NORTH ADAMS — The city's new mayor officially will be sworn in to office Jan. 1.
The inauguration for all elected city officials, including members of the City Council and School Committee, will take place at 11:30 a.m. New Year's Day at the Drury High School auditorium.
In November, Jennifer Macksey won the mayoral election against Lynette Bond by about 200 votes, propelling her to become the first woman in the North Adams mayor's office. Voters also elected nine to the City Council — Ashley Shade, Jennifer Barbeau, Wayne Wilkinson, Michael Obasohan, Marie Harpin, Bryan Sapienza, Lisa Blackmer, Keith Bona and Peter Oleskiewicz.
City Council members will nominate and vote on a president and vice president at the event, Blackmer said.
The event is open to the public — masks are required — and a reception has been canceled, in order to avoid people unmasking to eat, said Macksey, who is organizing the event with Blackmer, the City Council president. People will be distanced throughout the auditorium, Blackmer said.
Amid rising COVID-19 cases, the plans could change, Macksey and Blackmer said.
"I think we are very sensitive to the numbers and what's going on with COVID, but at the same time, we still need to conduct business," Macksey said.
The event will be recorded and shown on Northern Berkshire Community Television, and Blackmer encouraged anyone who can watch from home, rather than attending the event, to do so.
Blackmer noted the event's historic significance. "This is unique: We have the first woman mayor."