Web site elicits mate prospects for Carbondale mayor

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- This Southern Illinois town's 35-year-old bachelor mayor is getting a little unsolicited matchmaking help meant to push him from city hall to a wedding hall.

David More, the man behind the local blog Carbondaley Dispatch, is soliciting date prospects on Brad Cole's behalf through More's new Web site, www.marrythemayor.com.

Interested parties can submit by Feb. 14 -- Valentine's Day, naturally -- an essay in hopes of winning a date with the politician the Web site casts as tall and slender, "with an offbeat sense of humor, an SUV, his own home, and a recently obtained a master's degree in Legal Studies from SIU."

More's meddling came after Cole, in the New Year's Day edition of the Southern Illinoisan newspaper here, half-jokingly said his resolution for 2007 "is to get married."

"But first I have to find somebody, fall in love and then get engaged," the newspaper quoted him as saying. "But I guess I have 12 months."

More read it and hatched his plot, first as a joke.

But "it just kind of took on a life of its own," More said.

Cole finds More's efforts amusing and says he's willing to go along with the idea -- to a degree.

"Evidently there's a committee to get the mayor married," Cole said. Neither More nor "the committee will take over my love life."

Still, Cole shrugs, "it's cheaper than a personal ad."

As for what the dream date might include, More still hasn't worked that out. The tentative plan, according to the Web site: Time "getting to know each other" with a walk around Southern Illinois University's campus lake, a Saluki sports event, limousine ride and dinner on Town Square.

And if it works in achieving your resolution, Mr. Mayor?

"It would exceed my expectations," he says.