Charles Modley, president of the Sunflower County NAACP chapter, recently expressed concerns about the effectiveness of the Mississippi Municipal League (MML) conference for local governments, particularly Indianola’s.
With the next MML conference scheduled for July 21-23, in Biloxi, Modley questioned whether the long-standing tradition of attending these gatherings has led to any tangible improvements for the city.
“Does the MML conference really benefit the city government of Indianola?” Modley asked, highlighting a perceived lack of progress despite years of participation. “Can anyone name five things that have been improved in the City of Indianola since elected officials have been attending the MML conference?”
Modley emphasized that the annual MML conference should not be viewed as a vacation but rather as a crucial opportunity for learning and networking aimed at enhancing city governance. He urged elected officials and department heads to bring valuable insights back to their communities.
“If you are afforded the opportunity to attend a conference, then you should bring something back to your community,” he said.
The MML, which describes itself as a voluntary group of Mississippi cities and towns, aims to educate and train municipal officials on effective governance. According to its mission statement, the League provides technical support, legislative advocacy, and networking opportunities for its members. The organization also focuses on developing leadership skills in youth, whom Modley cites as essential to future civic leadership.
However, Modley criticized the annual attendance of officials at the conference, suggesting that taxpayers’ funds are not being utilized effectively.
“All they’re doing is going on vacation every year with taxpayers' money, and the only thing the citizens of the city of Indianola get out of it is some pictures they took with dignitaries,” he stated.
Modley also highlighted pressing issues facing Indianola, including youth violence and gang-related crimes. He noted that the MML conference offers a variety of programs designed to address these critical problems.
“We had a community meeting with city leaders about crime in our community, but I have not heard back about a plan to combat these issues,” he said.
He further pointed to recent legal challenges faced by the city as evidence that the benefits of the conference may not be materializing as intended.
“It’s obvious because of the mishaps that the board has made that have either put the city, themselves, or both in some legal situations,” Modley remarked.
Three aldermen on the city board did in 2023 vote to pay a private contractor for home rehabilitation work, despite there not being a contract between the city and the company. This resulted in a state auditor’s investigation that led to a demand for repayment and an eventual lawsuit filed by the attorney general’s office.
