Norristown — Councilmembers were sworn in and new leadership formalized at the municipality’s reorganization meeting on Jan. 5, when Rashad Bates took the oath as council president and Dustin Queenan was sworn in as vice president.

At the opening of the evening session, the presiding official led a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance before the secretary called roll. The administration administered oaths of office to multiple returning and newly elected members. Rashad Bates repeated the oath to "support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Home Rule Charter of the Municipality of Norristown and the laws of Pennsylvania," and pledged to discharge his duties for the 1st District "with honor and fidelity." David McMahon, sworn in as a new at-large council member, likewise repeated the oath.

The meeting included nominations and roll-call votes to elect officers. After nominations from council, votes were recorded for president and vice president; the presiding officer announced, "the ayes have it," and the council recessed the reorganization meeting and called the regular meeting to follow. The presiding officer later thanked colleagues, staff and residents and outlined goals for 2026 including collaboration and stronger intergovernmental coordination.

The swearing-in was ceremonial but required by the municipal Home Rule Charter; the oaths explicitly referenced the federal and state constitutions and the municipal charter. No formal policy decisions were made solely as part of the swearing-in beyond the officer election results. The council then proceeded to its regular agenda, including appointments, contract ratifications and a public hearing on federal block-grant funding.

The council adjourned the session after the president's closing remarks and scheduled the next work to take up already-posted agenda items.