At City Hall, grand debuts and sweet returns
After swearing in 12 city councilors at Faneuil Hall, Mayor Thomas M. Menino yesterday crossed Congress Street to the council chamber and administered the oath of office to James M. Kelly, the city's longest serving councilor, who returned to City Hall for the first time since undergoing brain surgery in November.
''I was touched -- overwhelmed at times," said Kelly, who was swarmed by well-wishers lined up in front of his desk in the council chambers, where council members' family and friends and others gathered for the occasion.
''There are so many good people out there, and today I happened to be the focus of a lot of their best wishes and prayers," he said.
Kelly, who did not attend the Faneuil Hall ceremony, had to be helped into his seat by family members. Menino called him ''a guy I really respect and love" and joked that Kelly was being sworn in by himself because ''after being here so long he wants special treatment." The crowd cheered.
It was an emotional welcome on the same day that another councilor, newcomer Sam Yoon, took the oath of office and became the first Asian-American to take a citywide office.
A Korean-American, Yoon said he is still amazed sometimes that he won a council seat on his first try.
''I ask myself, 'How did I get here? What am I doing here?' " he said. ''I feel very committed to this job. There is so much expectation about what elected leaders can do. . . . If I were in Faneuil Hall looking up at the City Council, I'd be so pleased to see an Asian face. I'd love that. I know it means a lot to a lot of people, whether they're Asian or not."
Within 30 minutes of taking office, Yoon got his first taste of hardball politics.
He had expected to claim the office of outgoing councilor Maura Hennigan, who gave up her seat -- and her spacious office overlooking Quincy Market -- when she ran unsuccessfully for mayor.
But Councilor Robert Consalvo got there first. In exchange for his vote for council president, Michael F. Flaherty agreed to turn over the prime office space (and chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee) to Consalvo, who was surveying his new office before Yoon had a chance to move in.
''The job of city councilor isn't to sit down," said a conciliatory Yoon.
Yoon was one of four councilors who supported Charles Yancey for council president. After an initial vote of 9 to 4 in Flaherty's favor, Yancey moved that the vote be made unanimous. Flaherty became the council president for his fifth time.
Menino delivered brief remarks to the council, urging members to work with him to solve the problems facing the city. ''We've had some real accomplishments in the past few years working together," he said.
Menino later took members of the council, School Committee, and some of his staff to lunch at the State Room, the former site of the Bay Tower Room atop 60 State Street.
The menu was lobster ravioli, Cornish hen, potatoes, broccoli, and carrots. The finale was a chocolate fudge mousse with fresh blueberries and strawberries. There was no alcohol, and the tab was picked up by Menino's campaign committee.
''It was delicious," said Councilor John Tobin. ''But even if it were
But, Tobin said, nothing in the day compared to Kelly's swearing in.
''Everything else was anti-climactic," he said. ''It was the best moment of the entire day. To know what he's gone through and then to see him there taking part in the day was really special. There was a lot of love there for Jimmy Kelly, and it was good to be a part of it." 