In a ceremony held in the City Hall Ballroom, community members, elected officials, and city staff gathered to mark the beginning of a new chapter in Holyoke’s civic life. Presided over by former City Councilor Joe McGivern, the event formally welcomed the city’s leadership for the coming term as Mayor Joshua Garcia was sworn in for a second term. Newly elected and returning members of the City Council and School Committee were also sworn in by City Clerk Brenna Murphy Leary, joining the mayor in officially beginning a new term of service to the city.

In his inaugural address, Mayor Garcia reflected on Holyoke’s long civic history, noting that since the election of the city’s first mayor in 1873, resilience has been a defining characteristic of the community. He emphasized that Holyoke has consistently remained grounded in its core values of compassion, determination, and decency—principles that have guided the city through both periods of prosperity and times of challenge.

Following the inauguration ceremony, the City Council reconvened in the Council Chambers for its organizational meeting. Councilors elected Tessa Murphy Romboletti to serve a second term as Council President, while Israel Rivera was chosen to fill the newly created role of Council Vice President. The Council also finalized seating assignments using a newly established process, adopted in response to disputes that arose during seating selections in the previous council term.

Watch the Full Inauguration Ceremony

Watch the Reorganization Meeting