The oath of office as sheriff of Carbon County was administered to Louis D. “Butch” Lisella, a former mayor of Summit Hill, on Saturday afternoon during a ceremony held at the American Legion Post Home in his hometown.

Lisella will become the first Democratic sheriff in Carbon County in 42 years when he assumes his office on Jan. 3, which will also be his 57th birthday.

The oath was administered by Justice of the Peace Frank J. Novotny of Nesquehoning at a site selected close to the Lisella home in Summit Hill so that his 88-year-old mother, Carmella Lisella, could be in attendance. Monsignor J. Francis Haley, pastor of St. Joseph’s Church, Summit Hill, held the Bible for the new sheriff’s oath.