GALENA — There has been a change in leadership here.
To some extent.
The newly seated mayor had just completed a term as a council member.
The outgoing mayor is now a council member.
And the other newly elected council member is a former council member.
Let’s explain.
The Town of Galena held its municipal election for mayor and two council seats on May 13.
All three candidates who met the April 14 filing deadline — Tyler Carpenter for mayor and John Carroll and John “Jack” Duhamell for council — ran unopposed.
Incumbent Justinian Dispenza did not seek reelection as a council member, nor did Carroll seek another term as mayor.
Galena’s town charter requires an election even if it is uncontested. This allows for the possibility of write-in candidates.
The newly elected officials were sworn in at their Monday, July 14 meeting.
Per the town’s charter, the council “organization” is to be done on the first Monday in July, following the election in May. But it was pushed back this year because of a schedule conflict.
Clerk of the Circuit Court for Kent County Sherise Kennard swore in Carpenter, whose first term as a council member ran through the end of June.
Carpenter, as mayor, then swore in Carroll and Duhamell as council members.
Carroll had served two consecutive terms as mayor, beginning in 2017.
Duhamell served two full terms (2015-19 and 2019-23) on the council, but did not seek reelection in 2023.
Galena has a mayor and four council members. Their four-year terms are staggered.
The other two members of the council are Sarah Merrell and Cheryl Richwine, whose terms expire June 30, 2027.
