Happy New Year, Mayor Whitmire

I was there last night, err, at midnight. See this from the Chron:

Former state Sen. John Whitmire was sworn in as Houston’s 63rd mayor just after midnight Monday in a private ceremony with family and friends at City Hall.

Judge Victor Trevino III conducted the ceremony, and Whitmire took his oath on his mother’s prayer book and Bible, held by his daughters Whitney and Sarah Whitmire.

“We worked hard for two years to explain our vision for the city of Houston and it’s to have total transparency, to share with Houston what I see as a mayor,” Whitmire said following his oath. “We have a great city, great people and we need to do everything we can to see that Houston goes forward and even becomes greater.”

And this:

Following the private ceremony, the new mayor hopped into a police car with Houston Police Chief Troy Finner and took off down Walker Street to find out what issues officers are facing firsthand in a ride-along to crime scenes.

Here is the entire read: John Whitmire sworn in as Houston mayor (houstonchronicle.com).

We met at the Mayor’s house about 8 pm for munchies and conversation. Family, friends, and campaign folks were in attendance. The mayor was eager to take office. Just after 11 pm, we hopped into some SUVs and headed to City Hall. 

Mayor Whitmire gave us a tour of the basement conference rooms and gym for city employees. We then went up to check out his office on the third floor. The featured photo is of the Mayor opening his desk drawer, finding it empty, and jokingly saying “where is the note.” That was way too funny. This isn’t the White House where a note is left for the succeeding office holder.

It was certainly cool to be invited and witness my good friend taking office. I was home by 12:45 am.  Historic for sure.

It is only fitting to post what our campaign leader Diana Patino posted today:

It’s official—Houston welcomes the New Year with a new Mayor! Congratulations to John Whitmire, not just a great mentor and friend, but an exceptional person and public servant. I’ve witnessed firsthand his dedication to constituents and his effective approach to getting things done. Houston is undoubtedly in good hands.

Leading his campaign was truly an honor, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to (more than likely ) be the first Latina immigrant under 40 to spearhead a Houston mayoral campaign. This serves as a genuine testament to his support for new talent, younger generations, and the immigrant community. Here’s to a fantastic 2024 for Houston!

A steady and coolheaded hand. The best campaign H-Town has ever seen, and Diana led our team. She is such an incredible talent and professional. Great job!

We have a new Mayor this morning.

_____

I ordered workout equipment, and it arrived yesterday. Assembly was required. I got it done in a couple of hours. Nice.

Have a Happy New Year!