Welcome Message From the Mayor
Message from Mayor Keith Gaskin
When I was campaigning I promised to lead by civility, transparency and honesty. My priorities were public safety, education, a sound economic strategy, infrastructure and community and culture. Those are still my priorities. This is a position I do not take for granted. We may not always agree, but we should always be aligned on what is best for our Friendly City.
As Mayor, I will continue to listen, to learn and to advocate for our great city. If we are to succeed, we must first be kind to each other. We have to seek out what we have in common and not what divides us. I will continue to have an open and productive relationship with all citizens because honest communication is important in identifying and solving problems. These tenets are the cornerstones of my faith, my work, my life and my hope for a brighter future for Columbus.
Your Public Servant,
Keith
Mayor Gaskin’s Perspectives, Principles and Priorities:
Honesty and Transparency: Plain speaking and earnest, effective communication are essential to my
personal and professional code of ethics. City Hall has to lead in an honest way or people won't trust
and without trust, we fail. We owe each other our honesty and forthrightness, even when it's not pretty,
if we are to live, work and play like the good neighbors we are. Transparency is vital in good
government. My goal is to keep an open and productive relationship with the citizens, the press and all
the good folk in local city and county government. We have to work hard to be good stewards and
servants to our community and it all begins with open, honest and transparent communication.
Public Safety/COVID 19: I am so grateful to all our medical personnel, law enforcement agencies, fire
and rescue team, first responders, front-line and essential workers who have continued to work through
this unprecedented time in our world. I take the virus very seriously and have encouraged citizens to
join me in getting vaccinated as well as wearing of masks as deemed appropriate, proper sanitizing and
social distancing. We need our citizens to feel safe in their homes, neighborhoods and schools. Members
of the city council voted to purchase new self-contained breather apparatus units for the fire & rescue
department. We will continue to actively look for funding sources to purchase digital radios for our
police department, as well other public safety needs. In addition, I am listening to citizens about
concerns they have about the safety and well-being of our community. A safe community is a thriving
community.
Education: I have a passion for promoting and ensuring quality education at every age, for all walks of
life. I realize not all learning is done in the classroom, but a quality education, trade and/or skill set
increases the likelihood of a successful student which leads to a successful community. With over 20
years of experience in working in administrative roles in higher and secondary education, I embrace the
unique roles that universities and community colleges play through workforce development, local
economic development and vocational training. Our children and their education is one of the main
reasons I decided to run for mayor. As an enthusiastic advocate of lifelong learning, I am determined to
ensure our schools are safe and well-resourced. I will pursue innovative education opportunities by
strengthening the relationship between the local public schools, universities and community colleges.
This will be instrumental in forming a cohesive learning environment for the entire community to
promote lifelong learning and supporting those with special situations and needs.
Infrastructure: We need to implement a program of need-based repair, maintenance and improvement
to our municipal infrastructure (streets, sewage, gas, light and water) to accommodate the current
needs as well as the future growth of our city. The city hired Waggoner Engineering in December of
2021 to help us leverage ARPA funds to address some of these needs. Some streets are newly paved,
but we realize there are other streets that need paving as well. Please be sure to contact your
city councilperson about this concern because the city council plays a role in determining which streets
are paved. Cleaning up run-down and abandoned properties remain a priority. This will not only help
our town look better but will be key in attracting new residential developments while keeping an eye on
annexation opportunities.
Economic Strategy: My career has been focused on building relationships between the public and
private sectors and I have brought that to City Hall. I believe the same strategy that work in higher
education can work across our municipal systems. With this policy, we will aggressively seek out types of
partnerships to grow Columbus in ways that can be a relief to tax payers and move the city forward. We
will continue to combat population decline by promoting all businesses, recruiting small business and
entrepreneurs along with growing industries. All businesses are not brick and mortar but that leaves
room for collaborations between online and physical businesses. We will encourage entrepreneurship
while creating economic vitality and a unique sense of place. My goal is to make Columbus the Creative
Capital of Mississippi.
Civil Community & Culture: Before we can be a thriving community, we must first learn to be kind to
one another. We can respectfully disagree on something but still have the best for the city at heart. I will
continue to lead by the tenet of there is more that brings us together than more that separates us. I
believe art, music, dance, theatre, sports, etc. are just a few of the many ways we can come together for
there is no right or wrong. The arts tell a story and we each have one in which others can learn. I believe
we have everything we need to build a cultural atmosphere and market the city through historic
resources, the arts, sports, unique downtown business and beautification, including clean streets and
ditches, parking lots, etc. We can't afford to be divided but instead work toward a common desire to be
good stewards and servants to our community.
Look out for each other and stay safe!
Educational Background:
Ph.D. Community College Leadership, Mississippi State University
Master of Public Policy & Administration, Mississippi State University
Bachelor of Science, Journalism, University of Southern Mississippi
Mississippi Community Leadership Academy
Fellow Institutional Advancement Leadership, Vanderbilt University, Peabody College of Education
Crisis Leadership in Higher Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education/Kennedy School
Professional Experience:
Mayor, City of Columbus, MS
Executive Director, Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science
Vice President of Institutional Advancement, West Virginia University of Parkersburg
President & CEO, West Virginia University Parkersburg Foundation
Vice President of Advancement, Memphis Theological Seminary
Associate Vice President for Advancement, University of Alabama
Senior Director of Development, Mississippi State University Foundation
Public Affairs Specialist, Mississippi University for Women
Photojournalist, The Commercial Dispatch