For the first time in 20 years, Chestertown has a new mayor.
Chris Cerino, the former planning commission chair, was sworn in Monday night as Mayor of Chestertown – taking the reins from five-term Mayor Margo Bailey, who announced her retirement earlier this year.
After being sworn in by Kent Clerk of the Court Mark Mumford, Cerino took over the ceremony — swearing in Ward 3 Councilman Sam Shoge and Ward 1 Councilwoman Liz Gross.
After Bailey delivered her final State of the Town Address, Cerino read from a list of goals for the 2014 calendar year that included a focus on protecting the town’s drinking water from an oil spill that originated from the hospital’s fuel storage tanks and working with the Chestertown Waterfront Task Force to create a shared future for the Chester River front.
In the video below, Cerino lays out an 18-point plan for Chestertown in 2014.
GOALS FOR 2014
• Keep taxes at the same rate and keep maintain our chartered service responsibilities.
• Improve our recreation programs, expand activities for all ages in Chestertown, and involve the input of our youth in our decision-making processes.
• Aggressively pursue funding and completion of the Maryland DNR Waterway Improvement Fund dredging and facility improvement grants for the Chestertown Marina.
• Work with businesses, industries and institutions to determine and address their concerns and needs and to improve the local economy.
• Improve cycling and pedestrian connectivity in the community and work towards the completion of the Gilchrest Trail system and the waterfront walkway plan.
• Encourage and expand recycling and all other greening efforts, increase public awareness of the need and advantages of these efforts, continue to plant trees toward the Town’s 40% canopy goal.
• Pursue grants for the preparation of a Climate Change Adaption Plan as recommended by the Maryland Department of Planning.
• Resolve the issue of the Quaker Neck sewer line agreement with the County.
• Begin the public review process of the revised and updated Comprehensive Plan.
• Hold fireworks on the Chester with some help from local donors and the use of the College property.
• Continue to pursue the concept of a 1.2 megawatt solar facility at the Chestertown Waste Water Treatment Plant.
• Continue to monitor the closure of the Hospital oil recovery program to protect the well fields of the Town of Chestertown.
• Continue participation in the region-wide effort to improve water quality in the Chester River through the Middle Chester Trust Fund and other grant opportunities.
• Work with Washington College to explore creative ways to bring more students downtown, to our commercial centers, and to generally increase student participation in Town activities
• Work collaboratively with the Waterfront Revitalization Task Force to effectively present their findings to the public
• Update the Town’s web site so that it is more visually appealing. Increase efforts to market Chestertown as a tourist destination through the use of the web site and other on-line mediums
• Collaborate with other small towns such as Berlin, Frederick, and Ellicott City, MD on concepts for economic development
• Work with interested community members to conceive and implement additional winter events that will stimulate economic activity in Chestertown, and specifically in the Historic District
During the Ward Reports, a time reserved in every meeting for council members to discuss issues and concerns in their wards, Shoge and Gross both echoed a desire to work within the framework of the council and be out in front of the issues.
In the two-minute video below, Shoge and Gross offer a glimpse of their future on the council.
Cerino, Shoge, and Gross were swept into office on an unofficial slate that drew from much of the same base that gave Bailey longevity in office.
Councilman Marty Stetson said on the eve of November election that there had been “more money spent on this mayor’s race than all the mayor’s races in the last 20 years. It’s just unbelievable the amount of money.”
Steston introduced the idea of campaign finance disclosure at Monday’s first meeting of the new council.
“I really thinks it’s something that needs to be done,” Stetson said.
In the video below, Stetson opens the door for the new council to consider a campaign finance disclosure ordinance in the near future.
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