Camera saving city money

The City of Holly Springs is saving itself a lot of money by taking a look at the inside of the sewers, storm drains and other underground structures with a camera.

The system has already saved about $77,000 on eight projects in the last two months.

Mitch Tomlinson, with Water and Gas, provided a summary of work already accomplished and said he hopes sooner or later to have a crew trained and dedicated to the use of the equipment.

“The city has recovered about 14.5 percent of the cost of the equipment in two months,” he told the mayor and board of aldermen.

Work in Woodland Heights saved the city about $17,000 in the clearing of sewer lines and another $14,600 was saved in similar work on Cedar Hill, he said.

The system can flush out lines and cut out roots that have grown into the sewer at the same time.

“You can view your problem while you fix it,” Tomlinson said. “This also saves tearing up roads to see where the problem is.”

Other areas where the camera has been used are

• Highway 7 South from the Holly Springs Race Track to Sports Corral

• Portions of Elder Street

• The alley behind the Bank of Holly Springs downtown

• Coleman Avenue

• Storm drains on Randolph Street at Graceland Too to the end of the street where drains were infiltrated with silt and debris

The utility is also having problems with the Grinder Station opposite the prison.

Tomlinson said inmates stuff complete jumpsuits down the sewer drains and when it gets to the grinder station it causes the sewage to back up and overflow out the manhole.

Tomlinson recommended putting prison officials on notice to stop inmates from throwing their uniforms into the drains.

“Inmates will do anything to cause havoc,” he said. “We can clear the station but there will be ongoing problems (if they don’t stop).”

Alderman Christy Owens expressed dismay at sewer gas that comes out of the holes in the manhole covers.

Tomlinson said that sewer gas stinks but if the holes are plugged in the manhole cover, the system cannot breathe.

“It’s a safety issue and would cause deterioration of the system if the holes in the covers are plugged,” he said.

In other business, the board of aldermen:

• approved a motion to allow the Holly Springs High School football team to participate in an Adopt-A-Street program.

• authorized funding up to $1,000 for an arts, computer and reading and writing camp put on by Dr. Wonso Hayes and others. The two-week camp will be held on the campus at Rust College because of schedule overlaps with the athletic summer camp held annually at the Multi-Purpose Building.

• approved payment of $1,730 to Little People Construction for drainage repair on West Woodward Avenue.

• approved claims as follows: $3,500 to PyroFire Displays for the Fourth of July celebration; $30,000 to Marshall County Airport; $4,000, $7,950, $4,000, and $98.13, to Lawn Works; $2,167.91, $3,200 and $598.83 to architect Belinda Stewart, and $1,255.50 to First State Bank to pay interest on a TIF bond.

• authorized payment of $114,387.23 to Mid-South Boring and Piping for work on gas line relocation at Salem Bridge. That expense is reimbursable by the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

• approved payment of $1,975 to Fencing Solutions for the new entrance gate at Sam Coopwood Park.

• approved bids on surplus equipment.

• authorized advertisement for property insurance (current policy expires July 15)

• approved travel for the mayor, aldermen, clerks and the attorney to travel to the MML Summer Conference in Biloxi.

• accepted resignation of officer Jason Hawkins, effective immediately.

• approved advertising for a police officer.

• considered promotion of LaDaryl Odum to sergeant.

• approved the Rural Fire Protection agreement between the city and county.

• authorized hiring of a gas and a water serviceman and a water treatment operator and a part-time worker.