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Town Council
The Town Council is made up of a mayor and six council persons. Mayoral terms are for a two year period while council terms are three years. Town elections are the first Saturday in March from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Successful candidates are sworn in at the regular monthly meeting in April. At that meeting, the Mayor appoints a Vice Mayor, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Regular monthly council meetings are held the first Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Milton Library. The meeting time may be adjusted to allow for Public Hearings, if needed. An Open Forum session will be held near the beginning of the meeting for public participation and input. If the first Monday of the month is a town observed holiday, the monthly Council meeting will be held the second Monday of the month. A second monthly meeting may be held on the third Thursday of the month if deemed necessary.
Councilman Norman Lester
No Bio AvailableMayor Cliff Newlands
No Bio AvailableVice-Mayor Councilwoman Leah Betts
Councilwoman Betts was elected to the Town Council in 1989; she is a lifelong resident of Milton and is retired from the Justice of Peace Courts for the State of Delaware.
During her tenure, she has served as Vice Mayor, Chairwoman of the Streets and Sidewalk Committee, and has also served on the Personnel and Land Acquisition Committees. Councilwoman Betts is most proud of her accomplishments in acquiring the funding needed for major street repairs.
In addition to her public responsibilities, she serves as Vice-Chairwoman on the Violent Crimes Compensation Board for the State of Delaware, Secretary of the Milton Development Corporation, and Co-Chair of the Milton Christmas House Tour and is a member of the Milton Century Club.
Councilwoman Ronda Abraham
Councilwoman Abraham was elected to the Town Council in 2003. In her first two years on council, she has served as chair on the Water and Sewer Committee and member of the Personnel Committee. Currently, she serves as chair on the Personnel Committee and is Treasurer and Secretary for the Town Council.
The accomplishments that Councilwoman Abraham is most proud is first, her seat on the Town Council for the citizens of Milton and secondly, helping to organize the "Night Out Against Crime", which has been a success for both the Town and Police Department.
In addition to her public responsibilities, Councilwoman Abraham is an active committeewoman for the 7th and 36th Democratic District. She also volunteers to help the Sussex County Swim Team. Living in Milton her entire life, she is working to keep the beauty and charm in Milton while always keeping the Town´s citizens best interests at hand.
Councilman Noble Prettyman
Noble W. Prettyman is a native of Milton, Delaware. He was educated in the Delaware Public School system and received his undergraduate degrees in Secondary Education and Law and Justice from Rowland College, formerly Glassboro State College in Glassboro, New Jersey. He holds a Masters Degree in Psychology from Rutgers University in North Brunswick, New Jersey.
Mr. Prettyman serves on the Cape Henlopen School Board, Milton Town Council, Milton Historical Society, Friends of the Milton Library and numerous other organizations and committees. He has received several awards and recognitions. Some awards include Outstanding and Dedicated Service Award as First Zoning Commissioner in Milton, US Department of Agriculture Award, and much recognition while during the Vietnam War.
Mr. Prettyman is dedicated to helping all people and is especially concerned with making sure all children get what they need to meet success.
Councilwoman Deanna Duby
Councilwoman Deanna Duby was appointed to the Council in 2007 to fill an unexpired term. She has been a resident of Milton since 2002. She served the Town as a member and secretary of the Ad Hoc Charter Revision Committee in 2006 and 2007. She chairs the town’s Parks and Recreation Committee and Land Acquisition Committee. She also serves as the secretary of the Milton Community Foundation, is a member of the Milton Lions Club, the Milton Historical Society, and is on the board of the Milton Theatre, where she also has acted in major roles in several productions.
She holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Speech and Theatre, and a Juris Doctor degree in law. Prior to moving to Milton, Councilwoman Duby was an attorney and public policy advocate in Washington, D.C.
She was in private practice as an attorney for six years, conducted litigation and policy analysis on the staff of non-profit organizations for twenty years, and was on a Congressional staff for four years. She has also been a public school teacher at the high school level.
Councilwoman Joan Martin-Brown
Councilwoman Joan Martin-Brown was appointed to the Milton Town Council in 2007. From her extensive work and educational background she has acquired knowledge in the fields of Political Science, International Relations, and Government Management. As a dedicated resident of the Town of Milton, she established the Milton Community Foundation in 2006.
In the past she has served as a member of the Board of Adjustment, Historic Preservation Review Committee, Board of Directors of the Milton Theatre, and Milton Development Corporation. She coordinated the Annual Horseshoe Crab/Shore Bird Festivals from 2004 to 2006. She has been recognized for her hard work being the first resident to receive the Citizen of the Year award in 2007 from the Milton Town Council.
Currently, she serves as a member of the Broadkill River Tributary Action Team and Chairperson of the Economic Development Committee, chairs the Economic Development Committee and is a member of the Health and Environment Committee. She also organizes the Friday night school program of the annual John Milton Memorial Celebration of Poets and Poetry. Joanie and her husband Jamie moved to Milton in 2002 and have two married children and four grandsons.