PHOTO PROVIDED Former Flemington Borough Mayor Gary Durkin, left, smiles as he receives a plaque from borough council thanking him for 24 years of service. At right is Council President Albert “Hap” Hill.

FLEMINGTON — For nearly a quarter of a century, Gary Durkin held the position of mayor in Flemington Borough, elected every four years by those who call the municipality home.

And, after 24 years of working towards the best interest of those in the borough, Durkin decided it was time to pass the torch to another candidate.

Durkin was first elected in 2001. Prior to this, he was working at International Paper Company.

He told The Express, due to his irregular schedule, he didn’t have the opportunity to serve on council before running for mayor. However, he did hold a seat on the borough’s planning commission as a way to get involved with local government.

When first elected, Durkin said a key focus for his time in office was public safety.

“Keeping peace in the borough,” he said.

Part of this, and a major part of his duties in the office over the decades, included helping to enforce borough ordinances.

“People don’t want you telling them to do anything, so they get upset,” he acknowledged. “But that was what my job was.”

He noted he was disappointed during his tenure when police coverage was unable to be increased within the borough, which currently utilizes the Pennsylvania State Police.

“We tried I don’t know how many times to get police coverage, but it costs a lot of money. We weren’t able to do it,” he explained.

He noted he hopes the borough may be able to one day have that coverage as a way to help better protect its residents in the future.

Though he was unable to secure police coverage, he said one of his greatest accomplishments in his time was avoiding tax increases for property owners to the best of his ability.

“My greatest accomplishment was to try and keep taxes down. When (budget) time came, I always tried to keep taxes down,” he said.

Reflecting on his time in office, Durkin said it was an overall positive experience.

“I enjoyed being involved,” he said. “In our little borough, we try to take care of things. Everybody works very hard. It was just time for me to step down.”

Durkin further provided kudos to the borough employees he worked with during his time in office.

“We have great employees. Three employees who do great and are hard workers,” he said.

Though he’s passed the position off to Mayor Jo LaRocque, Durkin said he and his wife aren’t going anywhere.

“We’ve been in the borough for 48 years and for 24 years I was mayor,” he said.

He also wished LaRocque luck as she began her time in the position and expressed appreciation for borough council.

“They got me a plaque,” he said, noting the council members paid for it themselves.

The plaque was presented to Durkin at his final meeting by Council President Albert “Hap” Hill.

Etched into the wood, it reads: “With Sincere Appreciation to Gary L. Durkin for 24 Years of Service as the Mayor of Flemington Borough, 2001-2025.”