Left to right, Calvert Circuit Court Deputy Clerk Jackie Hawkins administers the oath of office to North Beach Mayor Mark Frazer.
North Beach, MD – “Four more years,” Mayor Mark Frazer proclaimed Friday evening, Nov. 14 after taking the oath of office for his fourth term as the Town of North Beach’s top elected official.
The swearing-in ceremony of the mayor and town council—elected 10 days prior—was the first time the event has been held in the municipality’s two-story hall.
The administration of the oath to Frazer was conducted by Calvert County Circuit Court Deputy Clerk Jackie Hawkins. It was the first of three ceremonies. Frazer then administered the oath to the five re-elected councilmembers. One of those returnees—Randy Hummel—then administered the oath of office to his son, Mickey.
The Hummels, who might possibly be the only father-son tandem serving together on an elected municipal panel in Maryland—or perhaps even in the entire country—each received the same number of votes. Mickey Hummel indicated prior to the swearing-in ceremony that there was anecdotal evidence that suggested the same 250 people did not vote for him and his father.
The four unrelated members of the new North Beach Town Council are Gwen Schiada, who was elected to her third four-year term; and Mike Benton, Gregory McNeill and Ken Wilcox; who each will be serving second-consecutive terms.
In reflecting on the 2014 election, Frazer called his 30-vote victory over challenger Gregory Dotson “a very hard-fought campaign. Reelection to mayor is not easy. Not every decision is win-win.”
While he did not go into great detail about how the opposition portrayed him as a spendthrift who wants to construct an expensive and ostentatious park and sculpture garden on a parcel of land near the Chesapeake Bay, Frazer simply declared, “in this case, the truth triumphed.”
The proposed 3rd Street Park and Sculpture Garden was indeed mentioned by Frazer as one of several key projects that will be moving forward in the next four years. The mayor predicted the park “will be a key component to kick economic development into gear.”
At the top of Frazer’s projects list was the plan to build a living shoreline. “It’s ready to go when we get the permits,” said Frazer, who added the project was part of a big effort to establish flood control measures.
Upgrades to the town’s pier are also underway in hopes of making the structure a venue for outdoor weddings. If the town becomes a successful venue, Frazer surmises the economic development could follow.
“We need to get people with disposable income to come to North Beach 12 months, not just five,” he said.
Frazer declared North Beach has the potential to become a cultural arts mecca. Long-range plans include development of a cultural arts center, relocating the Twin Beach Library in North Beach and construction of an indoor market. On the latter project, Frazer announced the council will discuss a proposed “land swap” during its December work session that could provide an appropriate parcel for the location of such a facility.
“I see this as kind of a breakout four years,” said Frazer. “We’ve got a great team back. I look forward to a very positive four years.”
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
