Onorthsidesun page3A

a conversation with

D.I. Smith on matters about R'land

D.I. Smith, 65, just took ofce as Ridgeland alderman at large. Smith replaces the former alderman at large, Gerald Steen, who defeated Smith in his bid for re-election to the Madison County Board of Supervisors last fall. Smith is also the on-site property manager for the Dinsmor neighborhood in Ridgeland. He recently spoke with Sun staff writer Katie Eubanks about his time on the board of supervisors and his plans as alderman at large. inspector general]. So I told that person I loved my job and my wife loved my pay check. "But that caused me to get aware of local politics. I kept my ear to the ground and went to a lot of 'meet the candidates' func tions. "One of the magic moments was in May of 2003, when I was invited by the city of Ridgeland to be their keynote speaker on their National Day of Prayer. We'd just invaded Iraq, and a lot of city personnel had been deployed. It was a very patriotic First of all, my co-reporter and I have time, and they wanted someone with a mil been dying to ask you, what does D.I. itary background. stand for? "Because of that speech I gave, people "I get asked that all the time, and lots of realized I had a passion for service and times people try to come up with some started seeking me out for interviews and thing cute for it to stand for. (laughs) But jobs. I'm actually Douglas Irving Smith Jr. "I think it was a great opportunity the "I've been called 'D.I.' since I was bom, Lord gave me, to be part of that program. though. My parents didn't want to call me "Then in 2007,1 decided to qualify to 'little Doug.' Even my Social Security card run for supervisor." has 'D.I.' on it." So then you retired from your Army When did you start thinking about job? getting involved in local government? "I had actually retired from the Army in "I was commissioned out of the ROTC December 1999 and had worked for a start and spent 30 years in the Army as a regular up wireless technology company called ofcer. Then in 1996,1 was appointed as SigFX until March 2003.1 was the chief the inspector general for the Mississippi operating ofcer (COO). National Guard ... I was very honored to "From March 2003 to August 2004,1 . get selected to come back to Mississippi served in different volunteer capacities. I and be an advisor for the National Guard. helped with landscape maintenance at "Shortly after I got back to Mississippi, Highland Colony Baptist Church for a cou and after I'd gotten involved on the ple years. Dinsmor Homeowners Association board, I "In August 2004,1 became the on-site was approached by a Dinsmor resident manager at Dinsmor. who asked if I'd consider running for "But getting back to my time as supervisor. supervisor -1 was honored and humbled to "Because of the Hatch Act, I couldn't be be able to serve the people of Madison involved in partisan politics [and still be County. I was able to bring technology, email and blogs to the process of getting cit izens involved and engaged in public poli cy discussion. "I use crowdsourcing to reach out to those who don't read or watch traditional media. I was able to make literally hun dreds of people aware of issues that impacted their lives. And at the same time they could provide input to me on issues that they felt were important. It was so rewarding. "I was also one of the original founders of the Federation of Madison County Homeowner Associations (FMCHA). I assisted them with e-mail and with their Web site. A byproduct for me was getting to know a lot more people and have anoth er avenue for receiving ideas for improving services in Madison County." Do you believe you lost re-election because of redistricting? "Yes. The redistricting plan chosen in May 2011 removed 27 subdivisions from District 3, which was the district I repre sented, and put me at a disadvantage because I was opposed by a 15-year alder man with the city of Ridgeland. "So in May ... I realized the environment and I realized the difculty I'd have getting elected, and it entered my mind that if I lost there would be a vacant seat on the [Ridgeland] Board of Aldermen. "But even after 27 subdivisions were removed [from my district], I lost by 119 votes out of 5,000 votes cast. "Then beginning on the morning of August 3,1 was approached by scores of citizens to see if I would continue serving the citzens of Ridgeland." See D.I. Smith, Page 6A

Nothing is sprung on the board at the

L S M UE AT N T I
-and that was pretty much the status quo in Madison County ."
-M Smith

Page 6A Thursday, March 22,2012

D.I. Smith
Continued from Page 3A You were often the lone dissenter on the board of supervisors. Does this [city] board have a different dynamic? "Absolutely. There is no comparison between the profes sionalism of administration and conduct of the board in Ridgeland and the decisions that were often made by the Madison County Board of Supervisors. "[In Ridgeland,] Wednesday [before the board meeting] is the cut-off for agenda items. By Thursday, the materials are available for the aldermen for the next meeting. On the Monday night before the meeting, we have a work session with the board of aldermen and the staff presenting the agenda items. "If there's no request for an item not to be put on the consent agenda, it's put on the consent agenda. So then the actual board meetings are often very short. "Nothing is sprung on the board at the last minute - and that was pretty much the status quo in Madison County." Are the work sessions open to the public? "Yes. The board meetings are on the rst and third Tuesday of each month, and the work sessions are usually the Monday nights before the board meetings, at 6:00 p.m. in the board room at city hall. If Monday is a holiday, the work session might be the Thursday before. "Also, the information that's given to the members of the board of aldermen before each meeting is available to the world on the Internet [at www.ridgelandms.org]. The public can see that [board packet] before the meeting." one-percent sales tax increase. "In this day and age, very few people are excited about a tax increase. But Mayor [Gene] McGee and [Ridgeland Community Development Director] Alan Hart are looking at maybe getting some nancial analysis from outside sources, such as the state economist or the Stennis Institute [at Mississippi State University], on the potential economic impact of that tax increase." Do you think the redevelopment project is the city's biggest challenge? "Yes. Fifty-four percent of residential properties in the city are rentals. Some are dilapidated, creating blighted areas that could become breeding grounds for crime. "So it's imperative to have plans for the redevelopment of those areas into townships where there are houses and businesses, and particularly the size house that would attract younger families. "That [redevelopment plan] is one of the key elements of protecting property values ... However, there are other things, such as public schools and crime."

Your supervisor district included a lot of Ridgeland. What can you do for the city now that you couldn't do as a supervisor? "One of the things that I invested a lot of time in [as a supervisor] was working with new subdivisions in the county. They were appreciative of the experience I could bring from [the FMCHA] and years of serving at Dinsmor. I became a go-to person that neighborhoods would come to about property management and covenant enforcement. What is the rst thing you want to tackle as alderman "We have opportunities like that in Ridgeland even at large? though we don't have as many new neighborhoods. Some "The city has done an awesome job planning the of the older ones never had formal homeowner associations Ridgeland Area Master Plan (RAMP), so we have a blue (HOAs). So one of the things I want to do is work with print for the future. neighborhoods to form HO As, make them strong and pro "One of the top priorities [in the RAMP] that's going to tect property values." require our attention in the near future ... is what we call the Southeast Ridgeland Redevelopment project. That's along Would you ever consider running for mayor? Old Canton Road just north of County Line Road and will "Right now I'm focused on working hard to serve the basically entail the redevelopment of the areas where there people of Ridgeland as alderman at large after being are very old apartment complexes. encouraged by "The current plan is to get the state Legislature to give us plans are to run dozens of citizens to stay involved. My for re-election as alderman at large in Mav the authority to hold a referendum [vote] on a temporary 2013." 7