Joe Ganim has officially taken over leadership of Bridgeport once again.

Ganim was officially sworn in to office at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.

Ganim beat incumbent Mayor Bill Finch in September's primary. He then went on to win the general election last month.

Just hours before leaving office, Finch approved a union contract that immediately cost the city $2.5 million.

"It wasn't budgeted for the past three years and it's going to lop onto the challenge of this administration now, trying to balance this year's budget," Ganim says.

A spokesman for Finch says that the city had to act immediately because the contract had already been negotiated with the union and City Council had failed to act on it. Ganim countered that it was "disappointing" that the decision was not deferred to the new administration.

Ganim previously served as mayor from 1991 to 2003, when he was convicted of corruption and eventually served seven years in prison.

The new mayor ended his first day back by taking a ceremonial oath of office with other elected officials at the Klein Memorial Auditorium.

People attending the ceremony said there is a positive energy throughout Bridgeport and the community is looking forward to change.