Mayor's Press Release
Happy International Women's Day 2024!
March 8, 2024 --
Hello friends,
Happy International Women's Day 2024!
Today and every day at City Hall, we honor women for their contributions at home, at work, and throughout our community. The theme for this year's observance is "Inspire Inclusion." Mayor Whitmire, the father of two daughters, believes in inclusion and ensuring that city government is diverse, inclusive, and transparent.
March is Women's History Month, and in recognition, Mayor Whitmire and Council Members showed their solidarity by wearing pink during Tuesday's City Council public session. City Council has nine female council members, a historic number of women, and we want to recognize them today as strong women leading our city and paving the way for future leaders.
This week, Mayor Whitmire also announced the City of Houston would be partnering with METRO to repair pavement and improve bus stops on Westheimer Road from Loop 610 to downtown. Construction is scheduled to begin in April 2024.
Additionally, registration details for the 2024 Tour de Houston were announced and we have more details and how to sign up below, so you can get ready to pedal your bike through some of Houston's unique and vibrant neighborhoods.
In the meantime, if you need information about city services, please call 311 or visit the City of Houston website anytime.
Government Transparency
Mayor Whitmire to appoint Independent panel to review HPD's handle of suspended cases
To ensure transparency and maintain public trust, Mayor John Whitmire announced this week that he is appointing an independent panel to review the Houston Police Department's handling of suspended cases.
"I trust and believe Police Chief Troy Finner is doing the best he can to manage the internal investigation, get to the bottom of it, and hold people accountable," said Mayor Whitmire.
"The independent panel will be people I also trust to review and validate the outcome and help bring closure to the victims." Read more about the independent panel.
In the News
'It’s still not where it needs to be’: Mayor Whitmire shares new details on plan to tackle high water bills
Mayor Whitmire has not forgotten that too many Houstonians are affected by high water bills. During the City Council public session this week, several customers expressed frustration with the high and inaccurate water bills. Mayor Whitmire reassured them and all Houstonians that he is waiting for Houston Public Works to present a plan to address the concerns, improve the billing system, and restore public confidence. Read more about the high water bills plan.
See the mayor's full response to the resident in the video above.
City of Houston, METRO to repave sections of Westheimer from 610 Loop to downtown starting in April
Continuing to prioritize public safety and infrastructure, Mayor John Whitmire joined METRO to announce a collaborative effort to repair pavement and improve bus stops on Westheimer Road from Loop 610 to downtown. The project, originally planned for repaving only curb lanes where buses run, will now include resurfacing the entire width of the street along certain sections of Westheimer between IH-610 and Bagby. It also includes accessible sidewalk and bus stop upgrades along the route as part of METRO's BOOST program. Read more about the Westheimer Repaving.
In the Community
Bringing People Together
Public service has been Mayor Whitmire’s lifelong calling. He believes, that whether or not you are an elected official, we all have a duty to serve others, and Rotary Clubs are a great way to do that. Heights Rotary Club was one of the first rotary clubs that allowed the mayor to talk about his vision for Texas in 1972 when he first ran for office. Today, he talked about his vision for the City of Houston. The people of Houston make our city unique, and Mayor Whitmire wants to continue to bring people together at clubs like Heights Rotary Club.
Houston's New Ismaili Center
If you have driven recently on Allen Parkway, you have seen the massive construction of the new Ismaili Center. Recently, Mayor Whitmire spent an afternoon touring the site and learning more about the importance of the Ismaili Center. These Centers have sought to create environments that encourage mutual understanding and facilitate sharing faith perspectives from various traditions and origins. When completed, the center's architecture and urban landscape will be a testament to the Ismaili Muslim Community's mission of inclusivity and pluralism.
Bolstering State Partnerships
The mayor also had the privilege of welcoming legislators from around the state to showcase Houston's wonderful amenities. The group visited the Port, NASA, and other locations. Houston is a great city and Mayor Whitmire believes we all must work together to improve funding for public safety, infrastructure, water supply, and more.
Upcoming Events
2024 Tour de Houston registration NOW OPEN!
This year's Tour de Houston will be held on Sunday, April 7th.
Registration to ride is now available. Whether you ride for fitness or fun, the 2024 Tour de Houston promises to take you on an adventure through some of Houston's unique neighborhoods.
The event raises funds to benefit the city's RE-Plant Houston program, which is dedicated to reforesting Houston parks and greenspaces managed by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. Click here to register for the Tour de Houston.
DON'T FORGET
We will be losing an hour as we enter Spring Forward this Sunday at 2 a.m. In doing so, hopefully, we may take advantage of the longer daylight available during summer so that darkness falls at a later clock time.
