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 5, 2026 Time: 10:00 AM Location: Lowell Memorial Auditorium 50 East Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA CITY CLERK 1. - CITY CLERK 1.1. INAUGURATION 2026 - 2027 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. (C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Gitschier, C. Juran, C. Liang, C. McDonough, C. Mercier, C. Nuon, C. Robinson, C. Rourke, C. Scott) 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 members, Belinda Juran, Sidney Liang and Sean McDonough 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) and Father City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 2 of 3) Nicholas Sannella (Immaculate Conception Church) as well as Buddhist Monk Mee Lem and Michael Lally (vocalist). Father Nicholas Sannella delivered the Invocation. Lowell High School ROTC and Lowell Police Department Color Guard presented the colors, and Michael Lally sang the National Anthem. The Roll was called. Eleven present. (C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Gitschier, C. Juran, C. Liang, C. McDonough, C. Mercier, C. Nuon, C. Robinson, C. Rourke, C. Scott) Official Notice of Election from Election Commissioners depicting the results of the November 4, 2025 election was read by the Chair. Motion by C. Nuon, seconded by C. Scott “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. Gitschier. So voted. On the first ballot the Council did not reach a majority for any candidate as the Mayor of the City of Lowell. (C. Juran, C. McDonough, C. Robinson selected C. Gitschier; C. Gitschier, C. Liang, C. Nuon selected C. Nuon; and C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Mercier, C. Rourke, C. Scott selected C. Rourke) On the second ballot C. Gitschier was selected the Mayor of the City of Lowell by receiving 6 votes. (C. Gitschier, C. Juran, C. Liang, C. McDonough, C. Nuon, C. Robinson selected C. Gitschier; and C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Mercier, C. Rourke, C. Scott selected C. Rourke) The Chair declared C, Gitschier as Mayor of the City of Lowell and Judge Geary administered the oath of office. C. Chau and C. Descoteaux requested their vote be recorded for C. Gitschier after the roll. Mayor Gitschier was joined a podium by his son, Zachary for swearing in. Mayor Gitschier chaired the remainder of the meeting. Mayor Gitschier addressed the auditorium thanking his colleagues, family and friends for the opportunity. He noted past and present elected officials as well as employees of the Ciity. Motion to proceed to elect a Vice Chair by C. Juran, seconded by C. McDonough. So voted. On the first ballot the Council designated Councilor Nuon has the Vice Chair of the City of Lowell Council by receiving 6 votes. (C. Gitschier, C. Juran, C. Liang, C. McDonough, C. Nuon, C. Robinson selected C. Nuon; and C. Chau, C. Descoteaux, C. Mercier, C. Rourke, C. Scott selected C. Descoteaux) The Mayor declared C. Nuon as Vice Chair, who was then escorted to the Rostrum by his daughter, Nadya Nuon. Judge Geary administered the oath of office. City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 3 of 3) Motion to adopt present rules of the City Council for 2026-2027 by C. Robinson, seconded by C. Liang. So voted. Father Sannella delivered the Benediction and Monk Mee Lem offered a prayer for the gathering. Mr. Lally performed God Bless America. ADJOURNMENT 2. - Time for meeting to stand adjourned. Motion to Adjourn by C. Descoteaux, seconded by C. Chau. So voted. Meeting was adjourned at 10:42 AM. ____________________________ Michael Q. Geary, City Clerk City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov