Mayor Joshua Garcia, City Clerk Brenna Murphy Leary and other recently elected officials in Holyoke take part in the swearing-in ceremony.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
HOLYOKE — Holyoke welcomed returning and newly elected officials during the 2026 inaugural swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 5 inside the City Hall auditorium.
The ceremony featured performances by the Caledonian Pipe Band and the Holyoke High School Madrigal Choir.
Former city councilor Joe McGiverin served as the master of ceremonies for the event. Pastor Bernard Smith from the Bethlehem Baptist Community Church provided a prayer for the elected officials.
Mayor Joshua Garcia was sworn in for his second four-year term. City Clerk Brenna Leary and newly elected or re-elected city councilors and School Committee members were also sworn in.
City Councilors that were sworn in included Juan Anderson-Burgos, Patricia Devine, Howard Greaney Jr., Meg Magrath-Smith, Nicole Maisonet, Tessa Murphy-Romboletti, Mimi Pantich, Richard Purcell, Israel Rivera, Jenny Rivera, Michael Sullivan, Anne Thalheimer and Linda Vacon.
School Committee members included Orlando Isaza, Gladys Lebron-Martinez, Mildred Lefebvre, Patty Lubold, Jens Michaelsen, Yadilette Rivera-Colon, Devin Sheehan, Rosalee Tensley Williams and Ellie Wilson.
During his speech, Garcia talked about working with the returning and newly elected officials.
“Thank you for a City Council and School Committee that believe in this direction that we’re going, Garcia stated. “I know that some may say that the results reflect or indicate Holyokers are going in a different direction. I’d argue differently and tell you that that’s not true. We’re going in the same direction just with fewer obstacles.”
Garcia reflected on his speech from the last inauguration ceremony where he was first sworn in as mayor.
He stated, “It was from that day we celebrated the election as a turning point; a page to the next chapter turned by Holyoke voters. In this new chapter of our proud city, we were given an opportunity to dismantle historic inequities and structural barriers with the goal of improving the quality of life and health outcomes in every neighborhood from West Holyoke to South Holyoke.”
Although Garcia stated that there is still work to be done, he said that over the past four years strides have been made in advancing economic development, improved and continue to work on public safety, invested in the city’s schools and strengthening its neighborhoods.
Looking at his next term, Garcia said with the help of elected officials, Holyoke will continue to tackle housing needs, strengthen code enforcement, protect its tenants, respond to community concerns with public safety and quality of life with its community response team and implement the municipal modernization act.
“We’re going to continue to leverage our economic development opportunities and promote our assets that make our city competitive here in the commonwealth of Massachusetts,” Garcia stated.
With the school system, Garcia said the city will continue to improve student outcomes and focus on student attendance while also supporting the educators and staff.
Garcia said there is a “possibility” of the city building another middle school as well.
After the inauguration ceremony, recently sworn-in councilors gathered in the City Council chambers to elect a president and vice president.
Murphy-Romboletti, who was the first woman chosen as Holyoke City Council president, was once elected to serve in the role for a second term.
Murphy-Romboletti emphasized that her next term will be defined by partnership, collaboration and a renewed focus on setting a clear vision for Holyoke’s future.
To better align the priorities of the City Council, Murphy-Romboletti said she plans to invite councilors to participate in a half-day retreat.
“I’m looking forward to working closely with every member of the City Council as well as Mayor Garcia to define what we want to accomplish in Holyoke and who we want to be as a community,” she said. “This next term is an opportunity to build on the important groundwork that the mayor has already begun, establishing citywide priorities, setting department goals and laying out realistic plans to achieve them.”
For the first time in Holyoke’s history, a City Council vice president was elected with Israel Rivera securing the votes for that position.
