HOUSTON — A new era at city hall is underway following the inauguration of Houston’s new mayor and city council members.
The ceremony kicks off a busy second day in office for Houston Mayor John Whitmire.
KHOU 11 News was there as Whitmire was sworn in during a private event just after midnight on Monday, but did it all over again in a larger, public ceremony. at the Wortham Theater.
At the Wortham Theater. Whitmire was sworn in for the second time in as many days.
On Tuesday, there was a larger, public ceremony with hundreds in attendance. His daughters once again held his mother’s Bible and prayer book as he was sworn in.
Whitmire also swore in the council members he’ll work alongside with.
"I'm ready to get to work, to work hard, to be a strong advocate for the district, to be a strong advocate for the LGBTQ community, as well," District H Council Member Mario Castillo said.
According to Whitmire’s inauguration speech, he is aiming to start his administration with energy to usher in a new chapter at city hall. Martha Castex-Tatum was confirmed as mayor pro-tem and Amy Peck was confirmed as vice mayor pro-tem. Both were selected unanimously.
During his inauguration speech, Whitmire outlined priorities for his administration, including infrastructure, housing, reducing homelessness and government transparency.
He discussed having Harris County and METRO share the cost of fixing city streets as well as improving the reliability of trash pickup.
However, the top priority that he focused on the most throughout the speech was public safety, saying he’s already exploring ways to increase the number of officers, reform recruitment for the police department and improve neighborhood coverage.
“My number one priority and the priority of Houstonians is public safety,” he said. “If we do not address public safety, the other quality of life issues will not matter.”
On Wednesday, Whitmire is planning to meet with firefighters to begin negotiations to end a yearslong battle over pay. On Thursday, he will meet with local law enforcement agencies to make sure no community is unprotected.
Whitmire's first day in office
The public inauguration was always set for Tuesday, but Whitmire said he was eligible to be sworn in starting Jan. 1. Moments after midnight on New Year’s Day he did that in a way to show he’s not wanting to waste time to get to work.
With his hand on his mother’s Bibles held by his daughters, Whitmire was sworn in as Houston’s 63rd mayor moments after midnight on Jan. 1.
“I just see this as a continuation of my public service and a calling,” Whitmire said in remarks following taking the oath of office.
The event was the culmination of a decades-long career in politics.
Whitmire was first elected to the state legislature in 1983 and now enters a new chapter as the leader of the country’s fourth-largest city.
In his first hour as mayor, Whitmire joined Houston Police Chief Troy Finner on a ride-along, highlighting what he said is a top priority in his administration and a primary concern for constituents.
“I want [constituents] to know that I take public safety very seriously,” Whitmire told reporters. “We don’t have time to waste.”
Finner echoed that sentiment and expressed the importance of the act by Whitmire for the rest of the department.
“Not so much for me, it's for the troops and [Whitmire] said that, he was clear on that,” Finner said. “But the message to our public: Public safety is number one.”
Whitmire stressed that he wanted to get a contract in place with Houston firefighters after seven years of negotiations.
On Monday, the new mayor also promised his administration would focus on improving infrastructure and city services, including Houston's municipal water and garbage collection.
"Public Works needs a really good reshaping, and we’ll do that," Whitmire said. "No conflicts of interest, it will be a very level playing field with everyone who wants to do business with the City of Houston."
Following Tuesday's public inauguration, Whitmire met with constituents at City Hall where he greeted them and they could express their concerns directly to the new mayor.
Showing appreciation
Tuesday night, Whitmire held a first responders appreciation event at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
It was a break with tradition. Houston's new mayor typically hosts a gala on the evening of the inauguration.
"The black tie, the Museum District, fancy hotels, not my cup of tea," Whitmire said. "I want to thank them (first responders and municipal workers). I want Houstonians to appreciate them and it starts right here on the night of my swearing-in."
The Houston Police Union said the new mayor's laser focus on public safety is already boosting officer morale.
"When your boss cares about you, you're going to work harder for them, and this is the first step of that," HPOU President Doug Griffith said.
Firefighters were also feeling hopeful on the eve of resuming contract negotiations with the city.
"On Day 1 of a public inauguration, he's here, he's not at a black tie event," Marty Lancton, President of the Houston Professional Firefighter's Association said. "He's going to be a people's mayor. As the mayor said, there are going to be things we don't agree on, and that's OK, but what matters most is you work through the problem and don't ignore them."