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City
upgrades equipment, advertises for personnel
By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer
The Holly Springs mayor and board
of aldermen considered bids on heavy equipment, accepted some resignations
and considered filling vacant positions at the mid-January board meeting.
Bids were opened for a leaf machine,
backhoe and bucket truck, replacement equipment for the Holly Springs
public works and utility department.
Sansom Equipment Company was sole bidder
on a new leaf collector offering to provide the equipment at $79,397.50.
Five companies bid on a backhoe: H &
E Equipment ($67,112), Scott Equipment ($72,850), Nortrax Equipment
($77,100), Tiger Equipment ($78,500) and Thompson ($79,450).
Aerial Equipment bid $141,227 on a bucket
truck for the utility department with an additional $10,427 added if
a wench is wanted. Al-Tel bid $149,920.
The board took all bids under advisement.
Some departments reported resignations
in January. The board accepted the resignation of a garage technician,
two police officers and one firefighter.
The board passed a motion to advertise
for two police officers and to allow fire chief Kenny Holbrook to post
a vacant position internally. The board also authorized advertising
for a mechanic’s helper and a community development director.
The board authorized advancement of Grant
Glover to sergeant at the police department upon the recommendation
of Chief Robert Pearson. Glover has been with the city police department
since 2001 and has been a supervisor for two years.
“We are looking for a few
good men and women,” Pearson said as he posed with Grant, his
father and son for a photograph.
In other business, the board of aldermen:
- approved a motion to advertise for a line truck for the utility
department.
- authorized entering into a memorandum of understanding with Mississippi
Development Authority for the widening and extension of West Boundary
from Chulahoma Avenue to Highway 7 (Craft Street). Mayor DeBerry
and the board said the city needs to look at widening West Boundary
on the north end where it bottlenecks at West Valley Street. The
extension of West Boundary is expected to divert some traffic away
from Memphis Street and Craft, reducing congestion.
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The board also adopted an addendum resolution
for the sale of $750,000 in additional bonds for the construction
of Coldwater Substation at Mt. Pleasant. The addendum brings the
total bond issue authorization to $3.2 million.
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discussed and authorized the city clerk and
attorney to open sealed bids and tabulate bids before board meetings.
DeBerry said the bid opening dates could be specified and the board
would be ready to act on bids two weeks sooner than under the current
procedure.
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heard a recommendation from alderman Russell
Johnson that the board obtain and review guidelines provided by
the state ethics commission. He said the review would help politicians
be aware of potential conflicts of interest.
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received three quotes for cleaning of City Hall
and the Information Technology Building and tabled action while
the board attorney checks to see if the cleaning companies have
to be bonded.
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adopted the rezoning of 204 acres at Holly Springs
Commons from R-12 or B-4 to a Planned Unit Development District
(PUD).
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heard a recommendation by Alderman-At-Large
Tim Liddy. He suggested the city adopt a city flag.
“We are one of few towns that does not have
one,” he said.
Liddy also asked the board to reconsider some
way to provide funding for the Holly Springs Chamber of Commerce.
DeBerry said he is concerned the city cannot sustain
yearly funding and that other organizations would also ask for similar
support.
“While we’re discussing organizations,
I think the city should have a copy of the Tourism Bureau’s
financial reports to the state,” said alderman Nancy Hutchens.
“In reviewing that law (state statute) it requires an annual
audit. I think we need to know where the money is spent from that
organization.”
The board authorized a letter of request to see
tourism’s annual audit.
Board members then discussed upcoming appointments
to the tourism bureau’s board of directors.
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heard two issues voiced by alderman Naylond
Hayes. He asked for a review of the minutes to see if the board
had acted on a recommendation to pay assistant chief of police Patricia
Selman a chief’s salary while she led the department during
the vacancy left by former chief Robert Burby.
“We made a motion she be paid retroactively
for time she served until we appointed a new chief,” said
Hayes.
DeBerry said the matter was discussed but no motion
was ever spread on the minutes.
Hayes brought up the second issue of preparations
needed to open the city swimming pool.
“If we are going to open it, we need to start
getting lifeguards certified now,” he said.
DeBerry said the pool needed other repairs than
those done last year that would require an investment of several
hundred thousand dollars, which he felt would be better spent on
a new water feature.
He said he was concerned about liability.
“If we are going to have a swimming pool
it should be the quality we want it to be,” the mayor said.
“We say water park; that’s down the
road,” Hayes said. “Let’s open what we have now
where the kids will have something to do.”
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