Houston City Council selects new leadership following sudden resignations

Just as the monthly meeting for the City of Houston got underway on March 12, Mayor Jason Kahn and Deputy Mayor Dan Lewis announced that they were resigning from their positions effective immediately.

While their letters of resignation, which were read into the record, offered no formal justification, Council member Kahn did express thanks for his time as Mayor, writing:

“It has been an honor to work with our staff and to represent the city to the best of my ability…It has been a privilege to work alongside the individuals committed to improving the quality of life in our community.”

Both did inform the council that they would remain as council members.

Houston City Council member Carter Cole has been elected to another term as mayor, winning a 6-1 council vote following the resignation. This marks the second time Cole has taken the helm following a leadership resignation, having first been elected into the role in October 2022 after the abrupt departure of then-mayor Virgie Thompson, Deputy Mayor Lance Wilson, and Treasurer Sally Schug.

Councilmember Jeff Brasel was unanimously voted in as Deputy Mayor after declining the nomination for Mayor, citing work time constraints. Both men were immediately sworn in.

Looking weary, Councilmember Kahn noted that reaching this decision was a process, stating that he felt he could no longer effectively serve the city or himself. He expressed regret over his resignation, telling the council and audience that he enjoyed helping the city and working with staff, and that he has hopes to return to the mayoral spot in the future. "I'll continue serving... and focusing on the work that is in front of us," he said, adding, "I wish I could have kept on going."

Councilmember Lewis, who participated remotely, stated that timing necessitated his resignation, though he looks forward to continuing his work. He also noted the pivotal moment for Houston, bringing major leadership changes and that the council faced some tough decisions for the direction of the city. “I have renewed confidence that the council is going to keep working hard for the city.”

“I hope we can all take something away from this and move forward and grow together and focus on the policy, move away from anything in the past,” said Lewis, adding that he hopes the council, which has been chaotic in the past, can leave the grudges behind and get back to doing “the good business that we do.”

“I would just like to thank you guys for your willingness to serve the city of Houston. It takes a lot of courage to run for city council; it takes a lot of courage to take those positions, and I can certainly appreciate courage it takes to step down,” said Council member Kent Mitchell, who said he was eager to have everyone work together for the next several months before city elections in October.

Newly elected Deputy Mayor Brasel expressed gratitude to Lewis and Kahn for accepting their challenging roles and said he looks forward to continued collaboration. He added that he was honored by the nomination and election. “That’s a huge honor for me.”

Mayor Cole commended the leaders for acknowledging their need for support, highlighting the challenges of city management and noting the immense difficulty of looking after city residents from those positions. He stated that recognizing this need demonstrated strong character, adding, "It speaks volumes... because it’s not easy to relinquish something you’re working at. But he cared more for the people…than the position.”

After a brief recess to reset, the meeting continued on with the regular meeting agenda. A special council meeting was set for Monday evening to address legislation that comes with a new mayor and deputy mayor.