Somerville Set To Inaugurate Its Newest Leaders

SOMERVILLE, MA — The city announced its inauguration event schedule for the next legislative year that will take place early January.

Organizational meetings between the City Council and School Committee will be held on Friday, Jan. 2 at 10:30 a.m. in the City Council Chamber in City Hall at 93 Highland Ave. The respective meetings will include each of the group's newly elected members for the first time.

Ben Wheeler, Jonathan Link, and Emily Hardt are three newest members to the City Council. Wheeler and Link both earned at large positions, while Hardt was elected to the Ward Seven seat over 19-year-old opponent Wilbert Pineda. In the School Committee, Elizabeth Eldridge, Michele Lippens, and Emma Stellman are the newest stewards of the Wards Two, Three, and Six seats respectively.
Mayor-elect Jake Wilson is slated to be inaugurated on Saturday, Jan. 3. At 6 p.m. in the Somerville High School auditorium on 81 Highland Ave. Once officially named Mayor, the former City Councilor will give his first address to the city.

Wilson joined the race nearly one year ago intending to bring “accessible, collaborative, and decisive leadership” to the position. Born in Minnesota, Wilson spent the majority of his childhood in rural Iowa. He first came to the Boston area in 1999 when he moved to Brighton. In 2004, he moved to the Winter Hill area with his wife, Catherine where he has resided ever since.

Wilson’s address will be followed with addresses by City Council President Lance Davis. Davis was appointed to the position of president earlier this year when former President and Ward Seven Councilor Judy Pineda-Neufeld resigned earlier this year. In November, he was re-elected to another year in the position by his peers. Wilfred Mbah was also re-elected for another year as Vice President. The 44-year-old earned his fourth term on the council in November, as the incumbent received the most votes of any city council candidate with more than 13,000.

Ward 1 School Committee member Emily Ackman was elected as her board’s next leader earlier this month. She is succeeding Ilana Krepchin, who lost her seat to Eldridge.

A public reception is taking place at the Somerville Armory at 191 Highland Ave. immediately after the inaugural ceremony concludes.

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