When local elected leaders take their oath of office, they often do so with little fanfare at public meetings or in court. Festivity typically is not associated with swearing-in ceremonies.
Allegheny County Councilman Bob Macey, D-West Mifflin, bucked that trend on Friday night when he took the oath for his second full term in office at a holiday gathering for local magisterial district court offices, held at the Duquesne Annex Fire Hall in West Mifflin.
Magisterial District Judge Scott Schricker from Turtle Creek administered the oath to Macey, who was surrounded by a contingent of other court officials that included Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Judge Susan Evashavik DiLucente and district judges Richard Olasz Jr. from West Mifflin, Thomas R. Torkowsky from Munhall, Armand A. Martin from Glassport, Robert L. Barner from North Versailles Township and Thomas Miller from White Oak.
“I've always taken (the oath of office) at the county courthouse,” said Macey, explaining that he's arranged to have local judges officiate in the ceremony.
Macey said he asked Schricker to come to Pittsburgh this year to do it.
“He said, ‘I'll do better than that. I'll swear you in at the party,'” Macey recalled.
Schricker said the annual holiday party proved to be a convenient opportunity to have the swearing in.
“I've known Bob for 25 years,” Schricker said. “He's a great guy.”
Schricker said having the gathering of judges present for the ceremony constituted a unique opportunity.
“I thought it would be cool to do it with all the other judges present,” he said. “We're a close group. We help each other all the time.”
The event was well attended by public figures from all over the Mon Valley.
Some representatives from West Mifflin noted there are several worthy events coming up in the borough.
On Saturday, Skyview Volunteer Fire Co. will have an all-you-can-eat spaghetti fundraiser from 1-7 p.m. for firefighter Bill Proud, who is battling Hodgkin's lymphoma. Admission is $8.
On Jan. 9, there will be a fundraiser at Westwood Golf Course benefiting West Mifflin police officer Jim Pawling, who is fighting cancer.
It runs from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Admission is $20 in advance or $25 at the door. For more information, call 412-469-2666.
Eric Slagle is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-664-9161 ext. 1966, or eslagle@tribweb.com.
