After consultation with City Solicitor Bruce Herron and City Manager Carol Houck, Newark Mayor Vance A. Funk, III will end his term effective September 30. A special election will be held in November to fill the post.
Funk originally planned to leave the post at the end of the year. He served in the post for nine years. Funk changed the date to accommodate the necessary process for selection of a new mayor to lead seven-member city council.
“Considering that it is not in my best interest health wise to attend the many meetings between now and the end of the year and to allow the election process to move forward in a timely fashion, I determined September 30 to be an appropriate date for my term to end,” Funk stated in a city release.
Funk’s last act as Mayor will be to host the 10th Annual Taste of Newark event on Sept. 29. The event was founded by Funk.
Although the opposition to Wawa submitting plans for a business at the corner of South Main Street and Apple Road have added stress to his daily life, it was not the determining factor in his reason to end his term early, Funk stated. Stress had been greater than usual since the store is near Funk’s residence and neighbors opposed the project.
“First and foremost, I always wanted to be able to do a good job for this community and it became evident that it was time for me to slow down and avoid the level of work that is necessary to be Newark’s mayor, “ says Funk. “My close friends and family are pleased with my decision.”
“While many have taken the news of Mayor Funk’s resignation as a surprise, those with whom I have spoken agree that our work can be stressful at times and that making adjustments to improve one’s overall health needs to be a priority,” says Houck. “I feel sure that Vance will continue to play an active, if less formal, role in our community.’’
City Council plans to hold a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. on September 30 to set the date for a special election that is expected to be held on November 26. Funk will be available to City Council and city staff on an advisory capacity, the city release stated.
The mayor has struggled with health issues over the years, but has been a tireless cheerleader for the city and its Main Street area.
The college town has struggled with factions who want no new development in the city or the right to micromanage each project. Their objections have led to lengthy city council meetings that sometimes focused on minor architectural details of new projects.
The Wawa request has been particularly contentious, since it involves gas pumps.
In 2011, Newark was selected as one of America’s top main streets as a once-troubled downtown saw its vacancy rate drop to single digits.
Funk is an attorney in Newark who specializes in real estate matters.
