Gainesville’s new mayor, Ed Braddy, took office at a special meeting of the City Commission on Thursday afternoon.
Braddy defeated three-year incumbent Craig Lowe in a runoff city election April 16.
Former Mayor Craig Lowe said he views his time in office – first as a city commissioner and then as mayor – as positive and productive.
“Over the last ten years I was in office, we definitely set Gainesville on a great trajectory in respect to equal opportunity, environmental protection and economic development,” he said.
Lowe said he will continue investing in the community.
“I will always be looking for ways to have a positive impact on Gainesville and the surrounding community,” he said.
Braddy said his first days in office have been low-key: The city was closed Friday and Monday for Memorial Day.
“There’s really been no business in the city,” he said.
Braddy’s first major acts as mayor will come Wednesday and Thursday at two meetings: one to address the Butler Plaza expansion and the other to discuss arbitration of the biomass contract.
“Those will be the first big meetings I have as mayor of Gainesville,” he said. “I think so far, so good. We’re only less than a week into it.”
Contact Kelcee Griffis at kgriffis@alligator.com.
