.