Northampton City Council elects Mayuri president, Clemmer vice president for new term

Select Board · Meeting of January 5, 2026

Northampton City Council elects Rachel Mayuri president and Deborah Clemmer vice president at its January 5 organizational meeting. Mayuri, the council's longest-serving member entering her seventh year, was unanimously elected president without opposition; Clemmer defeated fellow Councilor Garrick Perry for vice president in a six-to-three roll-call vote, with Perry drawing support from Councilors Loiselle, Davis, and himself. City Solicitor Alan Seewald — serving in a temporary capacity pending reappointment by the incoming mayor — briefed all nine councilors on open-government obligations, warning that co-sponsoring legislation with five or more members violates the open meeting law, that reply-all emails to the full council can trigger enforcement, and that the conflict of interest law carries a $50 gift cap with an active state enforcement division.

The council unanimously adopted its 2026-2027 standing rules and meeting calendar, with committee assignments to be finalized by January 9 and the first full council meeting set for January 15.

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Source: the Select Board meeting of January 5, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.