Ames City Council Members Take Oath

Three City Council members, including newcomer Victoria Szopinski, took the oath of office Thursday in a swearing-in ceremony in council chambers.

Both Jami Larson, of Ward 2, and Matthew Goodman, an at-large council member, won uncontested races for their seats in November.

Newcomer Victoria Szopinski won a three-person challenge for the city's Fourth Ward over Chuck Jons, a retired physician, and Frank Jeffrey, of PowerFilm. She won the seat vacated when incumbent Riad Mahayni announced he would not run again. Szopinski then faced Chuck Jons in a election.

After Larson, Goodman and Szopinski took their oaths they said a few words to a small audience of about 20 people who came to watch.

Goodman, a business owner with a young family, spoke of the sacrifice of serving.

“It's time that you do not get to give to other things that are important,” he said.

Larson, a property owner and manager, said local government is a political arena in which he enjoys serving.

“Local politics is not only where things happen, but it's also non partisan,” he said.

Szopinski, a mother and former employee said she just wanted to thank everyone for being in the room.

“I've been humbled by the whole experience. I've learned so much and there is so much more to learn,” she said.

Szopinski will add another female voice to the council. Currently, Mayor Ann Campbell is the only other woman on council.

Officials said the male-majority makeup of the council was an odd mix for the city. It wasn't too long ago that former Mayor Larry Curtis led an all-female council. That lasted from January 1990 to December 1993 until the council slowly shifted to all men, one election at a time.

Former councilwoman Judie Hoffman served on the council for 16 years until 2008.

“I'm delighted to have another woman on the council again. It's great; we need more women,” Hoffman said.

She said women don't exactly make a difference in how the city is run, but said women discuss things in a different way than men do.

“I think they bring a different voice to the council,” Hoffman said.