7 On The Road: Columbia mayor known to put boots to the ground in community

Updated: Jun. 13, 2019 at 7:48 PM CDT
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COLUMBIA, Miss. (WDAM) - He was signing resolutions, a few moments later, out to the streets to strategize on sewing into the town he oversees.

“I like to get out and get in engaged in what’s going on,” Mayor McKenzie said.

McKenzie spent 17 years in law enforcement, so his boots, hands-on approach, and sense of teamwork were ingrained in his character early on.

“You can see him shoveling dirt out of a hole, grabbing a weed eater,” a resident said.

“He’s digging holes, picking up trash, he works just like we do,” another resident added.

McKenzie seemed to see every crack in the road and know every neighbor who keeps their yard up.

“My day lasts between ten to eleven hours," McKenzie said.

Everyone we encountered during the day with the mayor asked if we had worked on a tractor or cleaned out a sewage drain.

“It’s a great opportunity for the people in the community to see him not only in suit and tie but in boots and wranglers,” a resident said.

Pictures reveal just a piece of the partnership between a leader who wouldn’t ask his team or community to do anything he wouldn’t do.

“Ultimately that’s the message I want to send to them," McKenzie said. "I’m not afraid to lead by example.”

He instills a sense of humbleness and pride to those he serves.

“He has the big picture in mind, He wants Columbia to be everything it can be. He has a dream."

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