Veteran Lawmaker Stresses Public Safety, Fiscal Accountability

(ATLANTA) January 4, 2010 – Former Georgia state Senator Kasim Reed was inaugurated today as the City of Atlanta’s 59th mayor.  He won the election on a platform that includes improving public safety, creating new opportunity for the city’s youth, ensuring fiscal responsibility and providing greater customer service to residents.

“I am honored and humbled to take on this important role,” Reed said. “I will work hard to ensure Atlanta remains a world-class city and an attractive place to live, raise families and to start, grow and relocate businesses. I will move forward with a sense of urgency as I work with the City Council to accomplish my administration’s goals for the city.”

Click Here to Read Mayor Kasim Reed's Inaugural Address

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The 59th Mayor of the City of Atlanta will formally take office on January 4th, 2009.  Below is a detailed schedule of events.  This information can also be found by clicking here.  All of the events are free and open to the public.  Please check back, periodically, as some of the information may change:

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Inaugural Day of Community Service
(In Partnership with Park Pride)

Location:
Renaissance Park
501 Piedmont Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30308

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Inauguration Day
Scheduled Lineup of Activities

9:00 am - 10:30 am
Inaugural Prayer Service
All faiths welcome

Location:
Ben Hill United Methodist Church
2099 Fairburn Road Southwest
Atlanta, GA 30331-4899
(404) 344-0618
Ben Hill UMC Website

12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Swearing In Ceremony
Newly-Elected Officials

- Mayor of Atlanta
- City Council President
- City Council-Members
- Judges

Location:
Atlanta Civic Center
395 Piedmont Ave, NE
Atlanta, GA  30308
Civic Center Website


5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Citizen's Reception at City Hall
Opening City Hall to the Citizens of Atlanta

Location:
Atlanta City Hall
55 Trinity Avenue, SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
City of Atlanta Website

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The Inaugural Host Hotel

Hyatt Regency Atlanta
265 Peachtree Street, NE
Atlanta 30303
404.577.1234
800.233.1234 (reservations)

Reed Inauguration (reservation room block)
Guests may secure accommodations by contacting the Hyatt at the 800 number

Dear Friends and Supporters,

I wanted to take a moment to share with you a brief message.

The holiday season is a special time for us to reflect on family, friends, and what means most in our lives.  As we gather together today with loved ones to open presents around the tree or participate in whatever holiday traditions that are important to us, let us always remember to keep in mind those who are less fortunate than we are and to offer a helping hand whenever possible.  Let us also take this time to reflect on the lessons this past year has taught us, while setting new goals for the coming days ahead.
 
Wishing you and your family a happy holiday.

Sincerely,

Kasim Reed
Mayor-Elect

(ATLANTA) December 22, 2009 – Mayor-elect Kasim Reed announced John C. Mellott as Chair of the Pension Reform Panel at a press conference on Tuesday.  This panel will be tasked with examining the city’s current pension obligations and will present options on how best to tackle this issue.

Mellott is a retired senior executive of Cox Enterprises and was most recently Publisher of The Atlanta Journal Constitution.  Throughout his professional career, he has held senior financial roles within Cox, including Treasurer and Vice President of Development and Planning and is a Certified Public Accountant.

(ATLANTA) December 21, 2009 – Mayor-elect Kasim Reed announced at a press conference today that City Council President Lisa Borders and local attorney Lawrence Ashe will serve as Co-Chairs for the Transition Committee.  
 
“I am delighted to announce Council President Borders and Lawrence Ashe as my Transition Committee Co-Chairs,” said Mayor-elect Reed.  “I have known and respected both Lisa and Lawrence for quite some time and their passion and dedication for Atlanta is what guided me to selecting them as Co-Chairs.  I look forward to working with them closely as we transition into governing.”
 
As Co-Chairs, Borders and Ashe will be responsible for helping to form the search committees for a permanent Chief of Police and Chief Operating Officer, among other positions.  Additionally, they will be tasked with reaching out to the non-profit, philanthropic and business communities and helping begin the process of transforming the City’s abandoned recreation centers into Centers of Hope.
 
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Transition Committee as a Co-Chair.  I look forward to working with Mayor-elect Reed and drawing on my experience in the private, public and non-profit sectors as we move closer to this administration taking office,” said Council President Borders.
 
Lawrence Ashe echoed the sentiment and stated, “I am excited to be helping the Mayor-elect bring his vision to the City of Atlanta.  We have serious challenges ahead of us and I am focused on ensuring that our new mayor has all the resources available to him to meet those challenges head on.”

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