Council Caucus Affirms Support for Continued Leadership of President Lederman, VP Edwards
The Springfield City Council voted this evening in an informal caucus to elect At-Large City Councilor Jesse Lederman to serve as Springfield City Council President for a full term in 2023, and for Ward 3 City Councilor Melvin Edwards to serve as Vice President.
Lederman and Edwards announced last week that they had secured the commitment of a majority of their colleagues to continue their leadership in the New Year.
A formal vote will be taken at the City Council’s 2023 Organizational Meeting on January 2, 2023. Details of that meeting and the formal Swearing In of President Lederman and Vice President Edwards will be released in the coming weeks.
“I remain thankful to my colleagues for their support during the transition earlier this year and as we prepare for the 2023 legislative session. I believe strongly in the City Council as the closest elected body to the people, and I’ve seen first hand the positive impact we can have when we come together in good faith to take on the issues that face our community, bringing with us each of our own diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives,” said City Council President Jesse Lederman, “I remain committed to continuing to strengthen local government to deliver results for every neighborhood in our city through professionalism, collaboration, and innovation.”
Council President Lederman points to his record of working to strengthen the City Council and local government since taking the helm of the Council earlier this year, including successful passage of legislation aimed at creating a transparent process for residents to apply for vacancies on local Boards and Commissions, his appointment of the Working Group on Civic Engagement to provide recommendations on how to make local government more accessible, and his expansion of hybrid meeting options to make it easier for the public to participate in Council business while also reconvening the first in-person meetings of the City Council since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jesse Lederman was first elected to the City Council in 2017 and is currently serving his third term as an At-Large Councilor. He was elected Vice President at the beginning of 2022. In 2022 he has served as Chairman of the Maintenance & Development Committee, the Sustainability & Environment Committee, and the COVID-19 Response & Recovery Committee. He previously served as Chairman of the Committee on Health and Human Services.
On the City Council Jesse has fought for legislation and initiatives related to neighborhood quality of life, housing, workers rights, protecting and improving air quality, expanding affordable internet access, and making local government more accessible and transparent, among other initiatives.
Councilor Lederman is married to his wife, EmilaLederman. They live in the McKnight Neighborhood with their dog, Theodore, just a few blocks from where Jesse grew up. Learn more about Councilor Lederman and his work at www.jesseforspringfield.com/meet-jesse.
“It is an honor to serve the residents of Springfield and my colleagues on the City Council as Vice President,” said Vice President Melvin Edwards, “Working together with Council President Lederman we hope to continue administering the business of the City Council to provide maximum benefit to the residents and business community of the City of Springfield.”
Council Vice President Edwards is one of Springfield’s longest serving Ward City Councilors, having been elected to represent Ward 3 in 2009 and having been re-elected five times. He serves as Chairman of the Economic Development Committee and of the Responsible Employer Ordinance Committee; monitoring public construction projects to ensure compliance with local laws ensuring jobs for city residents, minority contractors, women, and veterans.
