Unchallenged Again, Meehan Will Serve Sixth Mayoral Term

Unchallenged Again, Meehan Will Serve Sixth Mayoral Term
Unchallenged

OCEAN CITY — Almost lost amid the late filing of a fifth candidate for one of four city council seats up for re-election next month was the unofficial re-election of Mayor Rick Meehan.

Just before the deadline on Tuesday, resort area businessman and Ocean City resident John Gehrig filed for one of the four city council seats, joining incumbents Doug Cymek, Dennis Dare, Tony DeLuca and Mary Knight on the ballot and ensuring a city council election. However, Tuesday’s 5 p.m. deadline passed without a candidate challenging Mayor Rick Meehan, who was seeking his sixth term as mayor.

It’s certainly not unusual for Meehan, who has served as mayor since 2006 after serving on the city council for 21 years, to go unchallenged. While the council elections are staggered, the mayor’s seat comes up every two years and rarely has Meehan been challenged since taking the office 10 years ago. Most recently, Ocean City resident Nick Campagnoli filed to run against Meehan in 2012 with the incumbent winning handily.

Meehan does not take his position for granted and waits along with his colleagues on filing deadline day to see if any other candidates come forward.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to serve as the mayor of Ocean City, and I appreciate and I am humbled by the community’s continued support,” he said. “This is an important job and one I think the voters know I take very seriously.”

It remains to be seen how the city council election shakes out, but regardless of the outcome, there will be a steadying influence in the center of the dais.

“I look forward to working with the council and the city manager to continue to follow our strategic plan and work for all of our citizens,” he said. “I know there will be new challenges, and sometimes unexpected events, but I have learned through experience to be ready to address these types of issues. I love what I do and I am excited to begin a new term as mayor.”

Meehan was elected to the city council in 1984 and served as city council president for 14 years. In June 2006, Meehan assumed the mayor seat when Mayor Jim Mathias was appointed to serve out the remainder of the late Delegate Bennett Bozman’s term in Annapolis. Meehan was elected mayor later that year in October 2006 and has held the position since.

About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.