Page 4 - Mississippi_Municipalities_V66N4

President’s Message
Mayor Les Childress, MML President
As our State wraps up its yearlong bicentennial celebration and new administrations are settling into o ce after this year’s municipal elections, it is clear to see that 2017 has been a busy and exciting year for us all! I have truly enjoyed my time serving as your MML President, and I know that 2018 will be just as productive and gratifying!
I would like to thank Shari, the sta members and my fellow o cers for their e orts, cooperation and dedication to this great organization Troy Johnston, Trey Bobinger, Jerry Goolsby and Je Wilson also do a great job in their respective roles with the League
We have completed our legislative meetings around the state at each of our Planning and Development Districts ank you for attending these meetings and for sharing your ideas about what MML’s legislative agenda should consist of as we approach the 2018 Legislative Session We are all looking forward to a productive legislative session in the upcoming year, and I would like to thank our Legislative Committee and its Chairman, Mayor Chuck Cariker of Tunica, for all of their hard work that they have done and will continue to do in preparation for the 2018 session
I’d also like to thank our Small Town Committee Chairman, Mayor Sally Garland of Crystal Springs, and all members on the committee for helping to organize another great Small Town Conference Mayor Robyn Tannehill and the City of Oxford were gracious hosts for this year’s Small Town Conference which proved to be a great experience for municipal leaders from cities and towns of all sizes Prior to the conference, the fall Board of Directors’ meeting was held in Tunica where the new 2017 - 2018 MML Board of Directors held its rst o cial meeting anks to all of our members who have volunteered to serve in this capacity Our board members play an essential role in the success of our organization as a whole
ere are many committees within our organization who work very hard for the League to ensure that we accomplish our goals and objectives e chairpersons of these committees work with the MML sta for the betterment of our organization I would like to personally thank each of the committee chairs, as well as all committee members for their service to the League and its membership
As we approach the 2018 Legislative Session, I must emphasize the extreme importance of the entire membership’s engagement with our respective legislators in promoting our legislative agenda and also in defending our position on many issues We have already started to garner support, outreach and action on two of our top priority issues: the Local Government Debt Collection Act and the increase of sales-tax diversion to cities and towns
Please continue to play an active role in our League by responding to calls-to-action and requests for information as we enter into the New Year We all need to be heard because if our legislators do not hear from us, they do not know our position on the issues
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope to see you at the 2018 Mid-Winter Legislative Conference on January 9-11 Happy New Year!
Mayor Les Childress Town of Flora
Please continue to play an active role in our League ...
4 • Mississippi Municipalities Volume 66 • Number 4