Gene Brown, Others Sworn in at Special City Council Meeting

Councilman Gene Brown

BRADENTON – Wednesday marked Gene Brown's first official day as a Councilman in the city of Bradenton after he was sworn in at a special council meeting at City Hall. Brown was the only new public official to be sworn in at the ceremony. Councilmen Gene Gallo and Harold Byrd, and Mayor Wayne Poston also took their oaths after their November reelection.

Mr. Brown, who won election to the Council in a landslide after Marianne Barnebey vacated her Ward 2 seat in order to run for mayor, will remain Chief Operating Officer of Brown & Sons Funeral Home during his first tenure as a public official. Mr. Brown's swearing in ceremony was conducted as he stood with his son, daughter, father and brother.  

Councilman Gallo was the first to be sworn in on Wednesday, and the ceremony was conducted with his wife, his daughter, his son in law and two grandsons stood by him. Mr. Gallo will serve his sixth term representing Ward 1 in City Hall after an unopposed reelection campaign. Ward 5 Councilman Mr. Byrd, who was also reelected without opposition in November, took his oath with his mother, wife, and niece present. 

Mr. Poston, who re-won his mayoral seat after facing opponents Mrs. Barnebey and Richard O'Brien last year, was the last to take the oath as he stood by his wife.

The first regular City Council meeting of the year will take place on Wednesday, January 9 at 8:30am.