02 February 2024 Final

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
We Forge a New Path in the Wake of Change
Life is full of changes. Some
of them for the good of all,
some that allow us to gain
perspective, and some truly
heartbreaking. As an organization,
we’ve dealt with all
three recently. Harriet Tubman
once said “Every great
dream begins with a dreamer.
Always remember, you have
within you the strength, the
patience, and the passion to
reach for the stars to change
the world.” What a poignant
quote, and one that we
should all take to heart as we
enter this new era of change.
We are all dreamers, and we
can change the world.
I’ll begin with a change the
LMA has made recently that
is for the good of us all. It’s
hard to believe our Mid-Winter
Conference is already on
our heels, but here we are
in February with our plans
in place. I’m looking forward
to seeing you all, finding
out how you’ve been doing
in your respective communities,
and offering any assistance
or guidance I can
give. With a packed program
of workshops and speakers,
each of us is sure to be taking
a lot of newfound knowledge
back to our cities, towns, and
villages.
I’m incredibly excited to be
unveiling our newest LMA
program at our Mid-Winter
Conference on February 26
and 27 in Marksville, as it will
offer us all a pathway to certifications
through our own
professional development.
The Louisiana Municipal
Leadership Academy (LMLA)
has been designed with each
of you in mind. The LMLA
I ask you to never give up hope. I ask
you to remain hopeful that the passage
of time will bring with it the dreams we
long for and so deeply believe in.
will offer credit for attending
LMA trainings, conferences,
conventions, district meetings,
and the like. Mayors,
aldermen, and council members
are all eligible due to
automatic enrollment, but
each will be required to utilize
an online platform for the
awarding of credit. We delve
deeper into all of the ins and
outs in this month’s Louisiana
Municipal Review, and I encourage
each of you to read
the story in detail so you can
come to our Mid-Winter Conference
with any questions
you may have, and show up
ready to begin your pathway
to certification. I thank
the LMA staff for working so
diligently to see this training
become a reality. It allows us
to stand on the same stage
as many other states offering
credit and certifications
for the knowledge we gain
over time. It is my hope that
you all take advantage of this
opportunity and my further
hope that you apply what
you learn.
A change in perspective
came recently with the retirement
of Executive Director
John Gallagher. As we move
forward with the mission of
the LMA at the forefront of
our minds, it is my hope we
lead with encouragement,
and we continue to advocate,
educate, and serve our members
in a way that honors the
past and embraces the future.
On behalf of the LMA,
we thank John for his many
years of service, and we wish
him well.
A heartbreaking change
we are now all facing is the
passing and loss of our dear
friend, LMA Past President
Jimmy Williams. The unexpected
brings with it doubt,
confusion, and even anxiety.
Losing Jimmy has brought
all three to us, his family, and
his beloved home of Sibley.
Jimmy was a man of great
character and wit. It’s strange
to think of us all gathering
in Marksville in a few weeks
without him among us. But
I’m hoping the lessons he
taught all of us will stay with
us. I’m hoping we carry on
his compassion, his knowing
of right from wrong, and his
love of community in everything
we aim to do as an organization.
Jimmy was family
to us all, and family sticks together
when the going gets
tough. We’ll have a sad and
tough road ahead without
his ever-present guidance, so
let’s come together for him.
I leave you with a quote from
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as
I feel it exemplifies the hope
that we must find within us in
times of change. “If you lose
hope, you lose the vitality
that keeps moving, you lose
the courage to be, and the
Derrick Johnson, Sr.
LMA President
Cheneyville
quality that helps you go on
in spite of it all.”
I ask you to never give up
hope. I ask you to remain
hopeful that the passage of
time will bring with it the
dreams we long for and so
deeply believe in. Dreams
that center around not only
the LMA and our individual
corners of this great state
but also in our personal and
professional lives. You are the
dream. I am the dream. We
are the dream. We should,
all of us, have hope in abundance,
as it is only through
hope that we find the courage
to forge ahead with
change. It is only through
hope that we stand tall in our
beliefs in ourselves and each
other. And it is only through
hope that we continue the
legacies of truly great leaders
to see the completion of the
journeys they started. We are
the dream because we are
the hope. And although we
forge a new path in the wake
of much change of late, we
are the hope for a better today
and a brighter tomorrow.
Let us never forget that.
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LMR | FEBRUARY 2024