Newly-Elected Groton City Mayor And Council Sworn In

Marian Galbraith was sworn in Monday night as Groton City Mayor by Connecticut Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman. One of Galbraith's first public pronouncements was to salute now former Mayor Dennis L. Popp, who held the seat for more than a decade.

“Dennis, thank you for 12 years of leadership,” she said.

More than 100 residents, city staff members, family, friends and dignitaries including Rep. Ted Moukawsher, D-Groton, assembled to hear Wyman swear in newly elected city officials. City Council newcomers Amy Moncy and Larry Gerrish, and re-elected incumbent councilors Keith Hedrick, William Jervis, David Hale and Celeste Duffy also took the oath of office. All are Democrats except for Hedrick, a Republican.

Hedrick was the only councilor not to be sworn by Wyman. His wife, Joyce, a justice of the peace, issued her husband the oath and was moved to tears.

Moments after the ceremony, the newly-sworn in mayor and council moved to a nearby table to hold its first meeting where it elected Duffy as deputy mayor.  Within moments, the meeting was adjourned. Said Galbraith: “Cake time.”

“Cake …and then work begins,” said Galbraith, all smiles, said as she shook hands and accepted congratulations and hugs from former students. “They always told me one day I’d be here,” she said.

Moncy said she was “jazzed,” to have been elected City Councilor.

“I’m excited to get to work on the common goal …to do what’s best for the people of the City of Groton. And I will be looking to do whatever I can to help families, the elderly and children,” Moncy said.

Popp, who said he had very little to say - "I'm talked out," he commented - introduced the new mayor and council as the “class of 2011.”

“I made my decision (to leave office) but I will miss a lot, a lot of folks,” he said.  

Also sworn in Monday was Janice Waller-Brett as treasurer and Debra J. Patrick as City Clerk.