Houston city workers, police, and firefighters attend Mayor Whitmire’s Inauguration Party
HOUSTON - Hundreds of Houston workers, police, and firefighters attended Mayor John Whitmire’s Inauguration Party Tuesday evening at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
"I’m fired up," Whitmire told the crowd Tuesday. "If I was on the campaign trail, I’d say I can’t wait to go to work. I want to go to work in the morning. Hell, I am at work tonight. I’m here. We made it. Thank you."
SUGGESTED: Houston Mayor John Whitmire pledges to unite Houstonians, fight crime, improve services
The mayor’s office says Tuesday evening’s event was different compared to previous galas. Whitmire called it an appreciation event for fire, police, and municipal employees.
"These are the people that will be working for the mayor," said Douglas Griffith, President of Houston Police Officers’ Union. "I think it shows he’s going to put them first. These are the people with boots on the ground to make the city better."
Whitmire was sworn in as Houston’s mayor at 12:01 a.m. New Year’s Day. He spent his first few hours officially as mayor with Houston police officers responding to calls.
"That was very important," said HPD Chief Troy Finner. "They know he’s going to be out there supporting us."
"I knew it was a tough job, it’s a huge city," said Whitmire. "I went to two shootings the other night. We need to get illegal guns off the streets of Houston."
Houston’s mayor has stressed his number one priority is public safety. With that, he hopes to end what has been a 7-year drought with firefighters and a contract.
"I’ve been more inside the mayor’s office the last two days, than probably I have the last so many years," said Marty Lancton, President of Houston Professional Firefighters Association. "You have to work together to solve problems. That’s what we have committed to [and] that’s what we have told Mayor Whitmire."
Houston's firefighters will meet with Whitmire on Wednesday morning to begin the discussion.
"We’ve got to get out of the courts with our firefighters," said Whitmire. "Great cities don’t sue their firefighters, you negotiate. You both represent Houstonians. That’s our objective."
A new administration is now beginning to get to work in Houston.
"It’s a new administration [with] a great leader in Mayor Whitmire," said Chief Finner. "Everybody, I just hope, throw your love and support around him, let’s move our city forward."