Aldermen assert leadership roles in meetings

The March 5 meeting of the Holly Springs Mayor and Board of Aldermen saw the 36item agenda grow to 55 items as aldermen added their motions to the agenda for consideration.

Alderman-At-Large Dexter Shipp offered motions to be added which expand the number of officers in the police department and also promote officers. He added four motions regarding the police department.

Ward 4 alderman Patricia Merriweather added 14 items to the agenda, hers relating to accountability concerns at the Holly Springs Utility Department, and some street, paving and safety concerns in her ward.

Shipp added a motion to hire Ken Jones as a patrolling officer at the Holly Springs Police Department at a wage of $20.50 per hour. He made a motion to promote officer Walter Christie to sergeant at the police department at a wage of $23.85 per hour. He also offered a motion to hire Marshall Sanders as a lieutenant at HSPD at $25.33 per hour, to hire Derome Bobo Jr. as a detective at a rate of $24.86 per hour, and to adjust the pay of Det. Milton Palmer, lead detective at HSPD.

Palmer’s pay was discussed in executive session, while the other recommendations for hiring/promoting officers at the police department passed unanimously.

Merriweather made the following motions to be added to the agenda:

• to form a board of commissioners to direct the concerns of constituents at the Holly Springs Police Department.

• to advertise for a general manager at HSUD.

• to amend the budget and hire a Human Resources person.

• to pave Rising Star Road.

• to correct drainage on Hudsonville Road.

• to give the Tennessee Valley Authority accessibility to the accounts at HSUD to verify the accuracy of financial reports HSUD turned in to Tennessee Valley Authority.

• to put rails at the ravine on West Street north of Coomans.

• to hear an update on the cast-iron project.

• to discuss audits completion dates for year 2021 at HSUD.

• to hear a financial report from city clerk Jerrica Jones.

• to hear a financial report from Annie Mason, accounts manager at HSUD at the next meeting of the board of aldermen.

• to receive a TVA compliance report update. The disposition of these motions by Merriweather and motions put on the agenda by Mayor Sharon Gipson are presented here and in future reports.

In the consent agenda, the aldermen approved:

• payment of $20,825 to Thompson Machinery for repairs on the street department’s front end loader.

• transfer of $74,816 to the general operating fund from Homestead tax settlements.

• a premium of $126,442 for city property insurance from NICO (National Indemnity Company).

• obtaining quotes for repairs of West Street for a hole on the edge of the street across from the Sheriff’s Department that continues to grow so that two cars cannot pass on that area of the street.

Ward 1 alderman Bernita Fountain said the area has gotten very dangerous and Marshall County has agreed to assist with the repair which requires a 30-foot pipe at $3,281 and riprap at $2,122.

• travel for the mayor and board of aldermen and city clerks to attend the 93rd Mississippi Municipal League Conference in June.

• travel for Terry Sims and Tracy Reynolds to attend the Mississippi Public Service Commission’s Gas operator conference.

• general bills and claims.

• city utility bills and claims.

• a July 4 celebration July 5 with a budget of $15,000.

• an Easter egg hunt March 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The board approved purchase of three used pickups for use by the Holly Springs Fire Department that were located by fire chief Rodney Crane. The pickups — a 2019 Dodge Ram 1500 ($25,179), a 2019 Dodge Durango ($26,595), and a 2019 Ram 1,500 ($25,995) — will be purchased from ASIA Motors and be replacing a training truck for travel back and forth to school, Crane said. The price of the trucks total about $70,000, he said.

Crane said he will take the train to Illinois and drive the pickups back. The trucks have new tires and carry a five- to seven-year warranty.

The board also approved purchase of a 2021 Ford F150 4X4 at $38,795 to be used by the street department to drive in ice and snow.

The other topics discussed and actions taken at the March 5 meeting are covered here and in separate articles to follow.