In the News
January 2, 2010 | CultureMap Mapazine
An inside view of Annise Parker’s swearing-in
Clifford Pugh
In a private ceremony that was short and sweet, Annise Parker was sworn in as Houston’s mayor at City Hall Saturday morning. Ronald Green was also sworn in as city controller.
About 25 family members and close friends gathered in the ceremonial office on the third floor next to the mayor’s office for the swearing-in. The atmosphere was jubilant but casual. At one point, Parker told her longtime friend, Judge Steven Kirkland, to go put his robe on so they could get started. Kirkland administered the oath of office to Parker, as she placed her hand on the family bible. Parker’s partner, Kathy Hubbard, held the bible and looked on proudly, along with Parker’s mother. Parker’s teenage children did not attend the ceremony because they were at home sleeping, a source present at the ceremony said.
Parker wore a grey pantsuit, Green wore a black suit and tie and Kirkland had his judicial robe on. The oaths took a maximum of 45 seconds to administer.
After Green was sworn in, Parker gave him a green polo shirt bearing the seal of the controller’s office, adding she didn’t know how casually he was going to run his office. Everyone laughed. Parker was city controller for the past six years.
After the ceremony ended Parker sat at her desk in the mayor’s office, surrounded by the prized orchids she grows, and rummaged through pens in at attempt to sign documents, but none of her them worked. Someone finally handed her a pen of his own.
The swearing-in was required because city charter mandates that office holders be installed on Jan. 2. But since it falls on a weekend, Parker opted for a private swearing-in, with a public ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Wortham Center. U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore will administer ceremonial oaths to Parker and Green. Parker will then swear in the 14-member city council.
Parker will celebrate the occasion with a free concert at Discovery Green at 6 p.m. Monday. Jennifer Holliday, Archie Bell, Roy Head, Mango Punch and Yvonne Washington will headline the concert.
