The City Council inauguration is Monday, Jan. 3 in the City Council Chambers beginning at 7 p.m. Two new council members will be sworn in, alongside nine current members. The new councillors are Norieliz DeJesus in District 3 and Tanairi Garcia in District 7. In addition to the swearing-in ceremony, there will also be the election of the Council President, along with the other council positions and the delegate to the School Committee.
The new seating arrangement for the council will also be drawn for its members, followed by remarks from the new president. Councillor-At-Large Roy Avellaneda has served as president for the past two years. Avellaneda said he secured the votes necessary to remain president at a Dec. 20 reorganization meeting, although he noted that those votes are not binding when it comes to the Jan. 5 vote at the council meeting.
DeJesus, who recently had a baby, and Councillor-At-Large Damali Vidot, who has been undergoing medical treatments, were unable to attend the Dec. 20 meeting. “Still to be decided are the vice president and the School Committee delegate,” said Avellaneda. Neither District 8 Councillor Calvin Brown nor District 6 Councillor Giovanni Recupero have secured the votes necessary to serve as vice president, but Avellaneda said that could be settled by the Jan. 3 meeting. Avellaneda said he expects the new council to get right to business in the new year, with the appointment of two new School Committee members on the docket, and a number of budget and ordinance measures coming up quickly.