GEORGETOWN, Del. - Georgetown Mayor Bill West announced he will retire at the end of his term in May, closing out more than a decade leading the town and a 43-year career in public service.
West, who has served as mayor for the past 12 years, said after running again in 2024, he knew this would be his final term. He said he is looking forward to spending more time with his family, including his four grandchildren, two in North Carolina and two in Pennsylvania.
"I want to see my grandkids grow up, and I want to be here for them," West said.
"In the past, we went down and visited the ones in North Carolina, and I'd have to leave early on Sunday to get back home because we had a council meeting on Mondays," West added. "I don't have to do that anymore. I can stay there as long as I want, as long as my daughter wants me there. So, in the same way as Philly, I don't have to come home. I can stay there as long as I need to and want to."
He also pointed to his health as a reason for stepping away, saying he wants to better manage his diabetes.
"I got to take better care of myself, and this is the start of it," West noted.
During his time in office, West oversaw periods of growth and faced controversy, including debate surrounding the Confederate flag at the Georgetown Historical Society.
West voted against providing funding during the flag dispute, while three members of the Town Council voted in favor.
"One of the state legislators told him he would give them extra money if they took the flag down, and they refused to take the flag down, and with that, he said, 'You will not get any more money from us.' Well, to me, if a state government is saying they're not getting any money, how can the town give them money and look like, oh, the town's for the flag and the state against the flag," West explained. "We shouldn't be giving them money until we come to an agreement about this flag. I try to get them to take it down. I would give a case, built a glass. We could put it inside and put a memorial sticker on it so people could read about the flag, but don't throw it out in people's faces."
West also addressed criticism surrounding homelessness efforts, including the Pallet Village project.
"There's been so much hate here lately about the homeless, saying I'm responsible for all the homeless in Georgetown. Well, I think there are five of us up here on this panel, and it takes a three-person vote to approve, but it was a five-person vote to buy the pallets for the Pallet Village," West said.
West said he wanted to remain in office long enough to see major projects move forward, including the new police department.
He also reflected on the progress made during his time in office, including population growth.
"I'm very proud of what I've accomplished. When I got to this town in 2012 as a council member, nobody wanted to do anything. Nobody was working on bringing the community together," West reflected. "I'm very pleased with all the support I've had from the people in Georgetown and the developers and the engineers. Without them, we couldn't move forward," West added.
West said the town has grown from 7,000 people to 8,200 during his time in leadership, intending to reach 10,000.
"We have accomplished a lot and need to continue," West said. "If we don't grow, that means just increase taxes."
As he prepares to leave office, West thanked the community.
"I just want to thank everybody. I know I had some people who weren't satisfied with some of my decisions, but they are part of Georgetown, and they have the right to say and feel how they feel. But we need to get back to respect. Don't attack people just for the sake of attacking them. Let's show respect to one another so we can get things done," West said.
It is still unclear who will run for mayor ahead of the May 9 election, but West said he hopes the next leader continues to build on the town's progress.