Haverhill’s city government will have to make it an early New Year’s Eve night: The mayor, City Council and School Committee are set to be inaugurated on Monday, Jan. 1.
According to Haverhill’s city charter, adopted in 1967, the inauguration must take place on the first Monday in January at 10 a.m. In 2018, the Monday falls on New Year’s Day.
Held in the City Hall auditorium, the proceedings will begin when the official election results are read into the record by City Clerk Linda L. Koutoulas. School Committee members Paul A. Magliocchetti, Maura L. Ryan-Ciardiello and newcomer Richard J. Rosa will be installed followed by the City Council.
In the city’s November election, John A. Michitson, Thomas J. Sullivan, Joseph J. Bevilacqua, Melinda E. Barrett, Colin F. LePage, William J. Macek and Mary Ellen Daly O’Brien were re-elected to another term. Timothy J. Jordan was also elected in November and will serve his first term in 2018.
As per tradition, the top two election finishers—Michitson and Sullivan—will assume the roles of council president and vice president.
City Councilor-turned-State Rep. Andy Vargas is resigning from the Council in 2018 to focus on his Statehouse duties despite being re-elected in November. As a result, 10th place election finisher Michael S. McGonagle will assume the seat vacated by Vargas.
Vargas is expected to attend the inauguration as part of the legislative delegation, which includes guest speaker Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.
During the installation of the Council, Vargas will officially decline his election and once his position is declared vacant, McGonagle must be nominated to the seat and sworn in.
The ceremony is open to the public and will be followed by a reception in the mayor’s office at 4 Summer St.