New members of Honolulu's City Council were sworn in at Honolulu Hale on Tuesday.
Returning council member Tommy Waters was not only re-elected, but led the session into oath for incoming council members Matt Weyer, Tyler Dos Santos-Tam and Val Okimoto.
"Congratulations for your hard fought victories," said Waters after the vote. "I'm so stoked."
This was the Council's first official meeting of the year. The ceremony consisted of an oli by Kumu Hula and Hawaiian cultural practitioner Mehanaokala Hind and a message of aloha from Tyler Iokepa Gomes of the state's Hawaiian Homelands department.
"We have Democrats and Republicans on the City Council, but it's really not about ideology, political party, us versus them, you versus me. It's about 'we,'" Waters said.
Notable guests to the session included Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Prosecuting Attorney Steven Alm, Gov. Josh Green and Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke.
"The fact that we are all under the same roof, it's really special. We can't forget that feeling," Waters said.
