There was a party planned at the Salt Lake City-County Building Monday, as outgoing city officials were recognized and new ones took their place.
Thousands of invitations were sent out, and hundreds of chairs were set up in the second- and third-floor hallways of the historic building -- in addition to the chairs in the spacious City Council chambers -- to accommodate the anticipated crowd.For what is believed to be the first time in the city's history, the induction ceremonies were bifurcated in order to let anyone who wanted to come be a part of things.
New Mayor Rocky Anderson's induction was scheduled to take place after the induction of the new City Council members, Van Turner, Nancy Saxton and Dave Buhler, and the send-offs of the outgoing mayor, Deedee Corradini, and council members, Joanne Milner, Deeda Seed and Bryce Jolley.
In his remarks, prepared for delivery after being sworn in as mayor, Anderson noted that the City-County Building was the site of various historically noteworthy events, including, on the fourth floor, the trial and conviction of Joe Hill, a labor agitator who was executed for murdering a grocer.
"Frankly, I'm hoping for better things on the fourth floor during the next four years," he said.
Anderson did not delve into the nitty-gritty of municipal governance in his speech. Appropriate to the grand occasion, his remarks addressed lofty general ideals, particularly the cause of freedom in all its manifestations.
"Let us breathe life into our constitutions by demanding equal treatment of all under the law . . . by acknowledging the right of all to freely express their views, and by insisting that our governments, and those who act on behalf of our governments, refrain from the violation of basic human rights," he said.
But freedom goes beyond the specific terms of the U.S. and Utah constitutions, Anderson said, by promoting the values of security, dignity and freedom.
People are secure when they are protected from crime and are sheltered, fed and cared for, Anderson said. They have dignity when they obtain a good education and have a job that pays at least a living wage. And freedom means minimizing pollution and preserving the Earth for future generations.
"Let us never permit bigotry to rule our thoughts or actions," he said. "Let us never let cynicism creep in where hope, commitment and belief in a better future should be. And let us never forget that each of us can make our own life far more enriched by giving a helping hand to those in need and in forging a better community."
The induction ceremony was an elaborate one, including various ethnic groups in speaking, singing or praying. Anderson has focused hard on creating an ethnically diverse administration.
Prior to the induction ceremonies, Corradini's official portrait was unveiled on the third floor. It should surprise no one who has followed her career that it pictures her dressed in red.