Nat Bates facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nat Bates
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| Mayor of Richmond, California | |
| In office 1971–1972 |
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| Preceded by | Don Wagerman |
| Succeeded by | A.E. Silva |
| In office 1976–1977 |
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| Preceded by | Booker T. Anderson |
| Succeeded by | Lonnie Washington |
| City Council of Richmond, California | |
| Assumed office 1995 |
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| In office 1967–1983 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Nathaniel Rubin Bates
1931 (age 94–95) |
Nathaniel Bates is a well-known public servant from Richmond, California. He has served as the mayor of Richmond and has been a member of the city council for many years. Before his career in politics, he was also a professional baseball player!
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Nathaniel Bates's Journey to Public Service
Nathaniel Bates moved to Richmond, California, in 1942. He traveled by train from Texas to join his mother. She worked at the Kaiser Shipyards, helping with the war effort during World War II.
After growing up, Bates served in the United States Army. Later, he worked as a probation officer for Alameda County. This job involved helping people who were on probation.
Starting in City Government
Bates first became a city councilman in 1967. A city council is a group of elected officials. They make decisions for their city. He served a six-year term.
He was chosen to be the mayor of Richmond from 1971 to 1972. The mayor is the leader of the city government.
Continuing His Political Career
After his first time as mayor, Bates was re-elected to the city council in 1973. He was elected again in 1979 for a four-year term. He served until 1983.
He was also appointed mayor a second time, from 1976 to 1977. But his time in public service was far from over!
Later Years in City Council
Nathaniel Bates ran for city council again in 1995 and won. He was re-elected many times after that. He won elections in 1999, 2004, 2008, and 2012.
He is a member of the Democratic Party. In 2018, he won his eighth term on the city council. This shows how much people in Richmond trusted him.
Discussions and Debates
In 2001, there was a discussion involving Bates and another councilman, John Marquez. It was about who spoke more at a city event. Bates felt he should have had more time to speak to the crowd. This led to some debate and even a cartoon in a local newspaper.
In 2011, the city council discussed a new tax on soda. Bates voted against it. He thought people might buy soda outside the city to avoid the tax. He also felt it might unfairly affect certain groups of people. Other council members had different views on the matter.
About Nathaniel Bates
Nathaniel Bates has lived in Richmond since the 1940s. He is now a retired probation officer.
His Baseball Days
Before his political career, Bates played professional baseball. He played for two seasons in the 1950s in western Canada.
Education and Leadership
Bates studied at San Francisco State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree. He also received a teaching credential from CSU Hayward (which is now called CSU East Bay).
He was a director for the National League of Cities from 1976 to 1980. This organization helps cities across the country. Since 1980, he has had a lifetime role on their Advisory Board.
Family Life
Nathaniel Bates was married to Shirley Christine Adams Bates, who has passed away. They had four children together. As of 2004, he also had seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
