[swearing in ceremony for the newly elected Council Member for Council District 4 on February 4, 2022]
[00:00:25]
IF EVERYBODY COULD, UH, PLEASE, UH, STAY AT AND, UH, PASTOR SYLVESTER CHASE FROM THE, UH, UNITED METHODISTS WESLEY WILL DELIVER OUR INVOCATION.
IT IS ALWAYS A GREAT MORNING WHEN I WAKE UP AND SEE YOU.
YOUR HEARTS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, LET US BOW PLEASE.
ANOTHER DAY OLD LORD THAT YOU HAVE, LET US SEE.
WE DON'T KNOW ALL WHAT'S IN STORE, BUT AS LONG AS YOU ARE WITH US, WE KNOW WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE IT.
WE THANK YOU GOD, FOR LETTING US BE HERE TODAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR LEADERS THAT WE HAVE HERE AT CITY HALL AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO MAKE THIS A GREAT CITY, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM.
AND THROUGH THEM, THEY ARE WILLING OR GOD TO GIVE THEIR VERY BEST.
NOW BE WITH US, ALL OF US, HELP US TO DO WHAT YOU WOULDN'T WANT US TO DO TO HELP TO MAKE THIS WORLD, THIS CITY, THE VERY BEST IN JESUS NAME.
LET US ALL SAY A MAN, A MAN, AND A MAN.
YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY, AND NOW CUTTING STRAIGHT TO THE CHASE, UH, FOR WHAT YOU'VE ALL BEEN, UH, HERE, UH, GLORIOUS DAY, UH, PASTOR CHASE, UH, WOULD YOU PLEASE ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE YO, TO BOTH IT'S DO WE WANT HIM ON THIS SIDE WITH ME? COME ON.
THEY TOLD ME THAT WE WANT US TO CLOSE, SO THEY DON'T, THEY MIGHT HAVE, MIGHT NOT HAVE A WIDE ANGLE.
JOSE CHEETO, VELA, PLEASE REPEAT AFTER ME THIS OATH OF OFFICE THIS MORNING ON MONDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY THE SEVENTH, 2022, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME LOUDLY, CLEARLY AND DISTINCTLY.
HI JOSE, JOSE CHEETAH, VELA CHEETO, BELLA, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR.
YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE, THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL DISTRICT FOUR OF COUNCIL DISTRICT FOR ALL THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, THE STATE OF TEXAS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WE'LL DO TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL DO TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS, THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE AND OF THIS STATE.
[00:06:00]
I USED TO BE GATHERED EVERYBODY HERE TODAY.NO CONTENTIOUS VOTES OR ANYTHING.
AND I BET WE'RE OUT OF HERE BEFORE MIDNIGHT, UH, REGARDING TO GIVE OUR, OUR, OUR NEWEST COLLEAGUE A CHANCE TO, TO BE ABLE TO, TO SPEAK.
AND THEN WHEN HE'S DONE, UH, IF ANYBODY ON THE DAY OF SWARTZ, UH, TO, TO WELCOME HIM, UH, THAT'LL BE THE PROGRAM TODAY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CHAIR'S YOURS.
WELL, THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH, UH, UH, TO, UH, TO PASTOR CHASE, UH, TO MAYOR ADLER, UH, TO EVERYONE THAT CAME SO MANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, IT'S SO HEARTWARMING AND TOUCHING TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE, UH, UM, I'M HUMBLED, UH, I'M GRATEFUL AND, UH, I'M EXCITED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF, UH, DISTRICT FOUR, UH, AND OF AUSTIN AND, UH, I'M READY TO GET TO WORK.
UH, SO I'LL, I'LL KEEP IT A VERY BRIEF.
AND, UH, JUST AGAIN, MY, MY DEEPEST HEARTFELT THANKS TO THE VOTERS, UH, OF THE, OF THE DISTRICT FOR, FOR CHOOSING ME, UH, AND TO SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR ME, WHO HAVE HELPED ME, WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, PUSHED ME AND HELPED ME AND, UH, AND PULLED ME ALONG THE WAY, UH, TO, TO GET TO THIS DESTINATION, TO THIS GOAL, UH, ET CETERA, I I'M, I'M HUMBLED AND HONORED AND, UH, UH, I HOPE TO DO EVERYONE RIGHT, AND DO THE BEST I POSSIBLY CAN, UH, IN MY POSITION.
JUST WANTING TO SAY WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
OUR EASTERN CRESCENT COMMUNITIES ARE BOUND TOGETHER BY VALUES AND BY NEEDS.
AND SO I, IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE ANOTHER PROGRESSIVE COUNCIL MEMBER ON THE DAYS.
AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'LL DO TOGETHER.
REMEMBER ELLIS WELCOME TO THE DIOCESE IS GOING TO BE YOUR SHORTEST MEETING EVER.
WE KNOW THAT THIS ELECTION HAPPENED OUT OF CYCLE AND THE FACT THAT YOU WERE WILLING AND ABLE TO STEP UP SO QUICKLY AND WILLING TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOWS THAT YOUR HEART REALLY IS A TRUE SERVANT LEADER.
AND I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK.
AND, UH, JUST, UH, MY OFFICE IS GOING TO BE OPEN TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF MIGHT NEED.
THAT'S OUR, UH, I ALSO WANT TO ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS AND MY WELCOME.
UM, WE'RE ALL HERE TO HELP YOU.
WE DISAGREE OBVIOUSLY ON TIMES, BUT WE'RE TEAM.
AND SO WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU AND PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT AT ANY TIME.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT YOU BRING TO US, UH, TO ADD TO OUR DISCUSSIONS AND ADD TO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING FOR THE CITY.
I ALSO WANT TO ADD MY WELCOME AND THANKS TO YOU FOR STEPPING UP TO SERVE THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND I ALSO, I KNOW IN YOUR COMMENTS, YOU THINK THOSE GATHERED HERE, BUT I WANT TO ALSO EXTEND MY THANKS BECAUSE IT TAKES EXTRAORDINARY COURAGE TO STEP UP AND RUN FOR OFFICE.
AND IT TAKES A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM FRIENDS AND FROM FAMILY.
UM, AND IT TAKES A LOT OF THAT, A LOT OF SUPPORT, UM, IN THE TIME TO COME FROM HERE.
SO YOUR PATH HERE, UH, IS, IS, HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
[00:10:01]
NOW, UM, AS WE, AS WE GO FORWARD TO WORK TOGETHER, I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE LOTS OF SUPPORT AND SUSTENANCE FROM THE FOLKS WHO HELPED, UM, PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT HERE.AND LIKE MY COLLEAGUES, MY OFFICE IS ALWAYS MY, I HAVE FABULOUS, A FABULOUS TEAM AND FABULOUS STAFF, AND WE ALL STAND READY TO WORK WITH YOU AND TO COLLABORATE WITH YOU.
WELCOME TO THE DIAS CHEETO AND CONGRATULATIONS.
CONGRATULATIONS ALSO EXTENDED TO THE LARGE FAMILY, THE EXTENDED FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT YOU BROUGHT WITH YOU HERE TODAY AND WHO NO DOUBT WERE SIGNAL IN ENSURING, UH, THE SUCCESS THAT YOU HAD DURING THE CAMPAIGN.
SO WELCOME TO THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, UH, COUNSELOR KELLY.
I JUST WANTED TO WELCOME YOU AS WELL.
LAST WEEK, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TOGETHER.
I SHOWED YOU AROUND CITY HALL AND MY OFFICE IS ALWAYS OPEN AS WELL.
I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH YOU AND FINDING ISSUES WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH.
AND AS VANESSA WILL PROBABLY TELL YOU WHEN TIMES GET HARD, JUST TO REMEMBER HOW SPECIAL THIS DAY WAS.
COLLUDE WITH THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND THEN AND MAZEL TOV.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO DOE UM, I WANT TO JUST NOTE THIS CROWD.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD THIS MANY PEOPLE IN THE CHAMBER AND TWO YEARS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE FOR US TO CELEBRATE THIS NEW DAY FOR OUR COUNCIL.
UM, AND FOR, FOR BEING ENGAGED IN OUR CITY.
UM, SHE DOES GONNA NEED YOU DURING THIS PERIOD SO THAT, UM, HE CAN SUCCEED.
UM, WE NEED YOU HERE SO THAT WE CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND THAT WE CAN DO GREAT WORK.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AVAILA, UM, IN THIS OFFICE AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND HOPEFULLY THIS CAN MARK A MOVEMENT FORWARD, UM, WITH THE PANDEMIC.
I WANT TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL MEMBERS ONCE US AND KELLY, YOU WERE INAUGURATED VIRTUALLY ON JANUARY 6TH, 2021, WHICH WAS AN INTERESTING DAY TO SAY THE LEAST.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WE'VE REALLY ENJOYED HAVING YOU ON THE DIOCESE AS WELL.
AND, AND WE WELCOME MR. BAILIFF, MAYOR PROTECH.
WELCOME TO, UH, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL HAD TO THE, TO THE, TO DEZ.
UH, THIS IS SUCH AN ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL MOMENT IN TIME THAT YOU JOINED US.
THERE WAS SO MUCH PROMISE AND POTENTIAL IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND AT THE SAME TIME, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, A GREAT RELIEF, WE'VE SEEN THE CHALLENGES THAT THE COMMUNITY FACES, UH, AND YOU, UH, NOW INHERITED WALK INTO, UH, TO A SEAT, UH, OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE AS WE, AS WE NAVIGATE BOTH HE REGULATIONS TO YOUR FRIENDS AND TO YOUR FAMILY.
UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE JUST HOW MUCH IT SERVICE ON THE COUNCIL IMPACTS, UH, OUR, OUR FAMILY LIVES, UH, AND OUR ABILITY TO SPEND TIME WITH OUR, WITH OUR FRIENDS.
SO REALLY A SPECIAL THANKS TO, TO, TO YOUR FAMILY, UH, THANKS TO, UH, UH, REVEREND CHASE, ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT COMMUNITY, UH, LEADERS.
THANK YOU FOR GRACING US WITH YOUR PRESENCE HERE TODAY.
HOW THE PROGRAM DOESN'T ALLOW FOR ME TO, UH, TELL COUNCIL, WELL, CITIZEN RESIDENT CASAR, THAT HE ONLY HAS THREE MINUTES.
ALTHOUGH I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.
UH, BUT CASPER ABELLA, THIS IS A LOT OF WORK, UH, BUT EVERYONE ON THIS DAY S UH, IS HERE TO HELP SUPPORT YOU AND MAKE YOU ABSOLUTELY AS, AS EFFECTIVE AS YOU CAN BE FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE GIVEN YOU THEIR, THEIR, THEIR TRUST WELCOME ABOARD.
AND THAT WILL END OUR PROGRAM.
I WANT TO POINT OUT TO EVERYBODY, UH, THAT, UH, YOU CAN GET YOUR PARKING TICKETS VALIDATED OUT IN THE LOBBY.
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I'M TOLD.
UH, AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
EVERYONE WILL NOW ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND WE'LL GO TO WORK.
[00:15:12]
UH, REMEMBER EACH EMBRACE THE SMILE THAT LIGHTS YOUR FACE, AND MY HEART BEGINS TO SEE YOUR EYES THAT SAID, AND MY HOME BEGINS.