Friday, December 21, 2001
|
Friday, December 21, 2001 |
|
Senoia mayor storms out of City Hall while new mayor takes oath By JOHN
THOMPSON
Senoia Mayor Joan Trammell's last official meeting ended with a bang as the mayor left City Hall shortly before Mayor-elect Dianne Cleveland was sworn into office. Trammell's stormy exit was the culmination of one of the most contentious political periods in Senoia in years. Near the end of Monday's acrimonious City Council meeting, Trammell informed Cleveland that she would officially take office Dec. 31 at midnight and told her she would have to be sworn in before Jan. 1. Cleveland was taken aback and said she understood that she would take office at the Jan. 7 council meeting. But Trammell quoted City Attorney Drew Whalen as saying the law had changed and the shift in power would take place at the first of the year. Whalen then added that Cleveland could actually wait until Jan. 7, which drew an icy glare from Trammell. City Councilman Robert Hannah suggested Cleveland go ahead and take the oath Monday, since the press was already at the meeting. Trammell said she would prefer not to be involved, but City Councilman Bill Wood suggested the council take a 10-minute recess so city clerk Debbie Hogan could find the oath and a Bible to stage the ceremony. "I guess you can do whatever you want to, since you're in power now," Trammell said. When the meeting recessed, Trammell gathered up a plate of Christmas cookies and strided toward her car, followed by City Administrator Leonard Thompson, who resigned after the election. Five minutes later, Cleveland took her oath of office and became the third consecutive female mayor to lead the city. Newly elected Councilman Pat Tunnell will be sworn into office Jan. 7.
|
||