Virginia Finnerty is Washington’s new mayor pro tempore.

Mayor Mac Hodges broke a 2-2 tie Monday night, putting Finnerty in position to preside over council meetings when he is absent and perform other mayoral duties when he is unable to do so.

Councilman Larry Beeman made the motion to elect Finnerty to the post, noting that traditionally the top vote-getter among council candidates in the general election is elected mayor pro tempore. Finnerty quickly seconded the motion. Council members William Pitt and Richard Brooks voted against the motion. Hodges, also noting the tradition, voted for the motion. Councilman Doug Mercer did not attend the meeting because he was in the hospital with a foot-related problem, according to city officials. Beeman, Brooks, Mercer and Pitt are veteran council members.

Finnerty is a newcomer to the council. She collected 791 votes in the election, or 18 percent of the votes cast in the seven-person race for the five seats on the council.

“It’s a proud moment to know that people think well enough of me to vote me in. It makes me feel good,” Finnerty said of being elected to the council and being chosen at the city’s mayor pro tempore. “It’s a little scary because I want to do a good job, and I hope I do. I’m going to do everything I can to live up to people’s expectations of my performance at the job.”

Finnerty said her first priority is to learn “the ropes” and what she can and cannot do as a council member. To that end, Finnerty is scheduled to attend the course for new city council members provided by the University of North Carolina’s School of Government in March, according to City Clerk Cynthia Bennett.

“Once I’ve done that, and I hope that doesn’t take too long, I think the well-being of this town is essential. I want to do everything I can to help this town stay well and prosper, in whatever it needs,” Finnerty said. “I think the economic well-being … kind of trickles down to everything else. If people are not doing well financially, it just kind of permeates all of their lives. Not that money is everything, but it certainly makes a difference in people’s lives, whether or not they can pay the mortgage or the rent and feed their families.”

Finnerty said city officials have to find all the ways to help Washington prosper.