- November 19, 2024
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Mayor Mike Norris takes his oath of office as former Mayor David Alfin looks on. Photo by Sierra Williams
From one mayor to another, former Mayor David Alfin passes the gavel to Mayor Mike Norris. Photo by Sierra Williams
Ty Miller, surrounded by family, takes his oath for the Palm Coast City Council District 1 seat. Photo by Sierra Williams
Ray Stevens takes his oath of office to represent the Palm Coast City Council District 3 seat. Photo by Sierra Williams
Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris. Photo by Sierra Williams
The new council received loud applause from residents as they took their seats. Photo by Sierra Williams
The newly seated Palm Coast City Council: Ty Miller, Charles Gambaro, Mayor Mike Norris, Vice Mayor Theresa Carli Pontieri and Ray Stevens. Photo by Sierra Williams
To loud applause, the new Palm Coast City Council members have been sworn in to office.
Mayor Mike Norris and council member Ty Miller and Ray Stevens took their respective seats on Nov. 19 after the swearing in ceremony to begin work. The first order of business was to elect a vice mayor.
Council member Theresa Carli Pontieri — the council’s most senior member, who was elected to office in 2022 — was elected as vice mayor in a 3-2 vote, with council members Miller and Charles Gambaro voting against.
Residents, however, almost wholly in support of Pontieri’s appointment as vice mayor.
“Miss Pontieri certainly has demonstrated her willingness, her steadfastness, her patience and her stability in a lot of difficult situations,” resident Ed Fuller said. More residents echoed his comments.
The council also divided up the board council members sit on as part of their responsibilities. The boards and the council member that will sit on it are listed below:
Norris will sit on four boards, Miller on two — possibly three, depending on its conflict with council meetings — Gambaro on two, Stevens on just one and Pontieri on four.
At the beginning of meeting, former Mayor David Alfin opened the meeting for the last time alongside former Vice Mayor Ed Danko. Before stepping down, Alfin said in his closing remarks that Palm Coast is in a very special place in time.
"At this juncture, our community, has been honoring the fond memories of our past, we are living for today in the reality of our present and we are anticipating tomorrow by planning for our future," he said.
Alfin said he hopes the new council will and the community will work together to safeguard the city's past, present and future.
"As a new future begins today with our new mayor, Mr. Mike Norris, I am honored to hand over the gavel so we can begin the next journey that evolves together with ingenuity and pride," he said. "I thank you all. I wish you all good luck."
In some of his first comments on the dais, Norris said he doesn't want to be the person making the final decision, an idea he had talked about in his campaign.
"I will, but I shouldn't have to," Norris said. "The city council should come to a consensus, and my vote should just be a foregone conclusion.”
