(Sept. 1, 2016) Berlin Mayor Gee Williams filed the paperwork to run for reelection this week, seeking a third consecutive term.
As of press time only a single opponent has filed against the incumbent mayor, District 2 Councilwoman Lisa Hall.
In a press release on Monday, Williams said his priority was “the work that remains to be done in building a Better Berlin.”
“Serving as Berlin’s mayor for the past eight years has been one of the most challenging, but also rewarding, experiences of my life,” Williams said in the release. “I believe that by actively encouraging partnerships with all levels of government, the business community, advocates for environmental stewardship and with citizens in every neighborhood, we have made significant strides in our ongoing effort to become a better Berlin.
“Building on the work that has been ongoing for over two decades, I wish to continue to serve the citizens of Berlin in helping to add some more important blocks to a foundation that will allow our community to prosper, not just today but for the generations who will follow, while preserving our unique quality of life that is precious to all of us,” he added.
Williams said he views this election as one in which Berlin citizens have a clear choice – to maintain the direction the town has taken during the last several years, or to “reverse course and back down from the challenges and opportunities that are before the community.”
“I strongly believe Berlin should not get caught up in the negative outlook, extreme pessimism and cynical attitude that some people have succumbed to in their outlook about our nation’s future. In Berlin we have so much to be grateful for, but we must never rest on our laurels and take our community for granted,” he said. “Everything that Berlin has achieved has been the result of first believing in each other, rolling up our sleeves and going to work to meet the challenges and opportunities we collectively face, and, just as importantly, being grateful for all we have and share together.”
If reelected, Williams said he would use citizen engagement and the principles of “Smart Growth America” to “plan and support incremental and sustainable growth that can be maintained and adapted to changing expectations, needs and economic conditions over time.”
“A stable and growing local economy is very important, but must always be balanced with preserving our small-town charm and a real sense of interpersonal connections,” he said. “Smart growth does not mean no growth, or even highly restrained growth. It does require putting different areas and assets in our community to their best use while maintaining our ongoing commitment of balancing economic opportunity with a quality of life that is based on our common sense of place.”
A key decision, he said, would be determining the long-range growth boundaries of Berlin, and Williams advocated creating a “no-growth zone” around the town, exempting “the portion of U.S. [Route] 50 that is just east of Seahawk Road, just beyond the property Berlin annexed for the Oceans East apartments that is expected to soon begin construction.”
“The corridor of U.S. 50 between Berlin’s eastern most boundary and West Ocean City is not under the authority of the Town of Berlin, but is being developed through the oversight of Worcester County,” he said.
“Berlin’s commitment to planned growth must be inclusive, thoughtful and take the long view so it can serve as a template for the remainder of the 21st century, not just the next few years,” Williams continued. “The planning and forethought of building a better Berlin will be considerable and require citizens of goodwill to be respectful of a wide range of hopes, dreams and opinions.
“If we do not engage in this process, no matter how challenging, we will just end up being the sum total of random development that while meeting all the requirements of our town code, does not benefit from any overall vision for the future of Berlin,” Williams added.
A former local journalist, Williams said his career evolved into that of “state public servant [with the Maryland State Highway Administration], to a professional in our nonprofit community, and now also as an elected public servant.”
“During that time I have had a unique opportunity to see how so many diverse segments of our community must work together for the greater good to be achieved,” he said. “I will continue to work to create and maintain an experience for both residents and guests that makes Berlin a destination community. It is certainly is necessary for the Town of Berlin to continue to strongly support our two primary economic drivers, which are medical care driven by the establishment of Atlantic General Hospital and a steadily growing hospitality industry.
“A great community is not always about money,” he added. “But as Berlin learned the hard way for most of the last century, a thriving local economy is a practical necessity in order to provide the fuel for all the other things in the public sector we value for a good and decent life. It is because of our economic growth that making a significant start to the redevelopment of the former Tyson property into another community asset for our residents as Berlin Falls Park is also [a] third-term priority.
“Providing our Berlin Police Department personnel with all the facilities, tools and technology they need to continue making our town uncommonly safe through their very successful approach of ‘community policing’ is another immediate priority. This is just one more example of how we build a better community when we work together and look out for each other.”
The Town of Berlin’s municipal election is Tuesday, October 4.
As of press time only a single opponent has filed against the incumbent mayor, District 2 Councilwoman Lisa Hall.
In a press release on Monday, Williams said his priority was “the work that remains to be done in building a Better Berlin.”
“Serving as Berlin’s mayor for the past eight years has been one of the most challenging, but also rewarding, experiences of my life,” Williams said in the release. “I believe that by actively encouraging partnerships with all levels of government, the business community, advocates for environmental stewardship and with citizens in every neighborhood, we have made significant strides in our ongoing effort to become a better Berlin.
“Building on the work that has been ongoing for over two decades, I wish to continue to serve the citizens of Berlin in helping to add some more important blocks to a foundation that will allow our community to prosper, not just today but for the generations who will follow, while preserving our unique quality of life that is precious to all of us,” he added.
Williams said he views this election as one in which Berlin citizens have a clear choice – to maintain the direction the town has taken during the last several years, or to “reverse course and back down from the challenges and opportunities that are before the community.”
“I strongly believe Berlin should not get caught up in the negative outlook, extreme pessimism and cynical attitude that some people have succumbed to in their outlook about our nation’s future. In Berlin we have so much to be grateful for, but we must never rest on our laurels and take our community for granted,” he said. “Everything that Berlin has achieved has been the result of first believing in each other, rolling up our sleeves and going to work to meet the challenges and opportunities we collectively face, and, just as importantly, being grateful for all we have and share together.”
If reelected, Williams said he would use citizen engagement and the principles of “Smart Growth America” to “plan and support incremental and sustainable growth that can be maintained and adapted to changing expectations, needs and economic conditions over time.”
“A stable and growing local economy is very important, but must always be balanced with preserving our small-town charm and a real sense of interpersonal connections,” he said. “Smart growth does not mean no growth, or even highly restrained growth. It does require putting different areas and assets in our community to their best use while maintaining our ongoing commitment of balancing economic opportunity with a quality of life that is based on our common sense of place.”
A key decision, he said, would be determining the long-range growth boundaries of Berlin, and Williams advocated creating a “no-growth zone” around the town, exempting “the portion of U.S. [Route] 50 that is just east of Seahawk Road, just beyond the property Berlin annexed for the Oceans East apartments that is expected to soon begin construction.”
“The corridor of U.S. 50 between Berlin’s eastern most boundary and West Ocean City is not under the authority of the Town of Berlin, but is being developed through the oversight of Worcester County,” he said.
“Berlin’s commitment to planned growth must be inclusive, thoughtful and take the long view so it can serve as a template for the remainder of the 21st century, not just the next few years,” Williams continued. “The planning and forethought of building a better Berlin will be considerable and require citizens of goodwill to be respectful of a wide range of hopes, dreams and opinions.
“If we do not engage in this process, no matter how challenging, we will just end up being the sum total of random development that while meeting all the requirements of our town code, does not benefit from any overall vision for the future of Berlin,” Williams added.
A former local journalist, Williams said his career evolved into that of “state public servant [with the Maryland State Highway Administration], to a professional in our nonprofit community, and now also as an elected public servant.”
“During that time I have had a unique opportunity to see how so many diverse segments of our community must work together for the greater good to be achieved,” he said. “I will continue to work to create and maintain an experience for both residents and guests that makes Berlin a destination community. It is certainly is necessary for the Town of Berlin to continue to strongly support our two primary economic drivers, which are medical care driven by the establishment of Atlantic General Hospital and a steadily growing hospitality industry.
“A great community is not always about money,” he added. “But as Berlin learned the hard way for most of the last century, a thriving local economy is a practical necessity in order to provide the fuel for all the other things in the public sector we value for a good and decent life. It is because of our economic growth that making a significant start to the redevelopment of the former Tyson property into another community asset for our residents as Berlin Falls Park is also [a] third-term priority.
“Providing our Berlin Police Department personnel with all the facilities, tools and technology they need to continue making our town uncommonly safe through their very successful approach of ‘community policing’ is another immediate priority. This is just one more example of how we build a better community when we work together and look out for each other.”
The Town of Berlin’s municipal election is Tuesday, October 4.