Kristen M. Nye thanked her City Council colleagues “for your vote of confidence” after being elected the new City Council president.

The 4th District councilwoman Tuesday succeeded Michael J. Jones, who resigned as the 9th District councilman as he readies to fill the 77th District seat next week in the state House of Delegates.

As the Free Press reported, Ms. Nye, who had served as vice president for the past year and was first elected to the council in 2016, was anticipated to move up.

The surprise came in the vote for her successor as vice president.

Third District Councilwoman Ann-Frances Lambert ensured racial balance after winning the post in a head-to-head race with 5th District Councilwoman Stephanie A. Lynch, who are both in their first terms.

In the first vote, Ms. Lynch was unable to secure a majority when the newly appointed 9th District member, Nicole Jones, voted against her. Ms. Lambert became the unanimous choice on the second ballot.

“You will not be disappointed,” Ms. Lambert told her colleagues.

Ms. Nye said that as president she will continue to support the goals that were laid out last year when Dr. Jones and she were elected as the council’s officers.

Those included ensuring “shorter, more effective meetings, putting more reliance on the expertise of individual council members, providing stronger support for council appointees and improving budget procedures,” she said.

She ticked off a list of council accomplishments in the past year such as approval for the projected $2.4 billion Diamond development deal, the collaboration with the administration and community partners to expand winter shelter and the increase in funding for public school operations.

In the coming year, she said the council will face more work increasing multi-modal transportation options, attracting more affordable housing, completing the purchase of Mayo Island and helping the administration make the city a workplace of choice.

The council also will be dealing with the impact of the first collective bargaining agreements in city history, helping employees as their pensions transition to the Virginia Retirement System and seeking to ensure “smart economic development takes place in our city, with a focus on South Side,” said Ms. Nye, who will turn 50 this year.

“As we start the new year,” she concluded, “we need to lean in and embrace our opportunities together.”