A local was one of 40 elected officials nationwide to beselected for the prestigious Toll Fellowship Program.

District 92 Rep. Dr. Jim Barnett said it was an honor to beselected.

“I was very happy to be one of those chosen,” he said.

The Toll Fellowship Program is sponsored by the Council of StateGovernments and is named in honor of Henry Toll, the Coloradosenator who founded CSG in 1933.

The Toll program is designed to develop leaders from all threebranches of government. This year’s seminar, to be held inLexington, Ky., will focus on trends analysis, policy developmentand institutional changes.

“I talked to someone who is a member and he said it was one ofthe most rewarding things he has been involved in,” Barnettsaid.

A physician, Barnett represents portions of Lincoln, Copiah andFranklin counties. He has been a member of the Legislature for 14years. He currently serves as the vice chairman of the Ports,Harbors and Airports Committee as well as being on the Housecommittees of Appropriations, Military Affairs, Public Health andHuman Services, Public Property and Universities and Colleges.

The CSG is a multibranch, multistate organization forecastingpolicy trends for the community of states, commonwealths andterritories on a national and regional basis.