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MR. HENDERSON: Ladies and
gentlemen, good morning and Happy New
Year. Welcome to the investiture of
members of Council, the organization of
City Council, the inauguration of the
Honorable Michael A. Nutter as Mayor, and
the investiture of members of the
Judiciary, City Commissioners, Register
of Wills, Sheriff, and Judges of Traffic
Court.
We ask that everyone please
turn off all pagers and cellular devices
for the remainder of the ceremony. Thank
you.
Ladies and gentlemen, please
rise and bow your heads for the
invocation given by His Excellency
Charles Chaput, Archbishop of
Philadelphia.
(All guests rise.)
ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: Let us
pray.
Father in heaven, make us
honest stewards of the world you place in
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our hands. Make us good guardians of the
dignity that you give as a birthright to
every human person. Help us to reach out
to the suffering and the persecuted and
to protect the poor, the weak, and the
immigrant. Help us to reflect your light
to others and to show by our action that
truth, integrity and service still shape
the purpose of the community life we
share.
In a special way, bless our
leaders, especially Mayor Nutter for his
dedication and service to our city, but
also including all those who serve in
public life. Guide them in building a
civil order that honors your law and your
love.
Give us the eyes to see your
holy face in each other and to live and
love accordingly, and pour down your
grace on all of Philadelphia so that
those who come after us will see beyond
the buildings and history and industry of
our city to the greater beauty of the
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goodness and decency of her people.
We ask this as your sons and
daughters, confident in your love.
Amen.
(Amen.)
MR. HENDERSON: Ladies and
gentlemen, please remain standing as the
Philadelphia Police and Fire Departments
and the Prison Guards present the colors,
while the Philadelphia Boys Choir leads
us in singing our national anthem.
(Colors are presented; national
anthem is sung.)
(Applause.)
MR. HENDERSON: Thank you.
You may all now be seated as we
continue with this morning's proceedings.
Let's listen to a poetry
reading by Philadelphia Poet Laureate,
Ms. Sonia Sanchez.
(Applause.)
MS. SANCHEZ: How nice, now I'm
tall.
Good morning, Philadelphia.
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(Good morning.)
MS. SANCHEZ: Since I was given
seven days to write this... I call this
"A Song for Philadelphia" for Mayor
Michael Nutter at our new beginnings.
Before birth or becoming,
before the pulse of a seed, before our
creation, our nothingness, our eyes
challenged, the death trumpeters. When
we turn in our birth nostalgic for blood,
when we show ourselves on the water into
the sleeves of winter, what does it
matter if we cannot taste the scene?
So precocious a city, how did
we learn to serve death with our hands in
our pockets, so young our breaths? How
did we inoculate our needs until we
genuflected death too?
A vigil of blood clotting on
steel and glass leaks into our pores, a
vigil of slot machine profits courting
our spirits, a vigil of hope rummaging
our eyes for food and shelter.
This earth perched on the heads
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of lower case luminaries. Dare reconfirm
this earth free of the corruption of war.
Can heroes be born without the fanfare of
bullets? How many times can we auction
off democracy whose heads are larger than
God, whose hands are larger than the sea,
whose eyes are larger than the stars?
Inside time we pilot laughter,
our mouths lassoing our poem souls, for
this day, this day, this day has the
precision of a pause. Old words become
great echoes on Monday morning
abstinence.
Can you hear the children's
breaths flying out of their skins? Old
words conjugate in wild colors.
Now hear this, now hear this,
our children are walking barefoot across
our souls. Their storefront laughter is
collapsing in the streets. Can you hear?
Can you hear the people's fears,
confessing to the cadence of forgotten
air?
Philadelphians, Philadelphians,
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walking, bending, raising, living inside
your words, practicing the rural of
neighborhoods, flowing from your thighs.
Can you hear them teasing the City with a
girlish glance? Oh, bluesy city.
Beat, beat. Beat, beat, beat,
beat, beat that base. Beat, beat, beat,
beat, beat that base.
Let the ghosts fly out. Play
the wonder in your fingertips. The City
is not dead. I am not dead. We are
merely occasional fallen nightingales.
No more breath smiles here. No
harpsichord teeth placing words into an
antique pillbox. On this January
landscape, we hear humming. We hear
humming of prayer on your tongues saying
step inside. Step inside. Step inside,
mi amor.
You are wild time, rosemary,
watermelon seeds, garlic, roses caught in
our throats. Your hands are anointed
with eyes. Your legs greet themselves at
the door. Step inside. Step inside.
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Step inside.
A moon wind, our bones join at
the spine. Our blue midnight breaths
sailing on urban tongues. Like Lorca, yo
quiero, I love, I want. Like Lorca, yo
quiero, I love, I want. Like Lorca, yo
quiero, I love, I want, I say. I say, I
say, I say step inside. Step inside.
Step inside, mi amor, as we untangle this
language of death. Stand words up and
say minuet our blood.
Step inside. I say step
inside. Step inside a moon wind.
As we commandeer our children's
legs and they become rivers, repelling
ice water ghosts, kneeling on razor-thin
knees at confession.
Step inside. Step inside.
Step inside, mi amor, as we become one
city, alive and apart from the elasticity
of the dead.
Give me the spirit, Lord. I
say give me the spirit, Lord. Give me
the spirit, Lord. Give me the quick
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civil courage, Lord. I say give me the
quick civil courage, Lord, so I can
spread it over my face and mouth. Give
me the spirit tongue of a thousand suns.
I say give me the spirit tongue of a
thousand suns to warm our hearts, oh
Lord.
Give me the spirit, Lord. I
say give me the spirit, Lord, to come
awake in your thunder so our eyes can see
behind trees.
Help us to remember, oh Lord.
Are we not more than hunger and music.
Are we not more than greed and poverty.
Are we not more than color and
homelessness. Are we not more than anger
and dance.
This day is walking towards us,
and I say give us the spirit, Lord, to
put on our eyes and forever, oh Lord, let
us be in the eyelash of your memory, in
the eyelash of your memory.
Our ebobo (ph), our ebobo, our
ebobo. Praise God. Praise God. Praise
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God for we, the people. For we, the
people. For we, the people.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
MR. HENDERSON: Philadelphia
poet extraodinaire, Ms. Sonia Sanchez.
Now please welcome City Council
President Anna C. Verna to the podium.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: Thank
you all very much, and may I say good
morning. It is my pleasure to welcome
you to the inaugural proceedings for the
investiture of City Councilmembers, the
inauguration of the Mayor, and the
induction of the Judiciary and elected
officials.
Special guests joining us on
stage today are Archbishop Charles
Chaput, Reverend Dr. Albert Campbell,
Reverend John Roberts, Rabbi Solomon
Isaacson, former Governor Ed Rendell,
former Mayor John Street, former Mayor
William Green, former Mayor W. Wilson
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Goode, the Honorable Pamela Dembe, the
Honorable Matthew Carrifiello and the
Honorable Thomasine Tynes.
I also wish to acknowledge
elected officials joining us on stage
today as well as members of the Honorary
Inaugural Committee.
Please join me at this time in
welcoming the First Lady of our City,
Lisa Nutter, and the Nutter's lovely
daughter, Olivia.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: Would
Councilwoman Tasco please make a
presentation of flowers to Mrs. Nutter
and Olivia.
(Presentation of flowers to
Mrs. Nutter and Olivia.)
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: This
being the day fixed by the Philadelphia
Home Rule Charter for the organization of
Council of the City of Philadelphia, the
hour has arrived, and we will now proceed
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with the organization of Council and the
investiture of Councilmembers.
The first order of business
will be the election of a temporary
chairperson. Nominations are now in
order, and the Chair recognizes
Councilman Green.
COUNCILMAN GREEN: Thank you,
Madam President. I nominate Councilman
Jones.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: The
Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
COUNCILWOMAN BLACKWELL: Thank
you, Madam President. I second the
nomination.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: Are
there any further nominations?
(No response.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA:
Hearing none, the Chair recognizes
Councilman Goode.
COUNCILMAN GOODE: Thank you,
Madam President. I move the nominations
be closed.
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COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: The
Chair thanks the gentleman.
The Chair recognizes
Councilwoman Sanchez.
COUNCILWOMAN SANCHEZ: Thank
you, Madam President. I second that
motion.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: All
in favor of the motion will indicate by
saying aye.
(Aye.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: Those
opposed?
(No response.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: The
ayes have it, and the nominations are
closed. There being no further
nominations, all in favor of the election
of Councilman Jones will say aye.
(Aye.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: Those
opposed?
(No response.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERNA: The
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ayes have it, and Councilman Jones has
been duly elected temporary Chairperson.
Before I relinquish this gavel
to my colleague, I'd like to take this
opportunity to reflect on my years as,
first, a Council staff member, then
Councilwoman for the 2nd Councilmanic
District, and finally as Council
President.
There are a few principles that
I followed over the course of my career
in public service, and I'd like to impart
them to all of those beginning or
continuing their journey in City Council.
Uphold the truth that has been
placed upon you by the citizens of this
great city. Treat your colleagues and
constituents with dignity and respect.
Remember that compromise is an essential
element in all successful legislative
bodies. And always remember public
service is a noble profession.
I believe that if you make
decisions with these ideals in mind, your
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careers will be as happy and fulfilling
as mine has been.
I'd like to thank my Council
colleagues, past and present, for sharing
their wisdom and generosity of spirit
with me, my staff for their dedication,
and mostly the people of the 2nd Council
District for having placed their trust in
me. Together we have accomplished so
much of which I am very, very proud.
Thank you, and God bless.
(Standing ovation.)
COUNCILMAN JONES: Thank you.
As the first order of business,
I appoint Mr. Michael Decker temporary
Clerk.
The next order of business is
the filing of certificates of election.
The Clerk will call the roll. I direct
the Clerk to call the roll beginning with
Councilpersons-at-large in alphabetical
order, then to proceed to the District
Councilpersons in order of their
district, beginning with the 1st
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District.
CHIEF CLERK: Mr. W. Wilson
Goode, Jr.
COUNCILMAN GOODE: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Mr. William
Green.
COUNCILMAN GREEN: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Mr. William
Greenlee.
COUNCILMAN GREENLEE: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Mr. James F.
Kenney.
COUNCILMAN KENNEY: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Mr. Dennis
O'Brien.
COUNCILMAN O'BRIEN: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Mr. David Oh.
COUNCILMAN OH: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Ms. Blondell
Reynolds Brown.
COUNCILWOMAN BROWN: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Mr. Mark Squilla.
COUNCILMAN SQUILLA: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Mr. Kenyatta
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Johnson.
COUNCILMAN JOHNSON: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Ms. Jannie
Blackwell.
COUNCILWOMAN BLACKWELL:
Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Mr. Curtis Jones,
Jr.
COUNCILMAN JONES: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Mr. Darrell
Clarke.
COUNCILMAN CLARKE: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Mr. Bobby Henon.
COUNCILMAN HENON: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Ms. Maria
Quinones-Sanchez.
COUNCILWOMAN SANCHEZ:
Presente.
CHIEF CLERK: Ms. Cindy Bass.
COUNCILWOMAN BASS: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Ms. Marian B.
Tasco.
COUNCILWOMAN TASCO: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Mr. Brian
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O'Neill.
COUNCILMAN O'NEILL: Present.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman Jones,
a quorum of the members-elect is present,
and I have in my possession certificates
of election from the County Board of
Elections in Philadelphia, indicating
their election on November 8th, 2011, for
a term of four years, commencing the
first Monday of January, AD 2012.
COUNCILMAN JONES: The
investiture of members will now proceed.
The members-elect will rise to take their
oath of office, which will be
administered by the Honorable Pamela
Pryor Dembe, President Judge of the Court
of Common Pleas.
JUDGE DEMBE: Please place your
left hands on the Bible and repeat after
me.
(Office of oath administered.)
JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations,
and thank you.
(Applause.)
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COUNCILMAN JONES: The next
order of business is the election of the
President of City Council for the City of
Philadelphia to serve four years,
commencing January 2nd, 2012.
Nominations are now in order.
The Chair recognizes Councilman
Henon.
COUNCILMAN HENON: Thank you,
Mr. Chairman. I proudly and with great
honor nominate Darrell L. Clarke.
(Applause.)
COUNCILMAN JONES: At this
time, the Chair recognizes Councilman
O'Brien.
COUNCILMAN O'BRIEN:
Mr. Chairman, I second the nomination.
COUNCILMAN JONES: Are there
any further nominations?
(No response.)
COUNCILMAN JONES: Hearing
none, the Chair recognizes Councilman
O'Neill.
COUNCILMAN O'NEILL:
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Mr. Chairman, I move the nominations be
closed.
COUNCILMAN JONES: The Chair
recognizes Councilman Kenney.
COUNCILMAN KENNEY:
Mr. Chairman, I second that motion.
COUNCILMAN JONES: All those in
favor will say aye.
(Aye.)
COUNCILMAN JONES: Those
opposed will say nay.
(No response.)
COUNCILMAN JONES: There being
no further nomination, all those in favor
of the election of the Honorable Darrell
L. Clarke as President of the City
Council will say aye.
(Aye.)
COUNCILMAN JONES: Those
opposed?
(No response.)
COUNCILMAN JONES: The ayes
have it. However, the temporary Clerk
will call the roll.
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CHIEF CLERK: Councilwoman
Bass.
COUNCILWOMAN BASS: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilwoman
Blackwell.
COUNCILWOMAN BLACKWELL: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman
Clarke.
COUNCILMAN CLARKE: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman Goode.
COUNCILMAN GOODE: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman Green.
COUNCILMAN GREEN: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman
Greenlee.
COUNCILMAN GREENLEE: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman Henon.
COUNCILMAN HENON: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman
Johnson.
COUNCILMAN JOHNSON: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman
Kenney.
COUNCILMAN KENNEY: Aye.
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CHIEF CLERK: Councilman
O'Brien.
COUNCILMAN O'BRIEN: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman
O'Neill.
COUNCILMAN O'NEILL: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman Oh.
COUNCILMAN OH: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilwoman
Quinones-Sanchez.
COUNCILWOMAN SANCHEZ: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilwoman
Reynolds Brown.
COUNCILWOMAN BROWN: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman
Squilla.
COUNCILMAN SQUILLA: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilwoman
Tasco.
COUNCILWOMAN TASCO: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman Jones.
COUNCILMAN JONES: Aye.
The ayes are 17; the nays are
zero. Councilman Clarke having been
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unanimously chosen by members of Council,
I declare Councilman Clarke is duly
elected President of this body.
(Standing ovation.)
COUNCILMAN JONES: I appoint
Councilman Henon, Councilman Greenlee,
Councilman O'Brien, Councilwoman Brown to
escort Council President Clarke to te
rostrum. Joining the Council President
will be his daughter, Nicole Bright, and
his grandson, Kadin Jones.
(Applause.)
COUNCILMAN JONES: It is my
pleasure to present to you the President
of City Council, the Honorable Darrell L.
Clarke.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you, Councilman Jones, for
conducting the first order of business of
the City Council as temporary Chair.
Good morning, everyone.
(Good morning.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: Wow,
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this is truly a good morning for me.
This is an exciting day for me
personally, as well for this City Council
and City government. The inauguration of
17 members of Council, six of them new,
and the selection of new officers is an
important moment, filled with promise and
opportunity for Philadelphia.
Oh, by the way, my grandson,
Kadin -- my daughter, Nicole, and I had a
conversation late last night and he was
in a rather rambunctious mode. He is
only one years old. Should he be on the
stage? Probably not. He's going to be
joining us a little later.
Before I speak about that
promise and some of the challenges we
face, I want to acknowledge the two most
important people in my life, my daughter,
Nicole, and that aforementioned grandson,
Kadin. They mean the world to me.
I want to thank you.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: I
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want to also acknowledge and thank two
people who taught me so much since I came
into City government 20 years ago. John
Street.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: I
would not be standing here today if it
were not for John Street. I learned many
things about government from him - paying
attention to detail, understanding the
importance of budget and its impact on
services. The list goes on and on.
However, the most important thing I
learned from him was not details or
facts; it was the value of hard work, and
I thank him for that.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Likewise, when I ran for Council, I
developed another significant
relationship. Council President Anna
Verna.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: I
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learned not only the true importance of
listening to people and understanding the
views of the Councilmembers, but, more
importantly, I learned the true value of
fairness, and I think all of our members
can attest to that.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: If I
can work as hard as John Street and be as
fair as Anna Verna, I'll have a solid
foundation with which to lead this
Council.
Mayor Street, President Verna,
I just want to thank so much for your
years of guidance and support and
friendship. Thank you so much.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: When
I was growing up in Strawberry Mansion,
I, like most Philadelphians, was raised
in a row home community, with quality
public schools, thriving local
businesses, and strong families. But
unfortunately for many Philadelphia
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neighborhoods, that is no longer the
case. The economic downturn has caused
many local businesses to close, and our
neighborhood districts are not what they
used to be. Our public schools have made
strides, but too many remain dangerous,
the dropout rate is too high, and the
recent strife with the Superintendent and
the SRC serve no one well, least of all
our children.
To get where we must go, all
parties involved, City Council, the
Mayor, the SRC, the PFT and every, I mean
every parent must work together.
We must also create a strong
business-friendly environment. We must
send a clear message to the country and
the world that Philadelphia is open for
business. It is extremely important, let
me emphasize extremely important, that
this Council and this Mayor work
productively on the issues that unite us
rather on those on which we disagree.
Mayor Nutter --
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(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: --
we wish you well in your second term, and
I'd like to say that this Council
President stands ready and willing to
work with you to move this great city of
ours forward.
MAYOR NUTTER: Thank you.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: For
the last several years, Council and the
Mayor had to make some difficult
decisions as the economy worsened and tax
revenues declined, but we still had to
deliver services. So we collectively
agreed to several increases in taxes and
fees. And I will understand if you do
not applaud for that.
But as our economy begins to
stabilize, we need to generate creative
ideas to strengthen our budget and
deliver services without always resorting
to putting our hands in the taxpayers'
pockets. I believe we can use the assets
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we have in new ways to help create jobs
and revenues.
Last year, Council commissioned
a study on ways our City can think and
act differently when it comes to the
issues of taxes and generating revenues
and reducing our costs. That study
produced a report with some very good
ideas. Let me touch briefly on a very
few of them.
One such idea is to create a
series of development districts across
our city. We need to get the thousands
of City-owned parcels out of the City's
inventory and in the hands of developers
to create jobs, opportunity and revenue.
Also, we must explore municipal
marketing opportunities. Millions of
dollars are being generated in other
states and in other cities across our
country. No, Mary Tracy, I'm not saying
that we should put a billboard on top of
Billy Penn's hat. But if we work
together, we can realize revenues to help
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pay for essential services while still
preserving the character of our public
spaces.
We should also apply the same
kinds of creative thinking to reducing
the cost of government. We should
continue to aggressively retrofit our
municipal buildings with alternative
energy sources.
And, Mayor Nutter, I want to
thank you for the most recent bill that
you introduced and we passed to do just
that. In doing so, we'll save money and
we'll continue to support the environment
at the same time.
Additionally, proceeds from
aggressive municipal asset sales program
could be utilized to reduce long-term
debt.
Furthermore, we must continue
to attract businesses from other
countries -- and, Councilman Oh, I know
you like hearing that -- and further
stimulate the fast-growing sectors of our
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economy - our healthcare, institutions,
hospitals, colleges, and universities.
As we work cooperatively and
think creatively, we must also practice
fiscal responsibility. We must take
steps to confront a long-simmering
problem, the City's unfunded pension
liability. We must work together with
the Mayor, the Pension Board, and the
City's municipal unions to craft
solutions to the serious fiscal problem
before it overwhelms us.
I'd like to say now to the new
members of Council, I make this promise.
I will work hard every day to listen to
your proposals and to treat you as fairly
as Council President Verna treated me
when I was first elected.
And to my veteran colleagues,
also known as the "old heads," I say let
us start this term fresh and
reinvigorated, using our experience, but
also opening ourselves to new ideas to
move the great city of ours forward.
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And to the citizens of
Philadelphia, I ask for your help, your
prayers, and your ideas as I work every
day to keep the faith you have placed in
me today.
With that, I want to thank you
so much and thank you for this blessing.
I honor it, and I will do you proud.
Thank you all, and God bless
you.
(Standing ovation.)
CHIEF CLERK: The Honorable
Pamela Pryor Dembe, President Judge of
the Court of Common Pleas, will now
administer the oath of office to Council
President Clarke.
JUDGE DEMBE: Raise your right
hand and repeat after me.
(Oath of office administered.)
JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you so much.
(Standing ovation.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: Time
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to go to work. Thank you.
The next order of business is
the election of the Chief Clerk of the
Council of the City of Philadelphia.
Nominations are now in order, and the
Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
COUNCILWOMAN TASCO:
Mr. President, I nominate Mr. Michael
Decker.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
Chair thanks the Councilwoman.
The Chair recognizes Councilman
Oh.
COUNCILMAN OH: Mr. President,
I second that nomination.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you. Are there any further
nominations?
(No response.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: None
further. Hearing none, the Chair
recognizes Councilman Johnson.
COUNCILMAN JOHNSON:
Mr. President, I move the nominations be
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closed.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you. I move the nominations be
closed.
The Chair recognizes Councilman
Squilla.
COUNCILMAN SQUILLA:
Mr. President, I second the motion.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you.
It has been moved and properly
seconded that the nominations be closed.
All in favor of the motion will
say aye.
(Aye.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Those opposed say no.
(No response.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
ayes have it and the motion is carried.
There being no further
nominations, all in favor of the election
of Mr. Michael Decker as Chief Clerk of
Council will say aye. Those opposed --
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(Aye.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: I'm
sorry. I got a little ahead of myself.
Those opposed?
(No response.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
ayes have it. However, the Clerk will
call the roll.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilwoman
Bass.
COUNCILWOMAN BASS: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilwoman
Blackwell.
COUNCILWOMAN BLACKWELL: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman Goode.
COUNCILMAN GOODE: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman Green.
COUNCILMAN GREEN: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman
Greenlee.
COUNCILMAN GREENLEE: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman Henon.
COUNCILMAN HENON: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman
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Johnson.
COUNCILMAN JOHNSON: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman Jones.
COUNCILMAN JONES: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman
Kenney.
COUNCILMAN KENNEY: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman
O'Brien.
COUNCILMAN O'BRIEN: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman
O'Neill.
COUNCILMAN O'NEILL: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman Oh.
COUNCILMAN OH: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilwoman
Quinones-Sanchez.
COUNCILWOMAN SANCHEZ: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilwoman
Reynolds Brown.
COUNCILWOMAN BROWN: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Councilman
Squilla.
COUNCILMAN SQUILLA: Aye.
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CHIEF CLERK: Councilwoman
Tasco.
COUNCILWOMAN TASCO: Aye.
CHIEF CLERK: Council President
Clarke.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: Aye.
The ayes are 17; the nays are
zero. Mr. Decker, having received a
unanimous vote of the members of Council,
I now declare Mr. Michael Decker duly
elected Chief Clerk of the City Council
of Philadelphia.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Councilmembers Goode and Blackwell will
escort Mr. Decker to the rostrum, and
Judge Dembe will administer the oath of
office.
(Oath of office administered.)
JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Congratulations, Mr. Decker.
At this time, I will name the
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officers of the City Council. Please be
advised that at a meeting of the
democratic members of Council, the
Honorable Curtis Jones, Jr. was elected
Majority Leader, the Honorable Blondell
Reynolds Brown was elected Majority Whip,
and the Honorable William Greenlee was
elected Majority Deputy Whip of the City
Council of Philadelphia.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: Also
be advised that at a meeting of the
republican members of Council, the
Honorable Brian J. O'Neill was elected
and the Honorable David Oh was elected
Minority Whip.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
next order of business is the
introduction of a resolution concerning
the rules of government of the Council of
the City of Philadelphia, and the Chair
recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
COUNCILMAN GREENLEE: Thank
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you, Mr. President. I offer the
following resolution.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
Chief Clerk will read the title of the
resolution.
CHIEF CLERK: A resolution to
provide rules for the government of the
Council of the City of Philadelphia.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
COUNCILMAN GREENLEE:
Mr. President, I move that the rules as
set forth in this resolution be adopted
as the temporary rules of this Council
until the permanent rules are adopted.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
Chair recognizes Councilwoman Bass.
COUNCILWOMAN BASS: Thank you,
Mr. President. I second the motion.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: All
in favor of that motion will say aye.
(Aye.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Those opposed, nay.
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(No response.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
ayes have it and the motion is carried.
The rules contained in this resolution
have been adopted temporarily. The
resolution will be placed on the Final
Passage Calendar for consideration at our
next session of Council.
The organization of the Council
of the City of Philadelphia and the
investiture of the City Councilmembers
are complete, in accordance with the
provisions of the Home Rule Charter.
The Council is honored by the
presence of Reverend John Roberts. I ask
you to all please to rise as I invite
Reverend Roberts to lead us in prayer.
By the way, that's my Reverend.
(All guests rise.)
REVEREND ROBERTS: Let's bow
our head.
Lord, thou has been our
dwelling place in all generations, before
the mountains were brought forth and
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forever thou has formed the earth and the
world. Even from everlasting to
everlasting, thou art God.
We ask now that you would bless
us as we stand in your presence. We're
blessed to come, and we're glad we're
here. Thank you for waking us up this
morning and giving us strength to get up.
Thank you for blessing us to come safely
to this place.
We thank you for the great
leaders of this great city. We thank you
for our Mayor. We thank you for his
family. We thank you even now for our
President of City Council, my friend and
brother, the Honorable Darrell Clarke.
We pray now for his daughter, his
granddaughter (sic), even his brother
that is not well at this time.
We ask, God, for your wisdom
and for your knowledge, for your word
says that when the righteous are in
authority, the people rejoice, but when
the wicked rule, the people mourn. And
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there have been people that have been
crying for a long time.
But we ask that you would give
wisdom and knowledge to these great
leaders of this great city. Bless our
brother, President Clarke, as he leads
City Council.
We serve God by serving one
another. So we ask for your divine
wisdom now. We pray for your choice
blessings in this new year. So many have
gone on, but we are still here, and
because of this, we're grateful and in
our spirits, we say thank you.
Now continue to lead us. Bless
this City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly
Affection. We thank you for how you
brought us, because we realize that
promotion comes from God, and if we
continue to put you first and seek you
first, everything else will be added on.
Bless us now and we shall be
blessed. Heal us and we shall be healed.
Save us and we shall be saved, as we
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continue in the spirit of oneness and of
love.
I ask this in your precious
name, and as always, Lord, I thank you
for listening.
Amen.
(Amen.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you, Reverend Roberts.
Will everyone please be seated.
At this time, I invite the
Greater Exodus Baptist Church Choir to
perform "Faithful is Our God." The choir
is directed by Carol Nathaniel.
(Greater Exodus Church Choir
performs "Faithful is our God.")
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you so much. Thank you so much.
We are also honored by the
presence of Reverend Dr. Albert Campbell.
I ask you all to please rise as I invite
Reverend Campbell to lead us in prayer.
(All guests rise.)
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REVEREND CAMPBELL: Except the
Lord build the house, they labor in vain
that build it. Except the Lord keep the
City, the watchmen waketh, but in vain.
Let us pray.
Oh thou who art the source of
all light and life, wisdom and truth, we
are pleased again to pause to pay homage
to you for this day, for this hour, and
for this significant investiture and
inaugural event that brings us together
across many diverse lines. We are both
glad and grateful.
We pray earnestly that this
gathering today omens a new beginning in
our common quest for the common good in
this great City of Brotherly Love.
We intercede on behalf of the
Mayor, the Honorable Michael A. Nutter,
that he will continue to be endowed with
wisdom and with courage for the facing of
the complex issues of these times. May
he be provided with the statesman-like
tools and resources necessary for the
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leadership that will be required.
We also ask for an incredibly
exciting and productive spirit of
cooperation and dedication between the
high offices of Mayor and those of City
Council so that the best possible results
for this city might be achieved.
And we ask that the citizenry
will join the elected leadership in
working and watching and praying for
peace, for the reduction of violence in
our communities, for the lifting of the
quality of education for all of our
children, and for the raising of the
quality of human relations in every
sphere of our life together.
In thy holy name we pray.
Amen.
(Amen.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you, Reverend Campbell.
Will everyone please be seated.
At this time, I invite
Priscilla Coblentz and Claude Donaldson
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to perform "The Prayer," composed by
Carole Bayer and David Foster.
(Priscilla Coblentz and Claude
Donaldson perform "The Prayer.")
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you so much.
We will now proceed with the
induction of the Mayor of the City of
Philadelphia.
The Chair appoints Councilman
O'Brien, Councilman Kenney, Councilman
Oh, and Councilman Goode to escort the
Honorable Mayor Michael Nutter to the
rostrum.
The Chair invites Mayor
Nutter's wife, Lisa, and daughter,
Olivia, to join him at the rostrum.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
Chief Clerk will read the certificate of
the election of the Honorable Michael A.
Nutter as Mayor of the City of
Philadelphia.
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CHIEF CLERK: Michael A.
Nutter, at an election held November 8,
2011, you were duly elected the Mayor of
the City and County of Philadelphia, for
a term of four years, commencing the
first Monday of January, AD 2012.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
Honorable Theodore A. McKee will
administer the oath of office.
JUDGE McKEE: Raise your right
hand, place your left hand on the Bible
and repeat after me.
(Oath of office administered.)
(Standing ovation.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: To
the members of City Council, Reverend
clergy, elected officials, distinguished
guests, ladies and gentlemen, I have the
distinct honor to present to you His
Honor, the Mayor of the City of
Philadelphia, the Honorable Michael A.
Nutter.
(Standing ovation.)
MAYOR NUTTER: Good morning.
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(Good morning.)
MAYOR NUTTER: To our elected
officials, our members of Congress,
members of the General Assembly in
Harrisburg, Archbishop Chaput, Reverend
Griffith, Reverend Campbell, Reverend
Roberts, Rabbi Isaacson, and all members
of our faith community, Judge McKee,
Judge Pryor Dembe, Judge Carrifiello, and
Judge Tynes and all the members of the
Judiciary, Governor Rendell, Mayor Green,
Mayor Goode, Mayor Street and our good
friend from across the river, Mayor Dana
Redd of Camden, to all the members of
Philadelphia City Council, to the
retiring members of Council and the new
members of Council, welcome to City
government.
To former President Anna Verna,
who I enjoyed many, many years of getting
to know and working with. Let us please
recognize one more time 60 years of
public service to this great city.
(Standing ovation.)
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
MAYOR NUTTER: And to our new
Council President, Council President
Darrell Clarke, who I've also worked with
for a long period of time and gotten to
know well, and I look forward to our
partnership in moving this city forward
and deeply appreciated your remarks this
morning.
Our new Council President,
Councilman Clarke.
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: To Lisa, Olivia,
Christian, my mother, Catalina, my
sister, Renee.
First and foremost, thank you
to the people of Philadelphia for once
again bestowing upon me this tremendous
honor.
I will never be able to fully
express what it means to me, a kid from
West Philadelphia, to stand on this stage
at the Academy of Music as Mayor of my
hometown and to have this wonderful
opportunity --
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: And just to have
this wonderful opportunity to continue to
serve the city and the people that I love
so much.
Since that January day four
years ago when we were last gathered in
this place, we've made tremendous
progress together. On that day, I made a
promise that we would be a safer city, a
more educated city, a growing city, a
number one city for art and culture in
the United States, a more green city
where businesses would come and invest
and create jobs, and a city that people
all across America will be talking about
in good ways.
And because of the hard work of
our public servants, our workforce, the
dedication of our elected officials and
the ingenuity of our citizens and
neighborhoods all across this great city,
I've kept those promises, and we have set
Philadelphia on a fundamentally different
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course, a different path, a new
trajectory.
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: But we're not
done yet.
And so as I stand before you
today at this beginning of a second term,
it is not my intention to celebrate what
has been done, but to talk briefly about
the values I believe that are needed to
guide us in doing what must be done.
I'm not motivated by pride and
satisfaction and past accomplishments.
I'm motivated by a vision of what can be,
by an urgency to tackle and take on the
challenges that are holding us back as a
city, and the deep concern and sense that
though we are making progress, there are
too many Philadelphians who do not share
in the success and promise.
I'm motivated by a
determination that as we continue to
transform Philadelphia, we cannot, we
must not, and we will not leave anyone
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behind.
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: The sense of
community and togetherness has guided
America since its earliest days. In
April of 1630 when a band of colonists
set sail from England for opportunity and
freedom in the New World, one among them,
John Winthrop, composed a message to his
fellow immigrants describing how they
were going to succeed and set an example
for those who are to follow.
Winthrop said, "We must be knit
together in this work as one man. We
must entertain each other in brotherly
affection. We must delight in each
other, make others' conditions our own,
rejoice together, mourn together, labor,
and suffer together, always having before
our eyes our commission and community in
the work as members of the same body."
Philadelphia, of course we have
our own way of saying it. We have the
City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly
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Affection. We're proud of our city. We
look out for each other. We stand up for
each other. We fight for each other.
And that's certainly how it was
when I was growing up at 55th and
Larchwood. On Saturday morning, all the
kids on the block grabbed a broom,
grabbed a bucket. We mopped our steps.
We cleaned up our block together. And
when one of us went to the movies or to
the rec center, we all went together.
We had respect for each other
and for our elders. When my mother told
me to be back on the steps before that
streetlight came on, you can best believe
that I was there.
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: Community,
togetherness, respect, pride - that's the
Philadelphia way. It's who we are. We
stand together - together as a block,
together as a community, as a
neighborhood, and as a city, all working
to make our city a better place.
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I see that togetherness almost
every day as I travel through the
neighborhoods all across Philadelphia. I
see young people in after-school
activities learning a second language,
painting stained glass on a church, or
expressing themselves through spoken word
or poetry.
I see community leaders working
with us through our Philly Rising
initiative to clean up their
neighborhoods or through our Health
Department's MOMS program to help young,
first-time mothers access the early
childhood services their baby needs.
And I'm going to see it this
afternoon when I visit Project HOME
residents who are in our workforce
development and job training programs,
trying to build a better life for
themselves and play a role in the future
of this city, all of us working together
as members of the same body.
But I also see in our City of
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Philadelphia that William Penn, a Quaker,
founded with the values of community,
fairness, and inclusiveness as its
bedrock, that there are too many
neighborhoods where we have lost that
sense of community, that pride in our
city, that commitment to each other.
There are too many
Philadelphians who don't feel safe in
their own neighborhoods, whose children
are stuck in low-performing schools, who
are struggling to find work, and some who
have even given up looking for a job.
And I refuse to accept that we
can or should move forward as a city if
we have not done all that we can to
include all Philadelphians in our
progress.
We must be willing to have an
honest conversation about the things that
are holding us back as a city and ask
ourselves, What are we prepared to do
about them, together.
We must be willing to do
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something about the fact that of the 317
people who were murdered in Philadelphia
last year, 83 percent of them were killed
with a handgun; nearly 75 percent of
those killed, African American men;
nearly 80 percent of those doing the
killing, African American men, a local
and national epidemic that is
insufficiently discussed, let alone taken
on.
What are we going to do about
this?
We're going to put more police
on the streets. A hundred and twenty new
officers will be on foot patrol by this
summer. But we must do more.
We're going to continue to
build partnerships with the community
through community policing and our Philly
Rising program.
Working with mayors around the
country and with leaders in our own
community, we've begun a serious, adult
conversation and have started to develop
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
strategic plans to deal with the
proliferation of illegal guns and the
fact that people and their guns are
wiping out an entire generation of
African American men and boys.
And we're deploying and
developing a new approach, which we'll
roll out in the next few months, to
getting these illegal guns off our
streets, targeting the people who have
them, the people who are supplying them,
and the neighborhoods where they're
operating in, and the five police
districts in the City where nearly 50
percent of the homicides occur, and
working with our partners at all levels
of government to go after them
aggressively and relentlessly every day.
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: But while we say
to those who hide behind their illegal
guns that we will come after you and the
people who are supplying these weapons
harder and tougher than ever before, we
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must also be brave enough to extend a
hand to those who want to put that gun
down to make a different choice. We must
show them that if you put that gun down,
we'll put work in your hands, we'll put a
job in your hands, we'll put a book in
your hands, we'll put a paycheck in your
hands.
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: And we'll work
with you to put your future back in your
hands.
Because some of these young
kids that are terrorizing our
neighborhoods are themselves just
frightened kids. They're not all bad
kids, and they weren't born like this.
These are kids who lack opportunity, who
believe that they have no future, that
there is no door open to them. And when
we have to lock them up, we also lock up
their potential.
Two days ago I visited our city
prisons. This is a tradition started by
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Mayor Street. Two days ago I met a young
man in juvenile detention on State Road.
His name is Kent. He's 17 years old.
Kent was sentenced to 7 to 20 years for
four armed robberies. He told me that he
got about $2,000 as a result. But he
also told me that he's carrying a 3.6 GPA
at John Bartram High School and he scored
a 1400 on his SATs. Colleges are still
sending him letters at his home, not
knowing where he is right now, asking him
to apply to college.
He told me that he's sorry for
what he's done, and he knows that he has
to pay a high price for his actions.
He's our kid, and he and all
the other juveniles on State Road and all
the other young people in Philadelphia
have to know that we care about them and
that there is a future for them here in
Philadelphia. We have to show them --
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: We have to show
them all that they do have a future, that
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they can get a job, that to be a real man
or real woman takes responsibility and
good behavior, taking care of your own
life, to earn a wage and provide for your
family.
We can reach these kids, and I
will not accept that we can leave any of
them behind either.
I also won't accept that we can
leave behind so many of our students in
failing schools and that they and their
families shouldn't have access to the
same opportunities that the kids or the
people in this entire hall here today
have themselves. Not only is it unfair,
but it also holds all of us back.
I'm on the phone every day
talking to companies, fighting to bring
jobs to Philadelphia, and the number one
thing that the executives talk with me
about is our workforce. If we don't have
educated, trained, skilled workers, we
will continue to struggle to attract new
businesses, grow the companies that we
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already have, and create the new jobs
that our city so desperately needs.
We must better educate and
train our young people, and that's going
to require serious and difficult changes
in our school system and in the way in
which we provide education here in
Philadelphia.
I committed on day one that my
Administration would work in cooperation
with the State, the School Reform
Commission, and the School District. And
now through the Philadelphia Great
Schools Compact, we will turn around the
lowest-performing schools in our system,
and if they can't be turned around, close
or replace them with high-quality
alternatives.
Reform, restructure, replace.
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: Because the
alternative is abandoning some children
in some schools in some communities,
effectively saying that they don't
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deserve every opportunity that we can
give them, whose education somehow must
take a back seat to political agendas,
historic mismanagement, and the tradition
of low expectations, who can be left
behind as we try to move this city
forward.
Well, I'm a public school
parent too, and I can't accept that, I
won't accept that, and neither should
you.
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: These two
issues - high crime rates in many
neighborhoods and too few quality public
education options - are holding us back
as a city. They stretch the fabric of
our society to its breaking point.
And this is not some moral or
social crusade. This is an economic
imperative for our city.
We spend one-third of our city
budget on our criminal justice complex,
one-third of your tax dollars dealing
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with bad decisions and bad behavior.
It's a waste of your money. That money
could be better spent on education and
after-school programs and libraries and
parks and recreation centers and job
opportunities.
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: If more of our
young people went to school, stayed in
school, graduated, went on to higher
training or college, we'd have less
poverty, less crime, more jobs. We'd be
able to cut your taxes and, at the same
time, generate more revenues to invest in
our communities all across Philadelphia.
Imagine what the City can be if
we changed the mentality of those who
think they can carry and use illegal
weapons in our neighborhoods and get away
with it.
Imagine what this city can be
if every child, fueled and driven by high
expectations, gets a high-quality
education in a safe environment,
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supported and encouraged by their parents
and their community.
Imagine what the City can be if
we continue to attract new companies and
new jobs and train our Philadelphians so
that they can succeed in these new
industries.
Imagine what the City could be
if we restore to all parts of
Philadelphia the values of community,
togetherness, respect, and pride that
should define our city and that I see in
some parts of Philadelphia.
This is all within our reach.
These are the challenges that we must
confront, and we will tackle them.
There must be no issue too
uncomfortable or too complicated for us
to take on, no discussion too awkward or
sensitive for us to have. We will say
what needs to be said but hasn't been.
We will do what needs to be done but
hasn't happened.
We cannot accept the status
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quo. This cannot be just how it is.
We're bigger than that, we're bolder than
that, and we're better than that,
Philadelphia.
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: And so today I
make a pledge, and I ask you to join me
in this commitment, that we will focus on
the forgotten, we will shine a light on
areas of darkness, we will give a voice
to those not heard, and that we will
continue to build a better Philadelphia
to move our city in a positive direction
and that we will not leave anyone behind.
That, as I said earlier, we
must be knit together in this work as one
city.
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: We must reject
this notion of a tale of two cities, a
society divided into the rich and the
poor, the affluent and the oppressed, the
educated and the enslaved. We are not
two cities. We must not become two
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cities.
We are one city, one
Philadelphia, and we will succeed
together as one Philadelphia.
Despite enormous challenges
over the last few years, we are building
our way back, and Philadelphia is
undergoing a transformation. My job is
to keep pushing us forward, faster and
farther, and to make sure that we don't
leave anyone behind.
This city took a young black
boy from West Philadelphia, growing up
with his mother and father and sister and
grandmother, and found a way to keep him
out of trouble and give him the best
education possible, even though his
family couldn't afford it. It gave him a
sense of community, of right and wrong,
of the notion that we are our brothers'
and sisters' keepers.
The City introduced that young
man to a political leader, John C.
Anderson, who would inspire him to
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dedicate his life to serving others, and
ultimately this city allowed that man to
serve as the Mayor of his hometown.
You didn't leave me behind, and
I won't leave any of you behind, not in
this city, not now.
(Applause.)
MAYOR NUTTER: I will spend
every waking moment of every day of this
new term working with our City Council,
working with our state, working with our
federal government, working with all of
you and all Philadelphians, and fighting
for you and fighting for this city each
and every day.
We're in this together, one
city, one Philadelphia, no one left
behind.
May God bless you. May God
bless Philadelphians. May God bless the
City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly
Affection, our great city, Philadelphia.
Thank you, Philadelphia, so
much.
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
(Standing ovation.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Mr. Mayor, again, congratulations.
I now invite Reverend Terrence
Griffith to offer a prayer for the City.
REVEREND GRIFFITH: Let's all
stand as we honor the Lord.
(All guests rise.)
REVEREND GRIFFITH: God of our
years, God of our silent tears, thou has
brought us thus far on our way, thou who
has by thy might led us into the light.
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Our Father and our God, we
first pause to acknowledge you as a maker
and a king. We pay homage to you because
you are God and God alone. You change
times and seasons, set up kings and
depose them. You give wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning. For
this we praise your name and bow in
humble submission to your will.
We ask your blessings on your
servant, Michael Nutter. You have given
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
him another term to lead this great city.
Give him the faith of Abraham, the
fortitude of Noah, the patience of Moses,
the charisma of David, the savvy of
Nehemiah, the wisdom of Solomon, the fire
of Jeremiah, the fight of Peter, and the
compassion of Jesus. As he desires to
heal our city, let prayer and the word be
his foundation, and instill in him the
desire to always seek your face.
For City Council we pray. You
have tasked them to represent and to
speak on behalf of the people. As they
deliberate from day to day, may the
interest of the people be paramount, not
self-interest or special interest, but an
interest of the people they were chosen
to represent. Give each the courage to
stand alone on principle and the decency
to say yes for the benefit of
Philadelphia.
For the Judiciary we pray. May
they operate not only by the letter of
the law, but also the spirit of the law.
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
And may they be just, fair,
compassionate, merciful, and function
free from external influences.
We pray, Father, for your
blessings on the City Commissioners,
Register of Wills, Sheriff, judges of
Traffic Court. Bestow your blessings on
them.
But most of all, God, we pray
for Philadelphia. We humble ourselves.
We pray. We seek your face. We turn
from our wicked ways. Therefore, we ask
that you heal our city. Heal the City of
gun violence. Heal the land. Heal the
City of domestic violence. Heal the
land. Heal the City of those who molest
our children. Heal the land. Heal the
land of hatred. Heal the land. Make
Philadelphia that shining city on the
hill, where the poor find hope and the
homeless shelter, where our children
receive quality education and our seniors
are respected.
We know you can do it. We know
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
it's possible. And so, God, make justice
roll down like waters and righteousness
as a mighty stream.
We ask all of this in the name
of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
(Amen.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you, Reverend Griffith.
To celebrate the inauguration
of the Mayor, the Philadelphia Boys Choir
will perform "Lift Every Voice," under
the direction of Jeffrey Smith.
(Philadelphia Boys Choir
performs "Lift Every Voice.")
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you. Thank you so much.
At this time, the Chair invites
the newly elected officials to take the
oath of office in the presence of
Council, the Mayor and other dignitaries.
Would the retention judges of the Common
Pleas Court please rise and take the oath
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
of office.
The Clerk will read the
certificates of the election for the
judges of the Court of Common Pleas.
CHIEF CLERK: Philadelphia,
November 8, 2011, office of the Judge of
the Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia:
Joan A. Brown, Dennis P. Cohen, Rose
Marie DeFino-Nastasi, Thomas Dempsey,
Kevin M. Dougherty, Gary S. Glazer,
Elizabeth Jackson, James Murray Lynn,
Margaret T. Murphy, Arnold L. New, George
W. Overton, Paul P. Panepinto, Nitza I.
Quinones Alejandro, Lisa Rau, Robert J.
Rebstock, Gregory E. Smith, Albert John
Snite, Jr., Earl W. Trent, Jr., and Chris
Wogan. You are duly retained Judge of
the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia
County for a ten-year term, commencing
the first Monday of January, AD 2012.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Judge Dembe will administer the oath of
office.
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
JUDGE DEMBE: Please put your
left hand onyour Bible and raise your
right hand.
(Oath of office administered.)
JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
Chair now invites the newly elected
judges of the Common Pleas Court to
please rise and take the oath of office.
The Clerk will read the
certificates of the election for the
judges of the Court of Common Pleas.
CHIEF CLERK: Philadelphia,
November 8, 2011, office of the Judge of
the Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia:
Diana Anhalt, Charles Ehrlich, Angelo
Foglietta, Jonathan Q. Irvine, Vincent L.
Johnson, Sean Kennedy, Barbara A.
McDermott, Maria McLaughlin, Carolyn H.
Nichols and Thomas M. Nocella. You are
duly elected Judge of the Court of Common
Pleas of Philadelphia County for a
ten-year term, commencing the first
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
Monday of January, AD 2012.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Judge Dembe will administer the oath of
office.
JUDGE DEMBE: I hate to tell
you, but nobody cheers like that in the
courtroom.
Please hold your Bible and
raise your right hand and repeat after
me.
(Oath of office administered.)
JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
Chair now invites the retention judges of
the Municipal Court of Philadelphia to
stand and take the oath of office.
The Clerk will please read the
certificate of election for the retention
judges of the Municipal Court of
Philadelphia.
CHIEF CLERK: James M. DeLeon,
Thomas F. Gehret, Nazario Jiminez, Jr.,
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
William A. Meehan, Jr., Bradley K. Moss,
Harvey W. Robbins, David C. Shuter, and
Karen Yvette Simmons, at an election held
November 8, 2011, you were duly retained
Judge of the Municipal Court of
Philadelphia County for a six-year term,
commencing the first Monday of January,
AD 2012.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: In
the absence of the President Judge of
Municipal Court, Judge Dembe will
administer the oath of office.
JUDGE DEMBE: Please raise your
right hand.
(Oath of office administered.)
JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
Chair now invites the newly elected
judges of the Municipal Court of
Philadelphia to stand and take the oath
of office.
The Clerk will please read the
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
certificate of election for the newly
elected judges of the Municipal Court of
Philadelphia.
CHIEF CLERK: Joyce Eubanks and
Marvin Williams.
(Applause.)
CHIEF CLERK: At an election
held November 8, 2011, you were duly
elected Judge of the Municipal Court of
Philadelphia County for a six-year term,
commencing the first Monday of January,
AD 2012.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Judge Dembe will administer the oath of
office.
JUDGE DEMBE: We let you watch
all the others.
Raise your right hand.
(Oath of office administered.)
JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you.
The Traffic Court judges were
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
not able to be with us today, but the
Chair would like to recognize and happy
that the President Judge of Traffic
Court, Thomasine Tynes, joins us.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you for being here.
The Chair now invites the City
Commissioners to stand as their names are
called. They are Anthony Clark,
Stephanie Singer, and Al Schmidt.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
Chief Clerk will read the certificates of
the election for the City Commissioners.
CHIEF CLERK: Anthony Clark,
Stephanie Singer, and Al Schmidt, at an
election held November 8, 2011, you were
duly elected City Commissioners for the
City and County of Philadelphia for a
term of four years, commencing the first
Monday of January, AD 2012.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
Honorable Dembe will administer the oath
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
of office.
JUDGE DEMBE: Please raise your
right hand.
(Oath of office administered.)
JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
Chair now invites the newly elected
Sheriff of Philadelphia, Jewell Williams,
to stand and take the --
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: --
(continued) to stand and take the oath of
office.
The Clerk will read the
certificate of election for the Sheriff
of Philadelphia.
CHIEF CLERK: Jewell Williams,
at an election held November 8, 2011, you
were duly elected Sheriff of the City and
County of Philadelphia for a term of four
years, commencing the first Monday of
January, AD 2012.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
Thank you.
The Honorable Pam Dembe will
administer the oath of office.
JUDGE DEMBE: Please raise your
right hand.
(Oath of office administered.)
JUDGE DEMBE: Congratulations.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
Chair now invites Ron Donatucci, Register
of Wills, to stand to take his oath of
office.
The Chief Clerk will read the
certificate of election for the Register
of Wills.
CHIEF CLERK: Ronald Donatucci,
at an election held November 8, 2011, you
were duly elected Register of Wills for
the City and County of Philadelphia for a
term of four years, commencing the first
Monday of January, AD 2012.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you.
The Honorable Matthew
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
Carrafiello will administer the oath of
office.
JUDGE CARRAFIELLO: Raise your
right hand and repeat after me, please.
(Oath of office administered.)
JUDGE CARRAFIELLO:
Congratulations.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you.
For our final musical selection
today, the Philadelphia Boys Choir will
perform "America the Beautiful."
(Philadelphia Boys Choir
performs "America the Beautiful.")
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you so much. That was so
inspirational.
As we conclude the ceremony, I
want to thank the Inaugural Committee for
their hard work for today's ceremony. I
also want to thank our clergy members for
being with us and offering their prayers
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
for us and our city.
In Rabbi Henry Cohen's absence,
Rabbi Solomon Isaacson will deliver
benediction. I ask you all to stand for
the prayer.
(All guests rise.)
RABBI ISAACSON: He didn't call
me his Rabbi. I don't know why.
City Hall Rabbi, all right.
I'll settle for that.
You know, I'm so used to
hearing all these swearing in's, so how
about I, Rabbi Solomon Isaacson, do
solemnly ask the Almighty to bless all
those that have been elected to these
offices and to bless especially the
congressional delegation from Washington,
who they all work, have worked and, God
willing, will work to help to make this a
better city for all of us.
Just as the Maccabees faced
adversity and they overcame tremendous
odds to be able to sanctify the holy
temple, we ask the Almighty to assist our
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
beloved Mayor, present City
Councilmembers, and newly elected members
and guide them and give them the wisdom
to do what is most beneficial for the
citizens of our great city.
For our present and newly
elected judges, may the Almighty pass on
to them the wisdom as he does to preside
in a just and fair manner.
For the Register of Wills, I
say the will of the people is health and
happiness.
For Traffic Court judges, less
tickets.
(Applause.)
RABBI ISAACSON: And, of
course, to my dear friend, the Sheriff,
good luck.
And now, Hashem, the Almighty,
spoke to Moses saying...
(Rabbi speaking in Hebrew.)
RABBI ISAACSON: Let me see if
she can do that in Hebrew. Can you do
that in Hebrew? I didn't think so.
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
The Almighty said to Moses,
Speak to Aaron and his sons saying, so
shall you bless -- and I take a little
bit of freedom here -- all of us, saying
to them, may Hashem, the Almighty, bless
you and safeguard you.
May Hashem illuminate his
continence for you and be gracious to
you. May Hashem turn his continence to
you and establish peace for you.
And let my name be mentioned
and used in holiness and sanctification.
And let us always remember that the
Almighty is in every corner in every room
in every place in the world, and when we
call upon him, his line is never busy,
he's always listening and, God willing,
he should always answer you with goodness
and health and happiness and success.
And, Mr. Mayor, a special
blessing to you. It's not easy to be
Mayor of our great city. We have various
different types of people, as you have
well reiterated here. I ask the Almighty
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
to give you special strength that you
should be able to oversee and manage this
great city with our new President of City
Council, his Rabbi, Darrell -- well, John
Street called me his Rabbi. Remember
that?
Anyway, City Hall Rabbi,
whatever it is.
God bless all.
(Applause.)
CHIEF CLERK: Will you all
please remain standing as the
Philadelphia Police and Fire Departments
and the Prison Honor Guards remove the
colors.
(The removal of colors.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Thank you so much.
Before I call for an
adjournment, I just want to say two quick
things.
To my colleagues, as we travel
around, I'm sure you've heard, there are
some extremely high expectations of us.
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
But I know that we're going to fulfill
them, because I know all of -- I've
gotten to know all of you and I've known
some of you for a long time. I'm really
excited about what we're going to be able
to do. We're going to help this Mayor in
every possible way. Every now and then
we will disagree, but we will disagree on
the substance of the issue and it will
not be personal.
So, Mayor, I just want to say
this Council is ready and willing to work
with you. We're going to give you a 115
percent.
MAYOR NUTTER: Thank you.
(Applause.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: And
last, for those of you who do not have
lunch reservations anywhere, we will be
feeding people up in City Hall. We have
a reception with some good food and some
music. So if you just walk right up and
go to City Hall, we hopefully can join
you there.
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
With that, Councilwoman Brown,
I'd like to recognize you.
COUNCILWOMAN BROWN: Thank you,
Mr. President. I move that City Council
stand adjourned until Thursday, January
26th, 2012.
(Duly seconded.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: It
has been moved and properly seconded that
Council stand adjourned until Thursday,
January 26th, 2012.
All in favor?
(Aye.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE:
Those opposed?
(No response.)
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE: The
ayes have it, and this Council stands
adjourned until Thursday, January 26th,
2012.
Thank you all very much.
(Applause.)
MR. HENDERSON: Thank you to
all newly elected, incumbent, and
1/2/12 - INAUGURATION
retained City officials. And thank you,
Philadelphia, for being in attendance
today. I'm Doug Henderson. Have a very
Happy New Year and a prosperous 2012.
(Proceedings adjourned at 12:02
p.m.)
- - -
CERTIFICATE
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the
proceedings, evidence and objections are
contained fully and accurately in the
stenographic notes taken by me upon the
foregoing matter on January 2, 2012, and that
this is a true and correct transcript of same.
--------------------
MICHELE L. MURPHY
RPR-Notary Public
(The foregoing certification of this
transcript does not apply to any reproduction
of the same by any means, unless under the
direct control and/or supervision of the
certifying reporter.)
End