Mayors of Atlantic City, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey |
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![]() Flag of Atlantic City
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![]() Seal of Atlantic City
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Government of Atlantic City, New Jersey | |
Seat | Atlantic City Hall |
Term length | Four years |
Formation | May 1, 1854 |
Salary | $103,000 (2016) |
Atlantic City, New Jersey is a famous city in the United States. It became an official city on May 1, 1854. The city is run by a special system called the mayor–council government. This means there is a mayor who leads the city and a city council that helps make laws.
The Atlantic City City Council is the main group that makes decisions for Atlantic City. There are nine members on the Council. Six of them are chosen from different areas of the city, and three are chosen from the whole city. They all serve for four years. The City Council's job is to create new rules and plans for the city. They also look at the money plans from the Mayor and hold meetings to talk about important issues that affect Atlantic City. Since it became a city in 1854, Atlantic City has had 41 different mayors.
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Who Are the Mayors of Atlantic City?
The Mayor is the top leader of Atlantic City. This person is in charge of running the city's daily business and making sure things work smoothly. Mayors are elected by the people of Atlantic City to serve a term, usually for four years.
Early Mayors: The First Leaders
Atlantic City's first mayor was Chalkley Steelman Leeds, who started his term on May 1, 1854. He served two terms, first from 1854 to 1856, and then again from 1862 to 1863. Many of the early mayors were independent, meaning they didn't belong to a major political party.
Some of the first mayors included Richard Hackett, John George Washington Avery, and Lewis Reed. These leaders helped shape Atlantic City in its early years.
Mayors Through the Years: Key Figures
Over the years, many different people have served as mayor. Some mayors served multiple times, like John James Gardner and Willard Wright. These mayors often returned to lead the city after a break.
One notable mayor was Franklin Pierce Stoy, who was known as the "Dandy Mayor." He served several terms, first from 1894 to 1897, and again from 1900 until he passed away in 1911 while still in office.
Another important mayor was Harry Bacharach, who also served multiple terms, guiding the city through different periods of its history.
Longest-Serving and First African-American Mayors
Joseph Altman holds the record for being the longest-serving mayor of Atlantic City. He was mayor for 23 years, from 1944 to 1967. He also passed away while in office.
In 1984, James Leroy Usry made history by becoming the first African-American Mayor of Atlantic City. He served until 1990.
Recent Mayors: Modern Leadership
In more recent times, mayors like Jim Whelan served for a long period, from 1990 to 2002. Other mayors like Lorenzo Langford also served multiple terms.
Don Guardian was mayor from 2014 to 2017. The mayor who followed him, Frank Gilliam, resigned from his position in 2019.
The current mayor of Atlantic City is Marty Small Sr.. He became mayor in 2019 and was re-elected to continue serving the city.