City hires new workers

With some American Rescue Plan Act monies to make payroll, the City of Holly Springs filled some spots in various departments and paid bills.

Still no general manager has been hired to lead the Holly Springs Utility Department.

Mayor Sharon Gipson held a motion to hire Ernest Campbell as general manager of the utility department and held one general laborer spot in the street department.

Michael Gause was approved to work as general laborer in the Water Division of HSUD, with a vote of 3-1 with Ward 1 alderman Bernita Fountain opposing the motion.

Supervisor Terry Sims, with the water division, requested the hiring of Jamari Stone to work in the water department as general laborer.

“We are really shorthanded right now,” Sims said. “We really need him. We are short a crew and I gotta make the crew up.”

Ward 3 alderman Colter Teel expressed concern about hiring anyone at the time because he said he is concerned about having the money to add more employees because of the budget.

“I’m just worried, maybe too cautious,” Teel said. “I just don’t know.” Gipson said she would not have brought positions like Stone forward if she didn’t feel confident the money is there to pay the salaries.

“Of course, we had a few storms and I am confident we have the money,” the mayor said. “I am asking along with the division supervisor that he be approved.”

Stone was not at the meeting but had been present at two other meetings when his name was on the agenda.

The board approved a motion to hire Tommy Tucker as a general laborer in Building and Grounds. It was Tucker’s third time on the agenda for the position.

Fountain said she has concerns about hiring help because she is concerned, as is Teel, if there will be money to pay additional employee salaries.

“We also have the winter coming up and are trying to maintain what we have,” she said.

Fountain said she is worried about having more power outages during the winter and that preventative maintenance should be taking place.

“I don’t want to have a situation of mass outages during harsher winter,” she said, making a motion to hire Tucker.

Gipson said Tucker is an experienced electrician and plumber, and will also help keep the grass cut.

Tucker said he has his own mowing business but it is winter here and grass cutting is at a standstill.

Ward 2 alderman Andre Jones seconded the motion to hire Tucker and he was approved 3-1 with Teel voting against the motion. Aldermanat- Large Dexter Shipp was absent.

Ivory L. Steward was recommended for the job of operator in the Right-Of-Way Division by Chester Lesueur, supervisor of right-of-way crews.

“We are definitely short in the right-of-way department,” Lesueur said. “We have a lot of new service and a lot of times you have to cut the right-ofway first. It would definitely increase your revenue.”

Teel made a motion to hire Steward at $16.60 an hour. He has experience with operating heavy equipment. Merriweather seconded the motion and it passed by unanimous vote of 4-0.

The board also considered a motion to hire Robert L. Thomas in the utility department as supervisor of the right-of-way division. Merriweather made a motion to hire and Teel seconded, but Fountain and Jones opposed the motion. Gipson broke the tie putting Thomas in the position as supervisor.

In other business, the board of aldermen:

• authorized a request for cash #3 for $183,047 for payment on the fire station expansion.

• approved a transfer of $79,822 to the general operating fund for a pay request for work on the fire station expansion.

• approved transfer of $129,796 from payroll to the general operating fund. The money comes out of $500,0000 set aside from the American Rescue Plan ACT fund to help the city make payroll. At the Dec. 19, 2023, meeting the board approved transfer of $135,089 from the ARPA fund to the general fund to make the city payroll. The total so far from ARPA to make city payroll comes to $264,885 or just over half of the money approved for payroll from ARPA fund.

• approved transfer of $1,942 to the general operating fund for nCourt settlement.

• authorized payment of $1,559 to the Department of Finance and Administration for November Municipal Court Settlements.

• approved travel for Tracy Reynolds and Terry Sims to attend the Mississippi National Gas Association training class in Tupelo for required credits.