Sibley, Grosse Tete, and Ville Platte Mayors elected to lead LMA

Jimmy Williams, mayor of Sibley was installed as president of the Louisiana Municipal Association on Saturday, August 3, during the LMA's 82nd annual convention at the Monroe Civic Center. Also installed Saturday were Grosse Tete Mayor Michael Chauffe, as LMA First Vice-President, and Ville Platte Mayor Jennifer Vidrine, as LMA Second Vice-President.

Mayor Williams succeeds Harry Lewis, Mayor of Rayville, as LMA's highest ranking officer. As president, Mayor Williams will serve as the state's leading advocate for villages, towns, and cities during 2019-2020. He will lead the LMA Executive Board and chair the LMA Executive Committee. Mayor Lewis, as LMA immediate past president, will continue to serve on the LMA Executive Board.

"This has been an extraordinary year, and I have had a great time serving as the president of LMA," said Lewis. "I'm looking forward to working with Mayor Williams and I know he is going to do an excellent job as president. We have had an opportunity over the past three years, to travel all over Louisiana to enjoy the culture and food of other towns, and what started as colleagues has become a friendship between us."

"The city of Rayville is very fortunate to have Harry Lewis as mayor, and I am grateful to be able to follow someone like him," said Williams. "He is a straight shooter with impeccable character whom I have come to love and I have been very proud of his leadership to the LMA. There is an excellent group of people running the LMA and I want to support them in keeping this organization moving forward and empowering our members to continue to do great things in our communities."

Jimmy Williams served on the Sibley Board of Alderman for four years and then won the mayor's race in 2008. He has served as mayor for the Town of Sibley for ten years. In 2013, he was nominated and elected to the position of LMA District A Vice-President and he also sat on the LMA Executive Board. Williams was elected as LMA Second Vice-President in 2017 and served as First Vice President in 2018-19.

?In 1988, Michael Chauffe was elected as Alderman for the Village of Grosse Tete, where he served four consecutive terms (16 years). In 2004 he was elected as Mayor for the Village of Grosse Tete, and is currently serving his fourth consecutive term. Mayor Chauffe has also served as a Board Member for the Louisiana Asset Management Pool (LAMP), LMA District H Vice President, and LMA Executive Committee as Second Vice President. He also served a one-year term as LMA Vice President-at-Large. 

Mayor Jennifer Vidrine most recently served as LMA Vice President-at-Large and is also the newly elected president of the Louisiana Municipal and Technical Services (LaMATS) board – an LMA subsidiary. Vidrine is currently serving her third term as mayor of the City of Ville Platte.

Contributed by Louisiana Municipal Association