City Council

Office of the City Clerk City Hall • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 P: 978.674.4161 • F: 978.970.4007 www.LowellMA.gov Lowell City Council Michael Q. Geary City Clerk Inauguration Meeting Minutes Date: January 2, 2024 Time: 10:00 AM Location: Lowell Memorial Auditorium 50 East Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA CITY CLERK 1. - CITY CLERK 1.1. INAUGURATION 2024 - 2025 CITY COUNCIL-ELECT * Procession into City Council Chambers. * Open Ceremony/Notice of Election. * Roll Call. * Invocation. * Oath of Office. * Election of Mayor. * Mayor's Oath of Office. * Election of Vice Chairman. * Vice Chairman's Oath of Office. * Benediction. Roll call showed 11 present. City Clerk Michael Q. Geary, Chair. Council-Elect entered Council Chamber lead by Assistant City Clerk, Angela Gitschier. City Clerk Geary welcomed those attending the event, including newly elected member, John Descoteaux to the Council. City Clerk Geary recognized his staff as well as staff at Manager’s office as well as the LMA staff for their assistance with this program. City Clerk Geary introduced Judge Stephen Geary, Associate Justice of the District Court, along with Father Nicholas Sannella (Immaculate Conception Church) and the Venerable Sokunthea Nhil (Glory Buddhist Temple) Father Nicholas Sannella and Venerable Lem Mee delivered the Invocations. City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 2 of 3) Lowell High School and Lowell Police Department Color Guard presented the colors, and the Lowell High School Chorus sang the National Anthem. The Roll was called. Eleven present. Official Notice of Election from Election Commissioners depicting the results of the November 7, 2023 election was read by the Chair. Motion by C. Nuon, seconded by C. Leahy “to accept the communication and place it on file.” So voted. Each Councilor was before their desk and was administered the oath of office by Judge Geary. Motion to proceed to elect a Mayor by C. Scott seconded by C. Mercier. So voted. On the first ballot the Council designated Councilor Daniel P. Rourke as the Mayor of the City of Lowell by receiving 9 votes. The Chair declared Daniel Rourke as Mayor, who was then escorted to the Rostrum by his children, Zack and Haley along with wife, April. Judge Geary administered the oath of office. Mayor Rourke chaired the remainder of the meeting. Mayor Rourke addressed the Chamber thanking his colleagues, family and friends for the opportunity. Motion to proceed to elect a Vice Chair by C. Gitschier, seconded by C. Descoteaux. So voted. On the first ballot the Council designated Councilor Paul Ratha Yem as the Vice Chair of the City of Lowell Council by receiving 11 votes. The Mayor declared C. Yem as Vice Chair, who was then escorted to the Rostrum by his wife Robin, sons Sebastian and Justin, daughter Kimberly and granddaughter Annabelle. Judge Geary administered the oath of office. C. Yem addressed the body after oath. Motion to adopt present rules of the City Council for 2024-2025 by C. Jenness, seconded by C. Scott. So voted. Father Sannella delivered the Benediction. City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 3 of 3) ADJOURNMENT 2. - Time for meeting to stand adjourned. Motion to Adjourn by C. Leahy, seconded by C. Yem. So voted. Meeting was adjourned at 10:45 AM. ____________________________ Michael Q. Geary, City Clerk City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov