Miss. Code Ann. § 57-79-1 Short title.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi Small Town Development Act.”
MCA Chapter 79
MCA Chapter 79
in effectMiss. Code Ann. § 57-79-3 Legislative findings and declaration of intent.
The Legislature finds that:
Many small towns and cities will benefit from professional and financial assistance;
The improvement of small towns and cities benefit the economic and general welfare of the people of the State of Mississippi;
Establishment of the Mississippi Small Town Development Program is an effective means to restore and strengthen Mississippi’s small towns; and
It is the intent of the Legislature to establish the Mississippi Small Town Development Program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 57-79-5 Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed herein unless the context shall otherwise require:
“Small town” shall mean any city, town or village with a population of five thousand (5,000) or fewer persons according to the most recent federal decennial census.
“Mississippi Small Town Development Fund” shall mean that fund administered by the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development to assist small towns for purposes authorized under this chapter.
“Grant application development expenses” shall mean any preliminary study, survey, investigation, or report including engineering analysis or cost estimates, or other professional services required to submit a grant or loan application to any state or federal agency or department.
“Grant application matching requirement” means any state or federal grant or loan requirement for the contribution of cash or other in-kind services as a part of any such grant or loan application.
“Mississippi Small Town Technical Assistance Network” shall be that program administered by the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development organized to provide both direct, individual technical assistance to small towns, and to maximize the efforts of other state and federal departments and agencies, as well as private not-for-profit organizations.
Miss. Code Ann. § 57-79-7 Authorization of Mississippi Small Town Development Program.
There is hereby authorized the creation of the Mississippi Small Town Development Program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 57-79-9 Composition of Mississippi Small Town Development Program.
The Mississippi Small Town Development Program shall consist of the following:
The Mississippi Small Town Development Fund, administered by the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development. Such fund shall be used to further the purposes of this chapter, specifically to provide grant application development expenses, grant application matching requirements and for related purposes.
Mississippi Small Town Technical Assistance Network, administered by the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development, which shall consist of the following elements:
Provide direct technical assistance to individual small towns to improve their effectiveness and efficiency.
Shall be organized geographically using Mississippi Planning and Development District lines.
Shall not duplicate the efforts of the myriad public agencies, departments, and private not-for-profit corporations, but will seek to maximize the effectiveness of existing efforts to improve small town government in Mississippi.
Shall be authorized to enter into mutually beneficial agreements with these and other local, state and federal agencies and departments, as well as private not-for-profit organizations, to receive donations, grants, real or personal property, and to further the purposes of this chapter.
May use interns from Mississippi’s public universities through the existing Mississippi Public Service Internship Program.
Other programs of the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development, as well as other state agencies, that currently target the small towns of the state shall work with the Mississippi Small Town Technical Assistance Network to improve their publicity and effectiveness.
Miss. Code Ann. § 57-79-11 Authority of Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development.
The Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development is authorized to contract with other public agencies, as well as private not-for-profit corporations, to further the purposes of this chapter.