Four new members were inducted into the Aurora City Council on Monday, confirming the council’s newfound right-leaning majority.

Republicans Steve Sundberg, Danielle Jurinsky and Dustin Zvonek were sworn in to fill the Ward 2 and two at-large seats, respectively. Democrat Rubin Medina was elected to represent Ward 3 and Democrat Crystal Murillo was re-elected to represent Ward 1.

Monday was the last meeting for council members Marsha Berzins, Dave Gruber and Allison Hiltz. Councilwoman Nicole Johnston resigned from office in June but returned Monday for the farewell ceremony.

Last month’s election pushed the previously even split council to a Republican majority, with six out of the 10 members leaning right. The party representation of Ward 2 and one of the at-large seats flipped from Democrat to Republican, while Ward 3 flipped from Republican to Democrat.

This essentially returns the historically conservative council to its roots, after a wave of progressive candidates were elected in 2017 and 2019, creating an unusual even party split among council members.

One of the new council’s first acts Monday was re-electing Republican Françoise Bergan as the council’s mayor pro tem. Bergan was re-elected to serve another one-year term as mayor pro tem in a 7 to 4 vote, beating out Democrat Murillo.

The council and mayor voted along party lines with no discussion, with only left-leaning council members Murillo, Medina, Alison Coombs and Juan Marcano voting against Bergan’s re-election.

Council members interested in serving as mayor pro tem were required to submit written notification to the other council members by Nov. 15. Bergan and Murillo were the only council members who submitted notification.

The duties of mayor pro tem include acting for the mayor if they are absent, setting the agenda and logistics of council workshops, organizing donations and arrangements for special council-recognized occasions and having final authority in making official assignments of committees.

With the council’s new Republican majority — in addition to Republican Mayor Mike Coffman, who serves as a tie-breaking vote — conservative initiatives are likely to begin passing through the council, including Coffman’s homeless camping ban that previously failed with repeated tie votes in August.

The council’s recent steps toward pursuing police reform and establishing affordable housing programs may be at risk.

Murillo was the only incumbent to run for reelection. Berzins was term-limited, while Gruber, Johnston and Hiltz stepped down to spend more time with their families.

This is a significant turnover for the council as Gruber, Johnston and Hiltz served only one of their possible three four-year terms.