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Lawrence Officials Sworn in Tonight Tom Duggan The newly elected City Council and School committee will be sworn into office tonight at the South Lawrence East School (Osgood Street) at 7pm. After the ceremony the School Committee and City Council will immediately hold an organizational meeting whereby the Council will elect a President and Vice President. The School Committee will elect a Vice Chairman as the Mayor sits as the permanent Chairman. Current Council President Marcos Devers took himself out of the running for Council President, saying in an exclusive interview with Tommyduggan.com last month that it was time to "give others an opportunity to serve." Council Vice President, Patrick Blanchette will square off against newcomer Carlos Matos for President with Patrick having the edge among fellow Councilors to ascend to the presidency. But some Councilors have complained privately that, since the votes are so close between Blanchette and Matos that State Representative Willie Lantigua has been trying to "broker out" or "sell" Michael Fielding's vote for President and Vice President of the Council. One Councilor said that Lantigua had approached several Councilors to, "make a deal," the Councilor said. "What he said was that he could guarantee Mike Fielding's vote for certain Councilors in the vote for President and Vice President if he could get guarantees of support for himself when he runs for reelection to the House of Representatives." Lantigua managed the campaign of newly elected Councilor Mike Fielding who handily defeated Marie Gosselin in District "F", the South Lawrence East section of the city. Blanchette will most likely get the nod to replace Devers as president unless Matos strikes a deal with Lantigua and another councilor flip flops at the last minute. District "E" (Mount Vernon) Councilor Gil Frechette is expected to be the Council Vice President. The Council President will also appoint fellow Councilors to sub committee assignments and set the date for the first full meeting of the Council. On the School Committee there is no word on who is to be elected Vice Chairman. The Vice Chairman runs the meetings when the ever absent Mike Sullivan does not attend. Conventional wisdom would dictate that either Michael Sweeney or Jim Vittorioso will be chosen. Newcomer James Vittorioso served on the committee from 83-85 and recently retired as a teacher from the Lawrence School System. Sweeney would be the most likely choice, returning to the committee after serving four years on the committee and two years on the City Council. A full report will posted shortly after the swearing in ceremony. Mike Sullivan will be the master of
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Gil
Frechette
