(Photo by Caroline Burks)
On Tuesday, July 1, 2025 at 10 a.m. members of the community gathered to celebrate the inauguration of Laurel Mayor Johnny Magee and the members of the city council.
The program and a subsequent reception, hosted by Laurel Main Street, were held at the Y.W.C.O. in downtown Laurel where Mr. Malik Davis served as the master of ceremonies for the event.
The presentation of colors was provided by Troop 29 of the Boy Scouts of America (Second Allen AME Church) and Troop 33 (First Methodist Church of Laurel) led the pledge of allegiance.
(Photo by Julia Reon)
The national anthem was performed by Dr. Katrina Cox.
(Photo by Scruggs Photography)
Dr. Daniel Hathorne, Pastor First Laurel Methodist Church provided the invocation following a warm welcome from the Snowden family.
Jones County Circuit Court Judge Dal Williamson led the mayor and council members in swearing their oaths of office. Williamson said that he was honored to do so because he is “very proud of Laurel” because “it is still a place where there is a good quality of life due in large part to Mayor Johnny Magee and the city council.”
(Photo by Scruggs Photography)
Mr. Richard Brown spoke briefly before Mayor Magee delivered a heartfelt address to the assembled crowd. Brown offered words of encouragement and discussed the importance of leadership and stewardship to those in public service roles. He noted that leadership requires vision, a sense of purpose, a heart to see, dependence on a higher power, relationship skills and communication skills while good stewardship requires integrity and honesty.
(Photo by Scruggs Photography)
He thanked Mayor Magee for his many years of dedicated service to the city and thanked the council members for their work as well. He encouraged all of them to work together for the good of the community.
During his remarks, Mayor Magee, welcomed the crowd to the event and said, “All I can say is thank you! … I love this city. I was born in this city. I was raised in this city. I grew up in a community called the K.C.” He recounted his childhood growing up on South Cook Avenue where his family of six shared a three-room house that did not have running water.
(Photo by Scruggs Photography)
“But God was working in the K.C,” he said. “I mention this because this is where I got my morality, it is where I got my ethics, it is what made me who I am today. Laurel is the best city in the state of Mississippi. Some people won’t admit it, but it is.” he said.
The event concluded with the blessing of the mayor and council led by Pastor Haile Gaddy of Adullam Evangelism & Outreach Ministry.
(Photo by Scruggs Photography)
Remarks provided by Mayor Magee and the Council:
(Photo by Scruggs Photography)
Laurel Mayor Johnny Magee: “I humbly thank the citizens of Laurel who have entrusted me to serve as your mayor for the next four years. I will do my best to honor that trust. I will continue to have an administration that is committed to your service; we will never forget that we serve you, the taxpayers.”
(Photo by Scruggs Photography)
Ward 1 Jason Capers: "Greetings! I would like to say a special thank you and God bless you to the voters of Ward One for the opportunity to serve as councilman for our ward. I believe in practical, serving leadership and that we can work together to make a difference for our neighborhoods. I’m looking forward to representing Ward One’s interest on the council and to reaching out to residents to tackle their concerns and work on our future. I’m at 601.323.2762 if I can help, don’t hesitate to text or call! Together and with Christ all things are possible! Thank you!”
(Photo by Scruggs Photography)
Ward 2 Kevin Kelly: “Thank you to all the residents and constituents of Ward 2 for your trust and support for the past four years. I look forward to serving as your City Councilman for the next four years. We have seen great things happen in the City of Laurel, and I’m glad that we can all communicate and work together to solve problems and issues in Ward 2 and all of Laurel. I’m excited for the next four years to see progress we make as a city.”
(Photo by Scruggs Photography)
Ward 3 Angie Scruggs: “Laurel is more than where I live – it is the community I chose, the place I’m proud to call home and the people I am honored to serve. I’m deeply grateful for the support of my family, friends, and neighbors who brought me to this place. Representing my ward is a true honor and responsibility I will approach with dedication and humility. Guided by principles of faith, fairness and a commitment to shared prosperity, these values will shape every decision I make and every conversation I have. Together, I believe we can build a stronger, more inclusive future that reflects the values we share and the pride we have in our community.”
(Photo by Scruggs Photography)
Ward 4 George Carmichael: “I want to sincerely thank the residents of Ward 4 and the entire City of Laurel for the incredible honor of allowing me to serve as your councilperson for the past 20 years. It is a responsibility I have never taken lightly. As I continue to move forward with this new council, I pledge to make every important decision with the best interest of our community at heart. Your trust means everything to me, and I will continue to remain committed to serving you with integrity and dedication.”
(Photo by Scruggs Photography)
Ward 5 Andrea Ellis-Thomas: “First, giving honor to God, I want to thank the voters of Ward 5 for the confidence and opportunity to continue to serve as your councilperson. I will continue to remain focused on what is best for our community and this city as a whole. I look forward to working with my colleagues to make sure Laurel is the best it can be."
(Photo by Scruggs Photography)
Ward 6 Grace Amos: “I would like to thank the voters of Ward 6 for entrusting me to serve as your council person for another term. I am deeply humbled by your support. It is an honor to serve in such a capacity with integrity. I will work hard to continue our progress and will work with our mayor and my colleagues for a better Laurel."
(Photo by Scruggs Photography)
Ward 7 Marian Allen: “I would like to thank God, my family (the late Tommie and Juanita Allen), friends, and constituents of Ward 7. Your dedication, hard work, and passion played a vital role in our success, and I am truly grateful for your efforts. Together, we have shown that when we unite for a common purpose, we can achieve great things for our community. Let’s keep this momentum going as we work together to make our city an even better place.”
