SALAMANCA — The members of the Salamanca city government took their oaths of office Sunday in a small ceremony administered by Judge Ronald D. Ploetz with family, friends and community members in attendance at the city hall courtroom.

First to take his oath was the city’s new leader, Mayor Michael Smith, accompanied by his grandchildren, Zaryn, Nora and Jackston.

“Thank you for letting us be a part of your city,” Mayor Smith said with his arms around his grandchildren.

Before his swearing-in, Smith addressed the ceremony attendees with promising words on the next two years in the city.

“Welcome to ‘Team Salamanca,’” he began. “Please look around you and welcome your teammates. In every direction, say, ‘Hey, we’re all on the same team.’”

Mayor Smith said his goal is to unite everyone from one end of the city to the other, one end of city hall to the other and to be the “home team” for the next two years.

Among the attendees, besides family and friends of the mayor and city aldermen, were representatives of the Seneca Nation of Indians Tribal Council from the Allegany Territory as well as members of previous city administrations, members of the county legislature and city department heads and staff members.

“I’ve sat and talked with all these people. You couldn’t have voted any better. Our hearts are together. Our goal is to reunite the city itself as well as the city and the Seneca Nation of Indians,” Mayor Smith said. “We hope to give you a city we can all be proud of. A cleaner city, a city with less crime, less drugs and way more friends.”

In his address, the mayor said he’d like to see more cooperation between various city, Seneca Nation and county departments in order to focus on developing the Allegheny River to make it a shining staple of the city to be proud of and to attract tourism.

“It is a treasure that we need to promote, beautify and develop. The Ohi:yo’ is one of the highlights of our city, right down the middle of our city, and we can do so much to be proud of that river,” he said.

At the old hospital site off the Interstate 86, Mayor Smith said he’d like to see a community garden developed between the Seneca Nation’s Food is our Medicine Project and Cattaraugus Community Action, Inc. He also said he plans to strengthen the Code Enforcement department to clean up the city. At the mayor’s office, they will take “How can we help you?” calls.

“I’d like to unite all the drug task forces that are currently fighting this problem across the territories and the city into a single powerful unit to drive death-by-drugs out of our city,” Mayor Smith said. “We should never have that happen again.”

In addition to the drug problem, other planned focuses of Smith’s term include strengthening the senior center, the youth bureau and the city parks and playgrounds. He added that the city council wants to accomplish many things over the next two years, and they ask for everyone’s thoughts, hopes and cooperation along the way.

“We have a chance to make history as your city council,” Mayor Smith concluded. “Welcome to ‘Team Salamanca.’”

Following the mayor, each alderman recited their oaths for Judge Ploetz in order of their ward with family members and loved ones by their sides.

Laurie A. Hunt, R-Ward 1, was joined by her husband, James, who held the Bible;

Timothy J. Flanigan, R-Ward 2, stood with his wife, Diane, and his brothers, Mike and Kevin;

Rev. Michael J. Lonto, R-Ward 3, took his Oath of Office with his wife, Christine, and son Patrick, at his side;

Sandra L. Magiera, D-Ward 4, stood in the company of her husband, Dan;

Janet L. Koch, D-Ward 5, was joined by her mother, Dorothy, when taking her oath.

Following the swearing in ceremony, the mayor and each alderman signed their oaths of office in front of Judge Ploetz.

The first Common Council meeting of the new term is scheduled for Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. in the city courtroom.