Leader’s time at Delta Regional Authority comes to an end

WASHINGTON — Chris Masingill announced Thursday that he’s no longer federal co-chairman of the Delta Regional Authority.

“This afternoon, I was notified that my holdover position … has come to an end, effective immediately,” Masingill said in a letter addressed to “DRA friends and supporters.”

Although he was appointed by a Democrat, the new Republican administration retained him for an additional six months.

“It has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve all of you, and to work on behalf of the Delta region,” he said.

The authority, which was created in 2000 with the support of President Bill Clinton, covers seven states along the Mississippi River plus Alabama and encompasses 252 counties and parishes, many of them with high rates of poverty.

The authority was one of 19 independent agencies targeted for closure under a 2018 budget blueprint released in March by the White House Office of Management and Budget.

The organization, which awards millions of dollars in grants each year, “fosters local and regional partnerships that address economic and social challenges to ultimately strengthen the Delta economy and the quality of life for Delta residents,” its website states.