Newly elected St. Charles officials were sworn in and held their first City Council meeting on Monday, May 5.
The former City Council held its final meeting at 7 p.m. in City Hall, followed by the swearing-in ceremony inside Fire Station No. 1, at 112 N. Riverside Ave.
The city’s new mayor, clerk and one new City Council member were sworn in alongside incumbent treasurer and four council members Monday evening by Kane County Circuit Judge Susan Boles.
State Senator Don DeWitte, and former St. Charles mayors Fred Norris and Sue Klinkhamer were among over 100 people in attendance.
In-coming mayor Clint Hull took the place of former Mayor Lora Vitek after defeating her in the April election.
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Hull said after being sworn in that he was nervous, but in a good way. He said his desire to meet the expectations of the residents of St. Charles is what has been keeping him up at night.
“It’s because of the love that we all have for this,” Hull said. “It’s the feeling that you get when you’re so passionate about something, that you want to throw everything on the line to do the best job that you can.”
Hull ended his speech by thanking Vitek and all the other mayors and council members that came before him.
“They have set the foundation for what we’ve inherited, and what we’ve inherited doesn’t come without their hard work and their passion” Hull said. “Thank you [addressing former mayors] for the imprint you’ve made on this city and I hope to do the same in the next four years.”
New City Clerk Susan Hanson replaced former clerk Nancy Garrison, who did not run for reelection.
New Ward 3 Alderperson Vicki Spellman was the only other new face to join the City Council, taking the seat of Paul Lencioni, whom she defeated in April.
Reelected alderpersons Ron Silkaitis in Ward 1, Ryan Bongard in Ward 2, Bob Gehm in Ward 3, Bryan Wirball in Ward 4 and Steve Webber in Ward 5, as well as incumbent Teasurer John Harrill, were also sworn in at the ceremony.
Each alderperson will serve a four-year term except Gehm, who will serve a two-year term.
After the ceremony, the newly sworn in council held its first meeting in the council chambers at 2 E. Main St.
The only action taken at the first meeting was the appointment of new city attorneys Joseph Mcmahon and Patrick Walsh, of the St. Charles firm Griffin, Williams McMahon & Walsh, LLP.