Ronnie Williams defeated incumbent Lee Posey, 52-48% and has become the first black mayor in the history of Natchitoches. And, that's a LOT of history...306 years.
Betty Sawyer, a black, defeated incumbent Don Mims for councilman-at-large, and two other council seats, both in black districts, saw the incumbents crushed by newcomers to politics. Every incumbent who ran got smashed in the election. Only two city council seats will remain with incumbents because neither had challengers.
In the aftermath of last night's results, social media is exploding locally. For some in the black community they see this as "our chance to seize the city," whatever that means. There has been talk, with some, for the past week that if Williams won every white person in city government will be immediately fired and replaced with a black. I have not heard Ronnie Williams say that...just "talk" on the street. I spoke briefly with Mr. Williams a couple of weeks ago at a political event in city park...many candidates were there meeting & greeting. Williams is, and now "was" a teacher at Red River Junior High. I don't know much about his past. Most of what I have heard, from people who know him, is he is woefully disorganized, unqualified to mayor a city, no business background, etc... I only know he's been a teacher at RRJH.
But, the election had more to do with the lousy incumbent than the challenger. Lee Posey is responsible for the $18 million+ and growing economic disaster new ballpark complex. He robbed the city's surplus/emergency infrastructure fund, $11 million, and has piled on bonds and other loans for another $7 million. The city will NEVER, not EVER, recoup that money. The original plan, in Posey's mind, was that NSU was going to provide management and services, and some maintenance money in some kind of partnership, but NSU never officially agreed and in light of the China Virus crisis NSU is now saying, "we'll have to see." That and other stupid decisions Posey has made, always paying too much for purchases, soured people on him.
There are 11,000+ registered voters in the city, a total of 5,400 votes were cast. Williams won with about 2,800 votes. So about 25% of registered voters, and less than 15% of the population has determined the direction and future of the city for everyone else. But, elections and thus the future of a city, state....nation, are always determined by those who show up.
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Originally Posted by PawDawg
