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COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
INVESTITURE OF CITY COUNCIL
ORGANIZATION OF CITY COUNCIL
INAUGURATION OF HONORABLE JOHN F. STREET, MAYOR
INVESTITURE OF MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIARY,
CLERK OF QUARTER SESSIONS COURT, CITY
COMMISSIONERS, REGISTER OF WILLS, SHERIFF, AND
JUDGES OF TRAFFIC COURT
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The Kimmel Center
for the Performing Arts
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Monday, January 5, 2004
10:00 a.m.
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PRESENT:
COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE L. BLACKWELL, Chair
COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE
COUNCILMAN DAVID COHEN
COUNCILMAN FRANK. J. DI CICCO
COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR.
COUNCILMAN JACK KELLY
COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY
COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI
COUNCILMAN RICHARD T. MARIANO
COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER
COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER
COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL
COUNCILMAN JUAN RAMOS
COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS-BROWN
COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO
COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO
COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA
V A R A L L O INCORPORATED
Litigation Support Services
1835 Market Street, Suite 600
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
(215) 561-2220
P R O C E E D I N G S
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ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the investiture to the Members of Council, the organization of City Council, the inauguration of the Honorable John F. Street as Mayor, and the investiture of members of the judiciary, Clerk of Quarter Sessions Court, City Commissioners, Register of Wills, Sheriff, and judges of Traffic Court.
We ask that you please turn off all pagers and cellular phones for the remainder of the ceremony. Thank you. We would like to acknowledge WPVI, Channel 6 for the live broadcast of this ceremony.
Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and bow your heads for the invocation given by His Eminence Justin Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia.
CARDINAL RIGALI: I am very pleased to participate today in the inauguration of Mayor Street and the investiture of the Members of City Council during these initial months as the new Archbishop of Philadelphia. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to raise our minds and hearts to God, and ask His blessings on the Mayor, City Council, the judges, and other public servants of this historic and beloved City, our City, The City of Philadelphia.
Dear friends, let us place ourselves in the presence of God and ask His help. God, our Creator and Father, look upon us all gathered together this morning.
We ask Your abundant blessings upon our Mayor and the Members of City Council, these public servants, who are committed to the well being of the City of Philadelphia, and to the harmony, peace, and advancement of all the citizens of this community.
We ask You to give these public servants a sharing in Your spirit. Make them generous, courageous, and creative in the important work entrusted to them. Let them work perseveringly and harmoniously, with unstinted honesty and integrity, to accomplish the lofty mission committed to them. May they always see the great dignity of their role and their empowerment for service to the whole community. May they work together in open and respectful collaboration with one another and with all others, always being inspired by the immense amount of good they can accomplish, always aiming to assist their fellow citizens, always professing the equality of human dignity of every brother and sister in the eyes of God. May their contribution to the City become a dynamic factor of our history. May their service recognize the primacy of God in society, and promote and advance God's plan for the unity and harmony of people of all races, all religious, and all ethnic backgrounds. We thank You, Almighty God, for the readiness and resolve of our Mayor and City Council and public officials to face the ever-present and developing challenges of our City, with its enormous needs. We thank You for their commitment to our people of all backgrounds, and for their willingness to serve generously and with personal effort because the cause is great. We ask You, Lord, to stir up new enthusiasm in all of us, to be conscious of the great calling of our City, to be a beacon of harmony and justice, a sign of truth and love in our nation.
We ask You, Lord, to give us all your peace, peace in our hearts and in our homes, peace in our neighborhoods, peace throughout this great and noble City of Philadelphia, peace as we work together for the well-being of all your people, our brothers and sisters, and for the glory of Your Holy Name. Amen. ANNOUNCER: And now, ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing as the Philadelphia Police and Fire Departments present the colors, and the Pine Forge Academy Choir leads us in singing our National Anthem.
(Colors presented.)
(Singing of National Anthem.)
(Applause.)
ANNOUNCER: And now, ladies and gentlemen, please be seated, as we call to the podium City Council President Anna C. Verna.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much, and good morning.
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the inaugural proceedings for the investiture of City Council Members, the inauguration of the Mayor, and the induction of the judiciary and elected officials.
I am delighted to recognize special guests joining us on stage today. And I would request that you refrain from applauding until all have been recognized. With us we have, as you know, His Eminence, Justin Cardinal Rigali; Bishop Ernest Morris; Rabbi Solomon Isaacson; former Mayor, Reverend W. Wilson Good, Sr.; Mrs. Carmella Rizzo, wife of the late Mayor Frank Rizzo; former Mayor William Green; members of the Philadelphia Congressional delegation: Chaka Fattah, Bob Brady and Joe Hoeffel; Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Russell Nigro; Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Sandra Shultz Newman; Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll; Auditor General Robert Casey, Jr.; State Treasurer Barbara Hafer; City Controller Jonathan Saidel; District Attorney Lynn Abraham; Chairman of the Republican City Committee, Michael Meehan; and Members of the Inaugural Committee.
Thank you all so very much for joining us.
(Applause.)
At this time I would like to acknowledge the First Lady of our City, Ms.
Naomi Post. And I would also like to recognize my husband, Sevy Verna.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: At this time I request COUNCILWOMAN Krajewski please make a presentation of flowers to Ms. Post.
(Flowers presented to Ms. Post.)
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: At this time the Philadelphia Boys Choir will sing The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
(Singing of Battle Hymn of the Republic.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: Beautiful.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: I understand that we have two other elected officials with us who have not been recognized.
And at this time I would ask the Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Perzel, to please stand, along with State Representative Dwight Evans. Please stand to be recognized.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: Thank you. This being the day fixed by the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter for the Organization of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, the hour has arrived, and we will now proceed with the organization of Council and the investiture of Council Members.
Our first order of business will be the election of a temporary chairperson.
Nominations are now in order, and the Chair recognizes COUNCILWOMAN Miller.
COUNCILWOMAN MILLER: Thank you, Madam President. I nominate COUNCILWOMAN Blackwell.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: The Chair recognizes Councilman Clark. COUNCILMAN CLARK: Madam President, I second that nomination.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: Are there any further nominations?
(No response.) COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: Hearing none, the Chair recognizes COUNCILMAN DiCicco.
COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you, Madam President. move that the nominations be closed.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VE
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