Flowers, a former councilmember from the city’s Fifth Ward, took the oath of office along with members of the common council at her alma mater, Poughkeepsie High School. The Democrat won a decisive victory in each of the city’s eight wards in November. In her inaugural address, Flowers stressed a desire to diminish the divide between the city’s north and south sides.
"Since the day I ran for political office, my motto is 'Poughkeepsie before politics,'" said Flowers. "I vow that I will work hard to make sure decisions will be based on what is best for Poughkeepsie."
At the very least, Tuesday’s ceremony aimed to demonstrate a united front in city government. The common council and mayor’s office have repeatedly clashed over the years, even when both branches were under Democratic control, like last year.
Flowers says some of her main concerns as mayor include public safety, homelessness, youth services, and housing. Flowers says she intends to put together a housing task force to move the issue forward, as the city awaits the results of a key housing study.
"We need all stakeholders involved: tenants, landlords, developers, community housing partners, government officials, and financial advisors, to help research and discuss the ideas that would bring viable solutions to our housing crisis."
Nearby Newburgh recently declared a housing emergency and opted into rent control under New York’s Emergency Tenant Protection Act, after a study found its vacancy rate for apartments to be just 3.9 percent. Flowers, who is a landlord, has said she is open to exploring whether rent control might work in Poughkeepsie, depending on the results of the housing study.
Tuesday’s ceremony was largely celebratory in nature, though, with performances by Poughkeepsie High School students and remarks by special guests like New York Attorney General Letitia James. James, a Democrat who became the state’s first woman and African American elected AG in 2018, had some advice for Flowers — but also for Poughkeepsie residents.
"You got her elected, but you can’t leave her alone," said James. "This is a joint effort: all of you must be a part of the progress of Poughkeepsie."
The common council swore in some new faces, including Councilmember-at-Large Da'Ron Wilson, First Ward Councilor Ernest Henry, Third Ward Councilor Terriciena Brown, and Fifth Ward Councilor Ondie James – all Democrats. Flowers has tapped former police chief Ron Knapp to be interim city administrator as the city conducts a nationwide search to fill the position.
Outgoing Mayor Marc Nelson, who also served as city administrator, has been hired as the new town manager of Simsbury, Connecticut. In her first proclamation as mayor, Flowers thanked Nelson for a smooth transition on the heels of her victory over him in the Democratic Primary.
Flowers is a lifelong Poughkeepsie resident. In addition to her four terms on the common council, she worked as a financial advisor and supervisor for Dutchess Community College for more than 30 years. Flowers says she never dreamed of getting into politics while she was growing up — it was her late father, a celebrated community organizer and carpenter in the city, who encouraged her to serve.
After a grueling campaign in which she lost her council seat in 2011, followed by the sudden death of her husband, Flowers said she gave up on politics. But her father eventually convinced her to run again for the fifth ward seat.
"[He said], 'You need all the experience you can get to help this city as mayor. You will become mayor, baby girl,'" remembered Flowers. "And here we are, eight years later after he passed, and my dad's vision became a reality."
John M. Flowers died in 2015, but he was mentioned in the remarks of many of Tuesday’s speakers. Yvonne Flowers is one of five women being sworn in as mayor in cities across New York.
