Republican Mayor John Safford and four city councilors were sworn in with the new year at a city center ceremony. The officials promised to compromise and work together.
Safford is the first Republican mayor in a decade, and will be the only Republican on the council after unseating first-term Democrat Ron Kim in November.
Tim Coll, who won the race for Commissioner of Public Safety with GOP backing, is the other new-addition to the city council.
Speaking to the standing-room-only crowd, Safford emphasized a pillar of his campaign: returning cooperation and civility to city leadership and council meetings.
“And the fact is that when we sing our songs, often we’re singing by ourselves unless we find a way to harmonize. Unless we find something that binds us together, something that gathers us together, so that together we can make something that’s better than what we can do as individuals,” said Safford.
For months, council meetings have been marked by demonstrations and feuds between councilors that often spilled into public. Coll defeated first-term Democratic Public Safety Commissioner Jim Montagnino, whose term featured several battles with Kim.
Safford says it’s time for the new body to work together.
“We are known as a city in the country, but I am saying we can be a bright light for a city in the country. We can do that together, and that’s the challenge that I bring today. To the council, and to all of you, we work together, we sing our songs, but we sing in harmony,” said Safford.
Commissioner of Accounts Dillon Moran, Commissioner of Finance Minita Sangvhi, and Commissioner of Public Works Jason Golub, all Democrats, were also sworn in for new terms.
Golub shared his hope for the council’s cooperative future while highlighting the New Year’s Day theme.
“But when I think about resolutions, what I think they are at their core is they’re about the hope that we can do better, whether it's personally, whether it's professionally or whether it's as a community. And I feel like that’s the message that I want to share with you today and that’s the message that I hope that this administration carries forward. Hope that we can see past petty differences, hope that we can see past party politics, and hope that we can focus on impactful change for our entire Saratoga Springs community. I hope that we can focus on our similarities and the fact that everyone in our city, at their core, wants the same thing,” said Golub.
Republican Matt Veitch will continue to serve as county supervisor for Saratoga Springs, along with Democratic newcomer Michele Madigan, a former city Finance Commissioner.
Veitch, who has served on the county board for 16 years, spoke at the ceremony in support of the cooperative future laid out by the new mayor.
“Having an honest debate and should be encouraged. But the goal should always be seeking to understand the other side and working toward finding common ground on a common goal and showing respect for one another. We need to continue to remind ourselves that less conflict and more collaboration lead to positive outcomes, and to remember that we are here to serve others. Compromise is not a weakness, and, in fact, can be our greatest strength in confronting the city’s issues,” said Veitch.
The two supervisors say the county and city must work together on issues like establishing a permanent homeless shelter in the city. Veitch also backs a plan to set earlier closing times for Saratoga Springs’ busy bar scene on the heels of a number of public safety challenges.
