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Wiseman staying busy with transition |
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Sunday, 28 June 2009 |
By BRIAN HAWKINS
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For Parker Wiseman, the past month has been a whirlwind.
Since winning the race for mayor of Starkville on June 2, Wiseman’s life has been anything but dull as he prepares to take the reins of leadership at City Hall over the next week.
Though he and the new and returning members of the Board of Aldermen will take their oaths of office on Thursday, the official transfer of power will not occur until July 6 under a requirement set forth in state law.
The law mandates the official transfer for municipal governing authority to occur on the first Monday in July.
In the meantime, Wiseman says he eagerly anticipates what’s ahead for him and the new city administration.
“Transitions are interesting. You have so many things to be excited about, but you’re also moving from the global big picture of your election campaign and are put to the task of operationalizing the work ahead. It’s done one day at a time,” said Wiseman on Friday.
“It’s necessary to pick a direction in which to head initially and then break each day into tasks. You have to ask, ‘What are we doing today to advance the cause?”
Wiseman’s initial priority after being certified as the mayor-elect was to meet with current and incoming members of the Board of Aldermen. Doing so is important to helping set the agenda for the city, he said.
“I wanted to hear what goals they have for the next four years with respect to their individual wards and with respect to the city as a whole,” Wiseman said.
“The time after an election is a time where each of us have gotten a tremendous amount of feedback on the issues of the campaign. It’s important to have a good grasp of the insights they gathered while campaigning these past few months in addition to my own.”
Even more important is the building of relationships with each of the aldermen and they among themselves, Wiseman said.
“One of the most important elements that is necessary to have a productive process is that we as a governing body develop trust and respect for each other. It’s critical to building the working relationship and to building trust in what we do at City Hall,” Wiseman said.
“That trust only comes from getting to know one another on a personal level.”
Building relationships with community leaders and state officials is just as critical to the city’s success, Wiseman said.
Wiseman has met multiple times with Greater Starkville Development Partnership CEO Jon Maynard and joined him on a trip to Jackson to meet with Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Gray Swoope and his staff to discuss development opportunities and challenges facing the city.
At the suggestion of outgoing Mayor Dan Camp, Wiseman also attended a meeting of the Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority board of directors, of which he will become a voting member upon taking office. OCEDA is one of the GSDP’s member agencies.
Camp has been a “big help” in ensuring a smooth transition.
“His door has always been open at City Hall, and he included me in ongoing affairs of the city just days after I was elected,” Wiseman said. “He called me and said he thought It would be a good idea if I went to the OCEDA board meeting. That’s just one of many ways in which he’s been helpful.”
On Thursday, a day of public activities will mark the transition between the city administrations.
At 9 a.m. Thursday, a prayer breakfast will be held at First United Methodist Church and will feature several local ministers representing a cross-section of the community.
Following the prayer breakfast, the formal inaugural ceremony will take place in front of City Hall at 10:30 a.m.
U.S. District Court Judge Mike Mills, who was one of his law school professors at the University of Mississippi, will administer his oath of office, Wiseman said. The members of the Board of Aldermen — Ben Carver, Sandra Sistrunk, Eric Parker, Richard Corey, Jeremiah Dumas, Roy A. Perkins and Henry Vaughn Sr. — will also be sworn in during the ceremony.
He will also give a short address before a reception is held in the City Hall courtroom, Wiseman said.
At 7 p.m., a celebratory gala will be held at the State Theatre on Main Street to round out the day’s activities. Like the prayer breakfast and ceremony, the gala will be open to the public.
Funds for the prayer breakfast and gala have been raised by an inaugural committee, Wiseman said.
“There is nothing private or exclusive about any of these events. We want the public to come on out and join us in celebrating our city’s future,” Wiseman said. “This is an exciting time for Starkville.”
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Last Updated ( Monday, 29 June 2009 )
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