At 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Wesley Meiss will be sworn in as the next mayor of Milton. He will follow Guy Thompson, who served as mayor for two decades. Meiss described this change as “the end of an era,” and said he’s looking forward to brighter days ahead.
Meiss defeated Thompson in the 2014 election, but Thompson stepped down Friday, allowing Milton City Councilman R.L. Lewis to serve for four days as the first African American mayor of Milton. According to Meiss, this year’s election will be historic for several reasons. Meiss said, “This is the first time since 1844 [when Milton was incorporated] the council will be balanced between men and women. Also, we’ll have two African American members,” he said as Mary Ellen Johnson joins Milton’s government. “I’m excited to work with them,” he said. Meiss will also be a married man come December, announcing his engagement to Lauren Basford, 28, Pensacola, last spring.
Meiss, born and raised in Milton, has long said becoming the city’s mayor has been a boyhood dream of his. Now, at 30 years old and after serving on city council for two years, Meiss’ dream is a reality. He said, “As you age, you go from a child to an adult. There’s a lot more to it. I’m excited just to be the leader. As I went door to door, it became clear to me the direction people want to go and I’m going to try to deliver.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: City of Milton begins new era of government