To the residents of Prentiss, I, Charley Dumas, would like to formally announce my candidacy for the office of mayor.  It has always been an honor and priviledge to represent each of you in this capacity and I am committed to continuing the work of leading our town.

Once again, I am extremely proud of what we have been able to accomplish over the years with a limited budget.  We have been dedicated to improving each of our departments and areas of responsiblity.  To aid us in that cause, during the past four years, the town has been able to secure over $1,200,000.00 in state and federal grant money.  During my time in office, such improvements in Prentiss have exceeded $6.7 million dollars.  This use of available grant money has enabled us to keep your property taxes low and avoid placing the direct burden of these costs on you, the taxpayer.

Our water department continues to receive the highest possible scores from the state during their annual testing and evaluation, and we continue to explore ways to improve both it and our wastewaster system.  As an example, we are currently in the midst of a $450,000.00 grant application to the state for the purpose of drilling a new water well.  This will ensure the viability and safety of our system for years to come.  You don’t have to look far in our state to find other cities facing extreme water and wastewater problems due to poor management.  We are determined to keep these kind of issues from affecting our system.

As a member of the Board of Directors of the Longleaf Trace, I am proud to announce that there will soon be $285,000.00 in safety enhancements added to our biking trail.  The majority of this money will be spent in Jefferson Davis County and will greatly add to the enjoyment and safety of trail users.  We are also planning future re-paving projects along the length of the Trace.

In the past four years, we have issued 41 privilege licenses for new businesses in town.  We work closely with the Jefferson Davis County Chamber Partnership to not only promote existing business but recruit new businesses as well.

A good knowledge of municipal government is critical for effective leadership. During my time in office, I have acquired over 350 credit hours of educational training in Municipal Organization, Municipal Law, Municipal Finance and Municipal Land Use.  This continuing education is vital, especially in the shifting spectrum of politics at the state and federal level.

As I’ve said before, and most importantly, I have been fortunate and blessed to work with a group of extremely dedicated and self-sacrificing people in those employed by our town. Whether they are in the performance of their daily activities or in times of crisis, they are the best.  I appreciate the opportunity to work with them once again. I hope to see each of you personally in the coming weeks, but would like to take this opportunity, along with my wife, Stephanie and daughter, Taylor, to humbly ask for your prayers, vote and support on June 6.

Submitted by, approved by and paid for by Charley Dumas.