This past Monday, the Mississippi Municipal League held its regional meeting at North Central Planning and Development in Winona, part of a series of meetings being conducted at planning and development districts across the state. This is an opportunity where MML updates on the legislative initiatives of the past session and the priorities of the upcoming session on issues important to municipalities. Monday in Winona was also the orientation for new municipal officials ahead of the legislative meeting. There was a large attendance of new officials from across the counties of NCPDD that will be taking the oath of office to begin serving in the new term beginning July 1.
MML had many priorities during the 2025 session from making sure Mississippi’s cities, towns, and villages were made whole in any proposed tax reform legislation, full funding of homestead exemptions reimbursements, and the small municipalities grant program.
In January 2026 when the MML meets in Jackson for the annual legislative conference, representatives of cities and towns will visit the Capitol. This has always been very informative in years past when, as a group, the MML would hold a press conference at the capital on issues that are important to municipalities. During these Capitol visits in the past we would be addressed by the Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Jason White. I have always believed that these meetings from the local to state level are very beneficial to the citizens and the future of this state.
There are a host of issues that make a difference, working from the municipal level to the legislative level. For example, from public works to public safety on the local level. Through the past years this networking and working together has led to excellent policy for towns. The work by our municipal officials and our legislators has been beneficial. This past Monday in Winona at NCPDD we had a legislators in attendance with Sen. Lydia Chassaniol, Rep. Bryant Clark, and Rep. Kevin Horan.
It is worth noting how the small municipalities grant being funding is very vital to municipalities. Look no further than here in North Carrollton. Back in 2021 we were awarded this grant, and it provided new sidewalks from J.Z. George High School to the post office, past North Carrollton Baptist Church which hasn’t been done in almost a century in the New Deal era. We worked with Supervisors Jim Neill and Josh Hurst to take up the old sidewalk and saved $10,000 in our grant and we were able to extend the new in compliance with the American Disabilities Act (ADA) handicap accessible sidewalks past North Carrollton Methodist Church.
With the 2026 legislative session just six months after the 2025-2029 municipal term kicks off will come new ideas, and new challenges that will be on the horizon. With hard work and dedication, I am confident that there are great things ahead for this area and state. It was on display last Monday night at NCPDD in Winona.
Ken Strachan serves as the mayor of North Carrollton is a member of the Mississippi Municipal League board of directors, and is a member of the MML education committee
