The Mississippi Association of Supervisors has a motto of “82 Counties. One Voice.”
In a little less than a month, Forrest County District 5 Supervisor Chris Bowen’s voice will perhaps be the loudest of those, when he is inaugurated as only the fifth supervisor from Forrest County to serve as president of the association since its inception in 1929.
But to hear Bowen say it, it’s irrelevant how he feels about assuming the position – it’s all about getting things done for his county.
“It’s about what we can get accomplished that will help provide the local government a seat at the table, because if you’re not at the table, generally you’re on the menu,” he said. “It’s about taking care of as many people as I can, as often as I can. So I’m honored that the membership would choose me to be part of the administration.”
The association, which in its membership includes 410 elected supervisors from throughout Mississippi, serves as a non-partisan forum for county officials to address issues regarding their constituents. Members focus on advertising the opportunities of their various counties, promoting the interest and general welfare of the state, interchanging ideas and advancing the financial and general welfare of the state.
Bowen certainly has the experience for the position, coming to the Forrest County Board of Supervisors in January 2008 and serving as chairman of the Hattiesburg/Petal/Forrest County /Lamar County Metropolitan Planning Organization from 2012 to 2016. He served as 2nd Vice President of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors from June 2017 to June 2018, and currently is 1st Vice President of the association.
Bowen was appointed to the National Association of Counties’ Environment, Energy and Land Use Steering Committee in September 2014, and served on NACO’s Public Lands Steering Committee from May 2012 to August 2014. He also served from 2008 to 2009 as vice president of the Forrest County Board of Supervisors.
In addition, he has served as executive director of the Pat Harrison Waterway District, chairman of the Southeast Mississippi Resource Conservation and Development District, and a board member at the Mississippi Association of Resource Conservation and Development Council and the Mississippi Water Resources Association.
Officer terms on the Mississippi Association of Supervisors last for one year. As president, Bowen will follow B.E. Green, Chester E. Fairley, Selby C. Bowling and Lynn Cartlidge as Forrest County supervisors who have served in that position.
“I want to continue our dialogue with the state Legislature regarding our road and bridge safety infrastructure,” Bowen said. “Also, our rural fire truck costs have escalated at least 25 to 50 percent over the last 10 years, and yet our state subsidy has remained flat, and we even lost it for a year.
“So we need to stay vigilant in working with our Legislature to continue to receive the funds that we’re getting now, but also ask for increased funding to help these rural fire departments and rural county insurance rates. Certain trucks can last 20 years, and you can get another five years if you’ve done certain maintenance to them, but other trucks only go 15 years. And if you don’t replace them, the rural community can have their homeowners’ insurance rating dropped. For instance, during my tenure, we’ve been able to lower Brooklyn’s rating from a 9 to a 7 with the State Rating Bureau, and that’s been fantastic for local homeowners’ insurance rates.”
