City of Newark Mayor Stu Markham has announced his resignation from office, with his last day in office set for October 18, 2023. Mayor Markham, who took office in April 2022, has served on the council for years, previously serving as the councilperson for District 6 from 2006 until 2020 and later being appointed to the Newark Reapportionment Committee in 2021.
Throughout his public service, Markham has been an advocate for sustainability and responsible development according to a press release posted Wednesday.
He has worked to cultivate strong partnerships with prominent local businesses, encouraging them to invest in Newark and contribute to its ongoing economic growth. Some of his notable achievements during his time in office include the transformation of a 3.91-acre brownfield into the environmentally conscious McKee’s Solar Park, as well as enhancing communication with the University of Delaware.
Under his tenure, the downtown zoning regulations were modified to control building heights effectively. He also spearheaded the implementation of a Transportation Improvement District and oversaw the transition from the Unicity bus service to the more efficient DART Connect Newark. Additionally, he played a role in amending the downtown parking requirements for new development and oversaw the expansion of the police force the press release stated.
With Mayor Markham’s impending resignation, the City of Newark is preparing for a special election scheduled for early January 2024 to select its new leader. Deputy Mayor Travis McDermott, who represents District 6, will assume the role of facilitating City Council meetings until the new mayor is elected.
Deputy Mayor Travis McDermott is also a Senior Lieutenant New Castle County Division of Police.