Maitland mayor won't seek another term in office

Maitland will elect a new leader to serve in the mayor’s seat in the upcoming March election, with current mayor Howard Schieferdecker announcing that he won’t seek another term on the dais.

Schieferdecker has served Maitland in various forms since 2008, and as the city’s mayor since 2011. Qualifying to fill his seat wraps up this week, as candidates must turn in the necessary paperwork to run by noon on Friday, Jan. 23. The mayoral election will follow on Tuesday, March 10.

As of Tuesday, Jan. 20, two candidates had filed to run: former two-term city councilwoman Linda Frosch and former Maitland Planning and Zoning Board chairman Dale McDonald. Another potential candidate, Edwin Harvey, withdrew his candidacy within the past week.

Schieferdecker said he’s leaving public office to focus time on tending to his family and traveling with his wife.

“There’s a lot of things that I want to do … that I can’t do if I’m going to be mayor,” he said.

His terms at the top of the dais have included accomplishments that, he said, he’ll always be proud to have been a part of. He helped negotiate the Art & History Museums – Maitland’s 51-year lease of the Maitland Art Center, helped oversee the start of SunRail, and played a role in streamlining the city’s permitting process.

“There’s many things that have happened since I’ve been sitting in the mayor seat that I’m very proud of,” Schieferdecker said. “…Overall I’ve really had a really positive, rewarding and fulfilling time.”

As for whether he plans to ever seek another public office in the future, “I would never say never, but I doubt it,” he said.

But he said Maitland residents shouldn’t expect him to go quietly into the distance. There’s still just less than three months left in his term, which will end April 13, and more fight left in him.

“I’m not going to go away,” he said. “I still love the city of Maitland. I’ll still be around here fighting for the things I believe in.”