Dan Sullivan, the mayor of Anchorage, Alaska, knows how to mix business with pleasure. During his swearing in ceremony to begin his second term in the position, he wore a Hawaiian shirt. While that might not be business attire, it's appropriate, considering that at the time he was sworn in, Sullivan was on a family vacation and reunion in Hawaii.The trip had been previously scheduled, the Associated Press reports.
The city requires a mayor to be sworn in on July 1 or as soon thereafter as practical. Sullivan won't return to Alaska until July 16, so he established a live video link between Anchorage City Hall and a lawyer's office in Honolulu where he took the oath of office. He was re-elected in April.
"It's really an honor for me today to be able to share this experience with my Hawaiian family and friends," Sullivan said moments before the brief swearing in. "I'm very pleased that we're able to have this technology."
Prior to Sullivan taking the oath of office, his spokeswoman, Lindsey Whitt, said, "We are embracing the phenomenal technology of the 21st century for what seems to be the very first mayor to ever sign oath via video conferencing."
A state judge administered the oath in Alaska, and Sullivan repeated it in Hawaii. Afterward, he and his wife Lynnette put on leis, traditional Hawaiian necklaces.
Sullivan then answered questions from members of the press who were attending the video broadcast in Anchorage. The video feed was displayed in the city hall conference room. When he was asked why the family trip was scheduled when it was, Sullivan said it was easier to arrange his schedule than it was for the other people involved. He continued, "And it really doesn't matter where you do the swearing in, what room you're in or where you're located. What really matters is the words that you swear and affirm to, to uphold the constitutions of the country, the state and, of course, the charter."
City officials said the long-distance oath is in line with the municipal law, although the law does not address the issue. Although Sullivan's actions were unprecedented, one assembly member said that telecronferences were common occurance in modern business and government.
Sullivan signed off the broadcast by saying, "Aloha."
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