Not every small-town mayor gets a chance to pose with Justin Timberlake, but then again, David Bentkowski isn't every small-town mayor.

The youngest mayor in Ohio -- elected for office in Seven Hills at the age of 31 -- Bentkowski has shaken hands with the likes of Gwen Stefani, Kevin Costner and Wesley Snipes, all for the purpose of publicizing his hometown.

Now he's touring around the country to promote his book, "The Power of the Proclamation," which chronicles his meetings with more than 100 celebrities whom he has given "proclamations," or documents acknowledging their contributions to society.

Mayoral proclamations are typically filled with "a bunch of nice words" and compliments, Bentkowski said.

"You'd think I was giving them gold, they're so excited, but it's really just a piece of paper," he said.

Bentkowski's stop in State College on Tuesday was one of several before his scheduled appearances in Philadelphia and New York City, where he will talk about his book, released Nov. 4. He met with local media while he was on town for the book promotion.

Among his more interesting encounters was one with Flea, the bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Before meeting him, Bentkowski was instructed to wait for Flea in a hallway. He waited while the bassist, dressed in only a towel, paced in his dressing room.

"It's like we weren't even there," he said. "He just kept walking back and forth naked."

Another was with Norwegian metal band Dimmu Borgir, who accepted his proclamation on behalf of Ozzy Osbourne. Despite the band members' dark appearance ¾ they typically wear black clothes and have body piercings and tattoos ¾ he said they turned out to be nice people.

Several years later, the Osbournes sold many of their belongings to raise money for charity. Bentkowski's proclamation was among the items sold. The piece of paper sold for $375.

But the benefits go beyond the dollar signs. He uses the photos to get kids excited about government when he gives lectures, and he uses the proclamations to gain publicity for his city.

"Usually a city is only in the paper if it's negative," he said. But because of his proclamations, some of the smaller celebrities have offered to play at local events. Bentkowski acknowledged the absurdity of his celebrity meetings, calling them a gimmick.

"There wouldn't be a paper in the country who would want to speak with me or profile Seven Hills if I hadn't done this," he said.

But, as a younger man, he said this is just part of his new approach to politics.

Chris Matthews, executive mayoral assistant and senior citizen coordinator for Seven Hills, said the publicity has done the city good. Bentkowski is a young person at heart, he said, mentioning that the mayor still plays softball with the guys and visits "hot spots" around town.

"He thinks like he's 21, as far as his outlook on life goes," Matthews said.

State College's mayor-elect Elizabeth Goreham thinks Bentkowski's proclamations are a great idea, although she hasn't thought to use them as he has.

"We do that in State College, but generally it's for local activities and celebrating the achievements of our local citizens," she said.

She doesn't know what Bentkowski is trying to promote in Seven Hills ¾ each town and celebrity is different. But she doesn't rule out using proclamations in State College.

"If it's successful, then maybe we'll try it," she said.