Newly elected city council members were sworn in and council leadership was appointed at the Jan. 7 Mercer Island City Council meeting. Five seats had been up for election in November 2019.

In a 4-3 vote, Benson Wong has been appointed as mayor of Mercer Island for the 2020-2021 biennium. Also in a 4-3 vote, Wendy Weiker was appointed deputy mayor.

Wong was elected to city council in 2013, re-elected in 2017, and holds Position 6. Weiker was originally elected to city council in 2015, recently re-elected in November 2019, and holds Position 3.

Also returning to city council, Lisa Anderl was sworn into Position 4. She was previously appointed to city council in 2018.

Newcomers Jake Jacobson, Craig Reynolds and David Rosenbaum also took the oath of office — Jacobson to Position 7, Reynolds to Position 5, and Rosenbaum to Position 1.

Salim Nice still holds council Position 2. He was appointed to fill Position 4 in 2017 and elected to Position 2 in 2018.

Many of the council members had friends and family with them to show support as they took their oaths of office.

Surrounded by his family, Councilmember Benson Wong is sworn in as Mayor of Mercer Island by City Clerk Deb Estrada on Jan. 7, 2020. Photo courtesy of city communications manager Ross Freeman.