Mayor, 92, wins fifth term

James C. Kennedy of South Coatesville is not the oldest mayor in the United States, an honor believed to be held by Dorothy Gechen, the 101-year-old mayor of Ocean Breeze, Fla., the Philadelphia Daily News reported Saturday. But he is old enough that he decided to rest instead of attending a victory party Tuesday.

Kennedy, a Democrat, won 85-59. Four years ago, when he sought a fourth term, he was unopposed.

South Coatesville was incorporated in 1921, when Kennedy was 4 years old. The population has risen above 1,000 since the 2000 Census, when it was 997.

Despite its small size, South Coatesville, a suburb of Philadelphia, has its problems. Kennedy said he is on the lookout for grants that will help him avoid raising taxes.

"They had a little celebration down in Thorndale, but I didn't go," he said.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International.