Bloomington’s new mayor and city council representatives have officially taken the reigns.
Mayor Kerry Thomson and the newly elected council members— all Democrats — were sworn in at a Monday ceremony, marking the beginning of their terms.
Newcomers to city office include Thomson and council members Isak Asare, Hopi Stosberg, Shruti Rana and Sydney Zulich.
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Council members Matt Flaherty, Isabel Piedmont-Smith, Kate Rosenbarger and Dave Rollo and City Clerk Nicole Bolden return after finishing terms in 2023. Rollo was not present at the ceremony.
Andy Ruff, who previously served five terms on the council, also returns this year.
Noelle Conyer was also sworn in as Ellettsville’s clerk-treasurer.
Thomson opened the ceremony with remarks about fractured relationships between officials that she plans to mend.
“As your mayor, my mission is this: to bring this community together, like we are today, around a vision that we share, and turn that vision together into a reality,” Thomson said.
Thomson said she plans to achieve her vision by making local government more transparent and accessible and by seeking input from the community before plans are made.
“We cannot succeed without partnerships at the federal state, county and local levels,” Thomson said. “It's time to move past territorial battles and meaningless fights. It's time for productive conversations and reasonable compromises that yield action.”
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Thomson said several recent initiatives, especially annexation, have caused relationships between the city and county to suffer. She’s been critical of the last administration’s approach and said she plans to leverage her connections with the county commissioners to pursue a better outcome.
She said she has already begun conversations with the county commissioners, county council and incoming city council on some initiatives.
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“Certainly, we need a diversity of opinions to get our best solutions for the community,” Thomson said. “But (we need) a team that works with mutual respect and presumes goodwill, so that we can move forward in the interest of our community and the people we serve.”
Thomson said her legislative priorities include public safety, housing and addressing substance abuse and mental illness.
She did not speak to specific measures she plans to pursue but said her administration will roll out plans over her first 100 days in office.
Thomson succeeds former Mayor John Hamilton. Hamilton served two terms and did not seek reelection.
