With the New Year comes seeking new opportunities to serving our communities, which brings new ideas for seeking funding to better serve on the local level. For those of us in municipal government, an informative session will be next week when the Mississippi Municipal League Mid-Winter Legislative Conference begins in Jackson. Along with that the 2022 Mississippi Legislative Session also gaveled in this past Tuesday at noon.
Last spring, county and municipal officials met with Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann about the guidelines in spending the American Rescue Plan funds. It was talked about this being a once and a lifetime investment for these funds. That is very true this can be a game changer for communities. With investments in a long term projects this helps in areas that municipalities and counties could not otherwise afford.
Next week at the MML conference the league will present their legislative priorities from the municipal standpoint. I remember in years past before COVID-19 the MML would have a legislative rally at the capitol. It was effective because local level concerns were front and center. There are many mayors and alderman across this state and With local leaders have a close interaction with the needs from a certain street and neighborhood. Also here at the beginning of the year is a good time to begin long range projects, that has already been awarded. Here in North Carrollton for example we will have bids on Friday, January 21, 2022 for our Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in the amount of $449,000 for sewer upgrades. With getting the bid awarded we will be able to being construction in warmer weather this spring and summer. Like I have always said, it's good to have a project ready and seeking another.
This past fall the MML had their regional legislative planning meetings with the planning and development districts across the state. Here in this area with North Central Planning and Development it was by zoom through MML due to COVID-19. This effort was held to discuss initiatives to include for the Mississippi Municipal League’s 2022 Legislative agenda.
Through this effort there will be an legislative agenda presented to the MML board of directors at our meeting next week in Jackson. There are two initiatives that MML is looking at that I am very interested in. First is a grant or revolving loan program to assist cities with rehabilitation of abandoned property. The other is state ARPA funds matching grant program for water/sewer. Through the years I have enjoyed working with the MML, state, and federal officials to help bring funding for our area for much needed projects.
It's important for municipalities to succeed, and a community to develop. It’s a must for the future when there is development in a municipality it helps a town proposer economically and to it's fullest potential.
Ken Strachan serves as the mayor of North Carrollton and is a member of the Mississippi Municipal League board of directors
