The City of Rye Inauguration on Sunday, January 4, 2026 brought a packed house to Rye City Hall and city council chambers. The event, orchestrated and emceed by Rye City Democratic Committee Chair Danielle Tagger, brought together officials from federal, state, county and city levels as well as friends, family, party organizers and former elected officials. Swearing in events at city hall are important but often mundane and quick. This was not.

Over nearly an hour, the assembled crowd experienced the City of Rye Police Department Ceremonial Unit, an invocation from Rabbi Daniel Gropper of the Community Synagogue of Rye, songs (the national anthem and God Bless America) and a poem from students (this may be the first event in Rye this writer ever attended where the singer of God Bless America was not Robin Latimer). Each newly elected (or reelected) official was introduced by a current official. After the last number of years of real and visible division on city council, there was talk of unity moving forward. The new council also represents a consolidation of Democratic Party control after their election sweep. Councilmember Keith Cunningham remains the sole Republican on the council.

(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. Rye’s first Black councilmember, newly elected Councilmember Marion Anderson being sword in by the Judge Taylor Piscionere. Mayor Josh Nathan is to the right holding the Bible.)

First Black Councilmember

“I’m pleased to say I’m the first Black African American councilperson for the City of Rye,” said newly elected Councilmember Marion Anderson.

Noting Rye was first settled in 1660, and that only recently that Westchester County gained its first Black county executive with Ken Jenkins, she said hers was a milestone she was proud to share with Jenkins and that “it’s been a long time coming from both Westchester County and the City of Rye”.

A proclaimer “lifer”, Anderson was born at United Hospital and grew up in Rye, attended Osborn Elementary School.

“Rye has a really fascinating history. We started with indigenous people, European settlers coming here. We went through the colonial era, independence, even the painful chapters of slavery that yes touched little Rye, New York. Rye was the home to slave holders and Playland beach was once a port for incoming slave ships. Over the years, we’ve seen immigration, industrialization, suburbanization, in many ways, the story of Rye is the story of America.”

I grew up here, and I remember the melting pot of neighborhoods here. We had Little Dublin with our Irish. Our German families. I grew up in the Italian section of Glen Oaks. Jewish families. Black families. Our community. Today, we have a lot of new families with young children, lifelong residents like me, seniors who built their lives here. Rye is not necessarily known for its diversity, but it really is diverse. Its history and its people are more diverse than most of us realize.”

(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. The “New Josh” – Rye Mayor Josh Nathan. Say cheese.)

Nathan: Thoughtful Competition for Good Ideas

“We are best served in a democracy where there is choice and thoughtful competition for good ideas, and at least here in the City of rye, after elections are concluded, we set aside partisanship and we come together to govern for the benefit of everyone,” said new Rye Mayor Josh Nathan before issuing a myriad of thank yous to family, campaign staff, elected officials, city staff and others.

Nathan spoke with great emotion about talking with a family that had lost everything in the wake of Hurricane Ida. Nathan and his family lost their house in a fire the second year after moving to Rye and had been buoyed by the community.

“I was knocking on doors the final hours of the election, and I knocked on the door, and a woman opened the door. She looked familiar, and she said to me, I’m so glad we stayed. We love it here. Our kids are so happy. That’s how I feel every day, so grateful for what this community has been in our toughest times and in our best times.”

I want to make sure that that love of place, that sense of joy and promise, is something that endures for all of us.”

He mentioned comprehensive planning, sustainability and flooding (in part via a reconstituted Long Island Sound Watershed Intermunicipal Council (LISWIC)) as top priorities. He also gave nods to recreation access, public safety, quiet enjoyment of neighborhoods and traffic and safety initiatives.

(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. State Assemblyman (and former Rye Mayor) Steve Otis addresses the room and the live MyRye.com broadcast of the inauguration.)

Don’t Make Your Mistakes Too Quickly

There was a variety of advice being offered to the new council, including a bit from former Rye Mayor and State Assemblyman Steve Otis.

“The first duty is to come to meetings and keep an open mind and be eligible to change your views based upon the comments from the public, the comments from colleagues, the comments from professional staff, and I have no doubt that this new assemblage of seven very different individuals will do that. To Keith Cunningham, I did two years where I was alone – as six Republicans, one Democrat – , you are the inverse of that. Do not worry. Because the reality is, everyone doesn’t agree, and actually that’s a good thing. And so even if people are in the same party, you’re going to have leverage, and you’re going to have respect, and you’re all going to deal as colleagues. I also think that you have to approach these tasks with a sense of humility. And so a quote that I always use and to continue to use from President Eisenhower is, ‘don’t make your mistakes too quickly’. I love it because it’s caution and it’s humility in one phrase.”

Also read: Meet the New Rye City Council, New Mayor Josh Nathan: All Set for Inauguration This Sunday

[NOTE: Full video of the inauguration is below.]

(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. The new City of Rye Police Department Ceremonial Unit (seen at the front of the room) added pomp and circumstance to the day.)(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. Rye City Democratic Committee Chair Danielle Tagger, a former councilmember, acted as emcee.)(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. Rye City Democratic Committee Chair Danielle Tagger, a former councilmember, acted as emcee.)(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. Rye’s own and NY-16 Congressman George Latimer. Latimer started his political career as a Rye City councilmember.)(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. The men in black: Councilmember Keith Cunningham, former Mayor Doug French and former Councilmember Bill Henderson, all Republicans. In the 2026 council, Cunningham is the sole Republican.)(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. Rye’s first Black councilmember, newly elected Councilmember Marion Anderson.)(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. Rye’s first Black councilmember, newly elected Councilmember Marion Anderson.)(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. Newly elected Councilmember Amy Kesavan being sword in by the Judge Taylor Piscionere. Kesavan was joined by her husband Navan and their two sons.)(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. Rye’s newly elected Councilmember Amy Kesavan.)(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. A packed city council chambers as Rye’s newly elected Councilmember Amy Kesavan spoke after her swearing in.)(PHOTO: The City of Rye inauguration ceremony on January 4, 2026. Reelected Councilmember James Ward being sword in by the Judge Taylor Piscionere. Ward was joined by his wife Sawako and their two children.)