OAKLAND — The Oakland Area Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Elected Officials Appreciation Day with a reception and recognition program from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the chamber’s offices at 304 Holly Street.
All elected officials in attendance will be recognized. The public is invited.
This year’s special honoree will be Oakland Mayor James Riley Swearengen who has served the town for more than 40 years as either a member of the Board of Aldermen (5 years) or as its mayor. Friends, family and colleagues are welcome.
Mayor Swearengen is a lifelong native of Oakland and attended Walker High School in Oakland. He also attended Arkansas State University to receive a Certification in Public Administration.
In addition to his public service, the mayor was employed for 45 years with McQuay/Luvata/Modine until his retirement in 2017.
He and his wife, Rose Love Swearengen, have been married for 50 years. They have six children and 10 grandchildren. They attend Alvis Grove Baptist Church, where he serves as chairman of the Board of Officers.
Mayor Swearengen said some of the biggest challenges the town has faced while he served were dealing with a declining tax base and the need to annex areas near I-55 which required special legislative approval.
Additionally, he worked with the cities and towns in the county and the Yalobusha County Board of Supervisors to create an industrial park on the western side of the county. Infrastructure requirements for that included a natural gas line.
He has served as chairman of the Oakland Yalobusha Natural Gas District since its creation.
He is also a longtime member of Davis Chapel Masonic Lodge, the Booker Royal Arch Lodge Oakland, and the Yalobusha County Branch of the NAACP since 1983 and has served that organization as president.
For more information, contact the chamber by email at oaklandareachamber@gmail.com, or leave a message at 601-853-3942.
