In his new role as the president of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, Chris Bowen recently honored two outgoing Lamar County supervisors for their nearly 24 years of combined experience on the board.
Bowen, who also serves as Forrest County District 5 Supervisor, presented plaques during a recent Lamar County Board of Supervisors meeting to District 3 Supervisor Joe Bounds and District 4 Supervisor Phillip Carlisle.
“Not everybody understands the level of public servitude (that comes with being a county supervisor), but having been in the position myself a little while, I think only ministers, law enforcement and military (surpass that),” Bowen said. “Behind that, what these county supervisors do on a daily basis, on weekends and nights, is really tremendous.”
Bounds, who is the current board president, has served four terms as a supervisor. He is a graduate of Purvis High School and is a member of Grace Covenant Church.
Bounds announced his retirement earlier this year, with the upcoming Aug. 6 primary election to decide his replacement.
“Four terms is incredible,” Bowen told Bounds. “I don’t know how you’ll occupy your mind in the future, but your retirement is well-deserved.
“You’ve been a friend, and certainly from the perspective of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors and Forrest County, we’re going to be sorry to see you go. We wish you the best.”
Carlisle, who is finishing out his second term on the board, is seeking election to the Lamar County Chancery Clerk seat. He serves on the board of directors of the Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District and is retired from the Mississippi Army National Guard.
He will face five other Republicans in the primary election.
“Eight years is amazing too, when it’s really 24/7, 365, Bowen told Carlisle. “You’ve been such a friend the entire time, and we appreciate everything you’ve done as a supervisor.”
Carlisle said he was honored to receive the plaque from Bowen.
“I thought it was a good gesture,” he said. “ There’s (more than 400) supervisors in the state, so it’s not often that you have the residing president over the Mississippi Association of Supervisors.
