Monroe City Councilman Kenneth Wilson announced Saturday that he will not seek re-election to the District 4 council seat.
After eight years, Wilson says he will return to promoting his community service organization which provides help and assistance to the poor in Monroe’s Southside.
Wilson has been a strong advocate of the poor on the council and has often clashed with Mayor Jamie Mayo when the mayor advanced plans that would hurt the poor, but voted with the Mayor for projects that would advance the city without having a negative impact on the city’s poorest citizens.
In coalition with Councilman Eddie Clark and former council members Betty Blakes and Ray Armstrong, Wilson worked to reduce Administration attempts to dramatically increase water and sewerage rates and bus fares.
In some council meetings, Wilson openly clashed with the mayor when Mayo initially refused efforts to raise the minimum wage for city workers to $10 an hour or with his refusal to give benefits to city garbage collectors.
Wilson’s announcement means at least three seats on the city council will have new faces next year. District 1 councilman Micheal Echols was elected to the House of Representatives meaning his seat will be up for election. Councilman Eddie Clark has made it known that he does not plan to seek re-election.
