DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - Several members of the Dallas City Council used Wednesday' meeting to pay tribute to out-going Mayor Mike Rawlings, who is leaving office because of the city's term limits.
"Thanks to Mike Rawlings and his eight years of leadership. It was a long time and Dallas is better off," said Council Member Jennifer Staubach Gates. "He has positioned us, I think, to get a lot done."
Rawlings was elected in 2011 and re-elected in 2015.
"He took on things that nobody else would," said out-going Council Member Ricky Callahan, who chose not to run for re-election. "He dug into that pay referendum lawsuit. He peeled the onion back on the pension program. He got to an answer on Fair Park - it wasn't pretty - but we finally got to a plan."
Rawlings was not at Wednesday's meeting. He has been in Australia with Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and local business and tourism executives to promote commercial ties between Australia and north Texas.
Mayor-elect Eric Johnson and other new members of the City Council will be sworn-in on Monday.