Former Georgia state Senator Kasim Reed was inaugurated today as the City of Atlanta’s 59th mayor. He won the election on a platform that includes improving public safety, creating new opportunity for the city’s youth, ensuring fiscal responsibility and providing greater customer service to residents.
“I am honored and humbled to take on this important role,” Reed said. “I will work hard to ensure Atlanta remains a world-class city and an attractive place to live, raise families and to start, grow and relocate businesses. I will move forward with a sense of urgency as I work with the City Council to accomplish my administration’s goals for the city.”
Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Carol W. Hunstein swore-in Mayor Reed during a mid-day ceremony at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center. Reed took the oath of office with one hand on the family Bible, which was held by his mother Sylvia Reed and father June Reed.
Outgoing Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin offered remarks, as did former Atlanta Mayors Andrew Young and Sam Massell. The Rev. Dr. Walter L. Kimbrough offered the invocation. Leaders from several diverse religions offered prayers for the city; they were: Rabbi Peter Berg, The Temple; the Rev. Joanna M. Adams, Morningside Presbyterian Church; Imam Mansoor N. Sabree, Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam; and the Rev. Jasper W. Williams Jr., Salem Baptist Church.
Several other elected officials took the oath of office at the inauguration ceremony, including City Council President Ceasar Mitchell, 15 other members of the Atlanta City Council and 11 municipal judges.
Nearly 4,000 people packed the Civic Center auditorium. Those in attendance included dignitaries, politicians, entertainers and academics from across the country. The ceremony was elegantly simple and efficient, reflecting the current economic atmosphere and the challenges facing the new mayor and council members.
Mayor Reed already has taken several steps to ensure his administration gets off to a quick start to accomplish its goals. During his four-week tenure as mayor-elect, Reed:
- Announced plans to reopen the city’s recreational centers as Centers of Hope
- Selected Peter Aman, a top executive at Bain & Co.’s Atlanta office, to be the city’s chief operating officer
- Appointed Atlanta Police Deputy Chief George Turner as acting police chief
- Named former City Council President Lisa Borders and attorney Lawrence Ashe as co-chairs of the Transition Team
- Selected retired Cox Enterprises executive John Mellott to head the city’s Pension Reform Panel
Mayor Reed kicked off the inauguration activities with a Community Day of Service on Saturday at Renaissance Park in the heart of Midtown. The mayor and residents joined volunteers from Park Pride and the Atlanta Police Department’s Operation HOPE team to cleanup and beautify one of Atlanta’s urban green spaces.
The Atlanta City Council members who took the oath of office today were: the Hon. Michael Julian Bond, Post 1 At-Large; the Hon. Aaron Watson, Post 2 At-Large; the Hon. H. Lamar Willis, Post 3 At-Large; the Hon. Carla Smith, District 1; the Hon. Kwanza Hall, District 2; the Hon. Ivory Young, District 3; the Hon. Cleta Winslow, District 4; the Hon. Natalyn Archibong, District 5; the Hon. Alexander Wan, District 6; the Hon. Howard Shook, District 7; the Hon. Yolanda Adrean, District 8; the Hon. Felicia Moore, District 9; the Hon. C.T. Martin, District 10; the Hon. Keisha Lance Bottoms, District 11; and the Hon. Joyce Sheperd, District 12.
The Municipal Court judges who were sworn in were: Chief Judge Deborah S. Greene, the Hon. Howard R. Johnson, the Hon. Clinton E. Deveaux, the Hon. Andrew A. Mickle, the Hon. Barbara A. Harris, the Hon. Catherine E. Malicki, the Hon. Elaine L. Carlisle, the Hon. Herman L. Sloan, the Hon. Calvin S. Graves, the Hon. Gary E. Jackson and the Hon. Crystal A. Gaines.
Earlier in the day, Mayor Reed attended an Interfaith Inaugural Prayer Breakfast at Ben Hill United Methodist Church. Several religious leaders were in attendance. They included Pastor Richard Don Winn Sr., Ben Hill United Methodist Church; Plemon El-Amin, Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam; Rabbi Peter Berg, The Temple; Olu Brown, Impact Church; Bishop William P. Deveaux, African Methodist Episcopal Church; Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, Archdiocese of Atlanta; and the Rev. Joseph Williams, Salem Bible Church.
Mayor Reed, Ceasar Mitchell and Atlanta City Council members and Municipal Court judges are scheduled to cap the inauguration activities with an Inaugural Citizens’
Reception from 5:30-7:30 p.m. today at Atlanta City Hall. This will enable Atlanta’s residents to meet their new leadership and get a tour of the Executive Suite.
“Today marks an important step for the City of Atlanta – a city I love deeply,” Reed said. “I want every Atlanta resident to know my administration will be open, inclusive and accessible. Together, we can fix Atlanta and make it the best city in the country.”
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