SPOKANE, Wash. — Standing on stage with her husband, Lisa Brown was sworn in Wednesday night as Spokane's next mayor. More than 100 people packed into the downtown library to witness the ceremony.
During her speech, Brown said divisions are real and won't go away because of an election, rather it's time for Spokane to work together. She said her administration will focus on people, not politics and join hands instead of pointing fingers.
"I, Lisa Brown, do solemnly swear," stated Brown. She will officially become Spokane's next mayor on January 1, 2024. "I feel apprehension. No, I'll just put it this way, terror, at how complicated some of these problems are and how tough some of this is going to be. I fully expect, despite all the great jobs I have had in my life, that this will be the hardest one," said Brown.
Spokane's new City Council President, Betsy Wilkerson, hosted the ceremony inside the downtown Spokane Library.
"We are here to celebrate a new chapter in Spokane's history, and new leadership. Not saying the old was bad but we're going forward as a city," Wilkerson said.
Councilmember elect Kitty Klitzke was also sworn in Wednesday night.
"When I got to city hall and did my tours and things I got really nervous. We've got a lot of challenges ahead of us and the reality sank in, but I had a couple of meetings with Lisa Brown and Betsy Wilkerson and my fellow council members and I'm feeling a lot better standing up here today saying yes, raise your expectations, we can do this."
Both women believe a better path forward includes more transparency at City Hall.
"What are our response rates and times for public safety? How do they vary by neighborhood? What do we think they should be? How many of our kids are ready for kindergarten? I can tell you it's not enough. And what are we going to do together to improve that? How many people are sleeping outside, unsheltered, and how many places do we have for them to be?," Brown said.
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