HLS 23RS-4160 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 287
BY REPRESENTATIVE COX
COMMENDATIONS: Commends Natchitoches Mayor Ronnie Williams, Jr., for his civil
service
1 A RESOLUTION
2To commend Natchitoches Mayor Ronnie Williams, Jr., for his civil service.
3 WHEREAS, Ronnie Williams, Jr., is a long-time resident of Natchitoches, Louisiana,
4and the city's current mayor; he graduated with a bachelor of science degree in secondary
5education from Northwestern State University in 2008 and received a master of divinity in
6Christian thought from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 2017; and
7 WHEREAS, Mayor Williams worked for twelve years as a social studies teacher in
8Red River Parish and has been the senior pastor of Rockford Baptist Church for over nine
9years; his work as an educator and pastor has afforded him the opportunity to serve the
10community; he taught hundreds of students and prepared them to be productive citizens, and
11as senior pastor, he regularly plans and executes community service projects such as soup
12kitchens, food drives, and community outreach events; and
13 WHEREAS, Mayor Williams answered the call to public service, and in 2020, he
14became the first African American mayor of the city of Natchitoches; in his short tenure as
15mayor, he has improved Natchitoches for both residents and tourists; and
16 WHEREAS, Mayor Williams launched a monthly newsletter and instituted quarterly
17town hall meetings to keep Natchitoches residents informed on important events and
18developments in the city; he also established the Façade and Economic Improvement Grant
19program to help revitalize Texas and Washington Streets' business corridors and lay the
20foundation for the revitalization of future business corridors throughout the city; and
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HR NO. 287
1 WHEREAS, Mayor Williams lobbied the Louisiana congressional delegation
2regarding the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE)
3program; Natchitoches was subsequently awarded $17.2 million in grant funding, the largest
4award of grant monies in the city's history, to rehabilitate the city's streets and roadways,
5create bicycle lanes, and provide for safer commuting; and
6 WHEREAS, Mayor Williams created the city's first diversity, equity, and inclusion
7team, working collaboratively with the Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce and the
8Natchitoches Economic Development Alliance to attract a number of new businesses to the
9city; he worked with various stakeholders in Natchitoches, including the superintendent of
10Natchitoches Parish schools and the president of Northwestern State University, to form
11collaborative, mutually beneficial partnerships; and
12 WHEREAS, Mayor Williams played a pivotal role in reestablishing the Natchitoches
13Boys & Girls Club and the Mayor's Youth Council; he implemented the Summer Youth
14Work Program to further engage area students during the summer months; and
15 WHEREAS, Natchitoches Mayor Ronnie Williams, Jr., is a true champion of the
16community who has accomplished much; despite his professional accomplishments, his most
17cherished achievement is the family he has built with his wife of fourteen years, Tiffany, and
18their three children, Micah, Trae, and Maesie; he is most deserving of the highest recognition
19for his incredible civil service.
20 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
21Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend Natchitoches Mayor Ronnie Williams, Jr.,
22for his civil service; does hereby further recognize his commitment to providing the city of
23Natchitoches with a strong foundation for a much-improved future; and does hereby extend
24sincerest wishes that he continue to prosper in all of his endeavors for many years to come.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 287 Original 2023 Regular Session Cox
Commends Natchitoches Mayor Ronnie Williams, Jr., for his civil service.
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