The new year in Oak Harbor brought a new member to the city council and a reelection for the mayor pro tempore.

At a meeting Tuesday, Sandi Peterson was sworn in as the new council member while Bryan Stucky and Barbara Armes also took the oath after running unopposed. James Marrow was sworn back in to council after running opposed. Mayor Pro Tempore Tara Hizon was also unanimously elected again to serve for the next two years in that position.

Peterson raised her hand and repeated her duties with a cheery smile followed by a peck with her husband. An Oak Harbor resident since 2007, Peterson has served on both the Planning Commission and the Civil Service Commission as well as the co-founder of Civility First, a nonprofit that promotes respectful dialogue across the political spectrum.

“Sandi has been a passionate advocate for Oak Harbor for many years, and I’m confident her leadership will be invaluable in making important decisions for our community,” Mayor Wright said in a press release.

Peterson will serve on the Arts Commission Board and the Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Disability Board as a council member. Outside of her community involvement, Peterson loves spending time with her husband, their four children, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, according to a press release.

During the process of selecting a mayor pro tempore, Councilmember James Marrow nominated Tara Hizon, who has held the title since August 2022. A mayor pro tempore is a council member who can serve temporarily as the mayor in the event the elected mayor is absent.

“Having watched Mayor Pro Tempore Tara Hizon, she has demonstrated balance, knwoledge, experience and wisdom in her capactiy so I’m proudly nominating her to continue,” Marrow said.

She won in a sweeping vote, with no other nominations.

“I just want to personally thank mayor pro tempore for all of her unwavering support that she provides to me,” Wright said.

(Photo by Marina Blatt) From left, Barabara Armes, Sandi Peterson, James Marrow and Bryan Stucky swore an oath of office on Tuesday.