Senate Concurrent Resolution 590

(As Adopted by Senate and House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND SALUTING THE LEGACY OF PUBLIC SERVICE OF LONGTIME HINDS COUNTY SUPERVISOR GEORGE S. SMITH.

WHEREAS, Hinds County's longest serving Supervisor, The Honorable George S. Smith, has completed his last term of office. George Smith has served as Supervisor for District 5 for the last three decades, was President of the Board of Supervisors and was a former officer with the Mississippi Association of Supervisors. He has enjoyed serving the citizens of Hinds County and the people of Hinds County have been well-served by this dedicated public servant; and

WHEREAS, The Honorable George S. Smith has been a member of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors since 1980, and was one of the first two African-Americans elected District Supervisor since Reconstruction. After serving as the first African-American President of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors in June 1999, Mr. Smith was awarded the Trailblazer Award and was honored in the January 2000 issue of MAS Magazine as a "Proven Leader Through the New Milliennium." In June 2002, Supervisor Smith received special recognition from Washington University as an Elliott Fellow — "Governing in the Global Age"; and

WHEREAS, prior to holding an elected position, Mr. Smith has maintained his place in the community as an upstanding businessman since 1965. He is owner and operator of Smith Enterprises, which includes Smith's Superette, a community convenience store. The Smiths also operated a Goodyear Franchise in the Jackson Mall area for more than 10 years. George S. Smith has been a licensed professional insurance agent since 1988; and

WHEREAS, George S. Smith's introduction to government and public service came as a result of him accepting a job with the Governor to serve as Senior Staff Member and Advisor for Economic Development. He was the first African-American appointed to serve on both the Building Commission and the State Medicaid Commission; and

WHEREAS, as an elected official, Supervisor Smith was fully committed to serving Hinds County, and always eager to attend various functions as needed to maintain his personal high-level of community interest and support. He is a seasoned county official who works diligently on the local and national levels to address the needs of his county government. Mr. Smith was especially involved in economic development projects in the county. He promoted and supported the adoption of local policy that was considered "business friendly"; and

WHEREAS, the respect George Smith has fostered among his peers was evident by his having served several terms as both President and Vice President of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors. Supervisor Smith worked closely with, and within the National Association of Counties, where he served as Vice Chairman of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Steering Committee, and as a member of the National Association of Black County Officials; and

WHEREAS, born and raised in Hinds County, Mississippi, George S. Smith is a member of the Collis Hill Church of Christ Holiness USA in Terry, Mississippi. He attended Sumner Hill High School, Utica Junior College and Jackson State University. He received a Special Recognition Award as Outstanding Alumni from Jackson State University/Hinds Alumni Chapter in 1985; and received a Special Recognition Award for Outstanding Achievement in Government from Jackson State University/National Alumni in 1986. In February 2003, Mr. Smith received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from Hinds Community College, Utica Campus; and

WHEREAS, Supervisor George S. Smith agrees with others that the measure of his dedication to public service causes him to rise earlier mornings, and/or retire later evenings than many; but, then he sums it all up as his individual calling. His other civic activities include memberships in the following: Mississippi Rural Development Council; Mississippi Hall of Fame Sports Foundation; Central Mississippi Planning and Development District; Mississippi Consortium for International Development; Mississippi Ballet International USA, Inc.; John Bell Williams Airport Authority; Hinds Community College Development Foundation; Governor's Commission on Electronic Government; Downtown Convention Advisory Committee; Minority Economic Development Week Steering Committee; Jackson State University National Youth Sport Program; 100 Black Men of Jackson; the NAACP; American Red Cross; Hinds County Private Industry Council; Hinds County Health Alliance; Jackson State University Parkway Commission; Jackson State University E-City Committee; Mississippi State Committee on Taxation; Delta Regional Authority; Jackson Metro Housing Partnership; Metro Jackson Chamber of Commerce; Project HOOP-West Jackson Housing Partnership; West Jackson Community Development Corporation; Metro YMCA; Goodwill Industries; Operation Heartbeat of the American Heart Association; National Urban League; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we honor the work of this public servant who has enriched the lives of all his colleagues and fellow citizens:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize and salute the legacy of public service of longtime Hinds County Supervisor The Honorable George S. Smith and extend the best wishes of the Legislature to George and his family for future successes and the thanks of a grateful state for his service.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to George Smith, forwarded to the Hinds County Board of Supervisors, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.