Chairman Linda W. Cropp
at the request of the Mayor
A PROPOSED RESOLUTION IN THE
COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
To confirm the appointment of Mr. Lee A. Williams to the
District of Columbia Taxicab Commission.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That
this resolution may be cited as the "District of Columbia Taxicab Commission Lee A.
Williams Confirmation Resolution of 2000".
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the
appointment of
Mr. Lee A. Williams
1168 Washington Avenue
Scotch Plains, New Jersey 07076
as chairperson of the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission,
established by section 5 of the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission Establishment Act
of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-97; D.C. Code §40-1704), to serve at the
pleasure of the Mayor.
Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit
a copy of this resolution, upon its adoption, each to the nominee and to the Office of the
Mayor.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
Biography of Lee A. Williams
1168 Washington Avenue
Scotch Plains, New Jersey 07076
(973) 733-8912 Work (908) 233-8071 Home
Mr. Williams was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina. His
family moved to Newark, New Jersey shortly after his birth and he continues to reside
there. Mr. Williams was educated in the New Jersey public school system. He is a graduate
of South Side High School (now Malcolm X. Shabazz High School) and the Newark Police
Academy. In addition, he completed coursework at North Carolina A&T State University.
Mr. Williams joined the Newark Police Department in 1963 where
he was a patrol officer and later a vice detective. Between 1983 and 1990, Mr. Williams
was head of the police unit within the Newark Police Department that is responsible for
enforcing taxi laws and regulations, training taxi drivers, and supervising taxi
inspectors. While head of this unit, Mr. Williams developed a reputation as an effective
manager and was well known for his insistence that taxi drivers operate vehicles that are
clean, safe, and otherwise in full compliance with taxi regulations. He is largely
credited with removing unsafe and unsightly vehicles from Newark’s taxi fleet.
While on police force, Mr. Williams found the Explorer Scout
Unit of the Newark Police Department and served as a member and past president of the
Bronze Shields Police Officers Association.
Mr. Williams retired from the Newark Police Department in
1990. Following his retirement, he was tapped by Newark Mayor Sharpe James to head the
city’s Taxicab Division, a position that he still holds. As head of the Taxicab Division,
Mr. Williams, who Chairs a Commission with 5 members and a staff of 9, has been successful
in improving the taxi industry in that city and has won the respect and confidence of taxi
drivers and their representative organizations throughout the city. One of the
achievements that Mr. Williams is proudest of was the reduction of annual insurance
premiums for taxi drivers from $9500 to $3300 annually. He was also instrumental in
addressing corruption and rules violations by unscrupulous taxi company owners.
Mr. Williams is an active member of the Board of Directors of
the International Association of Taxicab Regulators, an organization that represents the
heads of taxi divisions throughout the world. He has been a board member since 1985 and
was recently appointed to the committee that will organize IATR’s upcoming annual
convention. Mr. Williams is well respected among his peers in the IATR, especially for the
passion displays on the issue of taxi driver safety.
Mr. Williams is married to Ruby Williams, his wife of 41
years. They have four offspring all of whom reside in the Newark, New Jersey area.