New councilwoman formally takes her seat
Nikki Nice formally took her seat as Oklahoma City’s new Ward 7 councilwoman Monday.
The council then voted to go into executive session, and spent the day interviewing candidates to succeed Jim Couch as city manager.
The council spent more than eight hours meeting privately before adjourning shortly before 6 p.m. without an announcement.
Nice, 38, defeated Kirk Pankratz in a special runoff election Nov. 6, winning 71.8 percent of the vote.
She was the leading vote-getter in the Aug. 28 primary.
Around 80 guests filled the third-floor council chamber at City Hall for the swearing-in ceremony, conducted by U.S. Magistrate Judge Bernard M. Jones.
The councilwoman’s mother, Roberta Swanegan, held the Bible.
Nice officially became councilwoman a week ago, when the oath of office was administered privately by the city clerk.
In remarks to guests, Nice said she “stands on the shoulders of many” who preceded her, singling out former Ward 7 council members including Willa Johnson and the Rev. Lee Cooper Jr.
“You are all a part of me,” she said, thanking guests for their “continued support and prayers.”
She expressed her hope that, through her service, she could inspire future young leaders for Ward 7.
Nice took the oath of office privately last week in order to receive and review records on the candidates to succeed Couch, who retires Jan. 2 after 18 years as city manager.
Council members left at 9:20 a.m. to begin interviews and reconvened briefly in the council chamber to adjourn for the day.
Further discussions on hiring a new city manager were likely during Tuesday’s regular meeting.
The council met in executive session in the city attorney’s suite on the fourth floor of City Hall, and adjourned without comment.