Proctor Sworn In For First Full Term As DeSoto Mayor

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Rachel Proctor
Rachel Proctor at Feb 11 swearing in ceremony. She is now the Mayor of DeSoto. Photo courtesy of Matt Smith, DeSoto Communications, City of DeSoto

Rachel Proctor Ready To Continue The Work She Started

DESOTO – Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson swore newly elected DeSoto Mayor Rachel Proctor in as the City of DeSoto’s Mayor Monday night.

This will be Proctor’s first full term as mayor. She was elected as the 22nd Mayor of the City of DeSoto in February 2021 to finish out an incomplete term.

“I am literally still in awe of even standing here before you and being in this position,” Proctor said. “I also want to thank the voters of DeSoto for trusting me with my first full term. I am extremely humbled at the unique opportunity that I have to give back to the community that gave so much to me while growing up here in the City of DeSoto. We are here tonight having captured almost 90% of the vote… We have to continue to do the work that we started, and I don’t take that lightly.”

Proctor told the standing room only crowd in the City Council chamber that the moment seemed surreal to her.

She went on to share what she had accomplished during the past year and told the crowd she knew she was in the right place when everyone worked together when she first took office last year just a week after the major winter storm.

“To think we are just getting started. I can not express the gratitude for all the support… it is humbling… I’m excited, I’m excited, I’m excited, God bless you all,” she concluded.
The Mayor Pro Tem was also elected at Monday night’s meeting.

Andre Byrd Sr. Elected Mayor Pro Tem

Current Place 4 Mayor Pro Tem Andre Byrd, Sr. took that seat again in a 5 – 2 vote.

Place 2 Councilmember Kay Brown Patrick was first nominated by Place 3 councilmember Nicole Raphiel and seconded by Place 5 councilmember Dinah Marks. That vote failed 3 – 4.

Byrd was nominated by Place 6 councilmember Crystal Chism who said, “he has performed this role above and beyond” and is always very helpful.

Proctor agreed after Byrd’s win stating “…the person in this role is vital to assisting me and 90% of what we do never makes it to social media, never makes it to next door and never makes it to the council meetings. I can say that on some days me and Mayor Pro Tem Byrd are literally joined at the hips.”

Byrd accepted the nomination and concluded “I agree anyone can do this job. I was challenged this week about what I had done since I have been on council, and I wrote a very difficult note because I don’t believe you win individually; you win as a team… I try every day to represent you individually and collectively from the mayor and each place. I am not flawless, but I am faithful…”