Dec 28, 2003 By Paul Sunyak 2 min read

Fayette County Commissioner-elect Angela M. Zimmerlink plans to have her own swearing-in ceremony Monday, after other elected officials take their oaths of office as administered by President Judge Conrad Capuzzi. Zimmerlink said that Washington County District Justice William Pelkey, whom she described as “a friend of mine,” will swear her into office in the commissioners’ office reception area around noon.

The other Fayette elected officials will be sworn in by Capuzzi in Courtroom No. 1 at 11:30 a.m. Zimmerlink said she chose to go the separate swearing-in route after the Fayette court would not agree to her request to have an officer of the court of her own choosing swear her in during the regular ceremony.

“It’s not uncommon for newly elected officials to have an officer of the court of their choice swear them in,” said Zimmerlink. “I would like to have my friend District Justice Pelkey swear me in. Since the court told me I could not do that as part of their ceremony, I decided to do mine directly after theirs.”

Zimmerlink said no one should make a big deal out of her choice, as it represents only her preference.

“It’s just what I would like to have happen. …It’s not out of the ordinary,” said Zimmerlink. “Newly elected officials have officers of the court swear them in. You have district justices swear people in all the time. I’m not making a big deal out of it. I just wanted people to know why I wouldn’t be there (at the regular ceremony).”