MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2005 2nd Extraordinary Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Kirby, Burton, Dearing, Frazier, Gollott, Gordon, Harvey, Hyde-Smith, Jordan, Mettetal, Morgan, Posey, Thames, Thomas, White
A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE OF STATE FORESTER JAMES L. (JIM) SLEDGE, JR., AND CONGRATULATING HIM ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT.
WHEREAS, James L. (Jim) Sledge, Jr., Mississippi State Forester, announced his retirement, effective May 31, 2005; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sledge has served with distinction as Director of the Mississippi Forestry Commission since 1991, and is the longest serving State Forester in the agency's 79-year history; and
WHEREAS, Jim Sledge led his agency through reorganization in the early 1990s, reducing 7 districts to 6 and reassigning work responsibilities, with significant cost savings; modernized the state's wildfire-fighting equipment and established a "career ladder" training and advancement system for field employees; and
WHEREAS, under his direction, the Forestry Commission moved from a fire-tower-based county fire detection and dispatching system to a modern centralized dispatching system utilizing computers and aircraft, with initial savings of almost $2 Million; and
WHEREAS, he oversaw the establishment of the Forestry Commission's Federal Excess Property Program, which transfers federal excess fire-fighting equipment to local volunteer fire departments; the creation of a Global Information System Department within his agency; and the development of the second generation of genetically improved trees at the Forestry Commission's forest tree improvement facility at Baxterville; and
WHEREAS, under his direction, the Forestry Commission partnered with Alcorn State University and Mississippi Valley State University to establish an underserved landowner outreach program and assigned a Mississippi Forestry Commission Forester to work with Alcorn State University in a continuing outreach effort; and
WHEREAS, the Forestry Commission's Information and Education Program was strengthened during Sledge's tenure, with the Commission-sponsored Project Learning Tree Environmental Education Program training more than 12,500 educators in this award-winning curriculum, winning a second Gold Star Award in 2004 (Project Learning Tree's highest international award), the first of 50 states to do so; and
WHEREAS, Mississippi's Urban and Community Forestry Program also advanced under Sledge's direction, forming the Mississippi Urban Forest Council (a Forestry Commission vehicle for helping Mississippi cities and communities manage trees on public property), which will soon achieve independent status; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sledge was instrumental in establishing the Task Force for Forestry Strategic Initiative for Economic Development, established by Lieutenant Governor Amy Tuck, which later led to the establishment of the Mississippi Institute for Forest Inventory, an independent agency charged with assessing the total forest resources of Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, State Forester Sledge served with honor as President of the National Association of State Foresters and hosted that prestigious organization's annual meeting here in Mississippi in 2004; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Sledge was named the 2003 "Alumni Fellow" for the Mississippi State University College of Forest Resources; and
WHEREAS, the DeKalb native worked in the forest industry for nearly 30 years prior to being appointed Mississippi State Forester; and
WHEREAS, he is married to the former Bettye Bounds of DeKalb. They have two outstanding children, Dr. J.L. (Buddy) Sledge III, head of the History Department of Truett-McConnell Jr. College in Cleveland, Georgia, and Jayne Jowers, an English teacher at Kemper Academy in DeKalb; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize the dedicated service of this public servant who has brought honor to his agency, his industry and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend State Forester Jim Sledge for his dedicated and exemplary professional service to the State of Mississippi and sincerely wish him a long and healthy retirement.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to State Forester Sledge and members of the Mississippi Forestry Commission, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.