MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2006 1st Extraordinary Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Flowers, Albritton, Browning, Burton, Butler, Carmichael, Dearing, Frazier, Gollott, Gordon, Hyde-Smith, Jackson (11th), King, Kirby, Little, Mettetal, Michel, Morgan, Pickering, Posey, Thames, Tollison, White, Wilemon
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF NICK WALTERS AS MISSISSIPPI'S STATE DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
WHEREAS, through hard work and dedication, Nick Walters has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments during his tenure as Mississippi's State Director of the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Develop Program, from March 2001 to August 2006:
· Supervised and administered the distribution of between $200 and $250 Million per fiscal year of federal funds into rural Mississippi.
· Supplemented the agency's Congressionally-appointed money with additional federal funds of between $70 and $120 Million per year (by working the "pool" of unused money at the USDA national office).
· Initiated and spearheaded USDA Rural Development's efforts in Mississippi to help victims of Hurricane Katrina in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, which included transporting FEMA personnel into rural areas for assessments of damage and debris; making thousands of vacant USDA multifamily apartment units available for evacuees.
· Opening and manning the first four Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) and manning all subsequent DRCs.
· Working for USDA waivers that opened to all Katrina-affected areas USDA Rural Development Programs that are traditionally available only to rural areas; and
WHEREAS, under Nick Walters' leadership, this Katrina relief effort, mostly designed to help in the 90 days after the hurricane, is especially pertinent in that USDA Rural Development has no mandated role in disaster relief; and
WHEREAS, while bringing in more agency program money, Nick Walters' efforts simultaneously reduced agency overhead, or administrative costs by over $1 Million annually. He substantially increased visibility of the agency by concentrating on outreach, educating legislators, local elected officials, water association officials and businessmen about agency programs. He dramatically increased the agency's involvement in health care, including financing of significant buildings and expansions of hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities. This effort increased the agency's outreach to education, including making school districts aware of grant eligibility, and funded grants to school districts as well as distance-learning programs for public schools; and
WHEREAS, Nick Walters was the third State Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development (formerly known as the Farmers Home Administration). President George W. Bush appointed him to this position in March of 2001. He will serve until August of 2006; and
WHEREAS, Nick Walters, a native of Wiggins, Mississippi, is a seventh generation Mississippian. He holds both a Bachelor and Master of Arts degree in History from Mississippi College. He has been recognized for his leadership in Mississippi's economic and community development; and
WHEREAS, he was named one of the Mississippi Business Journal's "Top Forty Under Forty" Business Leaders for 2001. He was a member of the Mississippi Blues Commission, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the University of Southern Mississippi's Economic Development Advisory Board; and
WHEREAS, he is married to the former Lisa DeCell of Memphis, Tennessee, and they have two sons, Porter and John Garrett, and one daughter, Betsy. The Walters are members of First Baptist Church of Jackson and reside in Ridgeland, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize the accomplishments of this Mississippian whose administration of an important federal program has enhanced the effective delivery of services to hurricane victims and brought recognition to our state:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the dedicated public service of Nick Walters as Mississippi's State Director of the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development Program, on the occasion of the end of his directorship, and extend to him and his family the best wishes of the Legislature on this occasion.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Nick Walters and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.