State College native Jerry Wettstone took the State College Borough Council oath of office last night as he was appointed to complete the term of former borough council president John Dombroski, who died on Dec. 8.

Wettstone, who will serve on the borough council until the end of the year, said he plans to run for a full term when this term expires.

Councilman R. Thomas Berner nominated and Councilwoman Jean McManis seconded Wettstone, a Republican, who then sat with the council for the remainder of its regular meeting.

"I'm excited to be a service to the citizens of the community as a member of the borough council," Wettstone said. "I'm sobered by the additional responsibility I'll have and the time commitment it will take."

Wettstone, current field director of the University's Alumni Association, said he looks forward to meeting with members of the Centre Region Council of Governments and hopes to enhance regional communication and cooperation.

He said he believes developers in the borough should be responsible for creating solutions to parking problems caused by buildings which may not plan for sufficient parking spaces.

Wettstone said he has "a lot of homework" ahead of him to bring him up on current issues affecting State College. He said he plans to run for a full term to put his homework to use.

In other news, the borough council agreed to allow the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity to run the annual Phi Psi 500 Race pending approval of Borough Manager Peter Marshall, Berner said.

The fraternity is in the second year of a mandatory three-year borough plan to eliminate alcoholic beverages from the race. As a step to faze out alcohol, three of six bars along the course will serve low-alcohol beer and three will serve non-alcoholic beer.

The race, now in its 21st year, raises money for the Pennsylvania Special Olympics. Last year, runners raised $14,000, said Colin McCluskey, chairman of this year's Phi Psi 500.

McCluskey said organizers are working to expand the weekend's events and create more of a "Mardi Gras" atmosphere. Marshall must give his approval to the scheduling of a children's event involving games and prizes.

"It's a challenge for us," McCluskey said of the three-year plan to eliminate alcohol. "I think in the past the race has sold itself. With the race going non-alcoholic, you have to work harder at being creative."