"He was smooth as silk. He was fine," he said, referring to Galluccio's performance at Tuesday's School Committee meeting.

Mayoral Madness

While the final vote for mayor came shortly before 1:30 a.m., the council had good reason to fill the mayor's seat.

At Monday's meeting, several Cambridge citizens urged the council to get the race over with and get on with its work for the first time.

Until a mayor was elected, council committees dealing with issues ranging from new ordinances to transportation to environment could not be formed.

"Please elect a mayor," Winters said. "Put aside all personal interests, and let's get things going."

Though the council did pass important ordinances such as the Larkin and Linear Park petitions while the mayor's race loomed in the background, only with the creation of the committees can the council get to work.

Vincent L. Dixon, a candidate in last fall's election and a council observer, suggested that the council set up a special election in conjunction with the Massachusetts presidential primary March 7. Under Dixon's plan, the people would have chosen from among the three candidates--Born, Galluccio and Sullivan--that had received votes up until that point, with the second-place finisher being elected vice mayor.