Oaths of office were given on Jan. 6 to Kennesaw Mayor Derek Easterling, Post 1 Councilman James Eaton and Post 2 Councilwoman Tracey Viars.

All reelected in November to serve four-year terms, they were administered their oaths by District 34 State Rep. Bert Reeves (R-Marietta).

By his fellow Council members, Post 3 Councilman Pat Ferris was elected mayor pro tem to serve as mayor in case of Easterling’s absence - his second time as mayor pro tem when he was elected while serving on the City Council from 1985 to 2001.

A 1979 graduate of The University of Georgia with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Ferris is the business development manager of Brintons U. S. Axminster.

A former lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, Easterling also is a former Cobb County deputy sheriff.

With a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management and a Master of Education degree in Secondary Education in History, now Easterling is a teacher at Awtrey Middle School.

Self-employed since 1995, Viars owns Creative Results, Inc., specializing in image and visibility marketing and working with a variety of clients through creative strategy, marketing and promotion.

Viars earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, with a concentration in marketing, from Georgia State University in 1988 and a Master of Arts in English degree from Kennesaw State University in 2004 with a concentration in professional writing.

Eaton obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from Southeast Missouri State University.

Later Eaton attended chiropractor school and opened a private practice in Kennesaw in 1993.

Moving his chiropractic practice to its present location in 2000, now the practice is run by his daughter and former Kennesaw Councilwoman Cris Eaton-Welsh.

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The city of Brookhaven's mayor and City Council last week decided to remove the colored panes of glass from the dome of Brookhaven's new City Centre after residents objected to the brightness of the colors, seen here Friday, June 27, 2025. (Reed Williams/AJC)

Credit: Reed Williams/AJC