AROUND MISSISSIPPI — Four communities will lose inmate laborers when the state closes local community work centers on July 15. The Mississippi Department of Corrections will close community work centers in Rosedale, Yazoo City, Fayette and Lucedale. Inmates in the centers do chores for local governments. MDOC commissioner Christopher Epps says it was a matter [...] [...]
by MBJ Staff Published: March 5,2013
Tags: city, community, environment, green, manufacture, manufacturer, manufacturing, municipality, pollution, state agency, town
ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has accepted nine new members and three renewing members into its enHance program. enHance is a voluntary stewardship program that recognizes committed environmental leaders who accomplish goals beyond their legal requirements. enHance is open to facilities, cities, counties, and other entities who are interested in [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: February 25,2013
Tags: borrow, city government, community, credit, credit rating, hurricane, loan, municipal, municipality, natural disaster, reserves, Weather
GULFPORT — A credit agency has cut Gulfport’s rating by a notch. Moody’s Investors Service says the city’s cash reserves are suffering because of hurricane recovery projects the city hasn’t collected federal money for and because sales tax collections are lagging. John Kelly, Gulfport’s chief administrative officer, tells the Sun Herald the lower rating means [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: January 31,2013
Tags: bill, city, community, legislation, legislator, Legislature, local government, municipal, municipality, Sales Tax, state government, tax, town
ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — Municipal officials are again proposing a 1 percent local sales tax as a way to build parks, improve water systems and get crumbling streets back into shape. They need a change in state law to move forward. Legislators have resisted local tax proposals for years, and it’s not clear whether 2013 will [...] [...]
TUPELO — The board of the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association approved a new set of design guidelines Tuesday that members hope will help the district maintain its historic roots. The 87-page packet provides guidelines for commercial and residential projects that cover only the exterior of buildings. They cover everything from facade paint colors to [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: July 16,2012
Tags: booklet, Business, city, community, home, house, municipal government, municipality, publication, reidentce, tax, tax increase, taxpayer
CORINTH — The city of Corinth is working on a booklet to show how a proposed property tax increase would affect the tax bill for homes, businesses and motor vehicles. The Daily Corinthian reports the booklet will be distributed at the July 31 public presentation on special tax levy, dubbed Future Fare, at Corinth High [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: June 19,2012
Tags: community, disaster, disaster recovery, municipal government, municipality, natural disaster, severe weather, tornado, town, Weather
SMITHVILLE — Smithville officials are looking at the first draft of what they are calling the road map to the future. WTVA-TV in Tupelo reports the comprehensive plan had been in the words before the April 27, 2011, tornado devastated the northeast Mississippi town. A grant from Appalachian Region Commission helped the town complete the [...] [...]

One of the biggest challenges for any leader is staying in control of the organization’s “product.” Depending on the type of organization, the “’product” may be an actual physical product, service, or some combination of the two. In a hyper-competitive and transparent marketplace, maintaining the quality of your product can mean the difference between success [...] [...]
Real estate gets appraised, diamonds get appraised and businesses get appraised. Have you ever thought about appraising your community? Nowadays, there is a lot of attention paid to economic development and community revitalization. The current trend is something called asset-based economic development, which refers to the process of identifying assets contained in a community that [...] [...]