SCRANTON — Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti was sworn in Monday on the steps inside City Hall while a new Scranton City Council led by Councilman Tom Schuster reorganized at the same time inside Council Chambers vowing “checks and balances” accountability.
The mayor and five council members — Schuster, Patrick Flynn, Mark McAndrew, Sean McAndrew and Jessica Rothchild — are all Democrats.
Cognetti and Schuster were reelected, and Flynn and Sean McAndrew were elected, in the November general election that had Cognetti endorsing only an independent for council — then-council President Gerald Smurl, who lost — while the three council candidates had declined to say who they supported for mayor.
While running for mayor last year, Cognetti also announced her intent to run in 2026 for Congress in the 8th District. U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, R-8, Dallas Twp., holds that seat.
On Monday, Cognetti took the mayoral oath of office on the middle landing of City Hall’s grand staircase, flanked by members of her family and administration. A crowd of several others seated and standing in the first-floor lobby at the bottom of the steps watched the mayor get sworn into a second, full four-year term.
Cognetti recounted her record over the past six years, which included helping steer the city out of financial distress and changing the way City Hall operated by focusing on “transparency, accountability and capability,” and investing tens of millions of dollars in recreation and parks and emergency services. She said her administration has “turned Scranton around.” She also cited work ahead, including streetscape projects, community violence prevention and housing initiatives, fighting utility rate hikes and supporting the expansion of Geisinger Community Medical Center and advocating for Regional Hospital to stay open and rebuild.
First elected in 2019 to fill a vacancy, Cognetti previously was reelected to a full term in 2021.
“Six years ago, I stood here as an outsider, committed to taking on a political culture notorious for serving the powerful and the well-connected,” Cognetti said. “We joined together as a community committed to charge forward and make the city a model of how better to serve people. We’ve made good on that promise. We took on the status quo. We worked hard and the results are clear.”
“I also congratulate our newly sworn-in council members and I look forward to continuing our important work together,” Cognetti added. “There is no limit to what we can accomplish, when our leaders work together.”
With council reorganizing at the same time the mayor got sworn in and spoke, applause from a large crowd inside Council Chambers at times could be heard in the atrium hallways and staircase as council members took their oaths of offices.
“We are an equal body in the city to the administration and as long as there’s mutual respect between this body and the city administration, I think everything will go smoothly,” Schuster said during the council reorganization. “And I think this body is going to question when questions need to be had, and I think we’re going to hold each other accountable.”
Flynn and Sean McAndrew expressed similar sentiments.
“I look forward to working with the administration when it’s in the best interest of our residents and holding this administration accountable when that’s what our responsibility as the legislative branch of government for this city requires us to. Both of those are essential parts of good government. I intend to take that responsibility very seriously,” Flynn said.
Sean McAndrew said, “City council exists to be a check and balance, to slow things down when necessary, ask hard questions and make sure decisions are made in the open and in the best interests of the public.”
Mark McAndrew, who is Sean McAndrew’s uncle, said, “Welcome aboard, boys. The residents made the right choice. Look at the crowd here. It might be bigger than the one out there” attending the mayor’s inauguration.
Rothchild welcomed the new council members and congratulated Schuster, saying she looked forward to working with them all and “continuing to do a lot of great work for the city of Scranton.”
The new Scranton City Council on Jan. 5, 2026, from left, Jessica Rothchild, Sean McAndrew, Tom Schuster, Patrick Flynn and Mark McAndrew. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Meanwhile, at the beginning of the council reorganization, Scranton Tax Collector Cathy Nealon Wechsler, a Democrat who was uncontested for reelection in November, was sworn in to another four-year term.
Flynn, Sean McAndrew and Schuster then each were sworn in. Council then unanimously, in separate votes, elected Schuster as council president, Flynn as council vice president, Frank Voldenberg as city clerk and Thomas Gilbride as council solicitor, for the next two years, with the latter two resuming their roles.
Council also then held its first regular meeting of the year.
Earlier in the day, the former council that included Rothchild, Schuster, Mark McAndrew and outgoing members Smurl and Bill King, also met briefly to formally adjourn the session of that council.
Scranton Mayor Paige Gehardt Cognetti speaks during her inaugaration ceremony on the steps of City Hall in Scranton Monday, January 5, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Mayor Paige Gehardt Cognetti speaks during her inaugaration ceremony on the steps of City Hall in Scranton Monday, January 5, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Mayor Paige Gehardt Cognetti, standing next to her husband Ryan, shakes hands with Judge Terrence Nealon aftrer being sworn in during her inaugaration ceremony on the steps of City Hall in Scranton Monday, January 5, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Mayor Paige Gehardt Cognetti speaks during her inaugaration ceremony on the steps of City Hall in Scranton Monday, January 5, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Scranton Mayor Paige Gehardt Cognetti is sworn in by Judge Terrence Nealon, standing next to her husband Ryan, during her inaugaration ceremony on the steps of City Hall in Scranton Monday, January 5, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Scranton Mayor Paige Gehardt Cognetti speaks during her inaugaration ceremony on the steps of City Hall in Scranton Monday, January 5, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)