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F. Clarke Holmes, Chief Executive Director
Except for two (2) interim or acting Executive Directors, F. Clarke Holmes has been the only active Executive Director to lead Central Mississippi Planning and Development District to
its present status. The accomplishments of this organization are directly attributable to the leadership, guidance, and ability to plan and direct of this individual.
The State of Mississippi has no general-purpose-enabling legislation which requires membership in Planning and Development Districts, nor does it require that state or federal agencies
use this structure. For an organization in this environment to carry the numerous designations, responsibilities, and authority of the Central Mississippi Planning and Development
District, it is primarily based on the initiative and aggressiveness of its Executive Director.
In addition, the central Mississippi region of 550,000 people is by far the most complex and diverse section of the State of Mississippi. It houses a central city with a three-county
urban area surrounded by four (4) rural, but aggressive and involved non-urban counties. Maintaining an extremely effective and viable organization has required effective management
skills, diplomacy, and unique political knowledge. There is a local dues structure in effect where all governments participate financially on a fair and equitable basis, considering
such factors as population and taxation. All local governments are directly or indirectly represented in the policy-making system. A few significant accomplishments of Mr. Holmes
acting through the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District are as follows:
Created the three-county Hinds Madison Rankin Service District from metropolitan counties. By so doing, this "region within a region" was able to address common problems unique to
this urbanized area. An exhaustive economic development study was completed resulting in the establishment of an innovative computer link-up among the economic developers of the
tri-county area with CMPDD acting as the information provider.
Engineered the development of an unique concept whereby CMPDD was designated a Regional Entitlement who received an allocated amount of CDBG funds from the State. The District then
allocated and distributed funds to our local governments throughout the region.
Was responsible for obtaining the following designations for the District:
Regional Data Affiliate (Department of Commerce)
Area-Wide Clearinghouse for Federally funded projects (OMB)
Metropolitan Planning Organization (USDOT)
Certified Development Corporation (SBA)
Central Mississippi Regional Entitlement (HUD)
Area Agency on Aging (Department of Health and Human Services)
Service Delivery Area (Department of Labor)
Economic Development District (Department of Commerce)
Small Business Minority Business Loan Agent (Department of Economic and Community Development)
Directed the development and approval of the first 20-year Metropolitan Area-wide Transportation Plan in Mississippi.
Directed the construction of 17 industrial parks within its 7 county region for a total investment of over $30 million.
The founding of the Central Mississippi Information Center, which later became one of the first geographic information systems in the nation to be housed within a regional council.
In addition to the preparation of regional planning documents and all aspects of governmental services, the Planning and Development District has personally established and
implemented a planning process in every local government consistent with state law. The staff of this organization serves as the staff to these local governments on a daily basis.
In addition to the circuit-rider approach to planning, the District has also provided circuit-rider services to its member local governments in such areas as city management,
traffic engineering, budgeting, surplus property management, public information, political jurisdictional instruction, and environmental management.
While encountering major political resistance, through the leadership of Mr. Holmes quite a few organizations and missions have been merged into this multi-purpose organization
such as a HUD-created a council of governments, a Department of Transportation-created regional transportation entity, an area-wide JTPA effort, and Area Agency of Aging, and
several extremely significant business and industrial loan programs.
In 1990, the District constructed its own headquarters after 11 years of planning and accumulation of funds to pay over one-half of the construction costs of the building. The
project was sited on donated land in a prime location. This building has become the center for most regional activities, meetings, and functions within this area, where the
function is specifically a direct part of this organizational mission.
The District has successfully merged physical economic development, comprehensive planning, and human services into one truly overall effort to meet the social, physical, and
economic well-being of the area. At one location, through one organization, governments, individuals and groups may receive assistance with such areas as business development,
infrastructure, data management, child care, job training, transportation, home-delivered meals, health care, nursing home assistance, and foreign trade.
Due to its accomplishments and innovations, the District has received guests and professional visits from not only persons in other states, but dignitaries from France, Russia,
Czechoslovakia, and many of the nations of Africa and South America.
The District has a very successful business and industrial loan program capitalized from such areas as the Economic Development Administration, State of Mississippi, and Small
Business Administration. It has currently over 200 loans in place, for a total project cost of over $50 million. Mr. Holmes directed the creation of an extremely innovative approach
to human services delivery by integrating welfare reform activities such as the JOBS Program, Transitional Child Care, Job Training, Case Management, and Senior Citizen Services into
a total comprehensive approach to one-stop development and client services.
State and Regional Leadership
Clarke Holmes is a recognized, established, and respected leader in all aspects of regionalism. His knowledge, credibility, and integrity is vitally known throughout his state,
region, and nation. A few of his accomplishments in this area are as follows:
One of the original founders of the SouthEast Regional Executive Directors Institute, member of Council of Peers, and current Mississippi Representative and Board Member of this
organization.
Personally wrote and secured the passage of state legislation allowing cities and counties, at their discretion, to pay funds to the Planning and Development Districts within their
respective areas out of any funds they choose to appropriate. This legislation serves as the only true legal authority for local governments to fund Planning and Development Districts
in Mississippi.
Promoted, created, and secured statewide participation in a evaluation and certification program whereby official standards were developed for regional councils in Mississippi.
Co-authored, along with key legislators, the first statewide economic development planning legislation mandating the development of a statewide economic development planning process.
This process provided an extremely formalized and detailed role for regional councils in Mississippi.
Helped to secure a system whereby various service delivery boundaries across the state were coterminous with that of Planning and Development Districts in such areas as human services,
health, environmental protection, transportation, and economic development.
One of the original founders of the Mississippi Association of Planning and Development Districts. Later, was the principal party responsible for reorganizing this unit in a more
managed and functional fashion. Serves as the permanent Secretary-Treasurer to the organization, and the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District is the official staff
under contract with this association. These duties and responsibilities include such accomplishments as annual Planning and Development District conferences; an annual directory of
the Districts which includes their programs and activities, staff, and policy officials; a technical advisory committee system composed of staff experts from various fields such as
planning and management, aging, finance, human services, data processing, and a strong presence in the development of state legislation and administrative policies and regulations.
Has served as a representative of Planning and Development and regional development interests on virtually ever type of statewide board, commission, committee, and authority over the
last 20 years.
Has maintained an extremely viable relationship with not only the Mississippi Congressional Delegation, but national interests ranging from the White House, Cabinet levels, and
regional offices throughout the country. Mr. Holmes has been used by numerous private and public interest groups to speak on behalf of regionalism at meetings and hearings throughout
the nation.
He served on several Presidential Task Forces, testified before Congress, and gathered with virtually every type of leader across the state and nation to relay his professional
knowledge and experiences to others.
Established a formal relationship with the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, Mississippi Municipal Association, and the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community
Development including annual regional meetings of the other associations in conjunction with each District.
Assisted in writing several Attorney General opinions clarifying the authority of Planning and Development Districts and their Board Members.
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