‘Continue that momentum’: DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes, new members of City Council sworn in Monday

DeKALB – As of 6:20 p.m. Monday, DeKalb has a new mayor and new sitting city council.

DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes was joined by his family and supporters for his swearing-in ceremony during the Monday city council meeting at the DeKalb Public Library. DeKalb County Judge Ronald Matekaitis swore in the new DeKalb elected officials, including Barnes.

Barnes’ term will run through 2025, and he said he wanted to thank former DeKalb Mayor Jerry Smith for his past four years of service.

“It was an incredible run,” Barnes said to Smith. “These are huge shoes to fill up here and I will promise you, I’ll do my best to fill them like you did for the four years that you’ve served.”

Former DeKalb Mayor Jerry Smith said after Barnes was sworn in as the new sitting mayor for the city that he wanted to thank everyone for his time in office.

“It’s been a great four-year run for my family and I and for this city council,” Smith said.

Ging Smith, DeKalb resident and the former mayor’s wife of nearly 50 years, said the couple is looking forward to the next chapter of their lives. She said she also wanted to extend her thanks for the community’s support during her husband’s term in office.

“It hasn’t always been easy – it was, perhaps, even more difficult for me than it was for Jerry,” Ging Smith said. “But through it all, I possess the pride that my husband had each and every day of seeing him as our mayor.”

Jerry Smith said this city council specifically has “been on a roll” for the past few years especially.

“We have great momentum for us,” Smith said. “And with this body, I think we can continue that momentum.”

Barnes said he is looking forward to working with the new council to keep its business moving forward.

“And I will, during my four years, always and passionately be proudly DeKalb,” Barnes said.

DeKalb resident Barb Larson also was sworn in as successor to Second Ward Alderman Bill Finucane, who was not present at the meeting. She said she was excited to be part of the council.

“I’m hoping to live up to Jerry [Smith]’s ‘keep it moving’ for another four years,” Larson said.

Fourth Ward Alderman Greg Perkins also was sworn in to keep his seat on Monday after he won the race by three votes in the April 6 consolidated election, according to certified results from the DeKalb County Clerk’s office. Perkins received 298 votes, or 50.25% of the vote, while challenger Matt Keys received 295 votes, or 49.75% of the vote, per election data.

New DeKalb City Clerk Sasha Cohen also was sworn into office on Monday. He succeeds Lynn Fazekas, who elected to not run for another term as city clerk.

Cohen said he wanted to thank those who “entrusted me in this position.”

“And I hope that I will be able to fulfill that successfully for the next four years,” Cohen said.

The clerk’s office has been the topic of debate since June 2019, as city emails obtained by the Daily Chronicle revealed a growing rift between City Manager Bill Nicklas and Fazekas. Smith asked Fazekas to resign after a closed session meeting July 22, to which she refused.

More than a year and a half ago, the DeKalb City Council voted to pass an ordinance that eliminated the deputy clerk position and assigned those duties to the executive assistant to the city manager, a role held by Ruth Scott who formerly served as deputy clerk. The ordinance amendment also formalized the ability for both the clerk and executive assistant to use the City Seal.

Fazekas later filed a lawsuit asking a DeKalb County judge to declare the changes to the powers of her office to be unconstitutional.

Fazekas wrote in a social media comment on Friday that, “on principle, I will be reimbursing the city for the plaque they got me.” She did not provide additional comment during the Monday meeting, which she attended virtually, though she wrote in a Friday social media post her last day as city clerk was Monday.

“It’s been an honor to serve you,” Fazekas wrote. “Truly.”