Emotion, expectation highlight BOMA inductions
Those three words were on the minds of Mayor Alex Cain and Aldermen Joey Ruffalo and Greg Wiberley last Thursday, Aug. 27, inside Farragut Town Hall.
All three were inducted into the Town of Farragut’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen, having been elected earlier this month.
For Cain, a former North Ward alderman, it was a return to the same desk — but with a new feel as the newly elected mayor.
This time, bittersweet emotions brought tears as he took his mayoral oath.
“My father passed away a year-and-a-half ago,” Cain said. “He was there two years ago when I was sworn in as alderman. Having my mother here today, using my dad’s Bible and having my friend Tim Burchett standing there — it really meant a lot.
“(Burchett’s) first comment to me was, ‘Your dad is very proud of you today.’ So that’s where it came from. But at the same time, it’s a big responsibility, and now I have the burden of 25,000 people on my back, and I want to do what’s right for each and every one of them.”
That weight will not be his alone to carry, as Cain emphasized the impact of Ruffalo, Wiberley and fellow Alderman Drew Burnette, as well as the alderman yet to be named.
“Before they were sworn in, we were allowed to have those discussions to get an idea of where they are and what they ran on in their campaigns,” he said of Ruffalo and Wiberley. “So let’s put together a good coalition and work well with Drew (Burnette), then find that fifth alderman to replace me, and the sky is the limit.”
When it was Ruffalo’s turn, he carried a similar burden as Cain when placing his hand on the Bible. As he took his oath, the new North Ward alderman held a Bronze Star that his father earned in the Vietnam War.
Then, he smiled like a kid on Christmas morning.
“Surreal,” he said. “Missed my dad. He was a Vietnam veteran, so I had his Bronze Star with me tonight, his uniform tag, with the Bible, upholding the character and virtue he taught me, service above self.
“And this is the ultimate service above self. I’m excited to get the chance to make a difference and really listen to people, hearing their concerns and being able to do something about it.”
That same transparency was a strong campaign point for Wiberley, who approached the festivities with a more tempered demeanor.
“Oh yes. It went just as according to plan, and I’m glad that my family, for the most part, was here to support it,” he said. “My wife, of course, was happy as can be. It’s not as climactic as you would think.
“I’ve been through a lot of meetings in the past two weeks with the Town staff, so I’m getting acclimated really quick. We’re transitioning rapidly, so I look forward to improving the transparency of the Town, the accountability of the Town and the inclusion of all residents in decision-making to move forward on things we heard on the campaign trail.”
Even with the emotion, Cain held a similar focus that he will look to carry through his tenure.
“The expectations are going to be very high, but I’m up for the challenge. I wouldn’t have done it otherwise,” he said. “The people of this town are so important, and that’s why I ran.
“I want to make sure that, as we’re moving forward, we can provide for everyone and set a goal down the road, that people can look back and say, ‘They did a great job.’ And it’s the whole board, not just me.”
