Difference between revisions of "Friday Ellis"

Revision as of 19:01, July 22, 2020

Oliver Friday Ellis, Jr., known as Friday Ellis (born February 1977), is the mayor of Monroe, Louisiana, a Republican-turned-Independent.

A businessman, Ellis won the mayoral election held on July 11, 2020, postponed from the previously scheduled April 4 because of the coronavirus pandemic. He unseated the 19-year incumbent, Jamie Mayo, an African-American Democrat who was seeking a sixth term. Ellis polled 6,835 votes (52 percent) to Mayo's 4,987 (38 percent). The remaining 10 percent of the vote was divided by three other candidates.^[1] Mayo is a strong liberal who once gave a "Key to the city" to radical Islamist Louis Farrakhan.

Ellis is the son of Oliver Gus "Friday" Ellis, Sr. (1934-2008), a native of St. Joseph in Tensas Parish who is interred in Rayville in Richland Parish. The father's obituary does not mention a wife. It is unclear whether Mayor Ellis' middle name is Gus or "Friday." Mayor Ellis has three siblings, Michael Wayne Ellis and wife, Donna of Girard, also in Richland Parish; Patricia Ellis Jones of Rayville, and Angela Sanford and husband, Ronnie, of Girard.^[2]The mayor is registered to vote under the name "Oliver Ellis," according to records of Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin.Ellis also formerly resided in Weston, Missouri, and Barstow, California, dates not specified.^[3]

Economic growth in Monroe is virtually invisible. Mayo says he’s in charge of economic development for the city. Accordingly, he bears responsibility for Monroe’s abysmal economic activity, which without a doubt has fueled the city’s loss in population for the past two decades, now far below 50,000 residents.Since the mid-2000s we have witnessed the closing of the Guide plant, State Farm’s Mid South Regional office and most recently, Monroe’s only Fortune 150 company, CenturyLink, began moving employees out of the city at a fast clip to CenturyLink offices in other cities in other states. In the not-too-distant past, CenturyLink employed more than 2,300 people here. Today, that figure is possibly as low as 1,500 workers and declining. There’s no denying it. There’s also no denying that while CenturyLink claims Monroe is home for its corporate headquarters, the decision makers. …^[4]

Friday's oath was administered by his long-term friend from Start in Richland Parish, Judge Will Rhymes Barham of the Louisiana 5th Judicial District, a Republican. Ellis said that he will try to heal the division between the northern and southern portions of Monroe and represent all citizens equally. In the 2010 census, the city was 64 percent black. Ellis became emotional as he spoke of his expectations for a united Monroe:

Today, we are all embarking on a new journey together – one that some of us have dreamed about, some of us believed would never take place, and some of us have never given up the hope. I share high hopes today with you, high hopes for a city that is safe, high hopes for a city that is prospering and high hopes for a city that provides the best service for all of its residents.”^[5]

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