Gates Does Great

Last night the City Councilmembers elected John Gates as the Mayor Pro-Tem. Tonight, he was put to the test. With Tom Norton, the newly elected mayor, absent from the Nov. 17 City Council meeting, Gates took charge as the leader of the group. Gates was not the only new face on the panel. Two other Councilmembers made their debut at the meeting. Donna Sapienza and Sandi Elder began their service as Councilmembers tonight after being elected on Nov. 3.

The meeting was short and to the point; a breaking-in if you will for the new Council before the longer meetings begin. Gates kept the meeting flowing, and by my standards, did an excellent job. He gets an A in my book.

Although Gates did a good job tonight, this will not be his normal post. After a close race, Norton edged out former Councilmember Ed Phillipsen for the mayoral seat. Last night, at a special Nov. 16 meeting, Norton was sworn in at Council Chambers. Ed Clark, the previous mayor, passed the gavel to Norton and wished him the best of luck. Clark said that change is good, and added that he will still be around looking to help in any way he can. Norton thanked Clark for his service to the city of Greeley and then took his seat behind the desk. Look for Norton to make his first regular session appearance at the next City Council meeting. To learn more about the newly elected mayor, visit his Facebook page.