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| By Michelle Symington MetroWest Reminder Assistant Editor WEST SPRINGFIELD West Springfield's elected officials were sworn in to office last Tuesday evening during a ceremony that was immediately followed by the first City Council meeting of the year. City Clerk Diane Foley administered the Oath of Office to Mayor Edward Sullivan, City Council members and School Committee members. "The third time's the charm," said Gibson just before he took the Oath for his third term as mayor. Gibson thanked his brother, Charlie, for lending him his Bible for the ceremony. "This is the third time a family Bible has been used to swear me in," he said. He also thanked his wife, Sandra and daughter, Lynn Durocher, for their "kindness, understanding, love and support." With just two officials leaving office, Gibson thanked former City Councilors Edward Sullivan and James Welch for their work during their time as councilors. "You have served the town well and at one of the most difficult times in Massachusetts' and the town's history," he said. "I salute you and I wish you well." Gibson addressed the families of the elected officials to tell them that the councilors and School Committee members "put their heart and soul" into their work and that their "time commitment is astounding." "They do it out of love and care for the community," he said. Gibson said that all of the city officials are serving at a "very difficult time" in West Springfield and in the state. "The state fiscal crisis may have turned a corner, but we still have a way to go," he said. With the decrease in federal funding to the state, he said it filters down to the local cities and towns in the state. "Many times our own residents bear the burden," he said, which keeps the city where it was in terms of services five years ago. "We all would like to add new services and find new ways to improve," he said. According to Gibson, it will be important to work with the governor's administrative office, state legislators and senators to understand the need for better partnerships between state government and municipalities in Massachusetts. Without that partnership, Gibson said he is afraid the state will not only lose the population, especially 25 to 35-year-old residents, to the surrounding states but that the state will see businesses leaving Massachusetts. "Once that happens, Massachusetts will be in further dire straits," he said. He said the state government needs to improve or find new local revenue streams. "Changes will have to be made," Gibson said, adding that he in confident those changes will be made. "I look forward to working with the School Committee and City Council to improve this community," he said. After the mayor took the Oath of Office, the School Committee was sworn into office. The entire School Committee was re-elected. The members include Kathleen Alevras, Peter Andrew, Nancy Farrell, Joseph Foresi, Patricia Garbacik and Daniel Sullivan. Foley said the Committee is a "nice group of hard working individuals." On the City Council, two new councilors and seven returning councilors were sworn into office, followed by the Council's first meeting, at which the Council chose its president and vice president for 2006. The returning councilors include Kathleen Bourque, Michael Finn, George Kelly, Paul Buodo, Gerard Matthews, Cynthia Romaniak and Angus Rushlow. The two new councilors are Brian Griffin and John Sweeney. During the first Council meeting, Buodo presided over the meeting until a president was chosen because he was senior in both years served and in age. Finn nominated Matthews for president. Rushlow nominated Buodo and Kelly nominated himself for the position. Matthews won with six votes. For the position of vice president, Romaniak nominated Bourque and Rushlow again nominated Buodo. Bourque became the Council's new vice president with six votes. Matthews and Bourque took the Oath of Office for the new positions once voted in as president and vice president. Matthews said that each position he has taken in the city, he has followed a friend and a mentor. Now, he said he will "follow in the footsteps of Ed Sullivan." Matthews said he would never say he does a better job than any of his predecessors. He added, "there will never be a lack of effort on my part." Bourque thanked the Councilors who supported her and said, "I will certainly do my best and work very hard." She added that she hopes the Council accomplishes a lot in the next two years. |