Norphlet council honors Mayor Jim Crotty as citizen of year
Each year, Norphlet’s city council and other community leaders choose and honor a citizen of the year. According to council member Diane Marks, the group tends to choose the person “they feel represented the city the best for the year [through] community involvement, attending and supporting school activities, sponsorships, volunteering and helping wherever needed, and just an overall respect and care for the City Of Norphlet.”
This year, the council chose long-time mayor Jim Crotty.
Council members chose not to inform Crotty that he was being given the honor, not revealing it until after the city council meeting Monday evening.
A small ceremony was held across from city hall under the town’s Christmas tree.
Marks and Crotty both briefly spoke and Crotty was given a citizen of the year plaque.
The ceremony concluded with a few holiday songs and the lighting of the Christmas tree.
In her speech, Marks said that the council chose Crotty due to his wide-ranging participation in the community.
“Jim loves Norphlet and tries to keep it clean and safe for its citizens… You can often see him mowing in the city or down in a ditch neck deep digging in water and dirt to help out with a water leak. For this and so many more things we honor him as citizen of the year,” Marks said.
Crotty said that he was both surprised and honored.
“I’m shocked… Y’all know I love Norphlet, and it’s easy to be Mayor with so many good people behind me and helping me,” he said.
A program at the ceremony included a short biography of Crotty. According to the information presented there, Crotty has been mayor of Norphlet for “almost two decades.” He served on the Smackover-Norphlet school board as well as the Norphlet City Council before becoming mayor, is a member of First Baptist Church of Norphlet and serves as a volunteer for “sports teams, fundraisers and church community programs.”