Out with the old, in with the new.

That was the outcome Monday as the Athens City Council appointed a new president and president pro tempore.

District 1 Councilman Chris Seibert was elected council president and District 2 Councilman Harold Wales was elected president pro tem, each for 12 months beginning Nov. 6 and ending Nov. 12, 2018.

Wales thanked District 4 Councilman Joseph Cannon for serving as council president the past year.

“You’ve done a real good job,” Wales said, noting both Cannon and Seibert work full-time jobs in addition to serving as councilmen.

“I’ll work closely with Chris to keep the good work going,” Wales said.

Seibert thanked Cannon for fielding “curveballs” from the council as well as addressing people who “show up unannounced.” He told Cannon, “You did a good job of keeping us informed.”

Seibert also thanked his own wife and children for supporting and thinking of him.

District 5 Councilman Wayne Harper said Cannon was good about calling council members to talk about upcoming items.

“He has to come up (to City Hall) and set the agenda and sign documents, which takes time away from his family,” Harper said.

Cannon, who served as president amid public hearings on legalizing Sunday alcohol sales and other contentious issues, took a lighter approach to passing the baton, saying, “I enjoyed it, but I won’t say I will miss it.”

It is the job of the council president to preside at all meetings of the council and to vote on all questions just like any other councilman. The president’s power lies in his ability to set the agenda for council meetings, deciding what issues the council will and will not address.