DOVER, Del. - Sen. Brian Pettyjohn presented Georgetown Mayor Bill West with a tribute Thursday at Legislative Hall, recognizing his years of service to Georgetown as mayor, police officer and longtime community member ahead of his retirement.
West was attending Legislative Hall as part of the Delaware League of Local Governments when Pettyjohn presented the tribute honoring his work in Sussex County.
“Strong local leadership is essential to building strong communities, and the work done at the municipal level has a direct impact on families, businesses, and quality of life across Sussex County,” Pettyjohn said. “State and local government work hand in hand, and we simply could not do our jobs in Dover without the partnership, commitment, and leadership of officials like Mayor West.”
Sen. Brian Pettyjohn presented Georgetown Mayor Bill West with a tribute Thursday at Legislative Hall. (Delaware)
West reflected on his decades of public service, including his time with Georgetown police, Delaware State Police and CHEER, where he delivered meals to people in need.
“When I started in the state police, or town police officer in Georgetown then state police, I saw what the communities were like. I saw what the communities needed,” West said. “Then I went on to deliver meals for CHEER. Then I saw how bad living is for some people.”
West said his experiences motivated him to focus on housing and homelessness during his time as mayor, including support for Georgetown’s Spingboard Pallet Village and Little Living Tiny Homes.
“When I became mayor of Georgetown I thought, ‘This is my opportunity to help people get out of them situations and get a better life,’” West said.
West also spoke about the growing housing struggles facing families across the country.
“When you see people up and down the road, not just in Delaware, but in every state, sleeping in their cars. We got a problem,” West said. “I heard a story of a woman with four kids sleeping in a car and taking them to McDonald’s in the morning to wash up to send them to school. That’s not right people.”
West’s retirement takes effect at the end of May following 12 years as mayor. He said he looked forward to spending more time with his family, including his four grandchildren.
Georgetown voters elected Angela Townsend on May 9 to fill the upcoming vacant mayoral seat. Townsend received 512 votes after previously losing to West in 2024.
During a candidate forum before the election, Townsend expressed a different tone than West's when it came to homelessness.
"The town is going downhill. It's not the town I remember as a child when I grew up, and a lot of people, it breaks your heart, it breaks your heart. A lot of people are afraid to have their kids go out in the yard and play because of all the homeless people we have, and it's just disheartening to see our town," she said.
Townsend went up against Geoffrey Walker, a sergeant at Sussex Correctional Institution.
