By HANNAH CLARKIN

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WEST WARWICK — Town officials were sworn in beneath a banner of the West Warwick seal on Monday night. The high school auditorium was filled with friends and family and residents gathered to celebrate the three members elected to the school committee and the re-election of all five council members.

All officials elected to town government were present, except former Council Vice-President Peter Calci, who was sworn in at the town hall on Monday morning. Representatives Pat Serpa (D-27), Lou Raptakis (D-33), Timothy Williamson (D-25) and Senator Michael Pinga (D-9) were present as well as Rhode Island General Treasurer Frank Caprio to assist with the ceremonies.

He could have attended, Calci said on Tuesday, but chose not to after polling the council to determine that he would not be nominated as president. The council elected David Gosselin as president and Angelo Padula as vice-president with votes of 4-0. Both nominations were made by Councilwoman Filomena Gustafson.

“As president I promise I won’t hit anyone with my gavel and I’ll do my best to fulfill all my duties,” said newly-appointed Gosselin. He also thanked his family and the West Warwick Democratic Town Committee for their support throughout the election.

Padula and Gustafson also thanked their families and the committee. “I will continue to do what’s good for the town of West Warwick,” said Padula.

Councilman Ed Giroux honored former School Committee Chair Daniel Burns as Burns stepped down on Monday night. “We now have in our midst a man who has served the Town of West Warwick for 25 years. We need to thank him for all he has provided to the town, its families, and their children.”

Burns introduced the elected committee members Bruce Vanasse, Jim Williamson and John Pettinicchio Jr. at the school committee ceremony.

Once the elected members were sworn in, the committee unanimously elected Lindagay Palazzo as chairwoman, Bruce Vanasse as vice-chair and Elizabeth Brunero as clerk.

A resident who attended the swearing-in, Michael Payette, said he found it offensive that Calci was not there. “What’s so important that he can’t be at his own swearing in,” Payette asked after the ceremony, adding that he was only one of many people who disapproved of Calci’s absence. “It shows his disrespect for the people who elected him. Is not being here supposed to show us his leadership?”

Calci chose to have the swearing in without the ceremony, he said. “I chose not to celebrate the event.”

He has some reservations about the new leadership, Calci said. “I hope that the new leadership of the town council will have the knowledge and the experience and the time that is needed to bring the town of West Warwick forward and out of this economic crisis. That is my hope. My fear is that I feel that they do not.”

For that reason, Calci said, he “did not want to be in their company for the celebration of the swearing in ceremony.”