Special called meeting not fruitful

A special called meeting by Holly Springs Mayor Sharon Gipson April 25 did not produce much effect as aldermen considered four items.

Gipson asked for a motion to retain legal services of Blackmon & Blackmon in Jackson to represent the Holly Springs Utility Department and City in Jackson.

A motion was on the agenda regarding certification of an officer in the Holly Springs Police Department.

A motion to obtain the services of US Lawns to help maintain the grounds at Hill Crest Cemetery was removed from the agenda due to lack of quotes.

And personnel matters at the Holly Springs Police Department was discussed in executive session.

Four aldermen were present, Bernita Fountain and Colter Teel by telephone and Dexter Shipp and Patricia Merriweather in person.

A vote to adopt the agenda was split with Shipp and Fountain approving the motion and Teel and Merriweather opposing.

Gipson broke the tie and the meeting proceeded.

Merriweather asked why US Lawns was dropped from the agenda and Gipson explained that it was determined just prior to the meeting that US Lawns did not have a quote on the city services bid.

Teel was disappointed saying the main reason he joined the meeting was to discuss the cemetery since nothing has been done to get extra labor.

Gipson said she thought she had two bids and one was not qualified. And US Lawns did not have a quote on record, an oversight, she said.

Merriweather said she didn’t know there was not a bid for upkeep of the cemetery, the main reason she came to the meeting as did Teel.

Gipson said she was as shocked as were the aldermen there was no bid by US Lawns in the city’s bid package.

Gipson asked for a motion to retain Blackmon & Blackmon to represent the HSUD in Jackson.

“My take on #1 (on the agenda), as I’ve said in previous meetings, we have a city attorney, that first of all,” Merriweather said. “We know the PSC (Public Service Commission)...the Legislature passed the bill. However, I don’t know if the bill, has it been signed by the Governor?”

Gipson said she recommended city attorney John Keith Perry Jr. to take the lead.

“There’s a lot at stake, but we need someone whose primary focus and is experienced in dealing with it. And they are not concerned with the battle with TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) and other agencies. They are ready to do that,” Gipson said.

“We have a city attorney, if legal services are needed,” Merriweather said. “That has not been shown or proven yet that legal services are needed. I don’t know why we would authorize anyone except the city attorney at this time. We don’t know if they (B&B) are the best. I’d like to have the lead in that with Perry to be the lead on it.”

“We don’t want to wait until the thief comes into the house first before you lock the back door,” Gipson said.

Merriweather said no one knows the gist of it, whether a legal service is needed, or the cost of a retainer, if anyone is retained.

“And especially that the attorney, not our mayor, have the lead in that,” Merriweather said.

“Right now, you seem to be setting it up for someone to come in and steal it (HSUD Electric),” Gipson said. “It makes no sense not to retain this firm even if said attorney Perry said there is no question as to there ability.

“It makes me feel like you have set it up to give it away and I have said that before.” Gipson and Merriweather both talked at the same time to try to retain the floor ending with Gipson asking for a motion twice to hire Blackmon & Blackmon.

No motion was offered.

Gipson and Merriweather asked to make statements for the record.

Gipson read into the record her statement:

“I’d like the record to reflect that I am very disheartened at the lack of due diligence in the protection of the Holly Springs Utility Department. And I am very concerned about the intent and the lack of protection being given to protect this asset and the people of the City of Holly Springs and our ratepayers.

“And I am very concerned about the motives and the rationale in not seeking experienced, zealous, dependable representation for the City of Holly Springs Utility Department.”

Merriweather asks to also speak into the record:

“And we, the board of aldermen, would like the record to show that we, as a body, are responsible as well as the mayor, for making sure that we (are responsible) to you, for the taxpayers’ money, and the best most efficient manageable way. We want everyone to understand we are responsible as well. And we want the best use of the taxpayers’ money.

“We want the utility department protected, which is why the board has agreed, hopefully, that we will hire, allow the TVA representative accountant to come in, because we want to make sure that the taxpayer’s money and that we do what we’ve been assigned to do — what we took an oath to do.

“And that is to protect Holly Springs, the City of Holly Springs, its people and its assets in every possible way. In terms of legal representation of the HSUD we have said and continue to say that our city attorney, we feel, will help lead that endeavor with whatever representation that he brings to us for us to either approve and move forward.

“We have not, we’re not trying to stop anything that’s on the mayor’s agenda. However, it is not just the mayor.

“We are a team and we’re making decisions as a team.”