Bill Borchert

accomplishments, in his first term of office, Bill was instrumental in bringing together the key people to expedite construction of the I-12 Sound Barrier wall along Country Club Estates, a project that seemed to have languished for nearly 2 decades. He was instrumental in making changes to retiree benefits that saved Slidell taxpayers an estimated $16 million in unfunded liabilities. He also brokered the deal that kept the Mosquito Control Headquarters located at the Slidell Airport. Bill personally wrote the $1.5 million federally awarded grant which repaired the deteriorated bulkhead and broken sidewalks along Bayou Bonfouca at Heritage Park, and added the First Class Marina as lagniappe! His service to our community began as an altar server at St Margaret Mary; and growing up as a boy scout in Slidell helped prepare Bill to respond to those in need. Following the devastation from Hurricane Katrina, Bill volunteered with several disaster response and recovery groups, and he even turned his limo garage into a dormitory which housed over 2,000 volunteers helping to rebuild. His efforts following Hurricane Katrina earned him the Fire District #1 Katrina Angel Award and the St Tammany School Board PTA Honorary Life Service Award. Since the 2016 Denham Springs floods, Bill has led the St Margaret Mary Men’s Club Disaster Relief Team, supplying hot cooked meals to communities dealing with the effects of natural disasters along the Gulf Coast, and as far as North Carolina. His all-volunteer Disaster Relief Team has provided over 120,000 hot cooked meals to those in need, and was recently recognized nationally and awarded a $25,000 grant for those relief efforts by Catholic Charities USA. Bill and his wife Laura have hosted Charity Poker Tournaments raising over $20,000 for non-profits, and have worked several overseas mission trips to Madrid, Morrocco, and Zanzibar, Africa. Bill organized and initiated, along with Councilwoman Denham, a 6-week task force called “Walk a Day in You Shoes”, to assess solutions for racial disconnect in an effort to bring our community together; and he re-instituted City / Parish government quarterly Caucus meetings to improve communications and cooperation among local elected officials. As a passionate supporter of The Arts, Bill brought Antique Umbrella Alley to Olde Towne, breathing life and economic prosperity into the historic antique district. He helped create the Camellia Glass Bloom Tree in the roundabout on Brownswitch Road; volunteered and installed nearly 200 of the Pelicans on Parade; and has been a Cultural Arts Sponsor for over 15 years. Bill & Laura have hosted numerous artists at Notting Hill during Olde Town Arts Evenings, White Linen Night, and other events, and continue to support and develop Slidell’s cultural landscape. Bill is a past vice president and current member of the St Margaret Mary Men’s Club, and a founding and active board member of Southeast Louisiana Underwater Search and Recovery, a non-profit that strives to bring lost family members home. He has been involved over the years serving on boards, as an active member, and/or volunteering his time and talents to numerous non-profits. Many of those non-profits include: Hospice House, United Way, Community Christian Concern, STARC, Men of Steel, Habitat for Humanity, Heritage Fest, Leadership Northshore, Children’s Hospital, Lynch Family Foundation, Rainbow Childcare, Sons of the American Legion, and many others. Bill Borchert is humbled and honored to serve as Mayor of the City of Slidell. His extensive experience as a councilman, and having served as Acting Mayor frequently throughout the past 6 ½ years, has prepared him to step into the role of Mayor. Some of his initial priorities as Mayor include completing the Tammany Trace into Heritage Park, revitalizing recreational youth sports, and making necessary improvements to our drainage infrastructure to help reduce flooding. Bill and Laura have 3 beautiful college-educated daughters and 2 beautiful grandchildren, and are active and accessible throughout Slidell as they frequently stroll through Olde Towne, shop at the Farmers Market, and patronize our fabulous local restaurants and shops
Mayor Bill Borchert welcomes you to share your concerns and your dreams for our continued progress in the City of Slidell.