The Gainesville City Commission gained two new members Thursday afternoon when Harvey Budd and Charles Goston Sr., both of whom were elected in April, were sworn into office.
Both new commissioners were sworn into office before a sizable crowd in the Thelma Boltin Center just after noon Thursday.
Budd kicked off his comments after he was sworn in with a quote from U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren about how Americans are fighters.
“I will not let you down, I promise that,” he told the crowd.
“My first action as your new city commissioner is to thank everyone who worked on my election campaign,” he said. “You all made it possible for me to have this opportunity.”
At one point, Budd excused himself to take a quick drink of water at the lectern and then told the audience, “That’s a Rubio trick.”
He also pointed out that Gainesville has citizens living in poverty and said he would work with his fellow commissioners to level the playing field.
When Goston got his turn at the lectern, he told the crowd he would serve all of the people of District 1 — those who believe in him and those who don’t.
Goston, who spoke on the campaign trail of the need to bring an emergency medical facility to the east side of town, told the crowd at the Thelma Boltin Center Thursday, “There are more animal hospitals on the west side than there are hospitals on the east side.”
He also talked about Gainesville’s high utility rates and said he must work with his fellow commissioners to bring those rates down to livable levels for everyone.
“This office is not mine,” he said. “It’s the people’s office.”