Nearly a month after his election on March 4, the newest Iowa City District C City Council member, Oliver Weilein, attended his first city council meeting on Tuesday.

City councilors Josh Moe, Laura Bergus, Shawn Harmsen, Megan Alter, and Mazahir Salih, welcomed Weilein, noting they’re excited to work with him. During the meeting, Weilein expressed interest in agenda 6c, regarding protective doors on buses.

“This is something that, especially since we had a pretty serious assault a few years back, that they’ve been asking for, for quite a while, and I’m just really happy that we’re seeing the funding for it,” Weilein said.

Weilein secured victory over his opponent Ross Nusser after obtaining 4,141 votes, representing just over 60 percent of the total votes cast in the city council race.

Bergus and Salih stood behind Weilein through his race and shared their excitement when he won.

“I think he’s fearless,” Bergus said of Weilein at his watch party on March 4. “The ways in which he speaks truth to power and says really hard, sometimes unnervingly critical things.”

Bergus said politicians can no longer simply prioritize civility and rely on government systems to sustain themselves. Instead, she emphasized the need for elected officials to boldly challenge the status quo — a trait she recognizes in Weilein.

“We have to protect democracy,” Bergus said.

Mayor Pro Tem Mazahir Salih embraced Bergus and other attendees, expressing her enthusiasm for working alongside Weilein to benefit Iowa City.

Weilein secured victory following a low-cost campaign, during which he chose not to solicit public donations or include a donation option on his website, raising a total of $1,849. City Council Members Laura Bergus and Mazahir Salih each contributed $100 to his campaign.

The money Weilein raised was donated to Emma Goldman Clinic, Shelter House, Iowa Trans Mutual Aid, and Prairielands Freedom Fund.

Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague was not in attendance.