There was quite a crowd (30+) packed into the city commission room last night for Patti Garrett’s oath of office and first official meeting as a commissioner.  On a frigid night, the room was chock-full of Garrett supporters, family, big-wigs, and newsy reporters, all looking for a little warmth.

And they found it.

The mood was light and gracious, thanks to a night of appointments and honors, with both Garrett and District 1 commish Fred Boykin taking the oath of office.  (I noted the commissioners’ oath was longer than the Presidential Oath, but then reelected Mayor Bill Flood later mentioned that it was much shorter than Kasim Reed’s marathon oath of office earlier that day.)

With Jim Baskett still on vacation, commissioners Boykin and Kecia Cunningham acted as a sort of “formality tag-team” in nominating and reappointing Mayor Bill Floyd and Mayor Pro-Tem Jim Baskett to their leadership roles on the commission.

And though many of the seats in the room were filled because of Garrett’s oath, much of the mood had to do with another item on the agenda: honoring 36-year member of the Decatur Housing Authority board, Al Bastin, who is retiring from the board with a little over a year left in his term.  Warm words for Bastin, who sat near the center of the room, spread beyond the small ceremony, which proclaimed January 8th “Al Bastin Day” in Decatur, and made their way into many comments made by the commissioners during the evening.  Of note: At the request of the mayor, outgoing city commissioner Mary Alice Kemp will take Bastion’s place on the DHA board for the remainder of his term.

The commission breezed through approving contracts for city attorney, municipal court judges and the city manager’s contract, before everyone was given a few moments to say a few words.  Mary kind words were spoken by the five commissioners and the city manager.  More than a few playful jabs were taken.

And when the meeting concluded and the gavel came down, it was time to bundle up and journey back out into the cold world.