The Meridian Star invited some community leaders to write about their top three priorities for 2019. Today’s column is from Percy Bland, mayor of Meridian.

After a review of the city’s accomplishments and challenges of the past year, the administration and leadership team has taken an in-depth look at priorities for 2019. Quality of life remains our primary focus. In the big bowl of “quality of life” there are numerous elements. The goal for 2019 is to stay the course for a stronger economy, improving infrastructure, improving city services and collaborating with residents to try and fulfill a level of contentment in their way of life.

So the year of 2019 will be a year of challenge and opportunity. We will be focusing on enhancing livability by completing our past creative economy projects like Planet Playground and moving to focus largely on retail recruitment, industry, while continuing to make huge strides with our LED lighting initiative. We are focusing heavily on developing our creative economy, by building on the strength of our art community, and utilizing our local culture as an economic development tool while celebrating our history, architecture and location. We will continue to seek outside investment, building on the strides made by Bill Hannah, and the East Mississippi Development Corporation in industrial recruitment. We will continue working with numerous agencies for employment opportunities, and focus on projects that will bring jobs and open the doors to the creative economy for new entrepreneurs.

We have been working diligently to enhance safety in our community by increasing the number of officers for public safety. Our latest crime statistic report compiled by the FBI shows Meridian has seen some of its lowest crime rates since 2003. I made a commitment in 2015 to address areas that had high property crime occurrences. We are working to become a full LED operational city by the year 2020. LED lighting mimic’s natural lighting and offers a great field of view for both officers and citizens alike. In 2013 we established a gang unit. This unit has increased its presence and has an active data gathering and gang identification process for tracking affiliated individuals. Our law enforcement is focusing on eradicating gang and drug activity and pushing the crime rates even lower in 2019.

We are working to make communities safer and more aesthetically pleasing by removing blight. We will continue the removal of unsafe structures through demolition and condemnation. We will work with neighborhood programs to enforce codes. We will focus on affordable housing programs. We know that many residents want to become homeowners.

Improving the city’s gateway with new lighting and improvements, our 22nd Avenue project, is a major enhancement for existing and new business. In the year 2018, we saw the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience open its doors showcasing Mississippi culture on a grand scale on the corner of 22nd Avenue and Front Street. This venue, along with the Threefoot Building Project and the Children’s Museum project, is a stimulant for investment / re-investment in downtown properties. These projects are not only highlights for local residents but a destination draw for tourists.

The City of Meridian, like most cities around the country, has many challenges, relating to poverty, aging, infrastructure, and competition with online retail. But within the toughest challenge lies opportunity. Our boots are already on the ground working to improve upon the general well-being, livability satisfaction and health for all of our citizens. As your mayor, I look forward to engaging with residents in every corner of the city. This is about you, your neighborhood and community. Meridian is poised for growth and I look forward to an exciting year.