Inauguration day will feature a close race for City Council president between Joseph McGiverin and Kevin Jourdain.
Three views of Holyoke mayor-elect Alex B. Morse are seen at a recent editorial board meeting of The Republican.HOLYOKE – Alex B. Morse will be sworn into office as the youngest mayor in city history Jan. 3 at 10 a.m. at Holyoke High School.
The ceremony at the 500 Beech St. school auditorium will include City Clerk Susan M. Egan giving the oath of office to the City Council and School Committee.
At about 11 a.m., the 15-member City Council, which has six new councilors, will meet at City Hall to elect a president.
The tightest competition for the presidency in years is shaping up between Councilor at Large Joseph M. McGiverin, who has been president for 26 years, and Councilor at Large Kevin A. Jourdain, a councilor since 1993.
Morse, 22, defeated first-term incumbent Mayor Elaine A. Pluta on Nov. 8. It was the first try at elected office for Morse, who graduated from Brown University in May.
His inaugural speech will reflect the themes of his campaign, he said.
“I’ll be outlining my vision for the city over the next two years and beyond. It’ll be a message of unity, a message of perseverance,” Morse said.
The mayor’s salary is $85,000 a year.
The new city councilors are Gladys Lebron-Martinez, Ward 1, Anthony Soto, Ward 2, David K. Bartley, Ward 3, Jason P. Ferreira, Ward 4 and Gordon P. Alexander, Ward 7.
Seven of the eight incumbent at-large councilors are returning: Peter R. Tallman, Aaron M. Vega, Brenna E. Murphy, James M. Leahy, Rebecca Lisi, McGiverin and Jourdain. The new at large member is Daniel B. Bresnahan, formerly city health director.
Also returning are councilors Linda L. Vacon, Ward 5, and Todd A. McGee, Ward 6.
City councilors are paid $10,000 a year each.
The School Committee consists of 10 members, including the mayor as chairman. Joshua A. Garcia is the new Ward 1 School Committee member, filling the seat held by Lebron-Martinez.
Yvonne S. Garcia kept the Ward 2 school board seat with a write-in campaign.
Other returning School Committee members are Dennis W. Birks Jr., Ward 3, Cesar A. Lopez, Ward 4, Devin M. Sheehan, Ward 5, William R. Collamore, Ward 6 and Margaret M. Boulais, Ward 7, and at large member Howard B. Greaney Jr.
The School Committee has two at large members with staggered, four-year terms. At large member Michael J. Moriarty wasn’t up for reelection in November and has two years left in his term.
School Committee members get $5,000 a year.
In other transition and inauguration events, an interfaith service will be held at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 3 at United Congregational Church, 395 High St., Morse said.
Morse’s inaugural ball will be Jan. 14 from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, 500 Easthampton Road. Tickets are $75 each or $500 for a table of eight.
An event Morse is calling “The Mayor’s Inaugural Bash” will be Jan. 15 from 7 p.m. to midnight at Open Square, 1 Open Square Way. Tickets are $20, plus a $2.09 fee if ordering online.
Information is available at www.morseformayor.com/events.html.