2003 was an extremely challenging time for civil legal services to the poor in Mississippi, and North Mississippi Rural Legal Services (NMRLS) in particular.  However, through the commitment and untiring work of the Board and staff, NMRLS has overcome seemingly insurmountable hurdles.  The following is a partial listing of significant events, major activities, and highlights of our accomplishments during the year:

• The State Planning Body recommended and the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) accepted a two program configuration for Mississippi.  Thus, NMRLS remains in tact with 39 counties - It loses Holmes and Noxumbee and picks up Sharkey and Issaquena.

• NMRLS successfully completed the LSC Competitive Bid process which led to a 3-year competitive bid award - through 2006.

•  As a result of substantial cuts in LSC funding because of a loss in the number of poor persons within our 39 county service area (according to the 2000 census), the NMRLS Board of Directors made 2 important decisions:

1. Not to forcibly lay off staff but to achieve staff reduction through attrition, and

2. It decided not to close any of our current 5 branch offices.  However, it changed the staffing pattern to 2 attorneys, 1 paralegal and 2 support staff per office.

• NMRLS successfully negotiated for the first time a statewide contract worth about $181,000 with the Mississippi Association of Community Action Agencies (MACAA) to provide legal representation to their recipients.

•  NMRLS nominated board member, Mrs. Mildred Quarles, and she received The Magnolia Bar Association’s Harriet Tubman Award.

•  Ruby White, Director of Litigation, was nominated and received The Mississippi Bars’ Legal Services Lawyer of the Year Award.

• NMRLS successfully implemented an improved health care coverage package for its staff which includes a medical credit card via The Choice Care Credit Card.  The Choice Care Card Plan (Part 1) allows the employer to fund the Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) for its staff to use toward allowable deductibles.  The Choice Care Card Plan (Part 2) allows employees to fund a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), using pre-taxed dollars, which employees can use for allowable medically necessary expenses such as contacts, glasses, dental deductibles, etc.  The employee’s portion of the monthly premium for dependant coverage (25%) is also paid with pre-taxed dollars.

• The Mississippi Legislature passed a bill creating the Civil Legal Assistance Fund.  The bill did not contain any state funding for Legal Services, but it did set up a fund in which monies for civil legal assistance to the poor could be deposited and distributed to the MS Legal Services programs and the MS Volunteer Lawyers Project (MVLP).

• The Mississippi Supreme Court under the leadership of Chief Justice Edwin Pittman distributed a substantial amount of the pro hac vice money to the MS Legal Services programs and MVLP.

• Phyllis Thornton, affectionately known as “the dragon lady” resigned as Executive Director of MVLP for health reasons after serving approximately 17 years.

• NMRLS successfully negotiated and signed a contract with the Employee Union after having operated several years without an updated document.

Undoubtedly, there are challenges, seen and unforseen, that await us in 2004.  However, I firmly believe based, upon our prior resourcefulness and commitment to the provision of legal services to the poor people we serve, that we will find a way to continue to champion the cause of equal justice under law.

The Honorable Ben Thomas Cole II

4 February 2004