Wilmington’s mayor, council members to take oaths of office Jan. 3

WILMINGTON — Wilmington’s Mayor-Elect Mike Purzycki, City Council President Hanifa Shabazz and Treasurer Velda Jones Potter, will take their oaths of office next Tuesday evening during an inauguration event in downtown Wilmington. Also to be sworn-in next week are 12 district and at-large members of the Wilmington City Council, seven of whom are newly elected.

The public is invited to the swearing-in ceremony that will occur during the organizational meeting of the 107^th session of the Wilmington City Council at The Grand Opera House on Market Street. Doors will open at 7:45 p.m. and the meeting will begin at 8 p.m.

Seats to the ceremony are free and are available on a first come, first served basis.

Both Council President-elect Shabazz and Treasurer-elect Jones Potter will become the first women and African Americans in the City’s history to be elected to these public service positions.

Also to be sworn-in next Tuesday evening are the new and returning members of City Council which include:

• Nnamdi Chukwuocha, D-1^st District (returning)
• Trippi Congo, D-2^nd District (returning)
• Zanthia Oliver, D-3^rd District (new)
• Michelle Harlee, D-4^th District (new)
• Vashun Turner, D-5^th District (new)
• Yolanda McCoy, D-6^th District (new)
• Robert Williams, D-7^th District (returning)
• Charles “Bud” Freel, D-8th District (returning)
• Loretta Walsh, D-At-Large (returning)
• Rysheema Dixon, D-At-Large (new)
• Sam Guy, D-At-Large (new, but served previously on City Council)
• Ciro Adam, R-At-Large (new)