FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 31, 2025
City Manager, William E. Johnson, III Appointed to National League of Cities’ Small Cities Council
Emporia, VA — William E. Johnson, III, City Manager, Emporia, Virginia, has been appointed to the National League of Cities (NLC) 2025 Small Cities Council. Johnson was elected to a one-year term to develop and guide programs among local elected officials from similar communities. The appointment was announced by NLC President Steve Patterson, Mayor of Athens, Ohio.
“I am honored to continue serving on the NLC Small Cities Council representing the City of Emporia, Virginia. "This appointment gives us an opportunity to provide the city with a voice on a regional and national level about our successes and challenges. This will also allow us to gain valuable insight into creative solutions from other places,” Johnson said.
As a member of NLC’s Small Cities Council, Johnson will play a key role among a diverse group of local leaders to encourage collaboration, networking and the development of resources and programs beneficial to communities that share demographics, size or location that can be replicated across the country.
“It is crucial that we bring together local leaders that are representative of all communities to share solutions, and challenges from their hometowns, which are used to develop NLC policies and programs,” said National League of Cities President Steve Patterson, Mayor of Athens, Ohio. “Bringing the experience and leadership of Council Member Vinson to serve as a member on NLC’s Small Cities Council this year goes a long way to ensuring every city, town and village has the resources they need to lift up their communities and improve the lives of their residents.”
This year’s council leadership will consist of:
Chair: Mary Sarver, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Grandview, TX
Vice Chair: Rashad Roberts, Councilmember, Town of Chadbourn, NC
Vice Chair: Gloria Solorio, Council Member, City of Avondale, AZ
Board Liaison: Bianca Motley Broom, Mayor, City of College Park, GA
For more information on NLC’s Member Councils, visit: https://www.nlc.org/current-initiatives/member-councils-2/.
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