More than 30 people filled the usually empty seats at the Nov. 12 city council meeting to witness the swearing in of the new council.
In addition to newly elected Mayor Scott Sessions, three council members, Patrick Flannery (ward IV), Adam Stockford (ward I), and Emily Stack-Davis (ward III), were sworn into Hillsdale’s City Council, taking the seats of William Arnold, Casey Sullivan, and Mary Wolfram respectively.
Outgoing mayor, Doug Moon transferred the seat to Sessions saying, “I’m taking my name plate and my gavel and getting out of here. From now on, Mr. Sessions will be known as Mayor Sessions.”
The council’s first order of business included electing a mayor pro tem, which Sessions’ former mayoral opponent Brian Watkins won in a 5-3 vote.
Due to the council’s limited agenda, the meeting was adjourned after 35 minutes, what Deputy Fire Chief Paul Ken called a “record” short meeting.
“I’ve been here for 34 years, and this is the shortest meeting I’ve ever seen,” Ken said.
Ken has served the city under nine mayors during his time at the fire department and has high hopes for Sessions.
“There has been a lot of animosity between the council and public,” Ken said. “Scott will bring back integrity to the position.”
In a statement during public comments, Hillsdale resident Lincoln Miller also complimented Sessions and gave him and the new council members advice.
“[Sessions] is no longer a council member, he is now mayor,” Miller said. “His very active montra about budget cuts being the solution to the street problem needs to be put on hold, and his mayoral obligation is to facilitate creative, open-minded thinking on council. I urge you, Scott to fulfill that high expectation, and I have every belief that you will.”
Miller also complimented Moon, Wolfram, Sullivan, and Hillsdale College Professor in Economics Gary Wolfram for what they did to improve the roads, and he challenged the new council to maintain the streets as their priority.
“I certainly hope Mr. Flannery and Mr. Stockford fully comprehend the complexity of the challenge ahead of them in street, not just repair, but vast improvement in the fundamental underpinnings of the streets that is necessary,” Miller said.
Before the council adjourned, Flannery and Stockford both addressed Miller, thanking him for his comments and restating their goals as council members included fixing the streets.
“Fixing the streets is number one,” Flannery said. “I just know fixing them is one thing, but getting the funding is another.”
After the meeting, City Manager Linda Brown said she was happy with the way the first meeting went and looks forward to seeing the agenda the council will put forth in the coming weeks.
Moon added that it will take some time for the new members to adjust to their roles on council and form an agenda.
“Think about a blind date with eight other people,” Moon said describing the first council meeting. “It’s awkward enough with only one other person. And in order to form an agenda, they will have to realize they won’t be able to change the world just because they say so.”
During the meeting, Hillsdale resident Ted Jansen also addressed the controversy about whether or not Ruth Brown’s position on city council is in a conflict of interest because she also serves on the city commission. Jansen said that the Michigan Attorney General’s opinion states that it is not, because the contract between the council and commission is between two public entities, which the law allows.
