City Board votes to retain attorney
After many months of indecision, the Holly Springs Board of aldermen approved retaining the legal services of Jackson law firm Blackmon & Blackmon.
The Mississippi Public Service Commission has sent out a public notice of a hearing to be set for Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, relating to allegations that the City of Holly Springs obstructed the investigation of the Commission into the adequacy of service being provided by the Holly Springs Utility Department.
Mayor Sharon Gipson, not present or presiding at the Nov. 5 meeting of the board, has sought approval of the counsel since the Public Service Commission held hearings on the Holly Springs Utility Departments financial stability and an assessment of the soundness of the infrastructure of the electric department.
Three aldermen, Ward 1 Alderman Bernita Fountain, Ward 2 alderman Andre Jones and Ward 4 alderman Patricia Merriweather were present at the meeting presided over by vice-mayor Dexter Shipp.
Recently, the PSC subpoenaed several employees from the HSUD to come to a hearing in Jackson, but attorney John Keith Perry Jr. was successful in stopping that measure.
The discussion to retain Blackmon & Blackmon was taken up in executive session.
In other business, aldermen:
• approved transfer of $3,428 in municipal aid monies to the general operating fund.
• authorized travel of fire chief Rodney Crane, Kevin White and Leron Weeks to a Mississippi Civil Defense Conference for Emergency Management Association.
• approved closeout of general bills and claims of Oct. 23, 24. The board approved general bills and claims in the new budget.
• approved city utility bills and claims by a vote of 2-1, with Merriweather voting nay.
• ratified the attendance of four employees from the utility department to attend a chemical spill response training class Nov. 5.
• approved travel for city clerk Jerrica Jones and Lakisha Street to attend the Mississippi Municipal Leagues winter conference in Flowood, Dec. 11-13. The board approved the measure after Fountain recommended that one deputy clerk not attend the conference so that a clerk would be in the office to serve clients. The attendance was not compulsory, Jones said.
• authorized pay application #6 of $94,415 to Fifer & Associates for renovations on the Main Fire Station. A request for cash #4 for $56,807 for reimbursement by the capitalization loan was approved.
• approved payment of $2,745 to the Department of Finance and Administration for the October Municipal Court settlement.
• authorized transfer of $1,396 to the general fund for the Oct. 2024 Ncourt settlement.
• approved travel for Pamela Lewis to attend the Mississippi Civil Defense Conference, Nov. 19-21.
• approved travel for dispatcher Joslyn Fitzpatrick for mandatory training for certification at Holmes Community College, Nov. 18 and 19.
• authorized travel for officer Wade Faulkner to attend field training at Camp Shelby, Nov. 12-14.
The board heard a request from IT director Derrick Jefferson to get a network installed at Fire Station #2 (Old Armory building), in the amount of $10,459. Exceed Technologies will provide the installation.
Police chief Darryl Bowens asked the board to approve a service contract for a generator for the police department. He said the service contract expired and the generator has been down for the last year and a half.
Bowens said when the department loses electricity during a power outage, there is no backup lighting at the police department or the municipal court office.
“Every time the power goes down, we have to call the IT guy (Derrick Jefferson) to put us back online,” Bowens said.
Several other generators used as backup power supply in the city other than the generator at the police department also have failed and need service, Bowens said.