At the special Town Council meeting on November 19, the Town's recently elected Councilmembers, incumbent Paul Knapp and candidate Mary Jane Benedetto, were sworn in by the Town Clerk and officially started their four-year terms. The oath they took is enshrined in the Town's Charter as follows:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, honor, protect, and defend the Constitution and Government of the United States and of the State of Florida; that I am duly qualified to hold office under the Constitution of the State and under the Charter of the Town of Orchid; and that I will well and faithfully perform the duties of Town Councilmember on which I am now about to enter, so help me God."
The very first action items for the new Town Council to attend to were to select from within the Town Council's own ranks a Mayor and Vice-Mayor. Robert Gibbons was promoted from the position of Vice-Mayor to Mayor, and Paul Knapp was appointed to the position of Vice-Mayor.
Introducing the new Town Council:
- Mayor Robert Gibbons
- Vice-Mayor Paul Knapp
- Councilmember Mary Jane Benedetto
- Councilmember Simms Browning
- Councilmember Patti Oertle-Phaneuf
