January 7 Special GAC Update

The Cambridge City Council held its inaugural meeting this morning at 10 a.m.  Following the administration of the oath of office and the usual pomp and circumstance the council took the first vote for Mayor of this term. The result was no election of a Mayor and the matter moved to unfinished business. The vote was:

Councillor Denise Simmons 3 (Simmons, Councillors Kelly and Seidel)
Councillor Timothy Toomey 2 (Toomey and Councillor David Maher)
Councillors Davis, Decker, Murphy and Reeves 1 vote each, each voting for her or himself

The Council will meet next on Monday January 14, 2008 at 5:30 p.m.  Councillor Reeves, as senior member of the Council will serve as Chair of both the Council and the School Committee (which holds its inaugural meeting this evening) until the Council elects a Mayor. Election of a Vice Mayor and appointment of members of the Council Committees will follow election of the Mayor.

For those unfamiliar with the process five votes are required to elect a Mayor.  There is no required time by which the Council must elect a Mayor.  The last three Councils have elected the Mayor at the inauguration meeting.  The last time a Mayor was not elected at the inaugural meeting was 2000 when the Mayor was elected in mid-February. 

For a listing of public meetings, visit the Public Meetings link or the Public Meeting Notices area of the City of Cambridge Web site.