Jim Thorpe Borough Council and Carbon County Commissioners gathered Thursday night to honor a man whose dedication and service to the community has spanned more than five decades.

Jay Miller, a stalwart figure in Jim Thorpe, was given two proclamations for his 33 years as a borough council member and over 50 years as a volunteer firefighter.

Council President Greg Strubinger emphasized the rarity of such unwavering service in today’s world.

“Jay has served as a mentor to other council members and he brought a wealth of financial knowledge and knowledge of the borough’s water systems,” Strubinger said. “A lot of times his calls for the fire department came in the middle of the night or some other time when it may not have been convenient for him to go, but he did it anyway. It is an honor to have served with him and I learned a lot from him.”

Miller wrapped up his latest stint on borough council at the end of 2023.

Strubinger commended Miller’s punctuality and dedication to ensuring that council meetings ran smoothly, reflecting on Miller’s two cardinal rules: starting meetings on time at 6:30 p.m. and concluding them by 10 p.m., so as not to miss his beloved show, “Hogan’s Heroes.”

Miller served as council president from 1984-87 and in 1990. He joined the Phoenix Hose Company at age 16 and the Diligent Fire Company at age 18. During his tenure with Diligent, he held the positions of first lieutenant, second lieutenant, and assistant chief in addition to his roles as treasurer and financial advisor.

“Jay was on the original committee to purchase the first fire truck in the 1970s,” Commissioner Wayne Nothstein said. “He also played a major role in the recent acquisition of a new KME Pumper Tanker. “He takes great pride in his passion for fire safety, including speaking at several local schools on the topic.”

Miller expressed gratitude to his wife, Barbara, for her unwavering support throughout his years of service. He reflected on the highlights of his tenure, notably the improvements to the Jim Thorpe water system.

“The water system improvements on both sides of town and our two new fire engines are some of the big highlights for me over the last 33 years,” Miller said. “As a councilman, you will have good days and you will have bad days and my wife can attest to that. She can tell when I come home if we had a good meeting or a bad meeting. It’s an honor to serve and I’m going to continue to serve with the fire department as long as I can.”

Miller also extended an invitation to a forthcoming celebration commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Diligent Fire Company on Sept. 14 at noon.

“We’re going to honor all of the 50-plus year members,” he said.

Former Jim Thorpe Mayor and current Carbon County Commissioner Michael Sofranko served alongside Miller for many years.

“I learned a lot from Jay,” Sofranko said. “No matter how much we may disagree or agree, the best interest of the borough was always at heart and we moved ahead.”

Sofranko shared anecdotes from Miller’s tenure, underscoring his instrumental role in critical moments, such as the coordinated effort to shuttle a half a million gallons of water from one side of town to the other during a shortage.

“I declared him the baron of beverages in Jim Thorpe after that,” Sofranko said. “There was also a time when Mr. Miller had to escort a gentleman out of council chambers because he didn’t know how to behave. I’m giving him a copy of that newspaper article tonight as well.”

When told about Thursday night’s proclamations, Miller admitted he had mixed feelings, but walked away grateful for the honor.

“I want to thank the town for the privilege to serve,” he said.