Mayor walks out of meeting

Holly Springs Mayor Sharon Gipson walked out of the Nov. 7 meeting of the board of aldermen after failing to get motions to hire 14 people in various capacities and departments listed on the agenda.

With only three board members present (Ward 1 alderman Bernita Fountain, Ward 4 alderman Patricia Merriweather and Alderman- At-Large Dexter Shipp) the first person on the agenda for hire was Charles Campbell who was moving from the Street Department to the Concrete Division of the Utility Department.

Fountain made the motion for the transfer and it passed by vote of 3-0.

Next for consideration was a motion to hire Darryl Bowens as police chief, a motion put on the agenda by Shipp. The motion passed 3-0.

But the remaining positions up for hire received no motions.

When the mayor asked for a motion to hire Tommy Tucker in Building and Grounds as a general laborer, Shipp asked if department heads had talked with Tucker.

Gipson cited Tucker’s prior experience as licensed electrician and also paints.

Gibson received no motion to hire Tucker.

“I suggest we freeze hiring,” said Merriweather.

“We have a lot of work to do,” Gipson said.

No motion was made to hire Tucker.

“I would say hold these applications until we have proper time to read the applications and talk to employees and department heads,” Shipp said.

“Apparently, I’ve got to do

some more praying,” Gipson said. “We are right now short staffed.”

The mayor said two apprentice linemen were on the agenda who were trained at Northwest Community College.

“We have done our homework, we did a through background check,” she said. “There will be a delay in services provided. Some of these individuals may not be available later.”

Shipp said he didn’t get the applications in time to make an informed decision.

Gipson said she would hold the motions to hire.

Shortly thereafter the mayor asked to be excused.

“Let the record reflect I, Mayor Sharon Gipson, am leaving the building,” she said.

After Gipson left, Fountain said, “We are liable for the motions we make. We need an HR (human resources) person we can rely on. And also our finances, we need to know about them. We don’t know who is working.”

Attorney John Keith Perry took a moment to look at law to see if the three aldermen consisted of a quorum.

“Everybody (all aldermen) should be here,” Fountain said. “They didn’t elect three (aldermen). We voted for five.”

Perry advised that the three aldermen constituted of a quorum.

With that, Shipp made a motion to recess, Merriweather seconded and the motion passed 3-0.

The remaining motions to hire on the agenda included:

• to appoint/hire Ernest Campbell as general manager of the Holly Springs Utility Department.

• to hire Justin Oglesby as general laborer in the Street Department.

• to hire Jamari Stone as general laborer in the Street Department.

• to hire Anthony Mayfield as general laborer in Buildings and Grounds.

• to hire Angela Thomas as general laborer in Buildings and Grounds.

• to hire Ben Norman as meter reader/general laborer in the Water Department.

• to hire Michael Gause as general laborer in the Utility Department Gas Division.

• to hire Willie Aldridge as general laborer in the Water Department.

• to hire Eric King in the Gas Department.

• to hire Tykevious Hudson as an apprentice lineman in the Electric Department.

• to hire Michael Chase Johnson as apprentice lineman in the Electric Department.

• to hire Ivory L. Steward as an operator in the Right-Of- Way division.

• to hire Robert L. Thomas as supervisor in the Right-Of- Way Division.

In other business, the board of aldermen:

• approved transfer of $3,482 to the general operating fund from Municipal Aid.

• authorized ratification of a refund of $700 to Mario Ramirez for rent of the Multipurpose building.

• authorized ratification of Quad Harris to replace Tony Howell for training in Tupelo.

• approved payment of $2,192 to the Department of Finance and Administration for the September Municipal Court Settlement.

• approved payment of $196 to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety for the September Municipal Court Settlement.

• approved payment of $3,888 to the Department of Finance and Administration for the October Municipal Court settlement.

• authorized payment of $429 to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety for the October Municipal Court Settlement.

• approved payment of $178 to Portable Services used at 210 W. Valley Avenue.

• approved refund of $20 to Hunter Mannon from Municipal Court.

• approved a motion to pay up to $500 to Star Lite for catering services for the Veterans Day program.