STARKVILLE — When former Ward 5 Alderman Jeremiah Dumas thinks of Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins, he thinks of alcohol sales.
“We were changing the alcohol sales ordinance, and we were looking at Sunday alcohol sales and a lot of different things,” said Dumas, who served from 2005 to 2013. “… Vice Mayor Perkins was clearly on the opposite side of the spectrum that I was in terms of that process. But I remember about five minutes into that conversation … he stood up at his seat and started preaching from the table. … As strong as I supported (alcohol sales), I was almost moved to having other thoughts.”
Dumas’ story was one of many told on Wednesday night, as the mayor, current and former aldermen, and others acknowledged Perkins’s 30-year-anniversary of service to the city. Perkins was initially sworn in as Ward 6 alderman on July 6, 1993, and is serving his eighth consecutive term.
To acknowledge his years of service, Mayor Lynn Spruill read a resolution renaming a portion of Hiwassee Drive, between Hospital Road and Carver Drive, as “Roy A.’ Perkins Way.” She also read a proclamation naming July 6 “Vice Mayor Roy A.’ Perkins Day” for the city.
“I am very appreciative of the vice mayor and all he has done for the city of Starkville in his 30 years,” Spruill told The Dispatch. “… He certainly has been an inspiration in how he deals with his constituents and with the city in general.”
Each sitting alderman expressed their admiration for Perkins as a consistent and dedicated civil servant, colleague and for many, a friend.
“I’m in this business because of Roy,” Ward 7 Alderman Henry Vaughn said. “I tried to quit three or four times and he wouldn’t let me quit. … This is my fourth time fighting Roy. … I love you and I love you for making me stay in it. I have stayed in it, and I have tried to imitate a lot of your characteristics.”
Perkins appeared to be holding back tears as he answered the board.
“Mayor, I’m really thankful to you and the board for your expressions of … gratitude, appreciation and recognition of my 30 years of service as an alderman,” Perkins said. “I will always remember this as one of the greatest days of my life.”
But Perkins said he hopes to continue serving the public for many years to come.
“For my 30 years of service as an alderman, I am not tired yet,” Perkins said. “I am committed to continue to serve. And hopefully I will be perceived that way with distinction, excellence, prominence, perseverance and faithfulness. That’s the legacy I want to leave.”
Needmore Community Center
After tearing down the former 6,000-square-foot Needmore Community Center building last year, aldermen Wednesday accepted a $2.3 million bid from Mills Contracting to move forward with construction of a new, smaller community center.
The project on the new 3,000-square-foot center will begin within the next month, Spruill said, and should be complete by summer 2024.
“At the very least, it was a dilapidated building that was not serving the community well at all,” Spruill said.
“Hopefully, this will allow the community in its entirety to enjoy a new building, have parties, family reunions, birthday parties. … It will be more serviceable and certainly more attractive. It will have a playground area and green space. Hopefully it will be more amenable to what the neighborhood wants.”
It is part of an array of projects in the $16 million parks master plan that will upgrade park facilities across the city. The plan’s projects will be funded by bonds, which will be repaid with 3% city tourism sales tax revenue.
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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 48 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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