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Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save ATLANTIC CITY — For most of its history, City Council was an overwhelmingly male club, with just one woman occasionally serving at a time. Now, women make up a record four of nine members — with two new women joining just before 2025 began. It remains to be seen how much their participation changes the culture and outcomes.
"I think it’s a great thing to diversify the governing body," Mayor Marty Small Sr. said Monday. "It goes to show that people are willing to give women a chance when it wasn’t always like that.
" The four come from varied backgrounds and perspectives, but said they expect their presence to make council more open and transparent and concerned about children and families. While they share a gender, they take varied political stances. Newly elected 5th Ward Councilwoman Maria Lacca is a Republican, at-large Councilwomen Stephanie Marshall and Patricia Bailey are Democrats who are part of a Small-aligned majority, and 2nd Ward Councilwoman La'Toya Dunston is a Democrat who often questions Small's administration and votes with a minority block including the Republicans on council.
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Clark served from 2002 to 2005. ATLANTIC CITY — Whether Republican or Democrat, for more than a century Atlantic City’s publ..
. "It's very empowering, a shining light for the future," Dunston said during council's Tuesday reorganization meeting. She is the longest serving of the four, and was the lone woman on council when she was sworn in in 2020.
She was the first woman to serve on council since 2007, when Mollineaux served briefly, according to Barbin. Sometimes other council members have called her "Councilman Dunston," simply out of habit, then apologized, she said. In 2022, Marshall was elected to an at-large seat, running on Small's ticket.
"I think often women reshape things behind the scenes. They are normally the driving force for organizing and structuring, whether households or campaigns," Marshall said. "I'm happy to see more women are stepping up.
" Marshall said she sees more women involved in politics at all levels, and expects it to help force a more inclusive and equitable change in governments everywhere. "Women tend to be a little softer in our approach. Men are a little more aggressive," Marshall said in a Monday phone interview.
In October, former school board member Bailey was appointed to the seat vacated by at-large Councilman Bruce Weekes, who resigned to take a city job. Two women allege in separate lawsuits filed by the same lawyer that they were subject to sexual harassment by an Atlantic City employee known for his role in a blackmailing scheme against a former politician. Bailey said she is used to working in a mixed group, as she served with several other women on the school board.
"I don't think we should look at it from the standpoint of gender, but qualifications and interest," Bailey said during Tuesday's reorganization. "For the love and commitment to our community." And Bailey is used to having a powerful woman at the helm of the school district.
Mayor Small's wife, La'Quetta Small, is superintendent of schools. In November, Lacca won a special election in the 5th Ward, replacing appointed Democrat Mohammed Huq. To get the special election, Lacca successfully sued to prove former 5th Ward Councilman Muhammad "Anjum" Zia no longer lived in the city.
A Superior Court judge then ordered Zia's seat vacated, and set the date for the special election. Lacca was sworn in last month. "I've always been pro-woman myself," Lacca said at the reorganization.
"Women seem to me to be more upfront and honest, more transparent. Men hold back more in general." Now in real estate, she came out of a marketing and sales industry that was dominated by men years ago, but currently has plenty of women working in it.
ATLANTIC CITY — Former Councilman Eugene Robinson, a Baptist minister and an early advocate ...
Lacca is one of six sisters. Her sister Phyllis Lacca is president of Masterpiece Advertising in the city. "Regardless of party affiliation, we should all be happy to see more women and people of color in elected office," said Atlantic County Democratic Chair Michael Suleiman.
"Running many diverse candidates that look like the communities in which they represent has been a hallmark of my career, and I'm glad to see women making a difference in Atlantic City." While the makeup of City Council has changed, the two people at the top have not. Council voted Tuesday to return members Aaron "Sporty" Randolph and Kaleem Shabazz to the roles of president and vice president, respectively.
REPORTER: Michelle Brunetti Post 609-841-2895 [email protected] Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Staff Writer Author twitter Author email {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
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