Visconti elected new City Council president

  Councillor-at-Large Gerry Visconti will be the City Council President in 2022.

  During the council inauguration last Monday night, Visconti was the unanimous choice to serve as the next president. Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino will serve as vice president for the upcoming term.

  “I would like to thank my colleagues on the council for electing me to this position,” said Visconti. “I’m humbled and I’m honored to lead this council in 2022. I look forward to working with all of you, along with Mayor Arrigo and his administration to continue to move this city forward.”

  Among the new faces sworn in on Monday night were Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri, Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Congliandro and Ward 5 Councillor Al Fiore. Councillor-at-Large Dan Rizzo was unable to attend the ceremony, as were returning Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky and Councillor-at-Large Steve Morabito

  Also sworn in were returning Councillor-at-Large George Rotondo, Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna and Ward 4 Councillor Patrick Keefe.

  It was a fairly short ceremony, as the city continued to grapple with high COVID-19 numbers. There was a short break for photos, but there were fewer friends and family in attendance during the inaugural than in years past.

  The council gets down to business with its first regular meeting of the year on Monday, Jan. 10.

   In addition to the swearing in of the councillors, City Clerk Ashley Melnik also swore in returning School Committee members Carol Tye, Stacey Rizzo, Susan Gravellese and new members John Kingston and Aisha Milbury-Ellis. Returning School Committee member Michael Ferrante was unable to attend the inauguration.

  In a meeting that was even shorter than the council’s organizational meeting, Rizzo was chosen as the committee’s new vice chair and Gravellese was the pick as the committee secretary.