City Council swears in 3 members

Daily Egyptian

After months of campaigning, three Carbondale City Council members were finally rewarded Tuesday night as the trio was sworn in for their four-year terms to the council.

Corene McDaniel, Chris Wissmann and Joel Fritzler gained the right to take their oath of office after winning the general election April 5. The meeting marked the start of a second term for Corene McDaniel and Chris Wissmann, while Fritzler will be serving his first term on the board.

Mayor Brad Cole said the council purposely decided to keep the items on the agenda to a minimum to accommodate the newly elected member. "Sometimes we move at a glacial pace - not tonight," Cole said. "As a courtesy to our new councilmen, we are throwing softballs to the plate."

Each of the three inductees was given a chance to voice comments about their recent election. Wissmann took the opportunity to thank his opponents for a clean race with no controversy. "Politics is often a very dirty thing," Wissmann said. "We had a very positive campaign."

McDaniel said she was glad to start her second term and that she is the most experienced member since Maggie Flanagan retired from the council during the last meeting after 12 years.

"I suppose I feel like a senior in more ways than ever," McDaniel said. Fritzler said he looked at clearing his calendar to make room for the Tuesday night council meetings but realized his Tuesday nights might not be that different.

"I went on the city's Web site and marked all the way through January," Fritzler said. "I spent most of the council meetings here at City Hall anyways." Fritzler said he was glad to finally be behind the City Council table rather than in front of it. He said now that the campaigning is over and he is secure in his position, his only worry is keeping the citizens happy.

"I just hope I can live up to everyone's expectations," Fritzler said.