Gloucester, MA—Due to rapidly changing public health conditions related to COVID-19 in the City, the Commonwealth, and nationwide, Gloucester’s Mayor-elect, Greg Verga, has chosen to scale back official inaugural plans scheduled for January 1, 2022.
In compliance with existing open meeting law and in the interest of keeping the public safe, only those elected officials being inaugurated along with immediate family and other ceremony participants will be permitted to attend in person. The public is invited to watch the ceremony on New Year’s Day at 1:00 pm, live on 1623 Studios Facebook page and local cable access television, Channel 12.
The decision to further safeguard the public swearing in ceremonies was made after careful review of neighboring cities’ revised inaugural plans along with occupancy guidelines for Kyrouz Auditorium inside City Hall. The amended event format will include socially distanced seating, with masks required throughout except for speakers actively addressing the audience.
“Scaling back inauguration day is a great disappointment to me personally and, I am sure, to all of those incoming members of the City Council and School Committee,” said Mayor-elect Verga. “Even so, it is our job to lead and we must lead by example. I believe if we all stick to the new event guidelines, we can allow close family members to share in the celebration while still staying safe.”
Earlier this month, the Mayor-elect decided to suspend planned, post-inaugural festivities.
“Like everybody, my family and I have grown tired of the ongoing pandemic and the challenges it creates,” said Verga. “This community has come together in remarkable ways to face this adversity thus far, and we will continue to work together through these next two years as we battle new variants and work toward economic recovery. I wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year.”
