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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Jeff Williams is concluding his distinguished |
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tenure as the mayor of Arlington in May 2021, and this occasion |
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provides a fitting opportunity to honor him for his outstanding |
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service to the city; and |
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WHEREAS, First elected in 2015, Mayor Williams has |
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spearheaded a number of exceptional programs during his three terms |
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in office; he launched the Kindness Initiative and formed a |
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Community Relations Commission to encourage the virtue, and public |
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and private schools from the elementary to college level have |
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embraced the emphasis on acts of kindness, as has the faith-based |
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community; the positive effects have also extended to civic |
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organizations and the business sphere; moreover, Mayor Williams has |
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promoted community service through Unite Arlington Weekends; and |
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WHEREAS, Mayor Williams was instrumental in establishing a |
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Unity Council to study equity and equality in the city, and with the |
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city council, he developed the most aggressive Minority/Women |
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Business Enterprise policy in Arlington's history; officials |
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coordinated with the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, the |
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Community Influence Leaders Roundtable, and the Fort Worth |
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Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, resulting in monumental |
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participation of M/WBE firms on the Globe Life Field and Texas Live! |
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projects, among others; and |
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WHEREAS, Committed to vibrant tourism and job creation, Mayor |
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Williams guided such downtown revitalization efforts as a new |
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library, the expansion of Levitt Pavilion, and the advancement of |
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the Urban Union mixed-use development, which has been a catalyst |
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for redevelopment on the Division Street Corridor; an expansive new |
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entertainment complex encompasses a venue with daily events, and it |
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is served by an adjacent luxury hotel; the mayor's endeavors and |
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advocacy were crucial to the agreement by the Texas Rangers to |
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remain in Arlington, playing in a new ballpark, Globe Life Field; |
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financed by a successful sales tax election, the complex will also |
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host the world headquarters of Six Flags; he has helped to attract a |
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wide array of new businesses to the area as well, among them the |
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headquarters of Fortune 500 company D. R. Horton, Nanoscope |
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Technologies, a UPS regional distribution hub, General Motors' |
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Arlington Automotive Logistics Center, and GM Financial; and |
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WHEREAS, The mayor has long championed education and |
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galvanized effective partnerships with school districts, Tarrant |
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County College, and The University of Texas at Arlington; |
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previously, he was a member of the 2008 Arlington City Bond Election |
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Committee and the 2014 Arlington ISD School Bond Election |
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Committee; over the years, he has benefited his community in |
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numerous other leadership roles, including chair of the Greater |
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Arlington Chamber of Commerce and president of the River Legacy |
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Foundation; at the national level, he has served as president of the |
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prestigious U.S. Metro Economics Committee of the United States |
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Conference of Mayors; and |
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WHEREAS, A graduate of Texas Tech University, Mayor Williams |
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was inducted into the university's Civil, Environmental, and |
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Construction Engineering Academy; his many accolades include the |
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Vandergriff Community Leadership Award, the PTA Lifetime |
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Achievement Award, and the Comprehensive Planning Award from the |
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Texas Section of the American Planning Association; he and his |
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wife, Karen, shared in the 2018 Greater Arlington Chamber of |
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Commerce Star Award; they are the proud parents of three AISD |
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alumni; and |
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WHEREAS, Mayor Williams has kindled a renewed civic pride |
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during his tenure, best captured by his well-known catchphrase, |
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"It's a great day in Arlington!"; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his visionary leadership, Jeff Williams has |
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helped to build an even more prosperous future for the citizens of |
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Arlington, and the impact of his remarkable achievements will |
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resonate for years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Jeff Williams on the occasion of his |
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retirement as mayor of Arlington and extend to him sincere best |
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wishes as he begins the next exciting chapter of his life; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Williams as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |