‘The dove is flying high,” mayor exclaims in State of the City

Photo: Olive Branch Mayor Ken Adams speaks about progress in the city during his State of the City address on Wednesday, Nov. 13. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)

“The dove is flying high,” said Olive Branch Mayor Ken Adams Wednesday as he began his “State of the City” address before the Olive Branch Chamber of Commerce.  The dove Adams was referring to is the dove dominating the city logo.

The expression is a reference to several positive things Adams said are occurring in the growing DeSoto County city. The mayor took his time during the monthly Chamber luncheon at the Whispering Woods Hotel and Conference Center.  

The mayor talked about tax rates which are the lowest of any DeSoto County city with no ad valorem tax increase in a decade. 

“For example, we have a $180 million budget this fiscal year,” Adams said. “Property taxes pay less than 25 cents on the dollar and no other (DeSoto County) city can say that.”

Olive Branch has the only airport in DeSoto County and Adams said four flight schools operate from the facility, which also saw 106,000 activities, as in takeoffs and landings, last year. That number was the highest in Mississippi, including airports in Jackson and Gulfport.  

Adams also alluded to a possible addition to airport activity in the future. 

“We have an opportunity that I can’t name at this point, but very likely you will see a regional player in charter air jets located at the Olive Branch airport,” he said. “Structures are getting ready to possibly be built. Engineering work’s been done, so they plan to come here.”

Improvements to the city website and recent considerations by the Board of Aldermen to move municipal polling places out of fire stations were mentioned. The city has made purchase of new fire vehicles and equipment, the city’s resurfacing plans and the addition of city welcome and message boards were also mentioned.  

Olive Branch, which annually hosts events such as the Light Garden and the Light the Way Christian music festival, is close to hosting another big event, Adams said. 

“Your mayor is trying to bring a hot air balloon festival next year to the city of Olive Branch,” Adams said. “Lined up on the soccer field down Church road, we think we’re going to make that happen.”  

The mayor stressed the city is financially solid and the debt ratio is 10 percent to assets and the city has the highest bond rating of any government organization in the state, Adams said, and that includes 299 cities, 82 counties and all state agencies.  

The address also touched on other things, like future construction, and additional soccer fields, facilities, and parking at the soccer complex off state Highway 305. 

“That’s the first product of the one percent tourism tax that almost 91 percent voted for,” he said. 

But Adams was especially to announce that work is being done that will add sewer to about 19 square miles to the east and south sides of the city.  

“That will secure the development of Olive Branch for the next two decades,” the mayor said. “Once that takes place, the east side will develop. At some point, you’re not going to be able to know when you leave Olive Branch and get all the way to Marshall County.”  

COLLINS NAMED TO OLIVE BRANCH HALL OF FAME

Olive Branch Alderman-at-Large George Collins Wednesday became the latest addition to the city’s Hall of Fame. The announcement came as part of the city’s presentation during the Chamber of Commerce luncheon.  

The Hall of Fame is the City’s highest honor that it can bestow on one of its citizens and is an honor begun in 2007, when Sam Rikard was mayor. 

Collins has been very active in the community and was first elected to the Board of Aldermen in 1989, making him now the longest-serving alderman in Mississippi.  He’s also served on several boards.

“The decisions that he and other Olive Branch aldermen have made over the years have helped shape Olive Branch into the thriving city that it is today,” his description from the Hall stated.  

“I think the city has done pretty well,” Collins said. “We kept the city taxes low and we’ve had a tremendous amount of growth. It’s just been a privilege to live here, work here, and be able to give a little bit back to the city.”