Wanted: A few good ideas to be found in Brookhaven.

     Mississippi Speaker of the House Philip Gunn concludes his statewide “Ideas Tour” in Brookhaven Friday, giving local residents the opportunity to speak their minds to the legislative leader.

     The tour began Monday in Jackson and has seen Gunn host town hall style forums across the state, trekking from Hernando in the north to Biloxi on the coast.

     The forums aren’t for Mississippians to hear from Gunn, but to allow Gunn to hear from Mississippians. He’s looking to collect input and ideas from the voters of Mississippi while he prepares for his second legislative term as speaker of Mississippi’s House of Representatives.

     The Brookhaven forum begins 10 a.m. Friday at the State Bank State Room on East Cherokee St. The meeting is scheduled to last one hour and 15 minutes.

     With the tour’s finale in Brookhaven, every major geographic region of the state is represented on Gunn’s itinerary. Local leaders are glad to see Southwest Mississippi’s inclusion.

     “I think that speaks highly of Brookhaven and what we’re trying to do,” said Brookhaven’s Mayor Les Bumgarner.

     Local leaders ticked off a few subjects they hope to see surface during Gunn’s stop.

     Lincoln County Board of Supervisors President Nolan Williamson said he and other supervisors had several concerns he hoped to bring to Gunn’s attention.

     “The main thing is funding of roads and bridges,” Williamson said.

     Williamson warned of dire consequences should funding for bridge and road repair continue to prove scarce. Beyond the need for adequate total funding, Williamson also hopes to see the revenue sources for bridge and road repair revised.

     “We’re going to ask for a permanent funding source,” Williamson said. “No bonds.”

     Other items on Williamson’s list of concerns include the need to fully fund homestead exemptions and the elimination of unfunded mandates.

     Bumgarner echoed Williamson as to the need for adequate funding and the danger of burdening cities and counties with regulations and mandates they can’t afford.

     Turning from government matters, Bumgarner mentioned the need for state assistance in regional economic development.

     “We really need some help in landing us a good industry,” Bumgarner said. “A lot of those come to the state before we ever know about them. I want them to be aware of our industrial park.”

     Local chamber of commerce director Cliff Brumfield underscored the importance of economic development.

     “Any time you discuss what’s best for a region, job creation is at the forefront of those discussions,” Brumfield said.

     Brumfield also highlighted education for its impact on economic development. An area needs good schools to create the quality of workforce needed to attract and sustain industrial development, he said.

     Though it seems certain to be a controversial topic in the next legislative session, Brumfield believes lawmakers and communities need to be talking about ways to turn public schools around.

     Though he discussed the need for economic development in Southwest Mississippi, Brumfield said that’s not a challenge unique to any region of the state.

     While acknowledging the differences across Mississippi, Brumfield believes Gunn will find many recurring themes throughout his tour.

     “By and large, the state’s needs are not that varied,” Brumfield said. “Some areas have enjoyed a little more progress, but on the whole we all face the same challenges.”