Mayor Johnny Isbell Bids Farewell At June Council Meeting

PASADENA, TX — The mayor of Harris County’s second largest city said goodbye to the city he has served for decades.

Johnny Isbell, the city’s longest serving mayor and a fixture in Pasadena’s political structure for nearly 50 years, bid farewell to the Pasadena City Council during the June 20 meeting.

"I love this city and I love the people who live here....,” he said. (Want to get daily updates about traffic news and other events going on in your area? Sign up for the free Houston Patch morning newsletter.)

Isbell, who was prohibited from running for another term due to term limits, will be succeeded by Mayor-elect Jeff Wagner, who formerly represented District F on the city council.

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Wagner defeated San Jacinto College trustee John Moon in the June 10 runoff election.

The mayoral runoff was Pasadena’s chance to turn a page on the heated political rhetoric and racial tension that has simmered for years.

The issues came to light in 2016 when a federal lawsuit was filed by the Mexican American Legal Defense Education Fund (MALDEF), claiming Latino voters were diluted after the city passed a redistricting plan in 2013 devised by Isbell.

Read Also: Federal Judge Rules Pasadena Redistricting Map Discriminates Against Latinos

Wagner and the city council may consider whether or not to appeal to Judge Lee Rosenthal’s ruling, according to a Houston Chronicle report.

However, the hope expressed during eleection season among the new council members is that the city council will let that chapter fade into the city’s history, and move forward.

Wagner and eight council members will be sworn in at Pasadena City Hall on July 5.

Image: Shutterstock

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