My Husband the Politician

Today in the Starkville Daily News................

Dumas: Ward 5 run about quality of life

Wednesday, 29 April 2009

By KELLY DANIELS Starkville Daily News A local resident working as Mississippi State’s environmental director and the Starkville’s Community Market co-founder is also working to be elected Ward 5 alderman. Jeremiah Dumas, 29, a proclaimed backer of smart development and people-centered policies, says he has chosen to run for elective office so that he can contribute to extending the city’s quality of life to reach more people. “For most, Starkville provides a high quality of life, but I think we can do better and increase the quality of life for all,” Dumas said. “To do so, we must have a board that consists of proven, positive and progressive people.” For Dumas, quality of life issues include the physical, social and cultural realms, which means that officials much set in motion a process that facilitates the type of growth and development that enhances and sustains a high quality of life in order for Starkville to continue being competitive in educational and economic development aspects. “As a research professor whose research focus is community and transportation planning and having worked as a project manager with an award-winning landscape architecture and community planning firm, I understand planning, growth and development,” Dumas said. If elected, his top priority would be amending the city’s existing comprehensive plan. “The next board will be responsible for the amendment of the comprehensive plan and considering that this document guides all growth and development within the city, it is imperative that this document be adopted and sound in principle,” he said. “With experience in community and urban planning, I have the expertise needed to facilitate this process and work hand in hand with the city planner.” Challenges and opportunities As with any growing municipality, Dumas says there are several challenges facing Starkville. “I believe that the biggest challenge is growth and development,” he said. “Starkville will continue to grow and in order to sustain and even enhance our quality of life, we must have a solid framework in place to sequence and guide development.” Additionally, the city faces the challenge of addressing its need for a municipal complex which Dumas calls an eyesore and a poor welcome mat for the city. “For a university city that is progressive and showcased, we must move forward with the development of a complex that is welcoming, accessible and within the city core,” he said. “Civic facilities are needed within the community core and can be used to energize areas of great need.” Finally, Dumas says, the city faces the challenge of practicing better university and community relations. With new leaders of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership and Mississippi State University, Dumas believes the city has the ability to blur the edge between the university and the city, he said. “The CottonMill development is a perfect example of the potential that can be reached when a sound partnership is in place, however, we can do better and considering the growth potential around the university, we must have a board in place that can speak the language, has the existing networks and is progressive in thought,” he said. Starkville’s biggest opportunities, according to Dumas, lie within the city’s growth, economic development and quality of life. “People move to Starkville because of our existing quality of life and considering the cultural enhancements that have occurred over the past few years, it is encouraging to witness the change and see the growth,” he said. “Couple this with the economic opportunities that are being explored with the new Greater Starkville Development Partnership administration and the networks and connections with the new university administration and it is apparent that great things are on the horizon and the next Board of Aldermen must be amendable and facilitate these opportunities.” The role that the Board of Aldermen plays with these opportunities is vital, he says, while the connection with the university and the GSDP is not direct. “Most importantly, we must have a growth framework in place with the amended comprehensive plan that will guide all development in a sound manner so that our quality of life is enhanced and sustained,” he said. “Second, we must have a municipal complex that represents the city of Starkville as a progressive and accessible city and thirdly, we must develop connections and networks between the city of Starkville, the university, the Greater Starkville Development Partnership and Oktibbeha County so that we move together in a unified manner and with a consistent message.” “For the past couple of years, I have enjoyed volunteering and success at the grassroots level,” Dumas said, who was recently recognized by the Starkville Rotary Club as a Paul Harris Fellow for his achievements in community service. “But it is my hope to take that same level of passion and experience to the administrative level and help Starkville reach its highest potential. For this reason, I ask the people of Ward 5 for their vote and support.” Dumas and his wife, Hope, have four children. He attends First United Methodist Church in Starkville and is the cofounder and chairperson of the Starkville Community Market. He is a coach for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Golden Triangle Area Team-in-Training. He also serves as an executive committee member of the Mississippi Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects and as a member of the Johnny Cash Flower Pickin’ Festival Planning Committee.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 29 April 2009 )