The city of Portland will swear in a new mayor Monday night. A growing homelessness crisis is among the top challenges that the newcomer will face.
Mark Dion will begin a four-year term as Portland's mayor. He replaces Kate Snyder, who did not seek reelection for a second term.
The former Cumberland County sheriff and state lawmaker has said that tackling homelessness and public safety concerns — and making Portland a more affordable place to live — are his top priorities. He won a ranked-choice runoff last month after five rounds of voting.
As mayor, Dion will serve as a voting member of the city council and advocate on behalf of the city, but he has no authority to create and implement new policies on his own.
Two new city councilors, Anna Bullett and Kate Sykes, will also be sworn in. Bullett works for a nonprofit community support agency and is a political newcomer. Sykes, a writer and former committee co-chair within Maine's Democratic Socialists of America chapter, will take Dion's former seat on the city council.
