HOUSTON — With his hand on his mother’s Bibles held by his daughters, John Whitmire was sworn in as Houston’s 63rd mayor moments after midnight on Jan. 1, marking the start of a new era at City Hall.
“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 74-year-old held the private ceremony with family and friends in attendance. 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."
An official inauguration will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 2. Following that event, Whitmire will be meeting with constituents at City Hall where he can greet them and they can express their concerns directly to the new mayor.
Tuesday evening, Whitmire will hold a first responders appreciation event at the George R. Brown Convention Center.