Beech Tree News Network

In a ceremony on Wednesday, December 28th, surrounded by family and friends, re-elected and newly-elected city officials were sworn in for another term of office.  Morgantown City Council members serve two-year terms; the mayoral term is four years.  State Representative Suzanne Miles was on hand to administer the oath of office to Mayor Billy Phelps, who was unopposed, and city council members, while Phelps administered the oath to City Clerk, Tristan Klein. Representative Miles has served legislative district 7, which includes Daviess County, since 2014. Miles is a longtime friend of Mayor Phelps and his family.   

Along with Mayor Phelps and City Clerk Klein, incumbent city council members Dustin Embry, Sharon Johnson, Dionne Cannon Merritt, Russell Givens, Bryan Locke and newcomer Amy Deweese were sworn in.  All were elected in the November General Election.  

Mayor Phelps shared that there has not been a ceremony in the past but that he wanted to put together something that friends and family could attend, to witness the important event.   

Mayor Phelps and the city officials were administered the following oath:  

I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth and be faithful and true to the Commonwealth of Kentucky so long as I continue a citizen thereof, and that I will faithfully execute, to the best of my ability, the office of .... according to law; and I do further solemnly swear that since the adoption of the present Constitution, I, being a citizen of this State, have not fought a duel with deadly weapons within this State nor out of it, nor have I sent or accepted a challenge to fight a duel with deadly weapons, nor have I acted as second in carrying a challenge, nor aided or assisted any person thus offending, so help me God. 

Morgantown City Council meetings are held on the second Thursday of every month, at 5 p.m.  

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Story and photos by Beth Embry, Beech Tree News