Bill Stevens elected mayor of Dewey Beach

As the remnants of Hurricane Ian churned the waves just outside the Dewey Beach Lifesaving Station, commissioners voted unanimously Sept. 30 to elect Bill Stevens to a second one-year term as mayor.

For the second year in a row, a municipal election was not held in Dewey, as Stevens and fellow incumbent Gary Persinger were the only ones to file for the two open commissioner seats. The election had been set for Saturday, Sept. 17.

In Dewey Beach, commissioners are elected to two-year terms. At each annual organizational meeting, commissioners vote to elect a resident commissioner among themselves to serve a one-year term as mayor. 

Stevens, a resident commissioner, was first elected in 2020 and was subsequently elected mayor by his fellow commissioners in 2021. As mayor, Stevens is an ex-officio member of all town committees.

First elected in 2016, Persinger, a nonresident commissioner, has owned property in Dewey Beach for more than 30 years. He serves as commissioner liaison to the audit, comprehensive development plan, and climate change committees.

Commissioner Paul Bayer was sworn in for a fourth term as secretary. In this role, Bauer is responsible for presiding over council meetings or managing other responsibilities when the mayor is unavailable, and for keeping minutes of executive sessions of town council.

In 2021, an election was also not held because Commissioners Paul Bauer and David Jasinski, and candidate Elisabeth Gibbings, were the only ones to file for the three open seats.

The next monthly commissioners meeting is set for 3 p.m., Friday, Oct. 21.