Longtime Wilmington City Councilperson Loretta Walsh will retire from her seat in October after serving residents in the legislative branch for three decades.
Council members on Wednesday confirmed the 73-year-old Wilmington resident will retire effective Oct. 6 from the post she’s held since returning to office in 2004.
It’s unclear who may fulfill the remaining two years in Walsh’s at-large council term. In the event of a council vacancy, the remaining council members, by a majority vote, appoint someone to serve out the remainder of the four-year term.
Earlier this year, the City Council passed a resolution urging the Delaware General Assembly to revise Wilmington’s city charter to allow for voters to decide who should fill council vacancies; however, it was not acted upon by the state Legislature this year.
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Walsh’s decision to retire mid-term comes amid escalating health issues that have recently put her in the hospital. She could not be reached Wednesday.
Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki said he’s glad that Walsh is focusing on getting healthy, acknowledging that in recent years Walsh has struggled with health issues, but added her shoes will be “extraordinarily” tough to fill.
“Loretta has been a giant,” he said Wednesday. “She’s had the benefit – not only just the benefit of the time she’s spent here – but within that time she’s seen the city change dramatically so she brings perspective to our decision-making that the newer members just don’t have.”
Ailing health caused Walsh to miss nearly half of the council meetings in 2020 because of doctor’s orders to remain home, but she dismissed concerns that her failing health might prevent her from fulfilling the duties as councilperson and ran a successful reelection to the position that year.
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She was first elected to the City Council in 1985, serving as an at-large council member through 1997. She returned to office in 2004 and has remained in the post since then. Walsh also served as the council’s president pro tempore in 2017.
Beyond her extensive experience in elected government, Walsh also worked for years in law enforcement. She was chief deputy for the New Castle County Sheriff’s office for 28 years, retiring from the position in 2009. She previously worked as an agency representative for the Delaware Council on Crime and Justice as well as an executive assistant for the sheriff’s office in the mid-1970s.
Walsh’s retirement marks the second City Council position to be vacated before the end of the current term. Former Councilperson Rysheema Dixon ‒ who died suddenly earlier this month ‒ stepped down at the beginning of the year to pursue “expanded business endeavors,” and was replaced by Councilperson Albert “Al” Mills.
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