(MURFREESBORO) Re-elected Mayor Shane McFarland and Murfreesboro City Councilmembers Madelyn Scales Harris, Rick LaLance, were joined by the cities newest Council member, Ronnie Martin in the Rotunda of Murfreesboro City Hall on Thursday night to be sworn in by General Sessions Judge Toby Gilley.
The full room had a noticeable energy similar to the excitement you might remember from the first day of school, and it is like the first day of school in some respects. A new year of opportunities and challenges to manage a nearly un-harnessed rate of growth in a community is a blessing but also presents a special set of challenges to meet the needs and expectations of the residents of Murfreesboro.
Pastor Allen Jackson, from World Outreach Church, opened the ceremony in prayer to ask for guidance for these members and the city of Murfreesboro.
Councilmember Kirt Wade said he feels good about the council being back to full strength and that he thinks there are "some good things ahead for our city.."
Madelyn Scales-Harris had dedicated this election to the memory of her mother and father. Her son asked her what she hoped to come away with in this election cycle. she said "God is good and one thing I do know now without a shadow of a doubt is that Murfreesboro loves me and I definitely love Murfreesboro."
At the swearing in, Mayor Shane McFarland congratulated the re-elected and first time Councilmember Ronnie Martin. During his remarks, he noted that being a public servant is not only a call of service for the one who is elected but also the sacrifices of the family who lend their loved one to serve.
Former Vice Mayor Doug Young and his family were thanked and remembered at the ceremony with Mayor Mcfarland noting that his fingerprints are all over Murfreesboro.
Incoming Councilmember, Ronnie Martin described his excitement and nerves heading into his first meeting as a Councilmember by saying "I am very excited about the opportunity, of course, been looking forward to this we've worked very hard to be here..."
The ceremony was closed with a prayer by Pastor James Milton McCarroll Jr. of First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro.
