A Letter from Friday Ellis

Voted Best Public Official in 2023 Bayou Buzz Awards

IT FEELS LIKE YESTERDAY THAT I WALKED INTO THE historic Jack Howard Theatre for my inauguration. Time has flown in my first term, as my staff and I work incredibly hard to fix things long over-due, make best use of projects in the present, and plan for the future. It is absolutely humbling to me that y’all would select me not just once, but twice, as the Best Public Official for Bayou Life’s Bayou Buzz edition. I see my peers leading their respective cities and parishes all around me, and I know how hard they work because we are doing that hard work together and they are just as deserving of this award. I want to really give a shout out to Mayor Staci Mitchell and Shane Smiley and so many others, because our area is moving forward thanks to our collaboration.

Monroe needs to believe in itself, and that’s what my administration is striving for every day. The projects we are pursuing and implementing all revolve around returning a sense of pride and identity to our beautiful riverfront City. One of the clearest problem areas to tackle is drainage, and we are embarking on a city-wide cleanout of every underground storm water pipe and catch basin as this edition goes to print. Check out our social media to see some of those progress photos and you will be stunned at what we are finding and cleaning.

But it’s not just about what’s underground – it’s also about how our City looks and feels, both to residents and to visitors. I am so proud of the recent parks plan and rec center for the re-envisioning process we just wrapped up, and we are already putting into motion some of the findings from those plans. You will notice new parking lots, cleaner facilities, furniture, and much more over the coming months. If you happened to miss one of our public meetings where we went over those plans, check out OneRoe.City for just a few of the strategic quality of life initiatives the City is working on.

The theme of the progress that my administration has made so far could be summed up as “the train is leaving the station, so get on board.” There’s room for everyone and we are all moving together towards OneRoe. In light of that, I can’t tell y’all how cool it is that we are actively working with Amtrak, the Southern Rail Commission, and Transportation4America to lead the way for passenger rail service to come through Monroe. The transformation this will bring to I-20 is going to be one that touches workforce, travel, tourism, education, and more. I can’t wait to see y’all at the train station.

The most important folks I need to thank are the employees of the City of Monroe. Any progress we’ve made and any projects we’ve finished are all due to their incredibly hard work and dedication.

To the citizens of Monroe, thank you for believing in me. We are just getting started.