New Springfield City Councilor Alan Stout, re-elected Mayor Sean VanGordon and re-elected Councilors Kori Rodley and Beth Blackwell took oaths of office Monday to start their new terms.
All four won their seats in uncontested elections last May after no candidates filed to challenge VanGordon, Rodley or Blackwell for their seats and Stout was the only one who filed to replace retiring 20-year Councilor Joe Pishioneri. All four were elected with approximately 98% of the vote (with 2% going to write-in candidates).
Stout is vice president of local material wholesalers Cedarwood Distribution and Stout Steel. In 2022, he ran for state representative as a Republican. He lost that race, but with 47.6% of the vote, he gave Rep. John Lively, D-Springfield, the closest re-election challenge of his 12-year career.
In that election, Stout campaigned on a platform that encouraged housing development by loosening regulations, increasing state funding for mental health and addiction resources and Springfield’s Main Street project, and lowering taxes.
According to the new committee assignments, Stout will serve as council liaison to the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, and on the committees for Emergency Management, Finance and Judiciary, G Street Oasis, Lane Regional Air Protection, Metropolitan Wastewater Management and Police Advisory.
Newly elected council member Alan Stout was joined by his family Monday for a swearing-in ceremony inside the Springfield City Council chambers.
In his first motion as councilor, Stout nominated Councilor Michelle Webber to succeed Pishioneri as City Council president in 2025, a motion which received unanimous agreement from the rest of the council.
The city council president reviews agendas and has more agenda-setting power than other councilors. VanGordon also said he relies on the council president for advice, especially on issues where there isn’t time to convene the whole council.
Alan Torres covers local government for the Register-Guard. He can be reached over email at atorres@registerguard.com or on X @alanfryetorres.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Springfield city council members, mayor sworn in for new term