Montgomery issues proclamations honoring Chaplain Ben Alpert and former councilman Sydney T. Williams

Mayor (not specified) asked the council to join in a proclamation honoring Montgomery Fire Rescue Chaplain Ben Alpert, who "served the citizens of Montgomery and members of Montgomery Fire Rescue with compassion and dedication," the mayor said.

The mayor extended condolences to Alpert's wife Bonnie and son Nathan and invited family members to speak. A family member (not specified) addressed the council: "My husband loved being a part of the fire department, and especially, he's always getting up in the middle of the night and go, I'm gonna go off on his boat and run off to the fire. He enjoyed the time that he got to spend with people individually," the speaker said.

The mayor also presented a proclamation recognizing the passing of Sydney T. Williams, a former Montgomery Police Department member, an eight-year U.S. Air Force veteran, a 26-year Alabama National Guard member and a former Montgomery city councilman. The mayor noted Williams organized multiple marches across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, helped ensure security for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his family, served as director of safety and security at Alabama State University, worked as a fraud investigator in the office of the Alabama attorney general, and was appointed to and served as chairman of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles.

The mayor said a framed proclamation would be presented to Williams's family and invited brief remarks; a family member said, "My father loved his city, his district, and his country. So we would like to thank you all for this recognition." The mayor closed the report by thanking the council for the opportunity to present the proclamations.

No formal votes or council actions were recorded during the proclamations.