We’ve got some “R&B” going on in Southaven.  No, no, not Rhythm & Blues, but revitalization and beautification!  In communicating my vision for our city, I’ve said many times that we need to improve our look and show pride in our city.  Southaven is such a great city, but we still have enormous potential to be even better.  Little things make a difference.

I hope you’ve noticed the new decorative metro street sign blades being installed and like them as much as I do.  These signs are custom-made for Southaven and are being placed at all arterial intersections in our city that have mast-arm traffic signals.

This project is a small piece of a much larger plan to revitalize and beautify our city.  This doesn’t happen overnight, but many small pieces do gradually add up to a larger effect.  The City has worked to encourage removal of vacant signs and renovation of dilapidated properties in our original business district. We created the “West End Business District” that provides financial incentives to bring back new business to our original business district.  We’ve completed landscaping projects and improved the scope of detail with maintenance of our street right-of-ways city-wide.  In the upcoming year, we will have more resources in our Public Works Department to make our street right-of-ways even better. Mast-arm traffic signals have been painted and banners added.  Intersections on Main Street and Highway 51 will be modernized in 2018 by removing the old span-wire traffic signals and installing new, modern mast-arm signals with pedestrian options.  Our “Serve Southaven” program is flourishing with volunteers stepping up and adopting beautification projects like landscaping residential subdivision entrances that have been neglected by homeowners’ association failures.

Little by little, we are getting there.  There is a fine line between mediocrity and excellence.  Let’s be excellent!