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A new council begins, mayor remains

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Wednesday, April 25, 2012 10:31 PM
Cortez Mayor Dan Porter presents outgoing City Councilor Betty Swank with a plaque for her service.
Recently elected city councilors take the oath of office Tuesday. From left: Shawna McLaughlin, Tom Butler, Ty Keel and Karen Sheek.
Outgoing Councilor Donna Foster is presented with a plaque for her service from Mayor Dan Porter Tuesday. Foster also presented the mayor with a recording device with her trademark end-of-meeting phrase, “If it’s all good, I make a motion to adjourn,” to be played in her absense.

The Cortez City Council said goodbye to a pair members Tuesday and welcomed four newly elected members.

Outgoing council members Donna Foster and Betty Swank were presented with plaques for their service.

“These people have really gone through some tough things for the city,” Mayor Dan Porter said. “They’ve been attacked personally at times and held their own as far as keeping a straight head on their shoulders.”

Swank and Foster were among five councilors targeted in an unsuccessful recall election last year. Foster was term-limited out while Swank chose not to run for re-election.

Ty Keel, Shawna McLaughlin, Karen Sheek and Tom Butler, who were elected on April 3, took the oath of office Tuesday.

The new council then voted unanimously to retain Porter in the position of mayor and Matt Keefauver in the position of mayor pro-tem.

“Danny’s brought us through some tough times,” said Councilor Bob Archibeque.

Butler nominated Keefauver, saying he had diffused tense situations in council chambers in the past.

Upon leaving office, Foster presented the mayor with a recording device with her trademark end-of-meeting phrase, “If it’s all good, I make a motion to adjourn,” to be played in her absence.



Reach Reid Wright at reidw@cortezjournal.com.

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