Gardner to swear in elected officials the first week of January; public inauguration set for Jan. 8

Mayor (name not given in transcript) outlined the city's altered public meeting schedule for early January required by the charter and state law.

He said state law requires elected officials to be sworn in on the first Monday in January; the city council will hold its organizational meeting that same Monday, the school committee will meet Tuesday evening, and the city will host a public inauguration on Thursday to give broader public access. The mayor provided a specific date and time for the public inauguration: Thursday, Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in Perry Auditorium.

The mayor said the retaking of the oath at a public inauguration is intended to allow more residents to attend rather than holding the oath early on a Monday morning.