Recently elected Councilman Mark Gjonaj was officially sworn-in at his Inaugural Ceremony on Sunday, January 21 at Lehman High School. Local elected officials, community and law enforcement leaders, students and Albanian ambassadors congratulated Gjonaj and his family during the special occasion. Gjonaj, a Morris Park native, is the first Albanian-American to serve in the City Council.
Judge Llinet Rosado (r) swore in Gjonaj (l) as his wife Roberta and their sons Nicholas (2nd from l) and Joseph proudly watched.
Photo by Laura Stone
Gjonaj (c) received congratulations from (l-r) Consulate General of Kosova in NY Teuta Sahatqija, Judge Rosado, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, Deputy Bronx Borough President Marricka Scott-McFadden, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Senator Jeff Klein, Councilman Andy King and Albanian ambassadors Besiana Kadare and Floretta Faber.
Photo by Laura Stone
The 45th Precinct’s captain Carlos Ghonz (l), commanding officer and Community Affairs police officer John Souhrada (r) wished Gjonaj well in his future Council career.
Photo by Laura Stone
Student volunteers from all the schools within the Lehman High School campus including Renaissance High School for Muscial Theater and Technology, Pelham Lab High School, Schuylerville Prep, Bronx River High School and Westchester Square Academy.
Photo by Laura Stone
(back, l-r) Tony Signorile, Community Board 11 Sanitation and Environmental Protection chairman; Al D’Angelo, Morris Park Community Association president; Sonny Vataj, Exit Realty Group broker/owner; Anthony Vitaliano, CB 11 chairman; Silvio Mazzella, CB 11 treasurer; (front, l-r) Nathalia Fernandez, Governor Cuomo’s Bronx Regional representative with Kole, Tommy and Tony Vataj.
Photo by Laura Stone
The Rozafati Dance Group gave a crowd pleasing performance at the Inaugural Ceremony.
Photo by Laura Stone
Councilman King (l) met with Aleksander Nilaj, Albanian American Open Hand Association president, prior to Gjonaj’s swearing-in ceremony.
Photo by Laura Stone
