After more than four decades in public service, City of Grenada Mayor Billy F. Collins announced last week that he will not seek re-election next spring.
“I’ve served long enough,” he told The Star last Thursday from his home. “The reason I wanted to announce this early is because people have to qualify in January.”
Collins, 80, cited health and family as two of the main reasons for not putting his name on the municipal ballot for the first time in 42 ½ years.
“My health has gotten worse these past four years than it did the previous four years,” he said. “I’ve missed some meetings and haven’t felt good enough to go other times. My girls want me to slow down and stay home some, and keep my strength up. I want to be with my family more.”
Collins has served a total of 11 terms in office — five as mayor and six as Ward 6 alderman. After dedicating more than half his life as a public servant, the former educator said that he will miss serving Grenada.
“There has been a lot of good things — a lot of positive things — happen throughout the years,” he said. “There are a lot of good things to come in 2024 and 2025 — new businesses coming to town and more jobs — I just can’t say a whole lot about it. It’s exciting.”
Being voted into office time and time again by his constituents has been humbling, according to Collins.
“People have been good to me; I’m appreciative,” he said. “When you are the Chief Executive Officer of the City, you sign all paperwork, you’re the ambassador of the City and you represent the City on all fronts. It’s an honor.”
During his years serving on the City Council, Collins made his living in education. He retired from Grenada School District in 2008, after 32 years of service and a total of 40 years in education.
“That helped me a lot in public service,” Collins said. “It helped me get used to the kids and the parents in the town.”
Collins first served as principal of Lizzie Horn Elementary School for two years when he began working for the GSD. He then became assistant principal at Grenada High School where he served for two years before serving four years as principal at Carrie Dotson Elementary School. He transferred to the Central Office in 1984, where he served as assistant superintendent until his retirement.
Prior to working in Grenada, Collins started his education career as a math teacher and coach at Shannon High School in Lee County. He then taught math, coached basketball and served three years as principal of Duck Hill Elementary School during his six years in the Montgomery County School District.
Qualifying for Grenada municipal office begins Jan. 2, 2024, and continues throughout the entire month. The municipal election will be held from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Monday, May 6.
According to the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office, to qualify:
All candidates must meet the following additional requirements to qualify for office: Qualified elector (registered voter) of the State of Mississippi in the municipality of the office for which the candidate seeks election; Resident of the municipality that he/she seeks to represent for two (2) years immediately preceding the day of the election (Miss. Code Ann. §23-15-300); Never have been convicted of bribery, perjury or other infamous crime, being defined as a crime punishable by confinement in the penitentiary (unless the candidate received a full pardon); Never have been convicted of a felony in federal court after December 8, 1992, nor of a crime in the court of another state which is a felony in this state, after December 8, 1992, as provided in Section 44 of the Mississippi Constitution. A candidate is not required to be a resident of the municipality that he/seeks to represent for two (2) years immediately preceding the election if the municipality has less than one thousand (1,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census.
A political party candidate must submit two items to the Municipal Clerk’s office: (1) a filing fee of ten dollars ($10.00) by 5:00 p.m. at least sixty (60) days prior to the primary election and, (2) a written Statement of Intent containing the name and address of the candidate, the name of the party with which the candidate is affiliated, and the office the candidate is seeking (Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-309 (1972)). The Municipal Clerk must forward the Statement of Intent and the filing fee to the Secretary of the proper Executive Committee. The forms are available at your Municipal Clerk’s Office, Municipal Party headquarters, and the Secretary of State’s Office. Independent candidates do not pay a qualifying fee. To qualify as an independent candidate in a municipal general election, a candidate must file a petition with the Municipal Clerk by 5:00 p.m. on the same day that candidates in Primary Elections must qualify, i.e., at least sixty (60) days prior to the first primary election (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 23-15-361 and 23-15-309 (1972)). The petition must be signed by at least fifty (50) qualified voters of a municipality or ward, if the municipality or ward has a population of one thousand (1,000) residents or more. The petition must be signed by at least fifteen (15) qualified voters of a municipality or ward, if the municipality or ward, has a population of fewer than one thousand (1,000) residents (Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-361 (1972)). The Municipal Clerk must certify that the signatures are those of registered voters in the municipality. Petitions are available at the Municipal Clerk’s Office and the Secretary of State’s Office.
Generally, a qualified elector is in the municipality and ward in which he/she seeks election.
Political Party Candidates submit a Statement of Intent and a $10 qualifying fee to the appropriate municipality party executive committee via the Municipal Clerk. Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-309.
Independent Candidates file a Statement of Intent and petition containing the signatures of not less than 50 qualified electors of the municipality, if the municipality has a population of 1,000 residents or more, of not less than 15 qualified electors of the municipality, if the municipality has a population of less than 1,000, with the Municipal Clerk. Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-361. If the office sought is elected by ward or district, the petition must contain the signatures of not less than 50 qualified electors of the ward/district, if the ward/district has a population of 1,000 residents or more, or of not less than 15 qualified electors of the ward/district, if the ward/district has a population of less than 1,000.
As for Collins’ thoughts on what type of person needs to be the next mayor, his answer was simple.
“I hope we get somebody good,” he concluded.
