BREWER, Maine — The Brewer City Council unanimously selected Councilor Beverly Uhlenhake to serve as the city’s mayor for the next year.
Uhlenhake, a commercial real estate broker who was elected to the council in 2013, was sworn in Tuesday night during the city’s annual organizational meeting at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer.
She said the council should be guided by the question: “Will this be beneficial to Brewer citizens today and tomorrow? Because if it isn’t, we shouldn’t be doing it.”
Continued collaboration with neighboring communities, especially Bangor, would be key to improving the region’s economy and attracting development.
“We’ll make good decisions for the city of Brewer, and simply get it done,” she added.
Uhlenhake will be joined by Kevin O’Connell, who councilors picked to serve as deputy mayor and the council’s vice chairman.
“I look forward to a fabulous year,” Uhlenhake said.
City Clerk Pam Ryan also swore in Councilors Matthew Vachon and Jerry Goss, who were re-elected to serve new three-year terms by Brewer voters earlier this month.
New and returning members of the Brewer School Committee also were sworn in. Last year’s committee chairman, Kevin Forrest, rejoined the council for another three years. Tammy Smith, a freelance court reporter with four children in the Brewer school system, joined the board for the first time, as did Ashley Blanchard, who won a one-year seat on the committee that was vacated by a former member who left the post before the end of her term.
Mark Farley will serve as chairman of the school committee, with Holly Lundquist serving as vice chairwoman.
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