Candidate for Chestertown Mayor: Mark Mumford

Mayoral candidate Mark Mumford says his campaign for Chestertown’s highest office is driven by one core belief: public service.

“It’s not about me,” Mumford says. “No one runs for mayor or council for their own benefit. They do it out of a sense of commitment and dedication to public service.”

The theme of service runs through every part of his message. “I want to build consensus,” he adds. “I can’t do the job alone. We need to unify as a town and as citizens of Chestertown. What I won’t tolerate is people shouting down others who are volunteering to help their community. I want civility. I want people to step up and give a couple of hours here and there. That’s how we make Chestertown the best town in Maryland.”

When asked about the town’s most pressing challenges, Mumford points first to infrastructure—roads, underground utilities, and water systems. “Our drinking water and lagoon system are vital,” he says. “They’re expensive to maintain, but we’ve managed to keep Chestertown’s sewer rates among the lowest in the state—around $90 a quarter. The Bay Restoration Fund and state programs help us replace aging septic systems, often at little or no cost to homeowners, depending on income. It’s a system that works when everyone participates.”

On the topic of housing, Mumford pushes back against misconceptions about affordability. “‘Affordable’ doesn’t mean cheap or Section 8,” he says. “It means a young family that lands a job here can buy a home.” Rising prices and limited supply, he adds, have made that nearly impossible for many. One idea he’s exploring is long-term land leasing, modeled after Washington College’s 99-year leases that once made homeownership feasible. “If you remove the cost of the land, you make the mortgage attainable,” he explains. “We can use public land more creatively.”

Economic development, he says, is another top priority. “Every town in America is chasing new businesses, but we can’t offer the incentives that big cities can. What we can do is support the employers who’ve stayed.” Mumford points to Dixon Valve as an example of local commitment. “When Dixon built their new facility, they chose to stay because Chestertown helped them succeed from the start. They provide good jobs, solid benefits, and training that lets people advance. Washington College, the hospital, Gillespie & Son—these are anchors. We just need the workforce to fill the jobs.”

He also highlights emerging partnerships that address social and housing needs, including Kent Attainable Housing’s duplex projects on Prospect Street, the Kent Shelter Alliance, and local collaborations to create transitional housing with job training. “That’s what community looks like,” he says. “People finding ways to lift one another up.”

If elected, Mumford says his top priority will be professionalism and collaboration. “Chestertown is an incorporated business, and it should be run like one—with courtesy, transparency, and customer service,” he says. “We’re not always going to agree, but we can sit down, talk things through, and find common ground.”

Background and Experience

After attending local schools, Mark Mumford continued his education at the University of Delaware and Chesapeake College, taking courses in accounting and business. During his senior year of high school, he began working part-time at People’s Bank of Kent County, where he later completed a leadership diploma through the Institute of Financial Education. His 14-year banking career included nine years with People’s Bank and five with Second National Bank.

Encouraged by friends who recognized his dedication to public service, Mumford ran for and was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court for Kent County—a role that began what he calls a lifetime of community service.

A lifelong member of the Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company, Mumford joined immediately after graduating high school in 1976 and recently celebrated 49 years of service. He served 24 years on the board of directors, including a term as president, and remains an active member today.

Beyond the fire company, Mumford’s civic involvement spans decades of leadership across local organizations. He served as president of both the Kent County Chamber of Commerce and the Chestertown Tea Party Festival Committee (the latter for 12 of his 20 years on the board). He was founder and Drum Major of the Kent County Community Marching Band, established in 1992 for the county’s 350th anniversary, and later co-founded the Delmarva United Marching Band (DUMB).

His record of service also includes leadership roles with the Chestertown Rotary Club, the Kent County Jaycees, Sacred Heart Catholic Church’s Christian Youth Organization, the American Cancer Society, Kent Youth, Inc., and the Chestertown Lions Club—where he has been active for the past 15 years, particularly in the eyeglass and vision programs central to the Lions’ mission. A member of the Chestertown Elks for roughly 30 years, he also served as Esquire of the lodge.

This video is approximately thirteen minutes in length.