City clerk resigns
Holly Springs City Clerk Belinda Sims Hollowell turned in her resignation effective July 30 in an open letter to the mayor and board of aldermen.
She thanked the board and mayor for the opportunity to learn and grow throughout the last 16 years in the position.
"I was afforded the opportunity to serve under two mayors and four different administrations as the first ever appointed city clerk," she wrote in her letter of resignation. "To be given the task to serve the citizens of Holly Springs has been an honor and one that I did not take for granted.
"The abundance of skills I have sharpened over the years will serve me well. As I reflect back over the past 19 years in city and county government, I find joy and peace in knowing that I fulfilled my duties and gave my best."
Hollowell worked three years with retired circuit clerk Lucy Carpenter prior to accepting the job.
She followed in the footsteps of Sandra Young, who served as elected city clerk for many years.
In some of the last business this administration will take up before turning over the keys of city hall to a new mayor and almost completely new board of aldermen, the board approved purchase of a 2020 F-550 dump truck from Homer Skelton at a price of $53,281 for the street department. The purchase of a tractor and bush hog for Building and Grounds was approved at a price of $51,991.
The board also authorized paving of streets up to $250,000. Some streets listed for consideration included Ridgecrest Drive, Chatham Drive, Gaines Street and Hill Crest Cemetery.
In other street department business, the board approved hiring Jeremy Jones and Darrian Turner full-time as laborers.
A quote of $8,025 for repair of an inlet drain at Craft Street and West College from GS Contractors was approved.
The following travel was approved for training:
• Pam Lewis will attend the Mississippi Heritage Trust conference in August.
• Leron Weeks and Christopher McMillian will attend Hazmat Technician Level 1 training at the state fire academy in July. Fees will be paid by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
• Assistant fire chief Shane Wommack will attend fire investigation training at the state fire academy in July.
Fire chief Rodney Crane and Lt. Kevin White will attend Fire Services Cancer Seminar at the state fire academy in July.
The board authorized purchase of Holmatro Rescue Tools (jaws of life extrication tool) from Emergency Vehicle Service in the amount of $19,500.
In police department matters, the board authorized hiring of Tareq Elkhayyat as a non-salaried reserve police officer. The department will also advertise for a desk clerk.
The board approved $182,906.85 in uncollected bills at the Holly Springs Utility Department. The debt has to be taken off the books once a year to meet audit requirements, according to Ward 4 alderman Christy Owens. However the utility continues to collect unpaid utility bills and they are not written off, she said.
Nicholas Arendale was approved to work as apprentice Lineman I in the electric department.
HSUD was authorized to advertise for bids for six substation breakers for the North Holly Springs Substation (electric reliability project).
In zoning matters, the board authorized a privilege license to sell beer at Love's Travel Shop, 929 Highway 7 South.
The board held executive session to discuss a disciplinary action in the fire department and to consider a request to donate sick leave to a coworker in HSUD.
The last board meeting of this administration is set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 30.
Owens, who has provided actions taken by the board during the COVID-19 epidemic while meetings were being held on Zoom, offered summary remarks.
"I think this administration has worked well together to get a lot done in the city," she said. "I think we are leaving it better than when we found it."