The Greenwood City Council has given the green light for a bid to seek funding to celebrate the state’s bicentennial later this year.
The effort is spearheaded by Cheryl Thornhill, executive director of the Museum of the Mississippi Delta; Hart Henson, executive director of ArtPlace Mississippi; Robin Whitfield, an art and design instructor at ArtPlace; and Brantley Snipes, executive director of Main Street Greenwood.
Thornhill and Henson appeared before the council at its regular meeting Tuesday.
Thornhill said a 120-foot mural by Whitfield, titled the “Spirit of the Yazoo,” which is on the facade of the Museum of the Mississippi Delta, would serve as the focal point of a similar wall along a portion of Rail Spike Park.
“We thought we’d take that mural as a catalyst and from that grow different programs. … We’re in the process of organizing several programs that would go along with Robin’s mural,” Thornhill said.
There is an April 3 deadline for securing funding from the Mississippi Development Authority.
Thornhill and Henson also asked the council if the city would donate $1,500 to match a similar donation for the project from General Electric’s Capital Aviation Services.
Henson described the planned concrete wall, which would contain 6-inch-by-6-inch ceramic tiles decorated by children 5 and up that would be part of the overall design. The design will follow the theme of the museum’s mural, which includes “animals, nature, Native Americans and African-American cultures,” Thornhill said.
Thornhill said the work of all four women will be considered an “in-kind” contribution.
Although the request for a donation was not in the form of a resolution, the council approved the funding from the mayor’s contingency fund, provided the other funding comes through.
Also Tuesday, the Rev. John Gouger, a Redemptorist priest, talked about the Faithful Citizenship group, an organization he has formed. It currently has six members.
“There is an urgent appeal, especially for the most needy in the community,” said Gouger, who is working in the Delta as part of an outreach effort to the Hispanic community. “We, as the Faithful Citizenship group, aspire to be a voice for them.”
He said it is important that the needs of the less fortunate be put “ahead of our own.”
“We are challenged to make a fundamental option for the poor — to speak for the voiceless, to defend the defenseless and to assess lifestyles, policies and social institutions in terms of their impact on the poor,” Gouger said
He suggested that people take their families and visit the homeless and to donate unused clothing and blankets to them.
In other action, the council:
• Heard from Tommy Gregory of Gregory & Associates regarding the completion of the Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp.’s expansion. The expansion will bring with it 75 new jobs.
nApproved the placement of speed bumps in the 1900 and 2000 block of Portwood Street in Ward 7.
• Approved providing $200 to the Mississippi Community Education Center for conducting a domestic violence and anti-bullying meeting. The meeting is scheduled for April 1 at the Leflore County Civic Center.
• Approved a proposal from Jones Sign Co. to paint the city-owned sign at the entrance of Whittington Park to celebrate the centennial of the Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce. The work will be done at no cost to the city. Afterward the sign could be covered over by banners for special events, Mayor Carolyn McAdams said.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com
