Thomas “T.J.” Mayfield was sworn into office as the new alderman of Vicksburg’s Ward 1 during a special meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen held Wednesday at the Ardis T. Williams Sr. Auditorium.

Mayfield will serve the remainder of the term vacated by his father Michael Mayfield Sr., who died in March following a brief battle with cancer.

“The work begins now,” Mayfield said after taking the oath of office. “The work begins today. It doesn’t take everyone with a great high standard of education to make a change in this city. All it needs is a heart and people that want to make a change.”

Visibly emotional, Mayfield said he is honored to carry on the work his father did for nearly 20 years while representing Ward 1, but also vowed to be his own man while in office.

“When I sat in my dad’s seat for the first time at the age of 13, I knew this is where I wanted to be,” he said. “But, from this point forward, the work moves on. I would do you all a disservice if I tried to be a carbon copy of Michael Mayfield. My dad didn’t teach me to be Michael Mayfield, and he would be disappointed in me if I tried to be him. I’m going to be T.J. Mayfield until the day I die.”

Mayfield reached a runoff in May’s municipal election, first running against a field of 10 other candidates in the race’s primary. He defeated Daryl Hollingsworth in the runoff by a final tally of 843 to 298 votes.

“I’m thankful to finally accept the fact that when I hear ‘Ward 1 alderman,’ especially ‘Alderman Mayfield,’ y’all talking about me now,” he said.

Mayfield will participate in his first meeting of the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen Thursday at 9 a.m. at the Robert M. Walker Building.