Swearing in the new

At Havre City Council's first meeting of the year, several new public officials were sworn in, including Mayor Tim Solomon. City Clerk Lowell Swenson swore Solomon in before a near-capacity crowd in City Hall Monday. Outgoing Republican Mayor Bob Rice, whom the Democrat Solomon defeated in the November election, was not at Monday's meeting. After he took over presiding at the council meeting, Solomon thanked Rice and outgoing council member Terry Schend for their years of service to the city. "I think they deserve a round of applause," Solomon said, drawing an ovation from the 50-some members of the audience, including 15 Havre High School government class students. Solomon said later during the meeting that he is starting a new procedure. After hearing from the two candidates for city judge, he asked for comments or questions from the audience. Solomon said that, while in recent years public comments have been taken at the end of the council meetings, he wants to open it to the audience before votes are taken on every action item. Swenson also swore in the winners of the races in the City Council elections. Democrat Janet Trethewey, who defeated Schend in the general election, Republican Bob Kaftan and Democrat Gerry Veis, who defeated their respective opponents Brenda Skornogoski and Kathy Sangray in the election, and Democrat Allen "Woody" Woodwick, who ran unopposed for reelection, took thier respective seats. The council unanimously approved Woodwick serving another term as council president, after he was nominated by council member Bob Kaul. "I think he has done a real good job the last couple of years, and I would like to see him continue," Kaul said.