Packed chamber for swearing-in of Columbia City Councilors

It was standing room only, as two new members, and one returning councilor, were sworn-in to the Columbia City Council Tuesday

[gtxvideo vid=”DvmVIa0r” playlist=”” pid=”XSbotlye” thumb=”http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/DvmVIa0r-120.jpg” vtitle=”Columbia City Council Swearing In Ceremony”]

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — It was standing room only, as two new members, and one returning councilor, were sworn-in to the Columbia City Council Tuesday.

Howard Duvall took over Cameron Runyan’s At-Large seat. Ed McDowell now sits in the District Two seat formerly held by Brian Dequincy Newman. Moe Baddourah was re-installed in his District Three seat.

“We have to work together,” Baddourah says. “We witnessed that sometimes we didn’t work together, and didn’t come out with the best results, and now I’m eager.”

Mayor Steve Benjamin did not endorse Duvall or McDowell.

“I think that we have had a very warm reception from the staff and from the mayor,” Duvall says. “I think there will be some changes in the dynamics of the city council, and I hope to have a positive change from city council in how we operate.”

A fresh start, after a year of immense change.

“If our city is unified, you can ask, you can ask and things will get done,” McDowell says.

Mayor Benjamin says he’s looking forward to working with the new councilors to make Columbia the best it can be.

“The important part is making sure we do it together,” Benjamin says, “with a tone of civility, and mutual respect, that people come to not really expect in Washington anymore, and sometimes at the state level, but they really need from the local government.”

The newly-inducted councilors will join the others in chamber for the first meeting of the year Tuesday January 5.