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Board says, open cemetery gate By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer With
a dissenting Mayor Andre’ DeBerry, the Holly Springs Board of Aldermen
voted unanimously last week to open the front gate at historic Hill
Crest Cemetery. The vote followed a motion by
alderman Garrie Colhoun and a second by alderman Harvey Payne and a
full discussion, much of it a rehashing of previous talks. Colhoun brought the matter up at the end of business at last week’s board of aldermen meeting. “We
discussed the gates weeks and weeks and months and months,” Colhoun
began. “Since we have finished the main gate columns (recently rebuilt
after damage over a year ago), I would like to see us repair the gates.
But, I motion to take down the cones and guards and open for traffic.” Payne quickly seconded the motion. “Why?”
asked the mayor. “If we are not finished, why do we open? I appreciate
what you are saying. We know what needs to be said but don’t want to
say it. “We know someone is going to knock
those gates down again. Everybody is crying because this one (gate) is
not open. We have five gates with four open to traffic. One is not
open. Some want to say the sky is falling.” “Put
in that motion that that gate be opened and no vault trucks are allowed
to come through that gate,” Colhoun said. “That’s my motion. Vault
trucks cannot go through.” In discussion that
followed, alderman Johnnie Ree Bagley suggested the gate be closed to
all vehicles since the road is so narrow through the columns. DeBerry asked if Colhoun could drive through the front gate with his car. “We
just spent $7,000 to get it repaired and soon as we open, somebody is
coming through and will take a sharp right turn,” said the mayor.
“Vault trucks and monument trucks have to use the Maury Street
entrance.” The mayor at one point recommended opening the front gate to foot traffic only. “It is too small for traffic,” DeBerry continued. “All of us know it is not wide enough. It’s barely six feet.” A
lengthy back and forth discussion of the matter was finally brought to
a close with a vote 5-0 to reopen to traffic, but no service trucks. The gate remained blocked at press-time Tuesday. In
business that followed, the board and mayor discussed at length fair
compensation to employees who take on extra duties that causes them to
have to work beyond a 40-hour week. The matter was brought up in
conjunction with a concern from police chief Robert Pearson that his
new hires without police academy certification rapidly receive raises
that soon put their salaries over those of experienced and seasoned
employees. Alderman Bagley asked if the board
minutes reflect these conditions and city clerk Belinda McDonald said
those pay policies for police officers were made years back. DeBerry said those pay policies may have to be revisited. “We
have boxed ourselves in,” he said. “By the fact we didn’t address
existing employees, it pushed them up back-to-back to each other.” Pearson said he has five vacancies and he introduced two academy-certified applicants to the board for consideration. “What is going to be the starting pay for officers with experience?” Pearson asked. “I’m not sure we know that,” the mayor said. “It has to be a recommendation coming from you.” The board then took up a matter of paying employees by direct deposit to the employees’ bank accounts. DeBerry was opposed to electronic transfer because some employees may not have bank accounts and would be required to open one. “What is the great benefit of changing?” he asked. Bagley
said it would stop the rush of employees to the bank to cash or deposit
their checks during regular banking hours. Some employees are taking
more than the lunch hour to cash checks, she said. She also expressed
concern that some employees are cashing payroll checks at the liquor
store. Discussion of the matter was vigorous with
aldermen considering all checks be deposited directly, to none, to some
being deposited for the employees who want it. “Why can’t we offer direct deposit to those who want it?” asked alderman Payne. He followed with a motion that was seconded by alderman Russell Johnson and the motion passed unanimously. A
final matter of business brought up for discussion by alderman Russell
Johnson was how development on lands adjacent to the new North Holly
Springs bypass road would be handled by the city - through the city’s
comprehensive plan under revision or through the Marshall County
Industrial Development Authority. “Do we have a covenant with the county so we would have the same building code as the county?” he asked. Utility general manager Don Hollingsworth said most of the land along the bypass is in the city limits. The
mayor suggested that the matter be put to Bob Barber, who has been
hired to update the city’s comprehensive plan and land use ordinances. Johnson asked if the city should market the properties for the landowners or whether it should be handled by IDA. Hollingsworth
said the city had marketed land through IDA before and met with the
landowners as was done in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park area, “so
not just anybody can come and put in a smoke stack.” “IDA should be involved,” said Johnson. “I’m not saying IDA should not but...” said DeBerry. “Why pay Barber? Why reinvent the wheel? Have him sit down with IDA,” Johnson said. “I can’t see crossing him out,” said the mayor. Johnson said some properties had already been marketed by IDA. “We are not cutting out IDA,” DeBerry said. “Our first priority is the City of Holly Springs.” Colhoun weighed in on the issue. “They
ask us for all kinds of stuff,” he said. “We need to do a little
leaning on our own. This Chickasaw Trail is a great opportunity. We’ve
got land all around us and we are close to Blue Springs (Toyota
assembly plant).” The mayor said he has just met
with Barber and will talk about land use with the board in December.
The planning commissioners need to be certified, he added. Johnson said the city would need a website. “What is the use of paying IDA fees, then?” he asked. The matter was dropped after intense discussion without a motion. In
utility news, Hollingsworth said the Tennessee Valley Authority has
announced a roughly 50 percent reduction in the fuel cost adjustment
rate for November. Residential customers will see a roughly $7
reduction in their electricity bill for the month, he said. This is the first rollback in the FCA in about nine months, he said.
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