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Today’s ceremony marks the transfer of the second largest tract of Federal land ever transferred to the State of Mississippi under this program. The Federal Government is able to transfer such underutilized federal real property to state and local governments for park and recreational use under the Legacy of Parks Program.
The surplus property program, part of the President’s commitment to create a legacy of parks for all Americans, is cooperatively carried out by the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, the Federal Property Council, and the General Services Administration in a series of procedures which results in the identification of surplus federal properties and the conveyance of those properties to state and local governments.
The first conveyance of surplus property under this legislation was made in March, 1971. By April, 1975, 521 properties totalling more than 73,000 acres and valued at more than $208,000,000 have been announced for conveyance to States, Counties, Townships and Municipalities in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
PROGRAM
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Prelude Music ST. STANISLAUS HIGH SCHOOL BAND *
Master of Ceremonies NORTON HAAS, SR., Board Member Pearl River Basin Development District ♦
National Anthem *
Invocation
FR. VICTOR SEIDEL Pastor, Annunciation Catholic Church, Kiln *
ALTON “DOLPH” KELLAR President, Hancock County Board of Supervisors
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JACKSON BALCH Manager, National Space Technology Laboratories
*
GEORGE E. WYNNE President, Pearl River Basin Development District
*
JOHN D. RUTHERFORD Chancery Clerk, Hancock County *
ROBERT M. BAKER, Regional Director Southeast Region, Bureau of Outdoor Recreation
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L. J. BREAUX, Board Member Pearl River Basin Development District *
WILLIAM L. WALLER, Governor
State of Mississippi *
Presentation of Certificate of Transfer *
Official Dedication of McLeod Memorial Park ALBERT McLEOD JOYNER, Participant *
Benediction REV. DAVID FORMBY Pastor, Shifalo Baptist Church, Kiln *
Closing Music HANCOCK NORTH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL BAND