Wellington mayor Joe Soria and 3 city council members are sworn in Tuesday
Joe Soria takes over for Jim Valentine as Wellington’s Mayor.
By Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — The new Wellington City Council has been sworn in. Tuesday night, Joe Soria became mayor. Mike Westmoreland, Cindy Antonich, and Jim Valentine were sworn in as city council members for the next four years.
The council will appoint a fourth person to take over for Soria, who vacated his council seat to become mayor in January.
The swearing-in ceremony occurred during the first Tuesday meeting held in the council chambers, with Wellington City Clerk Heidi Theurer officiating.
New Wellington City Council members.
Wellington mayor Joe Soria, who took the seat, stated:
“I am very humbled to be up here and want to thank everybody especially my family and those who campaigned for me. I have two wishes. I wished I could bring my grandparents who passed on. They came to Wellington when Wellington had a tie factory and they worked hard to earn a living. They taught us grandchildren to work hard and believe in ourselves.
My other wish is my mom and dad. They have both passed on. They too taught us you should work hard and believe in yourself. My dad (Manuel) believed that nothing was given to you.”
Outgoing members: Robert Hamilton, Guy Leitch, and Jim Valentine (as mayor).
Thus ended the four-year terms of Guy Leitch, Robert Hamilton, and mayor Jim Valentine. Westmoreland will have a second term.
“Thank you for putting up with me,” Hamilton said. “It has been a learning experience for me. It is a double-edged sword. You put yourself out there, and it comes back in good ways and bad.”
“It has been an eye-opener. And I wish all the electees all the luck in the world,” Leitch said.
Valentine stated as outgoing mayor:
“This has been quite a ride since 2007. We have faced some very tough issues, especially COVID. I’m so proud of the people of city of working together to work through it… You really don’t understand what it is like to be sitting up here. These are people representing the people not themselves. That takes a lot. I think this is one of the most emotionally feeling councils we have had to ever serve.”
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Wellington City Manager Jeff Porter outlined the procedure for appointing a new council member.
The city will send a public notice to the official newspaper, which will kick off a 15-day application to fill the vacancy. The governing building will then meet to go over applications. After the first regular meeting, the mayor and council will fill the vacant position.
Porter said the 15-day period would end on Dec. 28. The council could have a special meeting then, but there is a regularly scheduled meeting on Jan. 2. The council could review the applications then and make the appointment on Jan. 16.
Applications will be on the website and at city hall.
Wellington council member Rick Roitman suggested that as applications come in the city puts up names of those applying much like the county does.
“That way, people would encourage or discourage those who are applying,” Roitman said.
The council took no action on the matter.
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The council also:
•Porter was ratified to represent the city of Wellington on the Sumner County Economic Development Commission board.
