Mayor Anthony Housefather and our eight member Côte Saint-Luc city council (above) are ready to get back to work for our next mandate following a wonderful swearing in ceremony on November 4 at City Hall, presided over by our  superb city clerk Jonathan Shecter.

Cutline: With Mayor Housefather, Hampstead Mayor Bill Steinberg and newly elected Councillor Karen Zajdman.

Since we demerged from Montreal and regained our independent status eight years ago, the same eight councillors have taken our oaths for a third successive mandate. Eight of us were acclaimed to office on October 4. Councillor Sam Goldbloom was challenged for his District 1 seat by two people, Marissa Sidel and Stewart Wiseman, but he prevailed as the winner.

I must say that these ceremonies illustrate to me how fast life moves on. As I stood there in City Hall, the 2005 ceremony seemed like yesterday. I was saddened to look around the room and not see my father Larry, he of blessed memory. Dad passed away just over a year ago and he loved these events. My wife, daughter, mom, mother in law and father in law (he who doubles as my campaign manager) were there and that gave me reason to smile. I am happy to call Mayor Housefather and my seven fellow councillors friends. We are together for meetings at least once every week, at community functions and in touch by phone and email. I think we make a wonderful team and judging by the acclamations, so does our public.

Cutline: me and my mom Elaine (right).

It was nice to see Liberal Member of Parliament for Mount Royal Irwin Cotler, his chief of staff Howard Liebman, Liberal Member of the National Assembly for D'Arcy McGee Lawrence Bergman, Police Station 9 Commander Marc Cournoyer, Suburban Newspaper Publisher Michael Sochaczevski, high ranking member of the Conservative Party of Canada Neil Drabkin, members of Hampstead Council and some stellar citzens like the amazing Steve Acre.

Hats off to the ageless Ernie the Caterer, who kept everyone well fed and a hearty congratulations to Mayor Housefather and my council colleagues Goldbloom, Steven Erdelyi, Dida Berku, Glenn J. Nashen, Mitchell Brownstein, Allan J. Levine and Ruth Kovac. Thanks to our amazing staff, many of whom were on hand for the ceremony:  Shecter, Nadia Di Furia, Pascale Scott, Cheri Bell, Andrea Charon, Darryl Levine, David Taveroff, Charles Senekal, Patrick Raggo, Bebe Newman, Jordy Reichson, Peter Kopitas, Tammy McEwen, Janine West and Ruth Kleinman. The man who has taken our Men's Club to new heights, Sidney Margles, was on hand as was the woman who has steered the CSL Dramatic Society in a strong direction - Anisa Cameron. So were council regulars Irving Itman and Bernard Tonchin, who are no doubt researching their questions for our next meeting.

Cutline: With my father-in-law/campaign chief Reuben Spector.

It was an energizing evening.

We now await Mayor Housefather's announcement of portfolios for councillors in the next mandate. It is time for us to build the budget for 2014.

Neil Drabkin, Irving Itman and Bernard Tonchin

Jordy Reichson, Glenn J. Nashen, myself and  the ageless Joy Rodgers (Jordy's better half and a CSL EMS volunteer of many years).

With Mitchell Brownstein.

With Sam Goldbloom.

With Steven Erdelyi.

See Councillor Glenn J. Nashen's blog