National Police Week is May 15-21 and Collins Mayor V.O. Smith and the Board of Aldermen would like to thank officers with the Collins Police Department for their service to the city. The Collins Police Department under Chief Joey Ponder is made up of 24 employees including 17 sworn officers.
The Boys and Girls Club of Covington County will host its 19th annual Steak and Steak Dinner and Silent Auction on Saturday, May 14. The silent auction will begin at 6 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m.
The event will be held at the Collins Civic Center and will include food, fun and fellowship. The theme for this year is a “Be Great Celebration, A Red-Carpet Event” with guest speaker Freddie McNair, head football coach at Alcorn State University.
Tickets are $100 for individuals and $500 for a table.
The event is designed for the club to celebrate the commitment of the community to support the Boys and Girls Club of Covington County.
The only major fundraiser for the club, the money received from the event goes to help operate four sites across the county: Collins, Hopewell, Mount Olive and Seminary. The clubs are open at least 10 months of the year, and during the summer the club operates ten hours a day.
For more information or for tickets, please call 601-765-6300.
Covington County Hospital’s Board of Trustees promoted the hospital’s Chief Operating Officer to Chief Executive Officer during its board meeting. Gregg Gibbes assumed the position on April 28.
“I want to thank the Board of Trustees for giving me this opportunity to serve the county. I have received a tremendous amount of support from the Board of Supervisors, the community and also the employees,” said Gibbes.
Gibbes previously served Covington County Hospital as Clinic Director and was later promoted to Chief Operating Officer. Before coming to the hospital, Gibbes was employed with South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel, MS, as Clinic Director.
Gibbes is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi where he received his Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Health. He also obtained his bachelor’s degree in accounting from USM.
Covington County Hospital is a 25-bed critical access hospital that provides quality medical care to the people of Collins, Covington County, and nearby areas. It also operates four family care clinics; an Outpatient Specialty Clinic; Brightside, a senior behavioral service, and Arrington Living Center, a skilled nursing facility. Altogether, it employs nearly 300 people. For more information, visit covingtoncountyhospital.com or call 601-765-6711
The STAR (Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition) Student for the 2015-2016 school year by The Mississippi Economic Council’s (MEC) M. B. Swayze Foundation has announces the STAR (Student-Teacher Achievement 2 selected on the basis of academic excellence. Both American College Test scores and scholastic averages are compared to determine the school’s STAR Student, explained Vickie Powell, Senior Vice President of Foundations for MEC.
“The STAR program encourages and promotes academic achievement among Mississippi’s high school seniors.
Each STAR student is asked to designate a STAR teacher, the teacher who has made the greatest contribution to the student’s scholastic achievement.
Jessica Ingram was named STAR student at Collins High School and her STAR Teacher was Jan Rowzee. Jessica is the daughter of Tasha and Doug Ingram of Collins.
Crowds gathered Saturday, May 7 at the 27th annual Okatoma Festival.
The streets of downtown Collins were filled with vendors from all over the state selling arts and crafts and more.
The activities began Saturday with a 5K Run/Walk at 8 a.m.
The headline musical act was country music singer Travis Clark. Other artists included the 6550 band and Rachele Lynae.
Honored guest for the festival was Mount Olive native and Miss Mississippi Hannah Roberts. Roberts was named first runner-up to Miss America.
Other activities at the festival included a rubber duck race, art and quilt exhibits, performances, a parade and rides for the children.
The corridor through the City of Collins is about to be a lot brighter thanks to a $717,000 grant.
The city received a grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) for new LED light fixtures. The fixtures and extended service area will provide a more consistent lighting footprint thus increasing visibility as well as providing a safer, more attractive means of travel. The LED bulbs are also more efficient due to the longer lifespan and increased energy efficiency when compared to the existing high pressure sodium lighting.
The lighting project will be along U.S. Highway 49 and the new Highway 84 bypass. New street lights will be installed on Highway 49 from the bypass north to the Rutland Lumber Yard and along the 84 bypass. Existing lighting will be updated along Highway 49 through Collins.
The grant is a 20 percent match with the city’s share being $143,000.
“This project will provide a safer means of travel at night,” said Mayor V.O. Smith of the project. “It will also help economic growth
for the city by attracting new customers and making nighttime travelers and shoppers feel safer on the highways.”
Smith noted that the addition of the new lights would present a good image for the city.
“It makes Collins feel more like a city than a rural area thus bringing more businesses to the area,” he said. “We are excited about the project.”
Work on the project is tentatively set to begin in June with the submission of plans, specifications and cost estimates. Advertisement for bids is expected to take place in January 2017 with construction beginning in June 2017.
“The project is expected to be completed by October of 2017,” said Smith.
Mayor V.O. Smith was featured in the Spring issue of Our South Magazine.
Story by Joanna Holbert • Our South Magazine
Growing up as a young boy in rural Covington County Mississippi, V.O. Smith had no ambitions for holding public office. In fact, the path he created for himself after graduating from Lone Star High School was that of an ambitious man.
“I was more interested in business,” he said. In his early adult life, Smith owned and operated several businesses in the City of Collins. He owned a Sears catalog store, the Chicken Box restaurant, a discount bread store and a convenience store, “Smith’s Curb Mart.” “The Curb Mart was the first quick stop store in Collins,” he recalled.
It was during those days of operating the businesses that he was approached to run for office. “Several merchants came to me and asked me to run for alderman,” he said. After much consideration, Smith agreed to run for a seat on the board. He was elected to the Board of Alderman for the city in 1977. During his time on the board, Smith realized his love for helping others.
“I have always liked to help people,” he said. “It’s nice to be able to help them solve their problems.”
It was only a few short years later that he ran and was elected to the Mayor’s office. Now, 35 years later, Smith joins Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler of Madison as the two longest serving mayors in the State of Mississippi. It’s a position he has held because he has not forgotten his commitment to the residents and, today, still strives to help them solve their problems.
“In the early days, the city was very small and we had limited equipment,” he said. At the time, Collins only had one garbage truck, one dump truck, one backhoe and one tractor. “Now we have about 40 different types of equipment for the city,” Smith noted.
It was always the Mayor’s goal to keep spending down and protect the taxpayers of the city.
“We wanted to save the taxpayers’ money, and one of the ways we have done that over the years is by doing some of the work ourselves on projects that the city has taken on.”
With his eyes set on helping the city grow and prosper, Smith had to address current issues. “In those early days we had a lot of abandoned houses in the city limits,” he said. Smith learned early on that the way to help the city was by searching for grant monies that are available to municipalities.
“We submitted an application for a grant and received it,” he said, “and we were able to take down the abandoned houses.”
Infrastructure issues were also a concern for Smith during the early years. Serving as a volunteer fireman for 27 years for the city, his calling to serve was put to use.
“Early on, the rating for the fire department was at an eight,” he said. “The lower the number, the better the rating you have. In order for us to lower our rating, we had to face the challenges of our water.”
The city spent much time and energy working to improve the water lines and the city’s water pressure. They also added two new water tanks and fire trucks. “When we were able to do that, the department’s rating dropped to a five,” he said.
Today, the city enjoys excellent service from all departments.
“I acted as the police chief and the judge when I started out as Mayor,” Smith laughed. “I just made sure I thought before I answered as the judge!”
In those early days while he played dual roles, Smith as the police chief received phone calls day and night.
“There were a lot of nights that I would get called out,” he said.
Today, Smith still considers his telephone number a public number.
“I have it posted on the door of my office,” he said. “I am a 24-hour-a-day mayor.”
That ‘round the clock title is one he wear proudly. Often times Smith can be seen in the evenings up and down Main Street in Collins planting flowers, watering trees and maintaining the green spaces.
“I just enjoy it,” he said.
The beauty of the city’s Main Street is something in which Smith takes much pride.
“It took me several years to convince our Board of Aldermen that we needed to work on our Main Street,” he said. “I was finally able to convince the board to let me redo one block. It set the community on fire and the board agreed to doing two more blocks. That was a $530,000 project that took us two years to finish.”
When it comes to city projects, Smith gets to work alongside city crews doing whatever needs to be done to improve the city.
“My hobby is working,” he laughed. “I don’t hunt or fish or play golf. I like to go antiquing and travel to antique auctions.”
The Mayor, often times, can be found at his antique store on Main Street in Collins unloading his newest finds in the evening hours after tending to the city’s business.
“Every night after work, I go to work on my own projects,” he said. “I usually work until 8 or 9 at night.”
He owns a number of rental properties in the city and spends countless hours fixing and maintaining the properties.
“I was laughing with someone the other day when I told them that my relaxing time is when I’m painting a building,” he smiled.
Today, the City of Collins enjoys much growth. It boasts a larger, progressive police department under the direction of Chief Joey Ponder; a state of the art fire department under Chief John Pope; a solid, quality public works department under Director Bob Shoemake and an innovative online presence under the guidance of City Clerk Suzette Davis. Smith noted that he is proud of the fact that the police officers have body cameras and the city already has six video cameras in the police cars.
“We had eight men on the police department when I started, and now we are up to 18 with full and part time men. We have a good fleet of cars and everything in our department is up to date.”
As a longtime, small town mayor, Smith has been active in organizations throughout the state. He is the past president of the Mississippi Municipal League and now serves on the Board of Directors. He’s also the chairman of the Mississippi Service Company, a board on which he has served since 1989. The Mississippi Service Company is for insurance for Mississippi cities and towns, and Smith is the longest serving member on the board.
“Over the years, I’ve been able to see a lot of changes in our city,” he said. “I’m thankful for our longtime city employees who come to work each day. I’m also very appreciative to the voters of Collins for allowing me to serve them. Working over the years with 15 different aldermen has been something I have enjoyed. We could not have done anything in the City of Collins without their support.”
Today, Collins enjoys new growth and expanding and new businesses in the city.
“Our new Peoples Bank and Woolwine Ford dealership show growth in the city. We are proud to have these new businesses like the new Clayton Pharmacy, Taylor Place shopping center, McDonald’s and many others coming to Collins,” he said. “It saves our residents from having to go out of town to shop, and it helps our city too.”
Smith prides himself on the fact that in his 35 years as mayor, Collins has never seen an increase in the millage rate.
“We are at 11 mills just like we were then,” he said. “We run the city like a business and we watch our spending. We do most of our own work and stay within our means. We don’t spend it if we don’t have it.
“One thing I’ll say about our growth is that we couldn’t have done it without the grant money we have received,” said Smith. “We have received millions and millions of dollars in grant money. The City of Collins has probably received the most grant money of any city our size.”
Smith explained that part of the reason for Collins receiving the money is knowing where to go to get it.
“That’s one thing I think I have learned pretty well over the years,” he said. “I’ve learned where to go and who to talk to for us to find funds to do the things we have wanted to do in the city.”
Smith said the city works with grant writers out of Jackson. One of Smith’s favorite undertakings was the grant to restore the Collins Depot which now acts as a meeting place for weddings, receptions and special events. It’s complete with memorabillia from the old days in Collins. Although the funds are available, it doesn’t mean that they are quick to get.
“It took us 13 years to get the Civic Center,” he said.
The Collins Civic Center which opened just a few years ago was a project that Smith made his personal mission.
“We are very proud of the civic center,” he said. “We are even more proud of our new Senior Citizens Center which opened in December.”
Smith knew he wanted to open a Senior Citizens Center in the city for the senior adults.
“It was something we wanted to have as a place where seniors could go and enjoy a meal, play games, take a quilting class or exercise class and just enjoy spending time there,” Smith said.
The Senior Citizens Center was also built with grant funds which Smith was able to secure for the city. Other projects within the city have included restoration of the city’s eight ballparks, three walking trails, two tennis courts and other two playgrounds. He noted that he keeps in mind that the City of Collins should be a place where families enjoy living and working. That’s the way it has been for Smith, his wife Ada, and their children Neil, Lynn and Lana. Now he gets to enjoy spending time in the city he helped grow with his grandchildren.
“It’s our goal as a small town to do anything that will make the quality of life for all of our citizens better,” he said. “When our citizens are happy that’s the best part of the job.”
The power outage scheduled by Mississippi Power for the City of Collins on Friday, May 13, 2016 has been canceled. For questions or more information, please contact Collins City Hall at 601-765-4491.
Collins Fire Chief John Pope was named to the Mississippi Business Journal’s “Top 50 Under 40” 2016 class. The Top 50 Under 40 program seeks to identify and recognize individuals who have made signficant contributions to Mississippi’s overall economic progress, often working at their own local levels. Since its inception in 1993, the Top 50 Under 40 program has honored hundreds of Mississippi business leaders who are playing active day-to-day roles in moving the state’s economy forward. However, the Top 50 Under 40 is anything but a single-business awards program. Recipients have come from virtually every walk of life. Individuals are nominated by friends or business associates who best know their professional and civic involvement. “It is humbling to even be considered to be a part of this group,” said Pope. “I’m honored to know that someone would nominate me.” Pope attended an awards luncheon held at the Jackson Hilton on Thursday, April 7 where he was presented with a plaque. Pope actively protects the largest petroleum industry infrastructures in the southeastern United States, located in Collins and has served his community and state for nearly 20 years. Active in civic and professional organizations, Pope and his family live in Collins.
The Okatoma Festival t-shirts are in! The shirts are available at all the banks in the City of Collins, according to Covington County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Marie Shoemake. The shirts cost $15 and represent the theme of this year’s festival, “Home Sweet Home.” The Okatoma Festival will be held on Saturday, May 7 in Downtown Collins. This year’s honored guest will be Miss Mississippi Hannah Roberts. Roberts, a Mount Olive native was first runner-up to the Miss America title.