FORREST COUNTY, Miss.—As state lawmakers prepare for the 2026 legislative session, leaders in Forrest County say growth-related infrastructure and regional partnerships are among their top priorities—from industrial development to mental health services and long-term utility upgrades.
This story is part of a Roy Howard Community Journalism Center reporting project examining what local leaders across southeast Mississippi want from state lawmakers during the 2026 legislative session. The project includes county-by-county reporting and an interactive overview highlighting shared priorities, regional differences and policy challenges facing local governments.
Readers can explore the full project—including an interactive overview and reporting from all 10 counties, here.
In Forrest County, those priorities are shaped by rapid growth, cross-county collaboration and aging infrastructure.
Growth and Regional Partnerships
Terri Bell, president of Forrest County’s Board of Supervisors and District 5 elect, said the county is focused on managing growth while strengthening partnerships with neighboring communities. Bell pointed to several joint projects with Lamar County, including the Eagle One Mega Site off Highway 11 and a new mental health facility expected to be built in the coming year.
The Eagle One site, once complete, is designed to attract a large manufacturing company to the area. Bell said the project could bring jobs and spur additional business development, creating long-term economic opportunities for the region. The site is currently in the early stages, with work underway to extend water and sewer infrastructure. Bell said the counties expect the site to be shovel-ready no later than 2027.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity for our area,” Bell said.
Bell also highlighted a joint effort between Forrest and Lamar counties to develop a crisis stabilization unit in Purvis. The facility will serve individuals experiencing mental health crises or substance abuse issues, providing temporary care before patients are transferred to longer-term treatment facilities if needed. Bell said Pine Belt Mental Health will assist with operational expenses, and officials are exploring the possibility of expanding services in the future.
“It will be a temporary type of location, but they will try to stabilize the patient,” Bell said. “I think this is going to be a great thing for our community.”
Beyond larger regional projects, Bell said Forrest County has continued to focus on basic infrastructure needs, particularly road and bridge improvements. Over the past year, the county has spent about $2 million on chip-sealing and paving roads in rural areas. Officials are also working to replace wooden bridge pilings with concrete supports at several locations to improve long-term stability.
Petal Priorities Tied to Growth
In Petal, Mayor Tony Ducker said continued growth has increased the city’s reliance on coordination with state and federal lawmakers, particularly as infrastructure demands rise. Ducker praised recent collaboration among local, state and federal officials, including U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell, state Rep. Larry Byrd, U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker.
Ducker said Ezell helped secure about $1.75 million in federal funding for the city, while Byrd assisted in obtaining $500,000 for a new entryway at the Robert E. Russell Sportsplex.
While recreational improvements are important, Ducker said his broader goal is to leave the city in strong condition for future leaders. He pointed to major infrastructure projects, including Petal’s final lift station upgrade and the installation of a second water pump beneath the Leaf River. That project is tied to the city’s long-standing wastewater partnership with Hattiesburg.
Growth has also raised expectations among residents, Ducker said, particularly as Petal maintains one of the top five school districts in the state amid ongoing debates around school choice. In response, the city has prioritized visible improvements funded by tax revenue, including road paving, water line upgrades and expanded recreational amenities.
Ducker described the city’s restaurant and hotel tax as a “game changer,” allowing Petal to invest in parks, sidewalks and trails. He also emphasized the role of grants in funding projects such as improvements to Petal River Park, completion of the Mathews Branch sidewalk project and a future sidewalk extension that would allow residents to travel by foot or bicycle from City Hall to Hattiesburg.
“I didn’t ever want to come and sit in this chair and say that this is the one thing we got right,” he said. “I want to try and make everything better.”
This story reflects responses from local leaders who were available to participate during the reporting period. Readers who would like to hear from city or county leaders not included here are encouraged to contact RHCJC News, and additional outreach will be made when possible.
This article is one of 10 county-level stories in the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center’s project on local leaders’ priorities for the 2026 legislative session. The full interactive project is available here.
This article first appeared on RHCJC and is republished here under a Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 International License.