COMMUNITY LEADERS

Mark Johnson City of Covington Mayor

Clay Madden City of Mandeville Mayor

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EDGE June | July 2021

Recently I had the honor of addressing leaders of the St. Paul’s School student body. The subject was leadership. I felt a great responsibility to give conscious thought to what a good leader does and does not do. Having a title, such as Mayor, does not make one a leader. A leader is the person that has the vision of what needs to be done and encourages others to help get it done. A leader does not simply tell other people what to do. A good leader encourages others to work toward their goals together. A good leader leads by example, willing to do both the most menial tasks and the most difficult. Never ask someone to do a task that you could do in the same time it takes you to ask them to do it. A good leader understands the value of listening, the art of asking good questions and is a good storyteller. The great Southern art of storytelling is a wonderful way to communicate one’s point and to encourage others to participate. A good leader chastises in private, praises in public. A good leader understands the power of prayer. Each week, I pray for guidance on how to be the best leader that I can be. I ask for the following: 1) Lord, give me the wisdom to make the best decisions, the strength to follow through on those decisions and the patience to work with those I am to lead no matter their expertise. Regarding the latter, I believe God has a sense of humor. 2) Lord, help me complete the work You have begun in me. I shall not be so presumptuous that I know what that work is, but I do know You have a plan. Our community is fortunate to have many wonderful leaders in the social services sector, the private business sector and among our elected officials. For this I am grateful.

Summer is upon us! Enjoy these last few cool evenings because summertime in Mandeville is fast approaching. All city buildings are now open to the public and there are no mask mandates. The City Council, City Planning and Zoning and Commissions, as well as all other boards and commissions are now holding their meetings in person. Please visit www.cityofmandeville. com for meeting schedules. Since being sworn in as Mayor last August, the number one question I get when I run into a resident at the grocery store is “when are we getting our events back?” I am happy to announce a few events we have planned for late spring and summer 2021. First, we will have our “Light Up the Lake” event on Sunday, July 4 on the Mandeville Lakefront. This event will feature music from The Boogie Men and others and there will be multiple food vendors. For Father’s Day, the City of Mandeville will host a Father’s Day Fishing Rodeo at Sunset Point on Saturday, June 19. Finally, we hope to squeeze in one or two of our “Mandeville Live” concerts at the Trailhead during the month of May. For more information on the concerts and the other events mentioned, please visit www.experiencemandeville.org Projects of interest that will be under construction in the coming weeks include a new bathroom at Sunset Point and the repair, replacement, and enhancement of the Trailhead Splash Pad. The Splash Pad will be closed during construction, but we are confident it will be open for all to enjoy later this summer. Lastly, I am pleased to announce the addition of Ms. Cara Bartholomew as the new Director of Planning for the City of Mandeville. Cara has worked in the Planning Department for the City of Mandeville as well as St. Tammany Parish and brings a fresh look and great experience to our city.