By Morgan Pilz, Staff Writer

(May 28, 2020) Berlin At-Large Councilmember Thom Gulyas, 55, announced during the mayor and Town Council meeting on Tuesday night that he is resigning from his position after six years.

Gulyas, who was first elected to the council in 2014, said he will leave the council because he and his wife, Belinda, who is a principal for Cedar Chapel Special School, will be moving to South Point.

Thom Gulyas

“I have purchased a home outside of the town of Berlin,” Gulyas said. “As our code dictates, we must reside within town corporate limits in order to hold an elected position. That being said, we expect hopefully to be into our new home by the end of 2020, at the latest beginning of 2021.”

Gulyas would not have been up for reelection until 2022, and even though he could have put off his resignation until he moves out of town — and after October’s town election — that would have entailed a special election to fill his seat.

“That would force the town to spend an extra $7,500-$10,000 just so that I could stay another extra three or four months,” he said. “And that’s not right. That’s just not the right thing to do.”

Gulyas, who owns Ace Printing & Mailing on 10026 Old Ocean City Blvd, has been a business owner in Berlin since 1985 and moved into town limits with his family in 2006.

Originally, his business was located directly on Main Street for 23 years before he bought his current in 2000.

Gulyas said he became interested in running for Berlin office in 2008, when he ran against then District 2 Councilperson Lisa Hall. His mother, Louise Gulyas, was a long-time Worcester County Commissioner (she held the position for 16 years).

“I spent 23 years on Main Street while the prior mayor and councils were working on the town,” he said. “There’s so much that is said in public about people thinking that politicians are ‘On the take.’ I can’t speak for other politicians, but I can speak for the ones that are here in town: that’s not happening, not to my knowledge, anyhow.

“Everyone always thinks that deals are being made in executive session … I’m telling you, they’re not,” Gulyas continued. “That doesn’t happen because I would be the first one screaming. I used to think the same thing, too, because I wasn’t part of what was going on.

Despite leaving his term two years early, Gulyas is not overtly concerned about leaving any unfinished business behind.

“There’s always unfinished business as a politician, unfortunately,” he said. “But I do have faith in my counterparts that they will continue on in the positive direction that they have been going for many councils before me.”

However, in his tenure, Gulyas said he has been pleased with several tasks the town undertook, including the purchase of then Berlin Falls, now Heron Park, and some tax decisions made over the years.

“The mayor and council have the best interests of this town at heart,” he said. “They really do. I believe that in my heart. I wouldn’t be there if I thought otherwise. It’s difficult to get in to politics because you’re never going to make every single person happy. It just doesn’t work that way. So, you try to do what’s best, what you feel is best for your government and move from there.”

He also learned many new skills as a result of his terms.

“I’ve learned how to deal with people a lot better,” Gulyas said. “I’ve learned how to deal with the negativity a lot better, and I’ve really learned how to listen to points of view that are that are opposite of mine.

“I remember when we were raising taxes last year, I spent over 220 hours meeting with people, whether it was one on one in my office or at their home,” he continued. “And while nobody wants to pay more in taxes, every single person that I spoke to understood it, every single one of them. It made me feel good that even some of those folks understood it. Again, they didn’t want to pay more, nobody does, but they understood it.”

Gulyas’ seat will be available for the taking come this October.

“Now that I have announced [last] Tuesday night, the seat will be open at the final meeting before the new folks get sworn in,” he said. “To the best my knowledge one since I’ve made this public already, anybody has the option to run for the seat.”

Gulyas said some interest in running for his seat has been expressed, and said Kite Loft owner Jay Knerr, a member of the Berlin Board of Zoning and Appeals, is a possibility.

Gulyas still intends to participate in council meetings as a Berlin business owner, and has even considered running for a county commissioner’s position in the near future.

“I have appreciated the opportunity to serve the people of the town of Berlin,” he said.