New mayor, city council hit the ground running after swearing in
MADISON – In front of a standing room only crowd in City Hall last Monday night, Ranae Bartlett took the oath of office to become Madison’s fifteenth Mayor.
With her husband, Todd, by her side, United States Magistrate Judge Herman N. Johnson, Jr. swore Bartlett into office. Bartlett, who won 56% of the vote in the August election, expressed her gratitude to the crowd.
“In this season of Thanksgiving, I am full of gratitude,” Bartlett said. “First, for all of you who decided to take the time out of your evening to witness the changing of the guard. I say to you that the future of Madison is bright as long as all of you continue to care about this city, continue to vote, and show up at meetings just like this.”
The city also saw the swearing in of seven members of the city council. Of the seven members sworn in, six will serve their first terms. In an organizational meeting following the ceremony, District 1 council member Maura Wroblewski, was elected to serve as council president.
“I am very excited to start my third term on the Madison City Council representing District 1 and serving as council president this first year. We have six brand new Council members that bring an excitement and enthusiasm that is invigorating,” Wroblewski said. “We will continue to build on the foundation that our previous mayor, Paul Finley, and our previous city councils have laid since I began serving in 2016. All of the council share Mayor Bartlett’s vision for stronger and more effective and efficient infrastructure, offering quality of life amenities like the new Mill Creek Preserve and Greenway and maintaining the strength of the crown of Madison, our city school system.”
District 6 council member Erica White, who faced the only runoff in the council race, has served as a Court-Appointed Juvenile Advocate, a Direct Care Hospice Volunteer, an Adult Education Tutor, and an usher at her church. As a District 6 resident since 2016, she looks forward to serving her community in a new capacity.
“I’ve had several positions in the community, and serving on the city council just felt like a natural extension of that,” White said. “I’m invested in Madison. My husband and I chose to plant roots in Madison and raise our children here. We’ll be here. We’re invested. We want to make sure that we take care of the city and have a hand in that.”
Like White and Wroblewski, Bartlett is enthusiastic about working with a new council.
“I am so grateful for each city council member who decided to step up, to run for office, and to serve,” Bartlett said. “You have so much energy, integrity, and it is my honor to get to be mayor alongside them.”
Although Bartlett did not officially begin her tenure as mayor, she says the work has already started. New council members, along with Bartlett, have undergone training to prepare them for their new roles. Bartlett has also met with department heads to better understand the city’s needs on day one of her administration.
“I have to thank our city department heads and staff. You would hardly know that one mayor moved out and another one moved in over the weekend,” Bartlett said. “The city is going strong, and it is because of the exceptional staff and employees that we have in the city.”
One of the first issues on the agenda for her first day was reviewing the continued funding of Madison’s schools, a key issue in her campaign. She assured that both the council and her administration are committed to continuing this investment.
“So many people move to Madison for the schools, and that investment that we make in public education pays huge dividends for our entire city,” Bartlett said.
