Vickie Bailey running for South Ward alderwoman

Vicksburg native Vickie Bailey has thrown her hat into the ring for the city’s South Ward alderwoman position.

Bailey is known for her work of many years with youth around Vicksburg. She serves as the city’s director of youth development, and recently, the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Alderman recognized her for five years of working for the city.

Bailey was key in opening the Jackson Street Community Center, which gives opportunities to the city’s youth to engage in activities such as basketball.

Maintaining and engaging the city’s youth is one of four main reasons Bailey gave for her run.

“I plan on working with the city, county and our school district on creating and implementing evidence based mental health, industrial skills and entrepreneurship programs for our very talented community,” she said in a statement. “It is important  to invest in our children, as they are our future.”

Other areas the candidate intends to focus on are public safety and infrastructure.

“Together with my community, I am and have been saddened and troubled by the crime and youth crime in our community,” she said. “It is my intention to work with the youth court, city, county, school, police department and sheriff’s department officials for the betterment of Vicksburg. Pulling all resources together as a collaborative effort could very well decrease the violence and have a community where we all feel safe.” In addition, Bailey is advocating for devising a plan of action for recruitment and retention of officers for the police department.

She called the city’s actions to pave roads and potholes “more of a ‘Band-Aid’ rather than a proper fix.”

The candidate also wants to expand the amount of funds from federal sources.

“The impact of attaining additional federal funding in this city would thrust this community to the forefront of economic development” Bailey said. “With the additional assistance of available federal funds we could touch so many more aspects of our citizens’ lives within this city causing change and improvement to be rapid.”

Bailey is the third individual to file paperwork to run for the South Ward seat. Thomas “TJ” Mayfield and Alex Monsour filed Thursday. Baily will face Mayfield in the Democratic Party municipal primaries April 6, and the winner will face incumbent Monsour, a Republican, in the general municipal election June 8.

Primary runoffs, if necessary, are slated for April 27.

Ronni Mott contributed to this story.