Town of Middleton Swears In First Female Black Mayor
Middleton, November 6, 2024 — In a historic moment for the Town of Middleton, Gail Smith was officially sworn in yesterday as the Town’s first black Mayor, and first woman to hold the chain of office. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the community, as the new mayor takes office with a commitment to fostering inclusivity, growth, and unity.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Middleton Fire Department, where residents, community partners, and public figures gathered to witness the ceremony. Mayor Smith expressed gratitude to the people of Middleton for entrusting her with the responsibility of leading the community.
“I am deeply honored to be the first woman of Black descent to serve as Mayor of this incredible town,” said Mayor Smith. “I look forward to working with staff, residents and community partners to create a Middleton that everyone is proud to live in.”
Mayor Smith brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having served on Town Council for over 13 years, with the past 4 years as Deputy Mayor. She also sat on several Town committees including the Police Advisory Board, the Planning Advisory Board, Audit Committee and Community Centre Fire Hall Committee. Mayor Smith also has a history of volunteering in the community – she sits on the MacDonald Museum Advisory Board and volunteers with the local black community. Prior to serving on Council, Mayor Smith worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at Soldiers Memorial Hospital in Middleton. She is known for her dedication to public service, her collaborative approach to leadership, and her passion for addressing the unique challenges faced by Middleton’s diverse population.
The Mayor’s top priorities include:
Mayor Smith will be joined in office by Deputy Mayor Gary Marshall, and the newly elected Town Council members, Jonathan Archibald, John Bartlett, Sandra Fournier, Bernadette Knapp and Dan Smith. Deputy Mayor Gary Marshall states “I am honored to serve as Deputy Mayor and look forward to working with Mayor Smith, all members of Council, staff and residents to continue making Middleton a great place to work and live.” The newly elected Council convenes its first official meeting on Monday November 18th.
The Town of Middleton now has a resource to provide alerts about emergencies and other important Emergency Preparedness information directly to all your devices including e-mail, home phone(landline) and cell phone. Annapolis REMO uses the Alertable system to allow for multiple means of communication for both Emergency Alerts and relaying Emergency Preparedness information.
Download the free Alertable app for iOS and Android smartphones, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant home devices. Then, select your location in the region. If there is an active emergency near you, you will receive Municipal emergency notifications through Alertable.
Notifications are fast, reliable, private, and easy to hear, see and read.
Sign Up by September 30, 2024, for a chance to win prizes! Including a grand prize of a brand-new Portable Generator!
Signing up is easy, we invite everyone to explore the brand-new Annapolis REMO website at www.annapolisremo.ca for further information on Alertable and other emergency preparedness resources.
Click here for recent correspondance between Middleton and The Premier.