All four — mayor-elect Elizabeth Slamka and council members Jennifer Carter, Paul Horn and Steve West II — talked about the city’s future and their plans during their remarks.
Slamka, Carter and West II were elected on Nov. 7, and Horn, a Middletown businessman, was selected by City Council to fill the two-year, unexpired term when Rodney Muterspaw resigned his seat in November due to family health issues.
Since Mayor Nicole Condrey, Vice Mayor Monica Thomas and council member Tal Moon didn’t seek re-election this year, and with Muterspaw resigning, only Zack Ferrell, who was elected two years ago, remained on council.
The new council will hold its first meeting at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 2.
Council Chambers were packed Tuesday night with city of Middletown officials, community leaders and family and friends of the new council members.
After being sworn in, Carter, who was accompanied by her husband, William, was succinct in her comments: “Let’s get to work. All of us.”
Horn said Middletown enjoyed “a boom” in the 1970s, and he believes the city is positioned for another growth spurt. For that to happen, he said, the city needs to offer more affordable housing and embrace innovation by providing electric vehicle charging stations.
West II said he was “very grateful and humbled” to be elected, and he called serving on council “a big responsibility to represent the citizens.”
Slamka, who defeated Joe Mulligan for the mayor’s seat, thanked her campaign team and her family for their support. She called being mayor “a lifelong dream” that came to fruition.
The Cornell University graduate has visited 22 countries and speaks two languages, but she said it’s not about her.
“It’s about you,” she said, before adding that all public officials “work for the people. All the people.”
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