Marasco to become Lewes’ first female mayor

Lewes city councilwoman Amy Marasco is set to become the first female mayor of the First Town in the First State. She will succeed Mayor Andrew Williams, who decided not to seek re-election.

“I’m very excited and looking forward to taking on the responsibility,” said Marasco, minutes after the filing deadline passed at 4:30 p.m., April 3. She was the sole candidate to run.

Marasco celebrated with a cherry-dipped cone at Dairy Queen.

A couple of steps must be completed to make the outcome official. City Manager Ellen Lorraine McCabe will present a recommendation to mayor and city council at the Monday, April 14 meeting. In the coming weeks, the city’s board of elections will meet to determine if a municipal election is necessary this year.

Marasco formerly served on the Lewes Planning Commission. As chair of the LPC Environmental Subcommittee, she is credited with crafting several ordinances that were passed by mayor and council.

She became a member of council last year after Councilwoman Carolyn Jones retired. Marasco recently co-chaired the financial stewardship subcommittee with Councilman Joe Elder. She has been a full-time Lewes resident since 2021. She was once the vice mayor of a small town in Virginia.

Councilperson Tim Ritzert had been considering joining the race for mayor, but ultimately decided not to run. He released a statement April 3, saying he can have a bigger impact on council.

“I have reverence for my role as a city council person and a commitment to see through the work that I have started,” said Ritzert. “This work is unassignable; it cannot be passed on to a fellow council person. The time required for mayoral duties would prevent me from bringing these projects to completion, and the lack of executive power as set forth in the city’s charter does not make it possible to assign these projects to a council member.”

Ritzert pointed out that when Marasco becomes mayor, no member of council will have been voted into office in their current terms. All will have assumed their seats in uncontested races. Council will appoint someone to fill Marasco’s seat.

“The city that prides itself as the First Town in the First State is not practicing a founding principle of democracy – that representative leaders are chosen through an elective process. Successful democracy is participatory; it relies upon a vigorous discussion of the issues by an engaged populace. That conversation is most important during the electoral process when there is a forum for broad debate about a community’s overall direction. To see Lewes slip into this pattern bothers me,” Ritzert said.

Ritzert said he will redouble his efforts to bring more citizens into roles on city committees and commissions. 

In response, Marasco said she will work with Ritzert and all members of city council to find more opportunities for citizen engagement. She said one of her first initiatives will be to form a committee to revamp city code.

“Mayor-elect Marasco is confident, capable and has already made significant contributions to Lewes. I look forward to finding common ground with her to move our city forward,” said Deputy Mayor Khalil Saliba.

Marasco will be sworn in to her new role in May.