By Gwen Davis

Lisa Herbold was inaugurated as 1st District Seattle City Council member at City Hall on Monday at 2 p.m. She was surrounded by her family and watched by dozens of smiling supporters.

Other council members sworn in included Bruce Harrell, Kshama Sawant, Rob Johnson, Debora Juarez, Mike O'Brien, Sally Bagshaw, Tim Burgess and Lorena González.

City Hall was packed with over 100 attendees, many of them activists on the council members' campaigns.

Council members gave short speeches after they were inaugurated. They thanked their supporters and restated their top passions and ideas on what they will get done in office.

"Today is historic," said Juarez, representing District 5, whose heritage includes being an ethnic minority. "This is an opportunity to bring all of us closer together. We will be engaged, we will be successful and I'm proud to be part of that."

O'Brien, representing District 6 who has held the position for years, said he's "thrilled" to start a new term "and work with all the many great people who were elected here."

"I will continue working on housing affordability and homelessness," he said. "In the coming year I want to make sure our next city housing levy is as big and as robust as possible."

Bagshaw, representing District 7, said her district will have "a strong voice in City Hall." She highlighted her top priority of the year: human services. She wants to target homelessness, particularly. "My objective is to invest in each individual," she said.

Burgess, representing District 8 said: "I am very grateful to the voters for trusting me for a third term." Burgess will pass his duties of council president to Harrall. The council member read a poem he wrote: "Serve humbly, do things that really matter, focus most on the kids."

González was the final council member sworn in.

"For me, 2015 was a year of change," she said. "I am certain that 2016 will be a year of action."

Harrell was then officially elected as council president for 2016/17.

"I expect that with the help of councilmembers Sawant and Herbold" the needs of immigrant rights and corporate responsibilities will be heard long and loud, he said.

He also said that with the election of González and Juarez, social justice will be furthered in the city.