On Friday and over the weekend, On Point with Marvin Blake received numerous requests for a transcript of last weeks Podcast titled “Mayor Williams, where are you?” On Point has decided to use this space to provide a transcript to those numerous direct requests and to the public. – Marvin Blake
Transcript
Topic: Lower Utility Bill for City of Natchitoches Customers
Welcome to another addition of On Point. I’m Marvin Blake Jr. Through a records request and through conversations on this podcast, there’s still been no direct answer from the City of Natchitoches’ Mayor Ronnie Williams Jr., on whether or not utility rate savings from the new LEPA agreement with the city will be passed on to city residence and businesses in the City of Natchitoches. With the new and lower rates going into effect in June, we’ll soon find out if city residents and businesses will get some needy relief on their utility bills.
Topic: Failure to Adopt the City of Natchitoches Budget for 2025-2026.
Reading the Natchitoches Journal on Tuesday, the day after the Monday, April 14, 2025 City Council meeting, it was noted that the item to adopt the city budget for June 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026 was not approved by the City Council, but was amended and tabled. The concern with many city residents is that you very seldom ever see the new budget being table, and I asked the question why? I’m sure that Mayor Ronnie Williams Jr. had given council members copies of the proposed budget days, if not weeks, in advance. But again, why was the budget not approved and table? Maybe we will learn just what was the issue after April 28, 2025 City Council meeting.
Topic: Mayor Williams, where are you?
Now, still on the City of Natchitoches, I learned through a source not affiliated with the city that Mayor Ronnie Williams Jr. is out of the city and possibly the state of Louisiana.
Having watched and followed city government as far back as Joe Sampite in the 1980s, it has always been the practice if the mayor was going to be out of Natchitoches for at least a day with it being an overnight stay, the mayor would designate the council person at large who is mayor pro temp as acting mayor for the duration of the mayor’s absence from the city of Natchitoches.
As of the taping of this podcast, Mayor Ronnie Williams Jr. is still not in the City of Natchitoches and it has been noted that he will not be available until Monday morning, April 21st, 2025.
Having a personal copy of the City of Natchitoches Home Rule charter, section 3.05 A&B states that, and I quote, “During the temporary absence of the mayor for the city, the mayor by letter filed with the council clerk shall designate an officer or employee in the executive branch as acting mayor.”
Again, going back to the Joe Sampite era as mayor on numerous occasions, Mayor Sampite would appoint Wayne McCullen as acting mayor for the city of Natchitoches, for a specific number of days. Mayor Sampite did this on a number occasions. When Wayne McCullen was mayor from 2000 to 2012, he always reported the then Councilman-at-large Don Mims as the acting mayor in his absence. Lee Posey, who followed Mayor McCullen as mayor, would appoint Don Mims, who was still the councilman at large, as the acting mayor when he had to leave the city for a number of days and nights. Betty Smith, who was the first female and African American council person at large in the history of Natchitoches, has been in office now for five years. She is well liked and takes her position seriously, so my question to Ronnie Williams Jr. is, why not appoint Councilwoman Betty Smith as the acting mayor just like the previous three mayors Sampite, McCullen and Posey did while in office? It is well documented and understood that the theme in the 2024 runoff election for mayor here in the City of Natchitoches with the Williams campaign was black unity, which is what got Ronnie Williams Jr. reelected. And so, if that was the theme just a year ago with Betty Smith being an African American just like you are Mayor, why would you leave the city and state, which is what the street committee says happens often? Why not leave the at large council person, Betty Smith as the acting mayor, just as your predecessors did for 40 years? I truly hope Betty’s gender is not the issue.
Podcast Recap
As I close, this podcast is about three things.
City of Natchitoches Utility Bills
With the cost of everything in life escalating, I am still waiting to see if, with the new LEPA agreement beginning in June, will the mayor pass on the electrical savings to city residents and businesses?
No Adoption of a City Budget
Secondly, I, as well as many others are questioning what was in the proposed June 1, 2025 budget that was unacceptable to the City Council that resulted in the council tabling the adoption of the new budget.
No Designated Person in Charge
Finally, the issue of the mayor leaving the city without designating a person as acting mayor is a concern, which makes one wonder is the lack of trust and appointing someone acting mayor or just plain old selfishness.
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Originally Published: April 18, 2025
