87R20912 CJM-D
By: Turner of Tarrant H.R. No. 729
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Jeff Williams is concluding his distinguished
tenure as the mayor of Arlington in May 2021, and this occasion
provides a fitting opportunity to honor him for his outstanding
service to the city; and
WHEREAS, First elected in 2015, Mayor Williams has
spearheaded a number of exceptional programs during his three terms
in office; he launched the Kindness Initiative and formed a
Community Relations Commission to encourage the virtue, and public
and private schools from the elementary to college level have
embraced the emphasis on acts of kindness, as has the faith-based
community; the positive effects have also extended to civic
organizations and the business sphere; moreover, Mayor Williams has
promoted community service through Unite Arlington Weekends; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Williams was instrumental in establishing a
Unity Council to study equity and equality in the city, and with the
city council, he developed the most aggressive Minority/Women
Business Enterprise policy in Arlington's history; officials
coordinated with the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, the
Community Influence Leaders Roundtable, and the Fort Worth
Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, resulting in monumental
participation of M/WBE firms on the Globe Life Field and Texas Live!
projects, among others; and
WHEREAS, Committed to vibrant tourism and job creation, Mayor
Williams guided such downtown revitalization efforts as a new
library, the expansion of Levitt Pavilion, and the advancement of
the Urban Union mixed-use development, which has been a catalyst
for redevelopment on the Division Street Corridor; an expansive new
entertainment complex encompasses a venue with daily events, and it
is served by an adjacent luxury hotel; the mayor's endeavors and
advocacy were crucial to the agreement by the Texas Rangers to
remain in Arlington, playing in a new ballpark, Globe Life Field;
financed by a successful sales tax election, the complex will also
host the world headquarters of Six Flags; he has helped to attract a
wide array of new businesses to the area as well, among them the
headquarters of Fortune 500 company D. R. Horton, Nanoscope
Technologies, a UPS regional distribution hub, General Motors'
Arlington Automotive Logistics Center, and GM Financial; and
WHEREAS, The mayor has long championed education and
galvanized effective partnerships with school districts, Tarrant
County College, and The University of Texas at Arlington;
previously, he was a member of the 2008 Arlington City Bond Election
Committee and the 2014 Arlington ISD School Bond Election
Committee; over the years, he has benefited his community in
numerous other leadership roles, including chair of the Greater
Arlington Chamber of Commerce and president of the River Legacy
Foundation; at the national level, he has served as president of the
prestigious U.S. Metro Economics Committee of the United States
Conference of Mayors; and
WHEREAS, A graduate of Texas Tech University, Mayor Williams
was inducted into the university's Civil, Environmental, and
Construction Engineering Academy; his many accolades include the
Vandergriff Community Leadership Award, the PTA Lifetime
Achievement Award, and the Comprehensive Planning Award from the
Texas Section of the American Planning Association; he and his
wife, Karen, shared in the 2018 Greater Arlington Chamber of
Commerce Star Award; they are the proud parents of three AISD
alumni; and
WHEREAS, Mayor Williams has kindled a renewed civic pride
during his tenure, best captured by his well-known catchphrase,
"It's a great day in Arlington!"; and
WHEREAS, Through his visionary leadership, Jeff Williams has
helped to build an even more prosperous future for the citizens of
Arlington, and the impact of his remarkable achievements will
resonate for years to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature hereby honor Jeff Williams on the occasion of his
retirement as mayor of Arlington and extend to him sincere best
wishes as he begins the next exciting chapter of his life; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Williams as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.