City officials, press and community members honored newly elected city commissioners Thursday afternoon as they were sworn into office.
Commissioners Thomas Hawkins Jr. and Lauren Poe, along with re-elected Commissioner Jack Donovan, placed their right hands on the Bible and took an oath of office. They gave brief speeches after being sworn in.
Hawkins, 28, took time to focus on Gainesville's historic roots during the ceremony. He said his family has called Gainesville home for five generations, and he still remembers taking walks with his grandmother near the downtown duck pond.
Donovan begins his second term as District 3 city commissioner.
He was also elected Mayor-Commissioner Pro Tem, which means he will act as mayor if Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan is unable to attend a meeting.
Lauren Poe, a 36-year-old SFCC professor, said after his speech that his career in education has taught him to "deal with many different personalities, accept them and then teach them to work together." Poe focused the majority of his speech on issues such as alternative energy sources, reducing the need for burning coal and the use of solar power.
