Chris Curtis officially began his second term as Kankakee Mayor taking the oath of office during a swearing-in ceremony at the Monday, May 5, city council meeting.
Curtis was elected to the post four years ago, promising to make public safety his number one priority amid rising gun crime and shooting incidents, with the most recent coming on New Year’s Day this year when two people were killed.
Curtis said at the conclusion of the city council meeting he will have the same priority in his second term, and said, “We have made great strides, but we have a long way to go yet. You can’t have economic development, new housing, new retail without public safety in our community.”
Also sworn in for new four-year terms were alderpersons Cherie Malone-Marshall, David Baron, Larry Osenga, Lance Marczak, Victor Navarez, Kelly Johnson, and Lenora Noble. All ran unopposed for their posts in the April election.