Note: The following is taken from a newsletter Olive Branch Mayor Ken Adams has written to city residents as a “year in review” and a look ahead to the new year.
By Mayor Ken Adams
2024 in Review as a City of Opportunity
It is always vital to take a moment to reflect as we set our sights to the future. Our City was featured in a lengthy write up as a City of Opportunity in a Special Edition of Built America magazine as one of three featured municipalities in the South! (You can read the full article here.) Additionally in 2024, our City received recognition as a Certified Retirement Community, a Certified Genuine Mississippi Farmers Market, and a Certified Main Street Community. These recognitions would not be possible without our City’s volunteers, City Staff, and residents who take charge of special interests within our Community.
I am honored to share that just over 1,300 new residents and 161 new businesses were added to our community this past year. There were 181 new home permits and 20 new commercial permits issued to lay the foundation for future growth of our municipality. With this growth, our City has made major investments in our infrastructure keeping our commitment to improve our roadways and enhancements to our City’s water and sewer systems. In the past 24 months, the City of Olive Branch has spent $11.3 million on its robust roadway resurfacing plan.
Because of citizen feedback, our City has created an online processing for Public Records requests and updated polling locations to reflect the growth of our municipality. For more information about the upcoming Municipal Election, please visit https://www.obms.us/1354/2025-Municipal-Elections. Additionally, the City purchased a new Fire Administration Building located on Old Goodman Road, three new firetrucks and two ambulances to better support the City’s first responders.
On the Horizon in 2025
As we enter 2025, there are many things to look ahead to.
At the end of 2024, our City broke ground on an up to date new Public Works facility on HWY 178. As we start into 2025, we will break ground on several new facilities with a new Animal Shelter on Polk Lane, a new Fire Station to service the Center Hill area, a new six-court Pickleball facility nestled in City Park partially funded by the Homer Skelton Foundation, and additionally expand George M. Harrison Soccer Complex with four additional soccer fields, a new concessions stand, and a restroom facility with 405 additional parking places! A new walking trail from the Soccer Complex to Ross Road will also be added.
Refurbishment of Blocker Cemetery will take place as we enter 2025 with adding a Columbarium. We will also be looking to further illuminate Old Towne through special projects over the next year. This project was started with the illumination of City Hall and the City’s Municipal Court Building in 2024.
The City of Olive Branch is launching a Community Garden project this upcoming Growing Season to give more agricultural opportunities to our residents. A public interest meeting will be held in the near future.
If one of your goals for 2025 is involvement with the City you call home, I would love to have additional residents participate in my special action committees or through our volunteering opportunities. You can learn more about these committees and opportunities or sign up for them here.
