DuPage County’s 17 recently elected and re-elected officials were sworn in Monday night in a ceremony at the county administration building in Wheaton.

It was the first time in more than three decades that Republicans shared the inauguration stage with a group of Democrats. Despite the newly formed divide, officials in both parties talked about the need to cooperate in addressing issues such as traffic congestion and public safety.

“Despite popular opinion, politics is not about competition or self-promotion,” County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom said, while addressing the officials after they were sworn in. “What we do here at the county is work together on behalf of the residents of DuPage County.

“And while Springfield and Washington may use partisanship as a tool of gridlock, we will avoid that temptation and work together to ensure our special quality of life is maintained,” he said.

Those sworn in include re-elected County Board members Paul Fichtner, R-1st District, of Elmhurst; Mike McMahon, R-3rd District, of Hinsdale; Grant Eckhoff and Debra Olson, R-4th District, both of Wheaton; Jim Healy, R-5th District, of Naperville; and Jim Zay, R-6th District, of Carol Stream.

Four newly elected County Board members also took the oath of office: Rita Gonzalez, D-1st District, of Addison; John Curran, R-3rd District, of Woodridge; Tony Michelassi, D-5th District, of Aurora; and Dirk Enger, D-6th District, of Winfield.

County Auditor Bob Grogan, who was elected to replace retiring Auditor Jim Raisins, was also sworn in, along with re-elected Circuit Court Clerk Chris Kachiroubas, Coroner Peter Siekmann, Recorder of Deeds Fred Bucholz and State’s Attorney Joseph Birkett.

The newly elected County Board members will spend the next few weeks filling the committee seats of those whom they replaced. Schillerstrom is expected to make new committee assignments in the next few weeks.

After the ceremony, Michelassi, the youngest person ever elected to the County Board, said it is time to put the election behind them and get down to business.

“We have a lot of work to do as members of the County Board, and it’s time to get to work,” he said.