Open letter from Mayor Willis Thompson

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — As we reflect on one year in office serving the people of Vicksburg, I want to do something I believe every leader owes the people they serve: tell you the truth. And before we can fully appreciate the progress we’re making as a community, I believe it’s important to understand the condition of the city we inherited on July 1, 2025.

When this administration took office, we quickly discovered that many of the challenges facing Vicksburg were not the result of a single event or a single year. They were the product of years of inaction, deferred maintenance, inconsistent planning, overspending in some areas, and a reluctance to confront difficult problems before they became more costly to solve.

For too long, critical infrastructure needs were postponed while the cost of repairs continued to grow. Streets, drainage systems, water and sewer infrastructure, city facilities, and public equipment all showed signs of years of deferred investment. Every year that maintenance is delayed, the eventual cost to taxpayers becomes significantly greater.

Financially, our administration inherited serious long-term obligations that continue to impact our ability to invest in new projects. Rising pension liabilities, increasing operating expenses, aging utility infrastructure, and other inherited financial commitments have limited the flexibility of every budget decision we make. Independent audits also identified areas where stronger internal controls, better financial oversight, and greater accountability were needed.

The city’s natural gas purchasing consultants had advised the city for years about the need to adjust operations, adjust fees, and enact procedures that would ensure necessary items of concern were addressed while ensuring revenues were raised for future sustainability, but such items went unaddressed. Often, price adjustments must be made to maintain the service. The city provides the gas utility as a service to its constituents. A private company would provide the utility as a for-profit business: a great difference. These findings reinforced and simply confirmed what many citizens had already suspected: that City Hall needed a renewed commitment to sound financial management and operational excellence.

Beyond infrastructure and finances, we found opportunities that had simply gone unrealized. Economic development efforts lacked the aggressive, coordinated strategy necessary to compete for major investment. Technology had not been fully leveraged to improve city services. Departments often operated without measurable performance standards, making it difficult to evaluate efficiency, productivity, and accountability. Simply put, too many problems were allowed to linger instead of being solved.

Our administration made a conscious decision that maintaining the status quo was no longer acceptable.

Instead of looking for quick political victories, we began doing the difficult work of rebuilding the foundation of city government. We strengthened financial oversight, implemented Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure departmental performance, increased overall transparency with the public, pursued grant opportunities, modernized technology, improved communication with citizens, and began developing long-term strategic plans that will guide Vicksburg for years to come.

Some have asked why every problem has not already been solved. The answer is straightforward. It took years for these challenges to develop, and it will take disciplined leadership, responsible budgeting, and consistent execution to overcome them. Lasting change is never accomplished overnight. It is accomplished through steady progress, difficult decisions, and an unwavering commitment to doing what is right rather than what is easy.

Today, as mayor, I can confidently say that Vicksburg is moving in a new direction. We are building a culture of accountability instead of complacency. This administration is doing more with less, stopping wasteful spending, and improving accountability from within. For example, the city is now fully utilizing an internal auditor to enhance internal controls and identify areas of concern as they arise. We’re replacing reactive government with proactive leadership. We’re making decisions based on data rather than assumptions, planning instead of postponing, and investing in the future rather than simply managing the present.

As mayor, I’m genuinely excited about the future possibilities for Vicksburg. There’s great interest in the city. And for this reason, we are increasing our efforts to market the resources of the city.

Vicksburg had an extremely successful legislative session with funding for the interpretive center, South Port expansion, and a street paving project that will begin in the coming weeks. The city is also benefiting from a great line of communication with our congressional delegation, and I’m appreciative of the support we’re receiving from our representation.

I believe our community is fortunate to receive the investments of AWS, Entergy, and other investors that are considering Vicksburg. Other ongoing projects include preparing our comprehensive plan, which addresses waterfront development, future city planning, and other ways to build a Safer, Stronger, and Smarter Vicksburg.

This administration believes our citizens deserve a government that is transparent, financially responsible, innovative, and committed to action while focused on results. That is the standard we have set for ourselves, and it is the standard by which I ask you to judge our work as we reflect on our first year in office.

By the grace of God and with this community beside us, we’re going to keep writing the next chapter together.

With gratitude,
Mayor Willis Thompson

Vicksburg, Mississippi