READY ON DAY ONE

Cedric Williams’ First 100 Days Agenda

Record. Readiness. Vision.

The first 100 days will not solve every challenge facing Forrest City — and this agenda does not pretend they will.
They will, however, establish the priorities, accountability and direction of the administration. The goal is to begin immediately, focus on visible and measurable progress, communicate clearly with residents, and build the foundation for longer-term work.

The commitments below are not ranked.
They are designed to move forward together, alongside the day-to-day responsibility of operating city government. Some actions can be initiated administratively; others may require City Council action, engineering, legal review, procurement or outside funding.

THE WORKING RHYTHM

BEFORE DAY ONE Listen & Prepare — Gather neighborhood concerns, locations, photos and resident input so the administration can begin with a clearer picture of community needs.
FIRST 30 DAYS Assess & Organize — Review departments, staffing, equipment, winter readiness, active projects and baseline service conditions.
FIRST 100 DAYS Act & Report — Begin visible corrective actions, launch priority initiatives, establish accountability measures and publicly report progress.
FIRST 180 DAYS Plan for the Long Term — Present a comprehensive Water Infrastructure Improvement Plan, including priorities, needs and a responsible funding strategy.

ACCOUNTABILITY AT CITY HALL

Set expectations. Assess staffing. Equip our workforce. Improve service delivery.

  • Conduct a department-by-department review of operations, staffing, service delivery, major projects and immediate needs.
  • Establish written performance expectations, reporting standards and measurable service priorities for department leadership.
  • Launch a Public Works operational reset: assess critical vacancies, begin recruitment where needed, and review attendance, assignments, supervision and productivity.
  • Complete an inventory of major Public Works equipment to identify what is operational, what requires repair and what may require replacement.
  • Prepare for winter operations by reviewing equipment readiness, treatment materials, priority routes, emergency access, staffing and deployment procedures.

First 100 Days deliverable: Initial departmental review, Public Works staffing and equipment status report, winter-readiness plan and written performance priorities.

GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE A VOICE

Create a meaningful role for young people in the future of Forrest City.

  • Present an ordinance to the City Council within the first 90 days to establish a Mayor’s Youth Council.
  • Develop a fair selection process representing young people from across the community.
  • Connect the Youth Council to civic leadership, youth employment, workforce readiness, mentoring, recreation and career pathways.

First 100 Days deliverable: Youth Council ordinance presented to the City Council and an implementation framework prepared.

BEGIN THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE ACTION PLAN

Improve immediate response while building a responsible long-term plan.

  • Review aging water infrastructure, recurring leak locations, operational capacity and immediate system needs with professional staff and technical partners.
  • Establish a practical, publicly stated process for receiving, inspecting, prioritizing and reporting water-leak concerns after staffing and operational capacity are assessed.
  • Begin identifying federal, state and responsible local/reserve funding options for long-term improvements.
  • Complete a formal status assessment of the unfinished Water Softener Project, including prior expenditures or commitments, remaining work, technical issues, funding needs and options for completion or resolution.

First 100 Days deliverable: Initial water-system assessment, leak-response framework, funding work and documented Water Softener Project status. These findings will support the comprehensive 180-day Water Infrastructure Improvement Plan.

CLEAN UP, LIGHT UP & REBUILD OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

Target visible problems while creating a path for long-term neighborhood renewal.

  • Launch a 100-Day Community Cleanup Initiative focused on illegal dumping, overgrown properties, debris, abandoned structures and other visible neighborhood concerns.
  • Coordinate code enforcement, Public Works and other appropriate city functions around measurable cleanup and property-maintenance expectations.
  • Advance demolition, land-banking and productive-reuse strategies for abandoned and dilapidated properties, while recognizing required legal and funding processes.
  • Complete an initial Cloverleaf lighting assessment addressing responsibility, existing infrastructure, estimated needs, costs and potential funding or partnership options.
  • Provide a definitive status review of the Forrest Hill property: ownership/responsibility, known condition, legal options, estimated needs, funding considerations and the administration’s recommended next step.

First 100 Days deliverable: Visible cleanup activity, a coordinated neighborhood-revitalization strategy, and documented paths forward for Cloverleaf lighting and Forrest Hill.

POSITION FORREST CITY FOR REGIONAL GROWTH

Rebuild partnerships and pursue opportunities created by investment throughout our region.

  • Reestablish a strong working relationship with the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce and its executive leadership.
  • Meet with state and regional economic-development partners, utilities, workforce organizations, developers, employers and potential investors.
  • Identify opportunities connected to regional investment and Forrest City’s location along I-40, including suppliers, logistics, housing, retail, hospitality, workforce and secondary investment.
  • Develop a targeted recruitment and business-retention agenda based on Forrest City’s assets and infrastructure needs.

First 100 Days deliverable: Initial regional opportunity assessment, partnership meetings and a targeted economic-development action agenda.

MAKE CITY HALL MORE TRANSPARENT

Give residents clearer information about city services, projects and progress.

  • Develop a public accountability dashboard or reporting system for major projects, service requests, infrastructure concerns and progress on First 100 Days commitments.
  • Provide regular mayoral updates through digital, radio, print and community meetings so residents can understand what is being addressed and what remains.
  • Hold a first-quarter community listening session and invite City Council participation to continue structured public engagement after the election.
  • At approximately Day 100, issue a public scorecard using clear categories: COMPLETED | ON SCHEDULE | BEHIND SCHEDULE | NOT COMPLETED.

First 100 Days deliverable: Dashboard/reporting framework, public progress update, community listening session and Day 100 scorecard.

FINISH WHAT WE STARTED

Experience also means taking responsibility for unfinished work.

  • Conduct a formal status review of major unfinished projects that began during the prior administration.
  • Complete a detailed review of the Deadrick Road sales-tax bond project, including original scope, funding or bond commitments, expenditures, remaining work, obstacles, responsible parties and required next actions.
  • Coordinate the Water Softener Project review with the broader Water Infrastructure Action Plan.
  • Report findings publicly and distinguish between actions the administration can initiate and matters requiring City Council action, engineering, legal review, procurement or additional funding.

First 100 Days deliverable: Documented status reports and recommended action plans for the Water Softener and Deadrick Road projects.

EXPLORE RESPONSIBLE PARTNERSHIPS

The administration will also examine lawful community-work and intergovernmental partnership opportunities where they could support cleanup or other public needs.
No such program will be promised or implemented without confirming legal authority, supervision requirements, insurance/liability, participant eligibility, cost and operational feasibility.

JUDGE US BY THE WORK.

At the end of the first 100 days, the administration will report publicly on what has been completed, what is on schedule, what is behind schedule, what has not been completed, and what comes next.

Here’s what you told us. Here’s what we found. Here’s what we completed. Here’s what remains underway. Here’s what comes next.

Leadership is not about making the most promises. It is about setting priorities, building the right team, finding the resources, doing the work and being accountable for the results.

I’ve done the job. I’ve learned from the job. And I’m better prepared today to do the job than I was the first time.

FORREST CITY FIRST.  |  LET’S MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER.