MISSISSIPPI’S PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS MISSISSIPPI ASSOCIATION OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS P. O. BOX 4935 JACKSON, MS 39296-4935 www.mspdds.com 2020 DIRECTORY 2020 Mississippi’s Planning and Development Districts 2020 Directory Mississippi Association of Planning & Development Districts P. O. Box 4935 - Jackson, MS 39296-4935 www.mspdds.com The Directory of Mississippi’s Planning and Development Districts is a publication of the Mississippi Association of Planning and Development Districts. This document may contain material to which the Mississippi Association of Planning and Development Districts maintains copyright protection. No part of this document shall be copied without the advance written permission of this Association. PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS Central MS North Delta Southern MS PDD PDD PDD Michael Monk James Curcio Leonard Bentz Chief Executive Executive Executive Officer Director Director PO Box 4935 PO Box 1488 10441 Corporate Jackson, MS 39296-4935 Batesville, MS 38606 Drive, Ste 1 Tel: (601) 981-1511 Tel: (662) 561-4100 Gulfport, MS 39503 Fax: (601) 981-1515 Fax: (662) 561-4112 Tel: (228) 868-2311 [email protected] [email protected] Fax: (228) 868-7094 [email protected] East Central Northeast PDD MS PDD Southwest MS PDD Mike Blount Sharon Gardner Executive Executive Wirt L. Peterson Director Director Executive PO Box 499 PO Box 600 Director Newton, MS 39345 Booneville, MS 38829 100 S. Wall St. Tel: (601) 683-2007 Tel: (662) 728-6248 Natchez, MS 39120 Fax: (601) 683-7873 Fax: (662) 728-2417 Tel: (601) 446-6044 [email protected] [email protected] Fax: (601) 446-6071 [email protected] Golden South Delta Triangle PDD PDD Three Rivers PDD Rupert “Rudy” Tommy Johnson Goodwin Vernon R. Executive Executive “Randy” Kelley Director Director Executive PO Box 828 PO Box 1776 Director Starkville, MS 39759 Greenville, MS 38702 PO Box 690 Tel: (662) 324-7860 Tel: (662) 378-3831 Pontotoc, MS 38863 Fax: (662) 324-7328 Fax: (662) 378-3834 Tel: (662) 489-2415 [email protected] [email protected] Fax: (662) 489-6815 [email protected] North Central PDD Steve Russell Executive Director 28 Industrial Park Boulevard Winona, MS 38967-8709 Tel: (662) 283-2675 Fax: (662) 283-5875 [email protected] Northeast MS PDD North Delta Three PDD Rivers PDD South North Golden Delta Central Triangle PDD PDD PDD East Central Central Mississippi PDD PDD Southwest Mississippi PDD Southern Mississippi PDD 2020 DISTRICT DIRECTORY Narrative .................................................................. 2 Services ....................................................................6 Central Mississippi PDD ...........................................8 East Central PDD .....................................................12 Golden Triangle PDD ...............................................15 North Central PDD ................................................. 19 North Delta PDD .................................................... 22 Northeast Mississippi PDD .....................................26 South Delta PDD ....................................................29 Southern Mississippi PDD ..................................... 32 Southwest Mississippi PDD ................................... 37 Three Rivers PDD ...................................................40 OVER 50 YEARS OF SERVICE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS History Organization The ten Planning and Development Dis- Each Planning and Development District tricts in Mississippi were created to assist is an independent organization governed local governments in the late 1960s in an by a Board of Directors appointed by local attempt to address problems and issues leadership. The Governing Board of a District on a multi–jurisdictional basis. In creating is composed of members from each county these organizations, technical assistance who are appointed by local officials. These was provided by the then Office of Federal appointments are comprised of elected local State Programs under the administration of officials, business or industrial leaders, and Governor John Bell Williams, as well as other representatives of the minority community. business development organizations. There Most Districts operate through an active were also federal matching grant incentives committee system which may involve many to the Districts, as well as to the local govern- other persons, not necessarily members of ments, if they met and maintained certain the Board of Directors. The Districts are eligibility criteria, especially in the area of eco- managed by an Executive Director who nomic development. In 1971, in an effort to is responsible to the Board of Directors, standardize regional economic development and the Districts are staffed not only by and planning boundaries, Governor Williams administrative and clerical personnel, but issued Executive Order 81, designating the also by specialists in such areas as planning, Planning and Development Districts as Mis- geographic information systems, economic sissippi’s official sub-state regions. This order development, community development, also designated the Districts as the agencies grant writing, job training, social services, to help ensure that projects and programs transportation, data processing, and within the respective regions were devel- gerontology. oped according to a long range, continuous planning process. While largely voluntary, the Districts were given the responsibility Programs and Services to increase information and coordination, Since each District represents a distinctly therefore eliminating duplication and waste. different region of the state, its activities, projects, and programs are somewhat dif- ferent. There are, however, many common functions provided in a very similar manner by each District. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT One of the principal functions of each Plan- ning and Development District is economic development. Each District is designated by either the Economic Development Adminis- tration of the Department of Commerce or the Appalachian Regional Commission as the federally recognized organization to perform economic development, planning, and other related functions. The USDA Rural Develop- -2- ment Administration is another major source can assist with economic growth. The Plan- of economic development assistance and ning and Development Districts were the most recently, the Delta Regional Authority first organizations in Mississippi to integrate was created using the same sub-state struc- geographic information systems into their ture. Unlike some organizations which view routine data management and mapping economic development in a limited or specific procedures. manner, the Districts attempt to promote LOAN PROGRAMS long-term job creation in the broadest sense. All Districts have an active Revolving Loan Each District develops annually a Compre- Program. This program consists of grants, hensive Economic Development Strategy made to the Districts through a variety of which is essential in maintaining eligibility for federal agencies, to be loaned (usually in various federally funded programs. These conjunction with other public or private fi- programs primarily aid local communities nancing) to businesses and industries to help with such public facilities as streets, water in start ups or expansions. These loans are and sewer systems, and other infrastructure made at very attractive rates and when they necessary to promote business and industrial are repaid, the funds are then loaned again growth. The vast majority of industrial parks to other businesses for commercial and/or in- in this state were developed with some form dustrial development activities. The money, of federal assistance provided through Plan- therefore, stays in the area and continues to ning and Development Districts. Maintain- be a very viable economic development tool. ing eligibility for funding also provides an Another loan program available to the opportunity to receive technical assistance Planning and Development Districts is the grants and various types of loans. Small Business Administration 504 Loan While they may vary from region to region, Program. Each District, acting as a Certified there are numerous other economic devel- Development Company or acting through opment activities provided by the Districts. another Certified Development Company, is For example, the Districts provide statistical authorized to make loans (for a period of time and economic information and analysis to not to exceed 20 years) to small businesses potential business and industrial ventures. for land, buildings, and other fixed assets. They also furnish information and assistance These loans also are designed to create jobs to cities and counties to aid them in being and to stimulate business growth and are competitive and in building capacity so they made in conjunction with private lending -3- institutions which assume responsibility demographic analysis capabilities which they for approximately half the amount loaned. use to assist with the redistricting of political These loans have fixed and attractive rates, subdivisions. Also, computer mapping and and the District’s portion is guaranteed by the geographic information systems are pro- Small Business Administration in the event vided in some areas. Certain Districts have of default. Other loan programs available extensive involvement with technology com- through the State of Mississippi include the munication systems, which further expand Mississippi Minority Business Enterprise Loan computer networks.