Architect proposes grant work

A delayed restoration of the old Holly Springs Water and Light Building on Falconer Avenue may get some traction.

Architect William Mills of New Albany, with offices in Tupelo and Greenville, has presented a proposal to the Holly Springs mayor and board of aldermen to seek agency funding.

Mills put together a short description of the scope of the work – including work inside and on the exterior of the structure. A grant to help pay for the restoration and preservation work will be sought from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History this fall.

Wanda Christian’s help from Northeast Mississippi Planning and Development District will also be sought.

Mills proposes:

• to demolish the connection between the old fire station and the Water & Light building.

• to restore windows, replace doors, and paint.

• to install new lighting and add partitions, flooring and painting, trim and plumbing and electric and upgrade the fire alarms.

• to do the work in phases with the architect’s fees to go along with the phases.

• to manage the bidding process and oversee the construction.

Mayor Kelvin Buck invited Mills to the board room in advance of meetings with the board of aldermen and departments to plan the new fiscal year 2019-2020 budget.

“We want to get some of this cycle of funding,” Buck said. “As we talk about different projects we want to have something concrete to discuss, so we have him here. If we find the money we will use it.”

Mills’ firm has done projects on the Washington County Courthouse, the Quitman County Courthouse and for Humphreys County, and is on an approved list of architects with Archives and History.

Other projects completed include:

• New Product Development Center at Alcorn State.

• renovations to Greenville High School.

• new roof and exterior restoration of Washington County Courthouse.

• new roof and copper cupola restoration at Union County Courthouse.

• renovation of Les Lane Apartments in Greenville.

• renovations of Vaught Hemingway Stadium, Ole Miss.

• Extension site and additions and renovations to Alcorn State University.

• renovations of Wesley Knight Field House, Ole Miss.

• new basketball practice facility at Ole Miss.

• renovations of and additions to the Sigma Nu Fraternity house at Ole Miss.

• renovations and additions to the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity house at Ole Miss.

Airport news

Justin Hall, executive director of the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority, presented a Mississippi Department of Transportation multi-modal grant for $312,019 for the board of aldermen to approve the match.

The grant requires a 1 percent local match of $3,120 which is split between the Marshall County Board of Supervisors and the City of Holly Springs.

He said the grant funds things that will generate revenue for the airport. Two hangars are open and are not insulated. The grant will pay to insulate and rehabilitate about 3,800 square feet of hangar space, and add doors, heating and electrical.

Hall said the improvements will make the hangars more attractive for lease or rent and will bring in revenue.

“The hangar is a hot item and we have not always gotten this 99 percent grant (the agency pays),” he said.

In fact, some of the grants have required a 50 percent match, he said.

The airport is also looking at upgrading the fuel system. The standards on Grade A Jet Fuel have been raised, Hall said.

The airport has five big community hangars, and has bought the Quonset hut. There is the blue hangar and the T hangars that have six individual bays.

“There is a continuous waiting list for hangars,” Hall said.

SpyGlass audit

Mayor Buck presented a proposal to use SpyGlass, a telecommunication expense audit service, to look at ways the city can save money on telephones, internet and other devices that the city may be paying for but not getting its money’s worth.

The audit is based on a success at finding ways to eliminate duplication of services, if there are some things the city is paying for but should not be.

The company only charges a fee if they find money and get the city a refund. SpyGlass takes half of what it saves the city, but nothing if it does not find a savings.

Buck asked the board to approve the deal with SpyGlass after board attorney Shirley Byers looks over the details.

In other business, the board of aldermen:

• approved $8,724 payable to Pendleton Community Bank as a lease payment on a fire truck.

• authorized $16,420 payable to Omega Mapping Services for locating unmarked graves at Hill Crest Cemetery.

• approved $22,092 payable to First Security Bank as interest on the Police Department bond.

• authorized $8,900 to A2H Architects for preparing a fire station expansion and upgrade at Station #1.

• approved $793, $19,926, $10,712, and $10,712 payable to Team Waste for invoices for collection in April and March.

• authorized $8,612 and $875 payable to U.S. Lawns for grass cutting.

• approved $31,483 payable to Phelps Dunbar for legal fees.

• authorized advertisement for a Customer Service Representative position at the Holly Springs Utility Department. And authorized permission to advertise for leasing/rental of three 48-foot bucket trucks, one 67-foot to 75-foot bucket truck and for one digger derrick truck.

• approved travel for Bill Stone to attend the annual TVA All Customer Meeting in Tennessee.

• authorized permission for Emma Whitlock to attend the Mississippi State Rectification course for tele-communicators in Indianola.

• approved travel for police chief Dwight Harris to attend the Public Safety Media Training in Vicksburg.

• approved a time-clock keeping policy.