Elected officials sworn in before City Council meeting

District Judge William Storey administers the oath of office to newly elected Ward 4 Alderman John La Tour before the City Council meeting held Tuesday evening inside Fayetteville City Hall.

Photo: Todd Gill, Flyer staff

A new alderman and one re-elected official were sworn in Tuesday night during a brief ceremony held before the start of the first City Council meeting of the year.

John La Tour joined City Attorney Kit Williams in reciting the oath of office pledges read by District Judge William Storey.

Ward 3 Alderman Justin Tennant stands with his family and Circuit Judge Beth Storey Bryan (left) after being sworn in Monday at the Washington County Courthouse.

Courtesy

Three other aldermen – Adella Gray, Mark Kinion, and Justin Tennant – were also recently re-elected, but were absent for the oath of office ceremony. Tennant was sworn in Monday morning at the Washington County Courthouse by Circuit Judge Beth Storey Bryan.

La Tour was part of a six-candidate ticket in Ward 4, and defeated Ray Boudreaux, Craig Honchell, D’Andre Jones, Phillip McKnight, and Robert Williams. He replaces outgoing Alderwoman Rhonda Adams, who did not seek re-election in November.

Gray defeated Paul Phaneuf in a runoff election to win a third term in Ward 1 after the two candidates advanced from a three-person ticket that also included Sonia Davis Gutierrez.

Kinion defeated Robert Patton to secure a second term in Ward 2, while Tennant (Ward 3) and Williams ran unopposed in the Nov. 4 general election.

Oath of Office – example

I John La Tour do solemnly swear and affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of mayor, City of Fayetteville, upon which I am now about to enter.

Kit Williams, City Attorney