I am honored and humbled by your support. Thank you for electing me the next mayor of Shepherdstown.

In the past few months, so many of you shared with me your ideas and suggestions for our future. There is so much love, talent and energy in our small town — it’s inspiring!

I pledge to do my very best to bring our community together in the shared mission of ensuring a bright future for Shepherdstown.

We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us in this town – the people who founded and built this town, who raised families here, who’ve run businesses, taught school and led our churches here, and who have held elected office. Going forward, let’s honor their legacy by coming together to protect this very special place called Shepherdstown.

I’d like to express my deep admiration for and thanks to Mayor Jim Auxer, who has done so much for Shepherdstown for many years. He has been engaged and active over the past two decades. His enthusiasm has no match. I hope and anticipate that Mayor Auxer will continue to be an important part of our community – and I look forward to working closely with him to ensure a smooth transition.

Thank you again for your support. Now, let’s get to work!

James Gatz, of Shepherdstown