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Longtime Montoursville mayor to be honored

John Dorin may not have put Montoursville on the map, but he certainly stood as the face of the community for the past few generations.

Dorin, who served as the borough’s mayor for more than 35 years, is to be honored on consecutive weekends this month.

The unveiling of the newly named John Dorin Municipal Building is set for noon Sunday at the borough building, 617 N. Loyalsock Ave., Montoursville.

Montoursville Borough Council voted unanimously in December to rename the building after Dorin.

Beginning in 1977, he served four years as borough council member, and in 1981, began the first of nine terms as mayor.

A special retirement reception will be held in Dorin’s honor the following Sunday, Feb. 18, from noon to 4 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Banquet Hall, 100 Walnut St., Montoursville. The event is free and open to the public and will feature a short documentary about Dorin directed by local filmmaker Alivia Tagliaferri.

Dorin, an Army veteran, graduated from Temple University with a degree in engineering and moved to the Montoursville area with his wife, Ann, to start a family and a career with GTE Sylvania Electrical Products, Inc. He retired after 30 years with the company.

His contributions to the borough during his mayoral tenure include the beautification and safety of Broad Street, upgrades and enhancements to Indian Park, ensuring the tradition of the annual Sylvania Christmas tree lighting ceremony, resurrecting the Montoursville Chamber of Commerce, and originating the Montoursville Welcome Wagon Association.

Dorin was an advocate for a stronger levee system to protect the borough from flooding, an ongoing project.

Presented the Outstanding Mayor Award in 1998 by the Association of Mayors of the Boroughs of Pennsylvania, Dorin has been recognized throughout his career by political leaders such as former President Bill Clinton, New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani, and the late Congressman Joe McDade.

Dorin’s leadership and service extended far beyond Montoursville. He served as president of the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, while also serving 20 years on the board of directors. Dorin chaired the Association of Mayors of the Boroughs of Pennsylvania Legislative Action Committee and was a member of the organization’s executive board.

He also served as chairman of the Bloomsburg University trustees, as well as chairman of the Bloomsburg University Foundation. He was president of the Lycoming/Sullivan County Boroughs Association for 19 years.

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