St. Petersburg city council members took oaths of office and selected their leadership at the Jan. 2, 2025 council meeting at City Hall.

Mayor Kenneth T. Welch opened remarks, calling the gathering a blessing and thanking council and staff for their work in recent years. Several newly sworn members — including Council member Copely Gerdes (District 1), Council member Mike Harding (District 3), Council member Deborah Fick Sanders (District 5) and Council member Corey Givens Jr. (District 7) — repeated the oath administered at the ceremony. Judge Pamela Campbell administered at least one oath on the dais.

The ceremony included formal recognition of outgoing District 7 Council member John Muhammad and remarks by Muhammad, who said, "The scripture tells us that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning," and symbolically passed a baton to newly sworn Council member Corey Givens Jr. Mayor Welch and multiple council members offered thanks to Muhammad for his community service.

After swearing in members, the council moved to declare its internal leadership election. A motion to "declare the election of the city council chair and the vice chair" was made and seconded; the clerk announced, "the motion passes unanimously." The council then administered the oath of office to the new chair, Copely Gerdes, and to the new vice chair, whose oath was also recorded during the session.

The meeting also included public recognition of long‑time City Council administrative officer Cindy Shepherd, who was honored by the mayor and multiple council members for her years of service and noted that she is retiring. Shepherd thanked staff and aides and said she looks forward to retirement and returning to the chamber as a citizen.

Why it matters: The swearing‑in and leadership vote formalize who will lead St. Petersburg's City Council in 2025 and set the dais' membership and internal roles for the year. Those roles shape committee assignments, meeting agendas and how the council engages with the mayor and administration.

What happened next: Council members offered brief closing remarks about priorities for the year and the meeting was adjourned. January 2, 2025, City Council was recessed/adjourned following the ceremony and roll call.