• Mayor of Ridgeland since 1989
• Past President Mississippi Municipal League
• President Madison County Waste Water Authority
• Past President Mississippi Urban Forest Council
• Former Member Board of Directors Pearl River Water Supply District
• Member Mississippi Baptist Symphony Orchestra
• Member United Republican Fund
• Member Colonial Heights Baptist Church
• Member Board of Directors Mississippi Municipal Service Company
• Member Board of Directors of Mississippi Municipal Liabilty Company

THE STATE OF THE CITY OF RIDGELAND.

The City of Ridgeland is fiscally strong and is serving its citizens well. The City of Ridgeland’s Moody’s AA bond rating, the first one awarded to a municipality in Mississippi, our strong tax base, no tax increase in the last 20 years, and The Healthy Reserve Fund assure that the City can adequately respond to emergencies that may arise.

Mayor Gene McGee provides strong, responsible, responsive, business-like leadership to the City of Ridgeland, and the results are a strong, thriving economy in which businesses want to locate and a community that provides an excellent quality of life in which families want to establish their roots.

Since 1992, City of Ridgeland has maintained long-term, comprehensive plans for transportation, storm water management, and recreation and parks. City of Ridgeland has recently completed a comprehensive and detailed Master Plan that delineates specific steps that will move the City decisively into the future. It is this proactive planning—that is evaluated and reprioritized every six months—that allows the City to anticipate, budget and address needs before they become critical. These plans are available for view by citizens at City Hall during regular business hours, and on the city’s website at www.ridgelandms.org.

Ridgeland’s continued success depends on the progressive, cooperative, business-like leadership provided by Mayor Gene McGee that has created a City in which responsive, effective and efficient services are the norm, not the exception.

AGGRESSIVE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM

The City of Ridgeland has aggressively addressed transportation needs through a comprehensive Overlay Plan that is currently ahead of schedule.

NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY PROJECTS COMPLETED 2005-2008

TOTAL EXPENDITURE 2005-2008 $2,500,000.00

MAJOR STREET CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS COMPLETED

County Line Road Widening
Old Canton Road Widening
County Line Road Rehabilitation
Harbor Drive Road Relocation and Widening
Town Center and Pear Orchard Road Traffic Signal
Jackson Street Parking
Harbour Pointe Crossing / Lake Harbour
Old Canton and Harbour Pointe Crossing
Highland Colony and West Parkway Place
Sunnybrook Road and Steed Road Traffic Signal
Ridgeland Avenue Traffic Signal
McClellan Drive
Old Canton Road Rehabilitation (Lake Harbour to County Line Road)
Bike Path Phase I
Bike Path Phase II
Rice Road and Harbour Drive Traffic Signal
Old Agency and North Frontage Traffic Signal
Highland Colony and St. Andrews Traffic Signal

TOTAL EXPENDITURE 2005-2008 $23,607,938.00

NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC CALMING

East Jackson Street}
Jessamine
Dinsmor Crossing
Beaver Creek
Eastwood / Southridge
Squirrel Hill
Muirwood
Cottonwood
Trace Ridge Subdivision
Old Agency Subdivision
Moon Street
Salem Square
Pear Orchard Circle
Greenbrook
William Boulevard
Lincolnshire
N. Allerton Boulevard
Wendover / Shadowood
Subdivision
Long Meadow
Olde Towne
Ralde Circle
Wrenfield
Ridgeway
Brookwoods
Pecan Park

TOTAL EXPENDITURE 2005-2008 $274,000.00

WATER/SEWER PROJECTS

Natchez Trace Water Line
City Sewer Rehab Program (camera and rehab)
East Madison County Regional Sewer (camera and cleaning)
Ford Street Sewer
Old Canton Road Tank Rehabilitation
West Water Lines at Hickory Road and Arron Lane
Sewer Line Jackson Street to Century Drive
Sunnybrook Sewer from North Wheatley to Sunnybrook Road

TOTAL EXPENDITURE 2005-2008 $1,947,636.00

NEIGHBORHOOD DRAINAGE PROJECTS

Longmeadow Ditch
Richardson Road
Lakeshore Ditch
Carlton Park Storm Sewer
Pine Knoll Ditch
Wendover Ditch
Blackthorn Retention Pond Repair
Highland Presbyterian Storm Drain
Old Agency Road Culvert and Ditch Repair
Ponderosa Ditch
Salem Square

TOTAL EXPENDITURE 2005-2008 $2,341,661.00

Dear Friends

The City of Ridgeland bears little resemblance to the City in 1989, the year I was elected Mayor.  At that time, I had an idea—a feeling—that there was the opportunity to create a vibrant, progressive City by developing a business-friendly environment while assuring managed and controlled growth.  This ensured that neighborhoods were developed under guidelines that guaranteed protection of property values, while providing an excellent quality of life.

Growth brings change and challenges; we’ve faced the challenges and have worked diligently to balance development with the best interests of Ridgeland and its citizens.  While there have been different opinions and strong feelings expressed on all sides, I’ve never feared healthy, open, honest debate.  I welcome it because engaged and vocal citizens ensure that decisions are carefully made and all opinions are heard.

The City of Ridgeland has been uniquely positioned through long-term strategic planning that maximizes the City’s potential while capturing federal grants and funding that allow development while minimizing the impact of taxes on homes and businesses.  Conservative fiscal management, that maintains an excellent bond rating and a substantial reserve, ensures that the City receives the most favorable rates when issuing bonds or borrowing money.  I promised in 1988 to bring a business approach to government; citizens are reaping the many benefits.

We are in the midst of an exciting and amazing time in the history of the City of Ridgeland.  Exceptional developments along Highland Colony Parkway have created opportunities for local businesses, as well as corporate offices.  New urbanism developments combine commerce and homes into neighborhoods that encourage walking and shopping in a community setting.  You’ll find the best of the new balanced by the best of the old. We are upgrading and enhancing our County Line business and residential district.  By creating beautifully planted medians that complement the adjoining new commercial development, the area is aesthetically pleasing, and traffic is better controlled, resulting in fewer accidents.

As I approach the end of my 5th term as mayor, I ask for your continued support as I seek re-election.  I am still excited about the potential that is yet to be realized as we continue to build a City that provides unequaled opportunities to its residents and businesses.  My pledge to you remains the same:  I will serve with honesty, integrity and will make decisions that best serve the interests of our citizens.  As always, my door remains open, and I welcome the opportunity to hear your views and concerns.

I ask you to join me in continuing to build a city that is a wonderful place to grow a family or a business. During the 24 years that I’ve served as Alderman and Mayor, I’ve seen many who moved here with a dream of what they could build in Ridgeland.  Today, I see the fulfillment of those dreams up and down every street in the city.  The good news is that the City of Ridgeland still offers those opportunities, and they still come.

I hope you join me in being proud of our City.  Together, we can continue to create an environment that nurtures families, supports businesses and provides an excellent quality of life.  Let’s not stop now.  We still have much to do.

Sincerely,

Gene F. McGee, C.M.O.
Mayor
City of Ridgeland

Click HERE for the City of Ridgeland’s Accomplishments!

Dear Ridgeland Residents,

 Gene McGee is seeking to be re-elected as the Mayor of the City of Ridgeland. During his tenure as the Mayor, we have worked with him on several projects and found him to be accessible, supportive and open-minded in his approach to resolving these issues that have and will affect us all.

 Gene has been a friend and ally for us and our neighbors, personally supporting and introducing major improvements in our area. He has also been very responsive to our needs and requests. Gene understands the need to maintain and improve property values of Ridgeland’s residents.

 With 24 years of experience, Gene has a broad understanding of the issues that the City of Ridgeland must deal with, and we know he stands committed to making decisions that are in the best interest of our city and its residents.

 On a personal level, we have come to know Gene. He is active in his church, devoted to his family and a man with high moral values. We respect him as a neighbor and as a friend.

 Individually, we encourage one another to be sure to vote in the primary election on May 5th and re-elect Gene McGee, Mayor of Ridgeland. He has done an outstanding job in support of our community.

With Highest Regard

Jim Champlin     
Eric Clark
Larry Miller
Brenda McKenzie
Billy Raphael
Chad Carr
Sells Newman
Roger Caperton
Mark Sorrels
Robert Redd

I would like to take this opportunity to voice the support of my family to Gene McGee for mayor of Ridgeland.  We have lived in Ridgeland for the past 16 years.  Anytime that we have had to approach Mayor McGee with any type of issue regarding the city or our property, he has been very quick to respond and handle any situations that have arisen.  On a more personal note, I would like to say that I have never met a policitician that I believed to be more honest or have more integrity than Gene McGee.  Mayor McGee is very involved with the schools in the city of Ridgeland and is a wonderful example for our students.
 
The Coleman family supports Mayor McGee and will once again help in any way we can with his re-election campaign.
 
Sincerely,
Dianne Coleman

Mayor McGee enthusiastically works to make City of Ridgeland a better place to live, work and visit.  He has identified some specific goals addressing the City’s fundamental needs, issues of quality-of-life and economic vitality.

Managing Revenue

The greatest challenge that City of Ridgeland faces in the near future is the challenge that our citizens, businesses, state and nation face: the current economic situation.  Our conservative fiscal policies have served our citizens well, and we will continue to be vigilant in managing the City’s assets.

The City’s overall success depends on a solid financial foundation that is not overly dependent on a single source of revenue.  That is why it is important to support City of Ridgeland’s growth and vitality.

Implementing the Master Plan

Adhering to our Master Plan is important in moving the City forward.  Key projects include widening of Lake Harbour Drive, extending Lake Harbour Drive to Highland Colony Parkway,development of a new city center on Highway 51 that would include a new city hall and possibly a fine arts center and other projects that would coincide with municipal development.

Redeveloping Sections of City of Ridgeland

City of Ridgeland, through annexation, inherited a number of apartment complexes that need to be evaluated and considered for redevelopment.  A study of population density conducted a few years ago concluded that construction of these apartments was not of a high quality and that density levels were too high.  These areas are being considered for redevelopment so that there is a greater percentage of single family homes, resulting in lower density.

Multi-family units are an important housing option and must be kept to the highest standards through strong code enforcement.

“When I initially asked the citizens of Ridgeland to elect me mayor, I shared my vision of how the City could, through planning, develop into an excellent environment in which families and businesses could flourish.  I’m thankful that I’ve had tremendous support from both communities.  Through the years, we’ve planned for development and we’ve detailed how the City would develop into the future.  It is because of the detailed plans and projections that City of Ridgeland has been able to utilize grants available that allowed development without burdening our taxpayers.”

“My vision for the City is as strong and clear as it was in 1989.  I believe that my effective leadership has been beneficial in creating a city that is attractive to businesses and families.  I want to continue providing positive, progressive leadership.”