House Concurrent Resolution 101

(As Adopted by House and Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE LATE MR. DEWEY TOWNSEND FOR HIS DISTINGUISHED CIVIC LEADERSHIP AND NUMEROUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT BENEFITED THE PEOPLE OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND THE CITY OF WINONA.

WHEREAS, during his life, Dewey Townsend was an integral leader for the City of Winona, Mississippi, and the whole of Montgomery County, and played a vital role in many initiatives that improved and sustained Winona; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Townsend's leadership skills and diplomatic qualities earned him the respect of all parties involved in municipal and community service, as well as in education; and

WHEREAS, breaking barriers, Mr. Townsend was elected as the first African-American member of the Board of Aldermen for the City of Winona, faithfully serving the city for 14 years, during which time he was able to accomplish a magnitude of positive changes which benefited all of Winona's citizens; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Townsend was always supportive of working families that required two incomes for the families to meet their financial needs, and he recruited many businesses so that those families could make a decent and productive living in the town they love; and

WHEREAS, in addition to helping create recreational facilities for children and their families, Mr. Townsend also played a key role in designing affordable housing that ensured every family had a home; and

WHEREAS, working alongside George Harris, Mr. Townsend was instrumental in the success of the Highway 82 Bypass construction project, which has four lanes running from Greenwood to Starkville and continues to connect families to this very day; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Townsend believed that the key to his success in working with others toward a greater goal was a combination of strong leadership, cooperation and collaboration, and while serving on a multitude of boards and committees he would listen quietly in the background assessing and formulating a plan to first bring people together before moving forward; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Townsend strategized the "field of play," setting goals and objectives in order to solve problems related to a variety of issues affecting the community, including financial, racial relations, economic development, city and county government and education; and

WHEREAS, his ability to get things done led to the success of many important construction projects such as: the construction of the Highway 82 Bypass, the construction and management of Winona Ballpark and Coliseum, the widening of Highway 51, the addition of sidewalks along Highway 51, the improvement of the Powell Street Community Center, the paving of North Central Avenue, the construction of the Zion district building, and the opening of the industrial park in Winona; and

WHEREAS, recognizing that the recruitment of businesses stimulates the economy and benefits every citizen, Mr. Townsend was instrumental in persuading many businesses to locate in the Winona area, including Multi-craft, K-1, Corrulite, Steele Apparel, and a shirt factory; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Townsend believed that public services and benefits offered by the City of Winona should be readily available to all of its citizens, and he took the lead in ensuring that water was provided to residents in south Winona, instituting garbage pickup by the city, and rejecting the plan for a toxic waste dump in Winona; and

WHEREAS, he believed that education is the backbone of success in life, and Mr. Townsend did everything in his power to provide that the children in Montgomery County were well-educated, by his leadership in consolidating county schools and securing four-year university scholarships for many students; and

WHEREAS, in addition to his many civic accomplishments, Mr. Townsend was also an outstanding educator, helping students realize their full potential while serving in a multitude of roles, including: 16 years as Senior Supervisor for the State Department of Education Title I Program for eight counties and 24 school districts, one year as Title I Coordinator for Montgomery County, eight years as Principal of Montgomery County Vocational High School, and 13 years as Teacher of Vocational Agriculture at Spring Hill; and

WHEREAS, demonstrating the value that he placed on education, Mr. Townsend received a masters of school administration from Tuskegee Institute, a bachelor of vocational agricultural education at Alcorn A&M, and completed secondary and elementary education at Spring Hill School; and

WHEREAS, in addition, his dedication to educating the youth of his community was evidenced by leading Spring Hill to Farming and Livestock District, State and National championships; and

WHEREAS, recognizing the employment needs of veterans, Mr. Townsend worked with veterans after World War II to help them resume occupations as farmers using new procedures and helped the community open a Spring Hill Canning Plant; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Townsend held many elected office positions and was a member of many important organizations, including: Board of Aldermen for the City of Winona, Economic Development Council Vice President and Board of Directors member, President of the Montgomery Retired Teachers Association, member of the Zoning Board for the City of Winona, Montgomery County Forestry Association member, Tom Dulin Foundation member, member of Headstart which was the first anti-poverty community action program, member of the Advisory Council for Mental Health, member of the Historic Preservation Commission, member of the Arts Council, Chairman of Board of Directors and Treasurer for the Zion District Association, board member for Habitat for Humanity, and member of the Leadership Committee, which was designed to produce leaders of the future; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Townsend bravely served his country and state for four and a half years during World War II while stationed in Europe and was blessed to be able to return home and continue serving his community; and

WHEREAS, in addition to his civic service, Mr. Townsend was a devoted Christian, serving faithfully as a Spring Hill deacon and church clerk; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize individuals such as Dewey Townsend, who have been true leaders in their communities and who tirelessly worked to improve the lives of the people who surrounded them:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize and commend the late Mr. Dewey Townsend for his distinguished civic leadership and numerous accomplishments, which brought unparalleled positive change to the City of Winona and Montgomery County.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the family of Mr. Dewey Townsend, to the City of Winona and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.