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Alexandria’s new City Council is getting sworn in today

By James Cullum
The Democratic slate for City Council after the primary is (left to right) Canek Aguirre, Abdel Elnoubi, Kirk McPike, Jacinta Greene, Alyia Gaskins, John Taylor Chapman and Sarah Bagley (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria’s new City Council will get sworn into office today.

Here’s what you need to know about the installation ceremony.

The City’s new mayor is Alyia Gaskins, a second-term member of City Council, who faced no opposition after winning the Democratic primary in June. Joining her in the installation will be Democratic Council Members Sarah Bagley, John Taylor Chapman, Canek Aguirre, Kirk McPike, Jacinta Greene and Abdel Elnoubi.

The event will be held at 6 p.m. at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center (4915 E. Campus Drive) at Northern Virginia Community College’s Alexandria campus.

Gaskins automatically became mayor at midnight on New Year’s Day, with the celebrations of the new year also marking an end to former Mayor Justin Wilson’t two three-year terms in office. The six other council members are also officially on the Alexandria City Council, but none of the seven can exercise any authority until taking their oaths of office.

The first action of the new council will be the election of the vice mayor. The council member who got the most votes in the general election is voted vice mayor. Council Member Sarah Bagley got the most votes, and is expected to be elected.

The event includes the following:

  • Processional with the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums
  • Introduction of the City Council by Town Crier Ben Fiore-Walker
  • The City Clerk and Clerk of Council will call the meeting to order
  • Presentation of the colors
  • The National Anthem will be sung by Marchelle Toliver
  • An invocation by community faith leaders
  • Music by Samuel Tucker Elementary School students
  • Remarks by former City Council Members
  • Poems by the city’s Junior Poet Bryan Torres and Poet Laureate Zeina Azzam
  • Reading of the State of Results of the November 5, 2024 election
  • Oath of Office for Mayor Alyia Gaskins to be given by the Clerk of Court Greg Parks
  • Oath of Office Given to Members of City Council: Canek Aguirre, Sarah R. Bagley, John Taylor Chapman, Abdel-Rahman Elnoubi, Jacinta E. Greene, and R. Kirk McPike by the Clerk of the Court Greg Parks
  • Ethics Pledge to be taken by the mayor and members of City Council
  • Appointments of members of City Council to city and regional boards, commissions, and committees
  • Remarks by Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Members of Council
  • Remarks by Rev. Dr. Taft Quincey Heatley, Lead Pastor, Shiloh Baptist Church

You can watch the installation at home on Zoom. According to the city:

The meeting can be accessed by the public via Zoom by the following link: Webinar ID: 923 2567 9333 Webinar Passcode: 837715 Dial-in number: 301.715.8592 Registration link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BdzDU0ZKTBOLs8rqsz_ipA

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.