UPDATED: Jan. 1, 2018 at 11:58 p.m.

Ben Walsh took the oath of office Sunday afternoon at a private inauguration ceremony at City Hall surrounded by friends and family as he was sworn in, preparing to become the 54th mayor of Syracuse.

Walsh, 38, stood in the Common Council chambers as members of his new administration looked on. Martha Walsh Hood, an acting Supreme Court Justice and Walsh’s aunt, administered the oath of office with a Bible that was presented to his grandfather as a gift from a local laborers union. City Court Judge Derrek Thomas swore in the mayor.

Greg Loh, the new director of city initiatives, said Walsh will not be officially considered mayor until midnight. But Walsh is ready to get started immediately. 

“I don’t plan on taking time off … like anything else I’m going to dive in head first,” Walsh said in a press conference after the event. The new mayor wiped tears off his face as his father, former congressman Jim Walsh, praised his son’s campaign before the ceremony.

The private inauguration was billed as a small event. But more than 70 people filled the chambers as people packed together to congratulate Walsh.

The former economic development director made history in November by defeating Democrat Juanita Perez Williams to become Syracuse’s first ever independent mayor-elect. Walsh ran without the affiliation of any major political party and will replace term-limited Miner.

“History is waiting for Syracuse’s next chapter to be written,” his father said on Sunday.

Using close friendships with influential Democrats, GOP members, business owners and executives, Walsh attracted a diverse range of supporters during his campaign with deep connections in the area. The mayor’s father, Jim Walsh, was a former Republican congressman who represented portions of central New York. His grandfather was a Republican mayor of Syracuse.

During his victory party at the Hotel Syracuse this November, Walsh promised a “grand experiment” to “test whether or not we can set aside politics and instead work together.”

Sam Ogozalek | News Editor

“Ben was able to bring together progressives, conservatives, black, white, brown, young, old, the Eastside, the North Side, the Westside and the South Side,” Jim Walsh said. “I’ve never seen a gathering on election night like I saw at Hotel Syracuse … every corner of the city was there.”

Several prominent politicians attended the event, including Helen Hudson, the newly inaugurated president of Syracuse’s Common Council. Hudson supported Walsh this fall.

Walsh had a busy week before Sunday’s ceremony. The mayor hired several key members of his new administration, including former Republican county legislator Bob Andrews to head intergovernmental relations and shared services. Andrews supported Walsh throughout the mayoral race.

“This is a very special moment for this family and for this community,” Walsh said in the press conference. “This is an awesome responsibility. I do not take it lightly.”

The new mayor will meet with city department heads for a meeting on Tuesday before traveling to Albany on Wednesday for New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State address.

A public inauguration ceremony for Walsh will be held outside City Hall on Saturday.

This post has been updated with a new headline.

Published on December 31, 2017 at 3:33 pm

Contact Sam: [email protected] | @SamOgozalek