A new mayor, vice mayor and three new council members took their places Wednesday night inside the standing-room only council chambers -- 24 hours after voters ousted four incumbents including the city's first woman mayor.

More than 200 people packed Homestead City Hall to see the political changeover after a divisive election that brought some old and new faces to power.

Steven Bateman is Homestead's new mayor. Council member Judy Waldman is the new vice mayor.

Stephen Shelley, the Rev. Jimmie L. Williams III and Elvis Maldonado are new council members. They join council members Jon Burgess and Wendy Lobos.

Absent from the swearing--in: City Manager Mike Shehadeh and Deputy City Manager Johanna Faddis, who had both agreed earlier Wednesday to a two-week administrative leave with pay, according to City Attorney Richard Weiss.

Capt. Randy Chong of the Homestead Police Department, will serve as acting city manager until Nov. 18.

Shehadeh's $15,000 pay raise since in February 2008 became an election issue.

Several candidates denounced the apparent secrecy behind the raise -- a charge that Mayor Lynda Bell and other council members had denied.

Bell and council members Tim Nelson, Nazy Sierra and Melvin McCormick -- all of whom lost during Tuesday's election -- offered their parting words before the transition of power.

``The last 20 months were great,'' said Nelson, who was appointed in January 2008 to the city's northwest seat, replacing former council member Steve Losner, who resigned to run unsuccessfully for mayor. ``I met a lot of people and dealt with a lot of tough issues. I would not change anything.''

Sierra, who came into office in 2007 as part of a team with Bell and Lobos, offered a tearful goodbye and asked Bateman about what would happen to the city's education committee, which she chaired.

``My greatest wish is that you all keep it going so it can meet the needs of our schools,'' Sierra said. McCormick said he considered himself ``a rose that grew from the concrete.''

A political novice when he came to office in 2007, McCormick said he was proud to learn the ins and outs of city government while bringing new sidewalks, a master plan, a scholarship fund and backpacks to his constituents in the impoverished southwest district.

A somber Mayor Bell rounded out the closing comments.

``I want to thank you for allowing me to serve you for the past six years, the last two as mayor,'' she told the audience. ``It's been a privilege and it's been tough.''

Bell reiterated the council's accomplishments during her two years as mayor, such as a building moratorium on condos and townhomes; the installation of new cameras to catch red-light runners; the completion of six park projects; and the creation of 1,985 new jobs.

Florida City Mayor Otis Wallace then swore in the new city council to the wild applause of the audience. An elated new mayor addressed the people. ``Thank you all for coming out. My heart is pounding. It's been years since I sat on this dais and it is wonderful to be back,'' Bateman said.

He reiterated his campaign promises: ``We will bring in a Class A charter high school. We will stand tough on crime by supporting our police department.''

Waldman, Shelley, Williams and Maldonado all thanked their supporters and their families. Bateman then invited members of the public to speak.

Herman Martinez, an activist in the migrant community, told the new council, ``We are expecting a better relationship with the city. We look forward to working with you.''

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