ROCKLAND — By a unanimous Council vote, Rockland City Councilor William Clayton has been elected mayor for the city. Councilors elect Larry Pritchett and Ed Glaser were also sworn in to their terms in office by City Clerk Stuart Sylvester in the special organizational meeting that took place at city hall on Monday, October 21.

Clayton congratulated incoming councilors Glaser and Pritchett and thanked former mMayor Louise MacLellan-Ruf for her three years of service.

Clayton, in a short address, said that a search for a new city manager would begin immediately.

"The most pressing, in my eyes and I think my fellow councilors will agree, is to form a search committee for a city manager," he said. "Anyone who is interested in being part of that committee I ask to reach out to myself or my fellow city councilors."

Clayton said the council not only provides direction, but needs and requires direction.

"We are open, we are honest, we are fair," he said. "We will use the opportunity to convey our own points of view. There are no wall flowers here. If you want to get into a discussion or deliberation, we are happy to do that. We love to hear from people."

Councilor Valli Geiger took the opportunity to invite everyone to the first workshop of the new council Monday, November 28, in council chambers on Geiger's ordinance for infill. That ordinance will be in its first reading at the next regular council meeting.