2003 Denver Inauguration
Here's a story from the Rocky Mountain News [July 22, 2003, "Amen!' for new mayor"] about yesterday's inauguration ceremony. From the article, "He underscored that attitude by appearing to speak directly to the city's 13,000-some employees at some length. Already, Denver's labor force is reeling from 50 layoffs, news that 150 vacant spots won't be filled and the requirement that employees take two days of mandatory furlough."Our goal is to work with every single city employee, and the broader public as well, to reform and reinvigorate our city's government. We will inspire new ideas, and we will reward employees for excellence." Here's the text of the Mayor's speech from the Rocky [July 22, 2003, "Complete text of Hickenlooper's inaugural speech"] and from the Post [July 21, 2003, "Mayor Hickenlooper's speech"]. Here's a story on the inauguration from the Denver Post [July 22, 2003, "Working together"] and another short article about how the community is embracing the new Mayor [July 22, 2003, "Denver and its new mayor take each other under wing"] and one more about the ceremony from the Associated Press [July 22, 2003, "Hickenlooper sworn in"].
Dennis Gallagher almost didn't make the inauguration ceremony after a flight home from Ireland was delayed according to the Denver Post [July 22, 2003, "Globetrotting Gallagher late to auditor inaugural"]. I spoke to Sandy Adams before the ceremony and she told me that there was an airline strike in Britain and that Dennis had to get a flight into Canada and then back to Denver. Danny Gallagher looked ready to take the oath for Mr. Gallagher. 
Here's a short article about the inauguration centering on the other elected officials from the Rocky Mountain News [July 22, 2003, "We don't have diamonds in our pockets any more"]. The Post [July 22, 2003, "Council elects Wedgeworth president in unanimous vote"] has an article about Elbra Wedgeworth winning the job of Council President. The article also talks about some of the plans of the members of the new Council. The Rocky [July 22, 2003, "An inauguration, a whirl of events"] has an article about some of the events around the inauguration yesterday.
Mike Littwin weighs in on the inauguration in his column today in the Rocky [July 22, 2003, "Littwin: Speech feeds substance to style-hungry crowd"]. Says Littwin, "It was a joyously noisy house. The music was wonderful, and even the prayers got applause." Here's a link to Jim Spencer's column in today's Post [July 22, 2003, "jim spencer: Mayor seeks strength in city's diversity"].
Coyote Gulch was 9 rows back from the stage at Boettcher taking in the sights and sounds. Both of the choirs were well appreciated and the rendition of America the Beautiful was my favorite song of the day. The ceremony began with the newly elected officials filing in to cheers and applause. The loudest applause greeted the new Mayor as he entered. The swearing in started with the new election commisioners, Sandy Adams and Susan Rogers. Next were the two at-large council members, Doug Linkhart and Carol Boigon. The other new council members were sworn in in council district order; Rick Garcia, Jeanne Faatz, Rosemary Rodriguez, Peggy Lehman, Marcia Johnson, Charlie Brown, Kathleen MacKenzie, Elbra Wedgeworth, Judy Montero, Jeanne Robb, and Michael Hancock. Dennis Gallagher was then sworn in as Auditor and then it was the Mayor's turn. Mayor Hickenlooper was joined on the stage by his wife Helen Thorpe to be sworn into office.
Joyce Meskis, owner of the Tattered Cover bookstore, introduced the Mayor to the crowd saying that the mayor has, "a very big heart" and that he will, "create an energetic, ethical government." The Mayor's speech was well received. Much of what he talked about had been said many times during the election. He repeated that he was the longest of longshots at the start of the election and credited his first commercials with turning the tide. I don't remember him mentioning the endorsements of the News and Post. He reached out to city workers asking us to work with him and acknowledging our role in beating the hard economic times. He is pressing us for ideas and promising accessibility to his office. He says he plans to reward excellence. He stated that city employees were "dedicated and hard-working." The Mayor praised Denver residents and their spirit of working together. He mentioned that Denver had built a railroad spur to Cheyenne in the 1800's to keep Denver from being bypassed by the Union Pacific and that we built DIA in hard economic times. I liked his line about there being "more barn raisings in the old west than gunfights." I'm fired up, let's get to work.
4:39:31 AM 
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