While numerous political controversies, flash points and moments of ballyhoo have drawn attention in Starkville, the city’s mayor and board of aldermen quietly accomplished almost all of the goals defined by the administration’s strategic plan for the term.
Early on, Mayor Parker Wiseman and the city’s seven aldermen developed 12 goals to complete four key missions: grow Starkville’s retail base, improve its quality of life, make municipal operations more efficient and strengthen the city’s infrastructure and financial health.
Eleven of those goals were either accomplished or saw significant progress in the last 39 months. Work toward a future expansion of Starkville’s incorporated limits, however, stalled this term and will likely be passed to the 2017-2021 administration.
“Through all of the disagreements we’ve had — and there have been many — the board continued to focus its efforts on these goals,” Wiseman said. “Set an agenda, put it in writing, focus your efforts and hold yourself accountable — that’s the best anybody can ask from a governing body. Regardless of how anyone feels about the eight of us, objectively you have to say we scored well on this endeavor.”
Retail success, industrial anticipation
Developing courses of action for retail and industrial attraction was one of the biggest successes in terms of the strategic plan this term.
Aldermen made it a goal to add 100,000 square feet of new retail space, but Starkville eclipsed that mark, adding 150,499 square feet of new space this term. That figure does not include the almost 62,000-square-foot Academy Sports location coming to west Starkville next year.
Officials are also optimistic a $14 million partnership with the county and the Golden Triangle Development LINK will re-introduce Starkville as a competitor for industry.
This year, both governing bodies financially pledged to construct a 400-acre industrial park northeast of the Highway 82-Highway 25 bypass. That action represents Starkville’s and Oktibbeha County’s first earnest attempt to re-enter the world of industrial enticement since developing the fledgling Cornerstone Park.
Downtown housing boom
The plan to improve Starkville’s quality of life focused on three goals: adopting comprehensive plan for city growth and a master plan for its park system; constructing at least two miles of multi-use sidewalks and trails; and adding more residents to the downtown and university corridors.
The city’s biggest success in this category came with the housing boom in the areas connecting Mississippi State University to its historical retail center.
Aldermen set a goal of adding spaces for 30 new residents in the areas including Russell and Lampkin streets, University Drive and Highway 182. Approximately 361 bed spaces have been created through various condominium and apartment projects along those corridors since 2013, and the second phase of The Gin, located on Russell Street, is set to push that mark to 413 new residents this term.
Wiseman said the sheer volume of growth can be attributed to the city’s form-based codes guiding development and the completion of the Mill at MSU development, which is serving as an economic catalyst for the area.
As for new sidewalks and bike paths, Starkville added 1.69 miles from the Lynn Lane multi-use path project this year alone, and the Russell Street redesign is projected to add another .78 miles of infrastructure next year. Additionally, the 2018 Louisville Street bike path will produce another 1.09 miles of public infrastructure, while the city, county and university are partnering to develop pathways connecting Locksley Way, Spring Street and Blackjack Road to the university.
Efficiency and infrastructure
In an effort to make government more efficient, aldermen set goals of evaluating the viability of combining Starkville Electric Department with the city’s water and sewer division; solving Starkville Police Department’s facility needs; and enacting an employee pay scale that is competitive, fair and livable.
The electric and water departments were merged in 2015, and the board also solved the SPD issue in August when aldermen approved a $4.48 million contract to renovate its former city hall for police usage. The work is forecast to conclude in May.
Debt service on the project’s associated general obligation bonds will be funded by an additional 1-mill levy championed by Ward 6 Alderman Roy A. Perkins, who traditionally opposes tax increases.
“The renovation to the Starkville Police Department has always been a major priority of mine, and that is one of the great accomplishments for this mayor and board of aldermen,” he said. “At this point, we need to ensure we follow through with the project to make sure the building is ready and fully furnished once it is completed before the end of our term.”
In September, aldermen mandated a minimum $10-per-hour pay rate for all city employees begin July 1 and approved new progression plans for sanitation, street and water department employees.
Ward 2 Alderman Lisa Wynn routinely argued for minimum pay standards and cost-of-living adjustments each year for city employees.
“(Low wages) posed a concern because once they received training and various certifications, many were lost to nearby municipalities for much more pay,” she said.
Other finance- and infrastructure-related goals included adopting a capital improvements plan by the end of 2014, growing general fund revenues 2 percent per year outside of the ad valorem tax rate and maintaining reserve funds of at least 5 percent of the total general fund revenues.
Starkville missed its 2014 target for a capital improvements plan but did fund a $2.7 million project list in 2015.
Total general fund revenues grew 11.5 percent from Fiscal Year 2014 to FY 2015, while revenues outside of one-time grants grew 7 percent in the same timeframe. Additionally, the FY 2015 audit showed Starkville’s unassigned general fund balance was at 7.3 percent of its total general funds revenue.
Ward 5 Alderman Scott Maynard, who chairs the city’s budget and audit committee, said growing the city’s general fund reserves provides a safety net if sales and property tax revenue growth dips in the future.
“While we have been fortunate to have experienced continued growth in our tax revenues, that may not always be the case,” he said. “One of the main goals of this term was to ensure that we were on solid financial ground moving forward.”
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.