Covington County

Strategic Plan 2012-2017

The following strategic plan has been developed in cooperation with the Covington County Board of Supervisors, Economic Development Authority, Chamber of Commerce, and local leaders.  This plan represents common goals and objectives for our county over the next several years. It serves as a basis for uniting our communities, developing a spirit of cooperation, and for providing a vision for Covington County.

People and Education Committee

Mission Statement: Improve the culture to provide learning for students so they leave school having met the criteria to become employed or enrolled in further education.  Ask businesses and churches to partner with the schools to accomplish this task. Establish pride is primary in our community, schools, and families.
Goal 1: Improve public perception, increase graduation rate, attack poverty level, increase respect for learning.
Objective: Establish a Covington County Learning Center in a partnership with JCJC.
Goal 2:
Increase positive information about schools.
Objective: Designate a person to head up bi-weekly articles being published via all outlets to include newspaper, website, school newspapers and possibly social media. Include an article in the chamber newsletter quarterly.
Goal 3:
 Provide a parent training opportunity at each public library/ other facility for parents of non-served pre-school age children as identified through outreach in churches, social media, newspaper, etc. Serve up to 50% of parents.
Goal 4:
Increase graduation rate by starting a research committee to determine viability of a guaranteed tuition program in partnership with JCJC.
Goal 5: Decrease dropout rate by setting up an “in house” GED program.

Physical Infrastructure Committee

Mission Statement:  To provide and promote physical infrastructure conducive to economic development, quality of life, which sets us apart from other communities.
Goal 1: Increase access to broadband technology.
Goal 2: Industrial site in the county.
Goal 3: Improve and expand infrastructure.

Jobs and Business Committee

Mission Statement:  Create good paying jobs, support existing industries in the county, establishing new businesses in great locations. 
Goal 1: Actively market the county through a professional economic developer
Goal 2: Continue an active existing industry program
Goal 3: Improve education through more community development

Civic/Cultural/Social Infrastructure Committee

Mission Statement: To cultivate and continuously pursue unique community attributes that recognizes Covington County as the destination in Mississippi for researching genealogy, for agri-tourism, and for recreation that creates an inviting and entertaining place to live.
Goal 1: Get behind our school system and provide more support from the community that will benefit a greater number of students.Objective 1a: Encourage more educators to get involved in the community to express the needs of the school.Objective 1b: Promote and grow the MS Scholars program.
Objective 1b: Promote and grow the MS Scholars program.
Objective 1c: Encourage civic groups and private sector entities to support the school system.
Objective 1d: Promote education programs that discourage teen pregnancy.
Goal 2: Promote tourism particularly in our niche markets of agri-tourism, genealogical research, recreation particularly involving water-related activities, and cultural events.
Objective 2a: Support publicity of cultural events.
Goal 3: Promote safer communities through an increased level of transparency in reporting crime rates in a timely manner.
Objective 3a: Give law enforcement officials greater support for choosing to do the right thing in making arrests.

Meeting Minutes