Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008
Brunswick Mayor Carroll A. Jones has harbored an interest in government and politics ever since he took political science classes at Shepherd University in the late 1950s.
Jones, who was re-elected Aug. 5 for his third and, he says last, term as mayor, chalks up his decision to become involved with city government many years ago to his extended involvement with Brunswick youth sports.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Jones served as a board member for Brunswick Junior Railroaders football for seven years and as its president for eight years. During that time he was exposed to the municipal government system and began to take an interest in having a voice in city affairs.
"Every year we were looking for fields to practice and play on and we were using the high school fields and there was always a question year to year whether they would be available for youth football," he recalled Monday. "So we came to the mayor and council to ask for their support in doing some improvements at the sports complex. We saw how the process worked and we just felt that there was a greater need for city support for youth activities. That's how I got involved."
Those experiences with youth football eventually led Jones to run for council in 1990. He won a seat in that election and has never looked back. Jones has never lost an election in his career, and after three council terms, he successfully ran for mayor in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
"I've found that each election gives me a sense of humility because you're out there and you don't know what's going to happen," he said. "I never take an election for granted and I appreciate all the support and faith voters showed."
This will be Jones's last election, he says, which will allow him to leave behind a storied career of broad community support and dedicated service. The 74-year-old leader will bow out in style.
"I'm not going to run again," he said recently. "As I say, ‘this is the last dance.' By [the end of this term] I'll have been around a long time and it's time to give someone else an opportunity."
Jones has been a resident of Brunswick for 38 years. Originally from Virginia, he enjoys but a choice few hobbies. Though he is retired from the conventional working world, he spends at least 40 hours per week tending to his duties as mayor. He likes to read, and he roots for his favorite NFL teams: the Eagles and Redskins.
But first and foremost, Jones is a family man. His wife passed away in 1997, but he still spends as much time as possible with his six adult children and 10 grandchildren. He says that his most important pursuit is "trying to be a good father and grandfather," though "making a positive contribution to my community" comes second.
Brunswick residents and officials say that once this final term ends, they will miss the experience and personality Jones brings to the middle red-leather chair at mayor and council meetings.
"I think that the city's been fortunate to have Carroll Jones as the mayor, I think if you look back the city has come far in many aspects during his tenure, and it will be a loss when and if he decides not to run again," said City Administrator David Dunn, who has worked with Jones for seven years. "The next mayor has big shoes to fill."
Jones was sworn into his $800-per-month position, along with incumbent Councilmen Jeremy Biser and Walt Stull and new Councilwoman Karin Tome, at the Tuesday night town meeting.
