Houston to seat new council member March 10

HOUSTON — Houston City Council will select its new mayor March 10.

On Thursday, the council formally accepted the resignation of Mayor Steve Frost, and set a timeline for finding a replacement.

Frost sent his resignation letter to the city Feb. 15. The letter cites family issues and irreconcilable differences with city council members and “mean-spirited, personal, and possibly even partisan political bickering” as reasons for leaving.

The first step in replacing Frost, acting mayor Sandy McDonald said, is to fill his vacant city council seat. In Houston, the mayor also sits on the council and members select a mayor from among its ranks.

The city began accepting applications Friday for people wishing to fill Frost’s seat. On March 10 at city hall, the council will hear from each candidate and select one. McDonald said the city plans to post at least the names of applicants on its Web site prior to the meeting.

The next step after filling Frost’s seat will be for the newly seated council to select a mayor. So far, none of the council members has definitively said he or she intends to seek the post.

Councilwoman Rosemary Burnett has said she doesn’t want the job as it would take up too much time.

Councilman Roger Purcell, a political rival of Frost’s, ran his council campaign seeking to become mayor, but after Frost’s resignation deferred the question of whether he’d seek the office again.

—Andrew Wellner