dora — Dora’s new mayor, Randy Stephens, and the new city council, took the oath of office on Monday night at the city’s community center. New council members George Sides Jr., Richard Lovelady and Robert Busby joined returning council members Clyde Nix, Betty Sanders and Hezikiah Walker as they were sworn in by Senator Greg Reed. Councilmember Gary Thomas will also return but had been deployed to New Jersey to assist with relieve efforts in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. He will take the oath of office when he returns.

Dora citizens crowded into the community center for the ceremony and following meeting.

“I am honored by the trust the people of Dora have placed in me,” Stephens said. “I was pleased by the turnout tonight for our organizational meeting. It shows me how much the citizens of Dora care about their city. I look forward to working with this city council to see Dora continue to grow and prosper.”

The first order of business for the new council was to elect a mayor pro tem. Nix nominated Thomas for the position and Sanders seconded it. Sides and Walker were the only dissenting votes, with Sides expressing disappointment that he was not nominated to the position after receiving the highest number of votes in the at-large election.

The council also voted to change the council meeting times to the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. The past council met the first and third Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The council also voted to retain City Clerk Cindy Vines and Police Chief John Duchock. Former mayor Chris Edwards was appointed as the interim fire chief for 60 days or until the first council meeting of the new year.

The fire chief position was vacated by Busby when he was elected to the council.

@Brief Head:<*p(0,0,0,13,0,3.6,g(P,S))>Ellis begins sixth term as Sumiton mayor

SUMITON — Sumiton’s city government saw few changes with this election, as the people overwhelmingly reelected Petey Ellis to his sixth term as mayor. Council members Bill Fowler, Kenneth Russell and Brian Sides also return for another term. They are joined by new members Floyd Burton and Diane Martin.

The council and mayor also took the oath of office on Monday night at their community center.

A brief organizational meeting allowed the council to reappoint City Clerk Judy Glover, Police Chief T.J. Burnett and Fire Chief David Waid. The council also accepted the resignation of police officer Randy Rutledge and increased the city’s business license fee to $10.

@Brief Head:<*p(0,0,0,13,0,3.6,g(P,S))>McCain begins first term as Sipsey mayor SIPSEY — New Mayor Belinda McCain and council members Stephanie Sanders, Willie Wiley, Freda Vann, Latronda Hagler and Mike Harris took office in Sipsey Monday afternoon.

Sipsey’s council meeting at the city’s community center was closed to the public. Positions in the city will be appointed at a later time, according to McCain. She said she welcomed the current employees to reapply for their positions and that she would be interviewing for all positions. The council also decided to change the council meeting time to the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in city hall.

@Brief Head:<*p(0,0,0,13,0,3.6,g(P,S))>Welch sworn in as Oakman mayor

Oakman swore in new mayor Dennis Welch and the new council on Monday night at the city’s community center. Welch, who served on the previous council, and Marion Constant were the only returning members.

New members Sara Woods, Chris Harvey, Crystal Glover Lewis and Roger B. Kimbrell took their first oath of office alongside Constant and Welch.

The council decided to appoint Harvey as the mayor pro tem of the council.

They also decided to retain the employees in the city’s appointed positions until the first regular council meeting, which will be Nov. 12. The council decided to continue having meetings on the third Monday of each month but changed the time to 6 p.m.

The council members all expressed their appreciation to their families and the voters who elected them. Welch also had special thanks for one audience member, his dad, who previously served as the mayor of Oakman.

“I am one of the very few people who have the honor of following in their dad’s footsteps,” Welch said during a short address to the crowd gathered at the community center.