New Alexandria City Council Sworn In During Virtual Ceremony

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The new Alexandria City Council with three new members was sworn in during an installation ceremony virtually Monday.

The ceremony was originally planned to happen in City Council chambers to provide the technology for virtual viewing. However, the ceremony was moved to Zoom due to winter weather, unsafe road conditions and COVID-19. Oaths of office were given by Alexandria Clerk of Circuit Court Greg Parks.

New members include Sarah Bagley, an executive director of an affordable housing nonprofit; Alyia Gaskins, a senior program officer at a philanthropic organization; and Kirk McPike, chief of staff to Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.).

Incumbents sworn in for another term were Councilmembers Canek Aguirre, John Taylor Chapman and Amy Jackson. City Council approved a motion to make Jackson the vice mayor, as she received the most votes among the six winning City Council candidates in the Nov. 2 election.

Mayor Justin Wilson also took the oath of office for a second term. Wilson tuned in from Spain, where he is isolating in a hotel room after testing positive for COVID-19. The rest of Wilson's family tested negative and traveled home. Passengers boarding an international flight to the U.S. are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test.

Terms for the mayor and City Council are Jan. 1, 2022 through Dec. 31, 2024.

The oaths of office were followed by an introduction of the new City Council by Town Crier Ben Fiore-Walker, prerecorded Star Spangled Banner performance, and presentation of the colors by the Alexandria Fire, Police, and Sheriff's Honor Guard, and invocation by Rev. Dr. Taft Quincey Heatley, pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church. The ceremony concluded with a benediction by Rabbi Jack Moline.

Jack Powers, secretary of the Alexandria Electoral Board, said the mayor and City Council members will receive their certificates of election at the Jan. 11 legislative meeting. Members also took an ethics pledge. Wilson said the ethnics pledge was developed after a citizen advisory group was convened in 2016. Members will officially sign the pledge on Jan. 11.

Three outgoing members of City Council — former Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, and former Councilmembers Mo Seifeldein and Del Pepper provided remarks during the ceremony. Former Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker will become the delegate for the 45th House of Delegates district, which includes part of Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax County. Pepper was a longtime member of City Council, serving 36 years since first being elected in 1985. Seifeldein, who works as a lawyer, served one term on City Council and did not seek reelection.

Wilson and City Council members also provided remarks. Wilson also recognized City Manager Mark Jinks, who will retire this month. The new City Manager James Parajon will assume the role on Jan. 18.

The full City Council installation ceremony is available to view online.