Buscher sworn in as mayor, saying she stands 'shoulder to shoulder' with new city council

Newly sworn in Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher promised Friday she and the city council will "take our passions and turn them into actions for a better Springfield" as a new era of government began.

Buscher, who defeated two-term incumbent Mayor Jim Langfelder on April 4, became the city's second female to hold the office, as trailblazing Mayor Karen Hasara looked on from the dais.

Buscher, her successor in the Treasurer's office, Colleen Redpath Feger; city Clerk Frank Lesko and the city's 10 alderpersons all took oaths from Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lisa Holder White at the Bank of Springfield Center.

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Ward 4 Ald. Larry Rockford, Ward 6 Ald. Jennifer Notariano and Ward 7 Ald. Brad Carlson took oaths of office for the first time on the city council.

They joined Ward 1 Ald. Chuck Redpath Sr.; Ward 2 Ald. Shawn Gregory; Ward 3 Ald. Roy Williams Jr.; Ward 5 Ald. Lakeisha Purchase; Ward 8 Ald. Erin Conley; Ward 9 Ald. Jim Donelan and Ward 10 Ald. Ralph Hanauer.

The day began with an ecumenical prayer service at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception led by Buscher's former pastor, the Rev. John Titus, and wrapped up with a gala celebration at the Crowne Plaza.

Quoting U.S. women's soccer star Abby Wambach, who said she "never scored a goal...without getting a pass from someone else," Buscher said she and council members would make "many goals, together, (for the city)."

"I am proud to stand here today, shoulder to shoulder with this team that is going to make magic happen in Springfield," Buscher added.

Buscher shared the moment in the limelight with her parents, Charles and Veronica Tozer, who live in Springfield; her daughter, Courtney, and son, Anthony, and his wife, Krystal, and their two children.

Buscher called her husband, Mike, her "rock."

"Without his love, faith and wisdom I would not be whole," she added.

Buscher invoked Hasara's name several times in talks and after the election. Hasara said after the inauguration she had full faith Buscher could govern the city well.

"It is an historic day, and I'm very proud of her and so glad she won the election," Hasara, a recent Lincoln Laureate honoree, said. "She doesn't need my advice, but I am thrilled for her.

"We're different in some ways and alike, hopefully, in a lot of other ways. Every person has his or her own personality and way of handing things. She certainly will be able to handle everything that comes her way. I truly believe that."

It was also a special day for the Redpath family.

Ald. Redpath noted that 20 years ago Redpath Feger, his daughter, was elected to the Springfield Metropolitan Exposition and Auditorium Authority (SMEAA) board while he was reelected Ward 4 alderman.

"Twenty years later, we're sharing the stage again," said Redpath, who is beginning his third term as Ward 1 alderman.

"I'm proud, I'm excited, I'm honored to be up here with my dad, to follow his legacy of amazing public service," Redpath Feger added. "We're going to do good things, not only Mayor Buscher, Clerk Lesko, myself, but all the aldermen around the horseshoe."

"This was a big (election) for me. I put everything into this one," Redpath said of his daughter's campaign. "Now it's time to serve the people."

After the inauguration, Buscher admitted the day was full of emotions.

"The prayer service was our time to be serious and unite together in prayer and (this afternoon) was our time to be sworn in," Buscher said. "I wanted everyone to know, whether it's the community or the elected officials, that I view us as one big team. That was my message today. Now we can celebrate like we just won the Super Bowl."

The morning prayer service had a special touch with Titus, a Catholic priest, who performed the Buschers' wedding ceremony at St. Aloysius Church in 2000.

Titus, who now heads churches in Mattoon and Sullivan, also baptized the Mayor and her daughter into the Catholic faith.

Buscher also said she personally wanted Holder White, the first Black woman to serve on Illinois' highest court, to administer the oaths.

Titus saw the prayer service as "an opportunity to find common ground if we want to move forward as a community as a people of faith. Our nation, and the development and the history of our own state, is intimately tied up with people of faith and the good work that can be done when we cooperate."

The Rev. Cindy Lash, a pastor at West Side Christian Church, said a selection of Scripture, the Epistle to the Philippians, was personally selected by Buscher.

In the passage, Paul the Apostle and Timothy remind the members of the early church in Philippi to "value others above yourselves" and to look after "the interests of the others."

"(The passage) contains an appeal to each of us to adapt the mind of Christ into daily living and habits," Lash said. "Unless we serve one another in life, like Christ modeled on earth, we will surely miss the mark. These are powerful words from Philippians, and I pray they will serve as a benchmark to a healthy and to a successful term in office for each one of you."

The Rev. Silas Johnson, pastor of Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, and the Rev. James Isaacson, pastor of St. Katharine Drexel Parish, also participated in the service.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Misty Buscher was officially sworn in as Springfield IL mayor Friday