Advancement Alliance to help with market

Four members of the Holly Springs Advancement Alliance presented plans to support the Farmers Market this year to the Holly Springs Board of Aldermen at the April 21 meeting.

The group will assist County Agent Lemon Phelps and grower John Heineke with the market startup.

Tanya Churchill with the Alliance, said there are currently 24 registered vendors.

“The biggest issue is having buyers,” she said.

Because of the late growing season, there will not likely be much on opening day May 9 in the way of fresh vegetables, she said. The first event will run from 8 a.m. To 2 p.m. On the courthouse lawn.

Extra activities to provide a boost in awareness include face painting, and live music.

Some vendors will offer homemade soaps, jewelry and starter plants.

Marshall Steakhouse

Randall Swaney, owner of Marshall Steakhouse on Highway 178 West presented plans for the expansion of the venue that will include cabins and an RV Park. He has operated the Steakhouse nine years in Marshall County, currently employing about 50 people from Holly Springs and Marshall County. “I got to expand,” he said to aldermen.

He said in order to expand he will have to have access to Holly Springs sewer system which would include a proposal to annex his property to the city.

Proposals to annex various areas adjacent to the city were defeated under former Mayor Sharon Gipson’s administration.

Swaney is appealing to the Charles Terry administration to annex his property, which he said starts at Kingdom Hall on Highway 178 and runs to the Steakhouse. He is the sole property owner in the proposed annexation area, he said.

The Marshall Steakhouse is located beside I-22. Swaney is proposing to build 100 cabins and 50 R.V. Hookups on property he owns adjacent to the Steakhouse.

He provided the following points to support his annexation request: • there are three hotels in Holly Springs. Quality Inn charges $80 a night, whereas he would charge $120 a night to rent a cabin.

• Wall Doxey State Park rents RV hookups for $30 a night and Swaney will rent an RV pad for $80 to $90 a night.

• from Memphis, Tenn. To Birmingham, Ala, a 3.5 hour drive, there are no RV parks, he said.

• the Steakhouse serves between 3,000 to 4,000 guests a week.

• with the addition of the cabins and RV park, he would hire an additional 25 people.

• Swaney has a business partner who will invest $8.5 million in the project.

• the distance from Kingdom Hall church to the Steakhouse is 1.5 miles. The City sewer service extends to Kingdom Hall.

• he owns all the property from Kingdom Hall to the Steakhouse.

• the cost to extend the sewer line is estimated to run $750,000.

In the discussion that followed, Ward 3 Alderman Jim Moore said the annexation of the Steakhouse property would increase the tourism tax collected, a two cents on the dollar levy on food, alcoholic beverages and lodging.

City Attorney John Keith Perry Jr. said Chad Mask is the annexation attorney who would be the person to discuss the prospect with.

Ward 1 Alderman Sandra Hodges was excited about the prospect of 50 Steakhouse employees continuing to get their checks every week and a possible 25 more jobs.

Rust College/City to apply for CDBG grant

Larry Ruben presented a proposal for Rust College and Holly Springs to apply for a Community Development Block Grant for about $250,000 to work on drainage problems in the city.

Application for the grant is due May 29.

A Request for Qualification has been received from Pickering Engineering, the only engineering firm specializing in water and drainage issues, Ruben said.

Police Police Chief Grant Glover presented two candidates for hire at the Police Department. He introduced Freddrick Braddic, a 24-year veteran in law enforcement certified in Tennessee. Braddic would supervise the night shift. It will take six months to a year to get certified in Mississippi. The board held the matter for executive session.

Glover presented Mikiya Vaxter to serve as part-time police officer. She attended law enforcement academy in Lafayette County and was employed by the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department. Vaxter wanted to come back to her hometown to work.

The board approved Vaxter to work part-time.

Parks and Recreation

Darrel Thomas, director of Parks and Recreation, said new playground equipment for Henley Park and Sam Coopwood Park will be installed soon.

Moore asked why tennis tournaments cannot be played on courts at Sam Coopwood Park.

Thomas said moisture gets under the rubberized surface and the concrete surface is breaking up. He said it is dangerous to play on those courts.

Moore asked if pickleball could be added to the sports supported by Parks and Rec.

Shipp wanted the basketball courts to be upgraded.

Thomas said the Mayor just wanted the playground equipment to be done first.

Street Department

Supervisor of Streets/Building and Grounds Anthony Jones reported that everything is going good in his department.

Alderman Patricia Merriweather asked the flower beds in front of City Hall and around the entire Square, be refreshed.

“We need fresh shrubbery and flowers at the Welcome sign in Holly Springs and fresh mulch,” she said.

She suggested building and grounds reach out to places like Walmart and Lowes to ask for donations of materials.

City Clerk

Jerrica Jones, City Clerk, reported on receivables and disbursements for the month of March.

In receivables, in ad valorem collected, the city’s portion was $144,368.

Monthly Tourism Tax receipts were $2,268 and $32,237.

Fee Audit was $122.

Sales tax collected was $129,903.

ABC Liquor Tax collected was $1,575.

Disbursements to the Tourism Bureau was $1,134 and $16,119.

Holly Springs School District ad valorem collect was $310,981.

Aldermen/Mayor

Hodges wanted the fire and police department employees and parks and rec to know their work is appreciated. She asked for prayers for Mayor Charles Terry as he recovers from hip surgery.

Aldermen Andre Jones and Moore had no comments.

Merriweather wanted the community to know that National Day of Prayer May 7 will be celebrated by the city and with the Pastors Consortium.

Events will begin at 6 a.m. and noon at the courthouse and at 6 p.m. at the Multi-Purpose Center on North Memphis Street.

Shipp asked that prayers be offered for the wellness and recovery of Mayor Charles Terry from hip surgery.