KINGSTON, N.Y. — Democratic Alderwoman Rita Worthington has been named the new majority leader of the Kingston Common Council, replacing fellow Democratic Alderman Reynolds Scott-Childress, who held the post for four years.
Worthington, D-Ward 4, is the first person of color to serve as majority leader. The council is comprised entirely of registered Democrats, though one ran successfully on the Republican and Conservative party lines in November’s election.
The majority leader is chosen annually. Worthington was elected majority leader during a caucus meeting Monday evening that was held in a hybrid fashion with some council members in attendance at City Hall and others joining remotely online.
And while the council has not had a minority leader since January 2018, Alderman Michael Olivieri has chosen to take on that role, Council President Andrea Shaut said Tuesday.
Olivieri, who represents Ward 7, ran on the Republican and Conservative party lines in the election but is a registered Democrat. Shaut said because he won on the Republican Party line it makes him eligible to serve as the minority leader.
Worthington, who is starting her third two-year term on the council, thanked her fellow Democrats for their unanimous support in choosing her as majority leader. She said Scott-Childress was a great majority leader and she hopes to follow in his footsteps with the support of the rest of the council.
“Rennie was fantastic,” Worthington said following the meeting. “And so for him to even have the faith and confidence in me, I really appreciate it.” She said she was also happy the other aldermen were putting their trust in her.
Worthington said she does not yet have any specific goals for the council to accomplish in the coming year, aside from moving forward with legislation to address the city’s housing needs, the proposed Good Cause Eviction law, and improving infrastructure throughout Kingston. She said she wants to make sure the council sees those things through and that the projects get done.
As for being the first person of color to serve as majority leader, Worthington said she was happy and excited about it, but still a little surprised that minorities are still “firsts at anything.”
“I’m excited about it but hopefully while I’m the first, I hope I’m not going to be the last,” she said.
