This past Monday morning, the 94th Annual Conference of the Mississippi Municipal League began in Biloxi. I attended, representing my hometown of North Carrollton. These educational sessions are great. Over the years I have completed all three levels of municipal education which includes the Basic, Advanced, and Professional municipal levels. I continue taking additional classes, because over the years things change and it’s always good to learn throughout the time. There have been many situations that have come up where I think back on the municipal training that I have had over the years.
When I looked at the schedule of classes for this week, I began to plan what I would like to take. The very first class was natural to me. This past Monday morning I signed into Mississippi Emergency Management Agency’s class, Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery. This MML class, along with many more municipal education programs, was held at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center. While I have taken countless emergency management classes over the years, I always try to attend when one is offered. The presenter of this class was MEMA Deputy Director Clayton French, who has served with the agency since 2010. Director French has been helping us here in Carroll and Montgomery counties with our Federal declaration from the March 14-15 tornado.
In addition to the classes, the networking of making relationships with other city officials is very beneficial. There were countless fellow mayors and city officials I have made friendships with that have helped me when I needed it. I don’t have to look any further than the March 2023 tornado that hit the Summerfield and Black Hawk communities of Carroll County. The help that was offered from other cities, and counties was tremendous.
As the 2025-2029 municipal term is well underway, I’m reminded of what former Governor Haley Barbour said years ago, with next month being twenty years since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. While describing Katrina as the "worst natural disaster in American history at the time," he highlighted the significant volunteerism and charity it inspired, estimating over a million volunteers came to South Mississippi in the five years after the storm.
Here, as we will be concluding the annual conference of MML this week, municipalities across this state will leave the coast headed back to their towns with not only municipal training but new relationships and the dedication of working together for the towns they serve. Wishing the best for towns and cities across this state, I’m pulling for you.
Ken Strachan serves as the mayor of North Carrollton, is a member of the Mississippi Municipal League board of directors, and serves as North Central Mayor’s Association President.
