Salem Bridge project moves forward

The City of Holly Springs opened bids on gas line replacement under the railroad tracks at Salem Bridge, moving the project a notch further.

Five bids were opened at a recent board of aldermen meeting: Mid-South Boring and Piping, Collierville, Tenn. ($229,692, participating base bid; $259,453, non-participating); Mid-South Utility Contractors ($241,525, participating; $247,884, non-participating); Eubanks Construction, Booneville ($319,759, participating; $275,862, non-participating); TJ Construction, Florence, Ala., ($333,736 participating; $372,714 non-participating) and TriState Utility Contractors, Sena­tobia ($374,238 participating; $466,850, non-participating).

Public works director Clay Moore said the non-participating category would be paid entirely by the Mississippi Department of Transportation, while the participating category would be paid partly by the city for cast-iron replacement work. The MDOT portion is for relocating the gas line at Salem Avenue Bridge.

The board approved Mid-South Boring and Piping’s bid for a total participating and non-participating price of $489,149.01. Engineer Larry Britt said Mid-South Boring and Piping was selected for the award because it had offered the lowest bid and also shown demonstrated experience in cast-iron work in the company’s resumé.

Payments approved

The board approved a $207,425.64 payment on the police bond. A payment of $19,084 was approved for ASCO sanitation.

The board approved a resolution to lease/purchase a Kershaw Klearway machine (brush cutter) at $3,757 per month. The machine is used to cut brush over rough terrain.

The board also approved the lease/purchase of two Ford F-150 crew cabs with tool box and light bars, and one Ford F-450 crew cab with service body and tool boxes, light bars and Knapeide utility bodies. The vehicles were approved for HSUD at a financing cost of four payments totaling $119,980 in all.

A bill for $26,247 payable to TriState Utility was approved for work on the cast-iron replacement project, phase I.

New hires

Former employees Johnny Mitchell Allen and Christopher Rounds were approved for lineman and apprentice lineman positions at the Holly Springs Utility Department. Kyle Crofford was approved for the position of apprentice lineman. The board of aldermen also approved advertising for three entry level groundsmen positions in the electric department.

The resignation of Thomas Finley, foreman in the electric department, was accepted.

Jason Hawkins was approved to a position of non-certified police officer. Iris Faulkner resigned as non-certified police officer.

Travel

Lodging was approved for the mayor, board of aldermen, city clerk and deputy city clerk and board attorney to attend the 2017 summer MML (Mississippi Munici­pal League) conference in Biloxi.

Keith Freeman was approved for travel to TVPPA’s (Tennesse Valley Public Power Association) Utility, Purchasing and Materials Management class in April and TVPPA’s UPMM  conference.

Vince Kizer, Louis Tomlinson, John Crouch and Adam Stone were approved to travel to the state fire academy for candidate physical ability testing. Stone is a trainer. Roger Bagwell and Stone were also approved to attend the fire academy for the same training on another date.

Chief Dwight Harris was approved to attend public safety media training in Biloxi.

Pam Lewis was approved for travel to the Mississippi Association of Code Enforcement Educational Conference in Meridian.

Larry Miller, Glen Bridgeforth, Viez Todd, and Kent Beard were approved to attend G&C Expo in Tunica to look at the operation of traffic line spraying machines.

Litter management

Larry Miller, supervisor of Streets, Buildings and Grounds, recommended the city draft a plan to deal with litter as recommended by the 1997 Pollution Act.

“We’re up to our necks in paper and litter,” he said to the mayor and board. “We pick it up every day. We are brainstorming about what we can do to help eliminate litter.”

He said ideas such as education of school children, placing garbage cans and promoting awareness are being discussed.

“I think it’s a good thing to start with,” he said.

Mayor Kelvin Buck said the city is dealing with the litter problem “as aggressively as it can” by working with churches and schools and Adopt-A-Street groups and the city’s own “Team Up to Clean Up” program.

“A lot of it is education,” said alderman Tim Liddy. “It’s hard to break the habits of adults. We certainly have a problem.”

“We are soliciting all the help we can get,” said alderman Mark Miller.

“Littering is nothing more than blatant disrespect,” Buck added.

The board approved a motion to adopt a plan.