2025 5 20 Regular Session Packet 1

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PROCLAMATION 
WHEREAS, the City of Athens, Tennessee, takes great pride in recognizing citizens who 
demonstrate an exceptional commitment to public service, civic leadership, and community 
betterment; and 
WHEREAS, on Thursday, May 1, 2025, the Athens Optimist Club will hold a special 
celebration to recognize a momentous milestone — the 50-year membership of one of its most 
distinguished and devoted members, former Athens City Councilmember William “Bo” Perkinson; 
and 
WHEREAS, the Athens Optimist Club has long been a beacon of service, leadership, and 
unwavering support for the youth and citizens of Athens, Tennessee; and 
WHEREAS, Mr. Perkinson has been a pillar of the Athens community, embodying the very 
spirit of optimism, civic duty, and selfless service through five decades of unwavering dedication to 
the Club and the City of Athens; and 
WHEREAS, Mr. Perkinson served as President of the Optimist Club from 1984 to 1985, 
chaired many of the Club’s 22 project committees, and has been instrumental in the creation and 
success of numerous community improvement initiatives; and 
WHEREAS, Mr. Perkinson served the citizens of Athens with distinction on the Athens City 
Council from January 1997 until November 2020, including his two terms as Mayor, demonstrating 
thoughtful leadership and tireless dedication to the city’s growth and well-being; and 
WHEREAS, Mr. Perkinson has given much of his time to numerous organizations, including 
the United Way of McMinn County, YMCA, Habitat for Humanity, Athens Utilities Board, Small 
Cities Council of the National League of Cities, National Multiple Sclerosis Society for Indiana, 
Kentucky, and Tennessee, and E.G. Fisher Friends of the Library; and 
WHEREAS, his legacy in the Optimist Club and in public office has inspired generations of 
Athenians to serve with honor, lead with compassion, and live with optimism. 
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that I, Larry Eaton, Mayor of the City of 
Athens, Tennessee, do hereby recognize and commend William “Bo” Perkinson for his 50 years of 
outstanding service in the Athens Optimist Club, and extend our deepest appreciation for his 
invaluable contributions to the people and progress of Athens.  
M
ay 1, 2025 
     MAYOR 
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