Two candidates are throwing their hats in the ring for the Laurel Mayoral Elections March 25
LAUREL, Del.- Laurel Mayoral elections are right around the corner and this time around two candidates have thrown their hats in the ring.
Current Mayor John Shwed and New Jersey native Mark Sikora.
Shwed has been the Mayor for 18 years and hopes to continue that tradition.
“I feel like I’m really doing part now to try help move my community forward for a community that was so kind to me to welcome me,” Shwed said.
Shwed said over the years he’s helped the Laurel Senior Center get to it’s present location and has served 15 years on the Laurel Board of Education.
He said if elected again he really wanted to focus on revitalization and new economic development.
“The answer for Laurel for the future is we have to get more new things added to the property tax roles so we increase the wealth of the community through new additions,” Shwed said.
Shwed said he also wants to continue to build along Broad Creek, by adding a park and new walkways.
“We are trying to take that creek that means so much to us and we are trying to use that as an attraction for tourists and to eventually bring new business to our community,” Shwed said.
Just like Shwed, candidate Mark Sikora has a similar reason for running for Mayor.
“I am running for Mayor because the town has received me so well, that I feel like as a citizen I owe the town something now,” Sikora said.
Sikora became a full time resident of Laurel in the past three years, but has been back and forth to the town since 2004.
He said if elected there are several things he wants to look at.
“Are the schools opening, are the cops walking the beat, are people blowing through your town of 50 miles per hour in a 20 mile per hour zone,” Sikora said.
Sikora said he also wants to aim his focus on the drug problem in town- and quality of life issues like the tap water.
“Let’s look at our services, see who’s been running them, if its a long contract that they’ve had in town and they are not providing the service lets rethink that,” Sikora said.
Both of these candidates think communicating and networking with the community is crucial to get things done.
Sikora said for him, running for Mayor is not about the politics, he has no other goal than helping out the town.
Shwed said during his time as Mayor he’s worked with different groups around the community as a team to get things done, and this is something he wants to continue.
He also wants to look at bringing a skate park to the area.
