Absentee mayor leads to call for resignation

HOUSTON — The city’s mayor informed the city council this past week he will be absent from the city until March 13. Steve Frost’s absence has sparked a call for his resignation.

Frost, who was chosen by Houston City Council as mayor from among its ranks after last October’s election, had previously asked for 30 days leave. That was to last until Jan. 29, deputy mayor Sandy McDonald said.

“The wording is an intense family situation emerged,” McDonald said of the latest e-mail, dated Wednesday at 10 a.m. “‘If my situation is resolved before then, and I assume it will be, I will inform the council of that and then return to my seat,’” McDonald said, reading from Frost’s e-mail.

Efforts to contact Frost were not successful.

Councilman Roger Purcell, a vocal critic of Frost, said the city is in turmoil over recent staff losses and finance issues. For the mayor to leave now is tantamount to abandoning the city, he said.

“He should resign and let us heal and get someone in there who’s going to do the best thing for the community,” Purcell said.

“We are going through a tough time right now and I think he should be here to help us through it,” said councilwoman and Houston Lodge owner Rosemary Burnett.

Asked if she would support Purcell’s call for Frost’s resignation, Burnett said, “Yes, I would.”

Councilman Lee Himes said he sympathizes with the mayor and would not support Purcell’s position. He said Frost’s leave is well within the time frame discussed as allowable in the city’s codes.

“If he needed time off to take care of family situations that has to be done sometimes above everything else,” Himes said.

The mayor for Houston is both a political office and an administrative one in the city, which does not employ a manager or administrator, McDonald said. McDonald, who, like Frost, is also a city council member, has been filling in as mayor in Frost’s absence.

City codes require the mayor be on the job 100 hours a month, McDonald said. Asked if she’s been keeping those hours, she laughed.

“I’m working full-time,” she said, which means she’s at city hall most days from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and until 10 p.m. on Thursdays when the council has its meetings and work sessions.

In the same chapter of city’s codes as the section outlining the mayor’s duties is a section describing when a mayor should step down.

“After taking office, if he discovers that due to personal reasons, work schedule, lack of interest or ability, or health matters he is not doing a good job, he should resign,” the code says. “He should not give up his seat, however, because of political pressures, or conflict of opinions with other council members.”

McDonald said that, basically, it’s up to Frost to determine if he’s being effective in the job.

The e-mail Frost sent was addressed to most of the council, but McDonald said she sent copies to two council members who don’t have e-mail addresses and to city department heads.

She said the e-mail was the first communication she’s had from Frost since Dec. 31.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.