The 71st Baltimore City Council was sworn in Thursday at the cavernous War Memorial building on Gay Street. (VoB Photo/Alan Z. Forman)

WAR MEMORIAL  ON GAY STREET
IS SCENE OF INAUGURAL EVENT

Prospective gubernatorial candidates Ken Ulman and Anthony G. Brown joined Stephanie Rawlings-Blake as the newly inaugurated mayor swore in the 71st Baltimore City Council Thursday morning at the cavernous War Memorial which faces City Hall on Gay Street.

Blake herself was inaugurated Tuesday for a full four-year term as Baltimore’s mayor  (click here).

Howard County Executive Ulman, who is widely considered to be running for governor in 2014 despite denials of current candidacy, told a large gathering of well-wishers, family members and supporters of the new 14-member council, “You can count on me as a partner,” and emphasized that the various surrounding Maryland jurisdictions “can only succeed together with a thriving Baltimore City.”

Lt. Gov. Brown also wished the new council well at the hour-long ceremony, which featured musical interludes by high school groups ORCHKids and Singing Sensations. WBAL-TV-11 anchorman Stan Stovall served as master of ceremonies.

Baltimore County was represented by Council Chairperson John Olszewski Sr., who also addressed the gathering.

In a brief address City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young promised the crowd that he and his 14 colleagues “plan to exceed your expectations….

“Working together with residents, the private sector and our partners from neighboring jurisdictions, we’ve helped set Baltimore on a path to recovery,” he said.

“But let’s be honest: we’ve only just begun.

“Ahead of us lies some extremely difficult work still to be done.”

The council was elected on Nov. 8th. Its term of office is four years.

— VoB Staff report