02 February 2024 Final

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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. Page 4 LMR | FEBRUARY 2024
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