NATCHEZ — Current Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis recently announced her candidacy for re-election as Ward 1 alderwoman.

Mathis was the first black woman elected to the board of aldermen for the City of Natchez. Mathis served as a leader of the Mississippi Association of Educators from 1989-1995 as vice president and president.

Mathis served two terms on the National Education Association Board of Directors.

In 1992, 1996 and 2000 she served as a delegate to the National Democratic Convention; in 1993 she was appointed to the Democratic National Committee and served on the credentials committee. She also served on the DNC by-laws and rules committee until 2001.

Because of her commitment to economic development paired with education, she ran for Congress in 1998. Her platform grew out of the needs of the Natchez community: improvement of economic development, which would yield a living wage.

During the past four years Mathis has completed course work to become a basic and advanced certified municipal elected official. She is currently working to complete the professional level of certification as an elected official.

She was also elected state president of the Mississippi Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials.

Her accomplishments in office include, continued work on the $8 million Natchez Storm Water/North Natchez Drainage Project, securing a $250,000 Mississippi Development Authority Gustav Grant to assist funding match for North Natchez Drainage Phase-B, lobbying for funding for the Marblestone re-development project (to include Marblestone, Old Smith’s Lane, Cemetery Road, Brookview and Brown’s Sub-Division); lobbying the Adams County Board of Supervisors successfully for repavement of Marblestone, Garden Street and Beaumont and more.

 

Editor’s note: This political announcement was submitted by the candidate.