Judy Hamilton

Town of Westernport

Mayor Judy Hamilton led the town of Westernport through one of the most challenging emergencies in recent memory when the historic May 2025 flood struck the community. After Georges Creek and local waterways overflowed following torrential rain, inundating homes, businesses and streets and forcing the evacuation of students and staff from Westernport Elementary School by boat, Hamilton worked around the clock with emergency responders, town staff and regional partners to ensure the safety of residents and coordinate response efforts.

Throughout the crisis, she focused on clear communication with the public and supported rapid rescue and evacuation operations, helping establish connections with county, state and federal agencies to secure resources for recovery. In the weeks and months that followed, she advocated for assistance to help the town recover, standing with state leaders to pursue disaster aid and ensure Westernport’s needs were heard.

Hamilton is also a volunteer firefighter, a role she has described as a meaningful contribution that has required her to work in dangerous situations to protect her neighbors and support others in their most vulnerable moments. That experience strengthened her ability to lead under pressure, rely on teamwork and make critical decisions quickly — skills she drew on during the flood response.

During the emergency, Hamilton worked closely with town staff, volunteers and emerging community leaders, guiding them through decision-making under demanding conditions and helping prepare others to lead with compassion and resilience. The flood tested the town but also showed the strength and solidarity of Westernport’s residents.

This is an honoree profile from The Daily Record’s Top 100 Women awards. Information for this profile was sourced from the honoree’s application for the award. The honoree profiles were written using an artificial intelligence program and supported by honoree nominations, applications and letters of recommendation. Each profile was reviewed, fact-checked and edited for accuracy by The Daily Record’s editorial staff.