Britt updates aldermen on projects

Engineer Larry Britt reported on the West Valley Avenue street and drain collapse and other projects the City of Holly Springs wants to seek funding for projects at the 2026 legislative session in Jackson.

Britt said a sanitary sewer has been draining through the 48-inch storm drain on West Valley and the origin of the sewer water has not been located.

The board of aldermen approved a change order for $26,621 so the contractor can use heavy equipment to go down and examine the source of the sewer water and correct it. It appears the sewer has entered the stormwater drain from the opposite side of North Memphis Street. The board approved the change order. Britt said the contractor has started laying the stormwater pipe back in, but the sewer source has to be located and fixed first. The water was subsequently determined to be from springs at Spring Hollow Park.

Britt gave an update on 10 drainage projects the board of aldermen want funded by the Mississippi legislature. He has prepared a narrative for each project, the cost estimate and maps on the projects. He said board attorney John Keith Perry Jr. will prepare a resolution to send to the legislature and to Sen. Neil Whaley and Rep. John Faulkner regarding the request for funding. The legislature did not fund any projects in the 2025 session.

“The only thing I can do is to ask for money,” Britt said. “I’m one of those that, if you don’t ask for money, you don’t receive it. So, we are going to ask.”

Ward 4 Aldermen Patricia Merriweather asked if money left over from the Hill Street/Cuba Street drainage project can be used to fund some of the 10 projects to be sent to the legislature.

Britt said the permission to use that leftover money can be requested.

Ward 2 alderman Andre Jones asked when the concrete pad for the installation of the marquee will be ready.

Britt said he needs the name of the company where the marquee was made so he can get information on how the marquee is supposed to be seated, that he has been unable to determine how the 800 pound insert is supposed to fit on a support pad. He said he needs to know that before opening the shipping crate.

“I can’t find the way to attach the thing. That’s been my issue,” he said.

Next on the agenda was consideration of an appointment of a new board member to the Holly Springs School District and the request for renewal of a 10-year veteran school board member. LeKesha DeBerry was the only person applying for the open position and Charisse Harris asked to be reappointed.

After a thorough discussion, the matter was sent to executive session. That discussion is reported in a separate article.

Next up was representative Trey Bishop with PATH LED lighting, who responded to a RFP/RFQ and won the project as a sole applicant.

He said most municipalities use high pressure sodium street lights that are not energy efficient.

“It’s just outdated technology that runs up the energy bill,” he said. “Sodium lights consume excessive energy and are high maintenance.”

LED lights consume from 40 percent to 65 percent less energy and are used for public safety as well as lighting, with predictable long-term operating costs, he said.

He said an investment grade audit (IGA) would be done to assess where lights are located.

Alderman-at-large Dexter Shipp wanted to see the product in action. And the representative said they can set up different pole lights and let the city see which one they prefer.

He said the IGA cost of $12,000 is folded into the project, if an agreement is reached.

The board of aldermen took the matter under advisement.

The board approved travel of the mayor, board of aldermen, city clerks and board attorney to the 95^th annual conference June 29.

The board approved travel for city clerk Jerrica Jones and deputy clerk LaKisha Street to attend the 2026 municipal clerks conference on April 29.

Jones provided the monthly settlements and disbursements as follows: • city ad valorem receipt of $566,431.

• tourism tax receipts of $34,772 and $816.

• sales tax receipts of $144,114.

• ABC liquor tax received at $900.

Disbursements for the period were:

• tourism Bureau payments of $17,386 and $908.

• Holly Springs School District ad valorem disbursement of $1,462,149.

A motion was approved to authorize Ga’ray Bobo to attend Firefighter 1 and 2 training May 9.

A motion was approved to authorize fire chief Rodney Crane to attend the 2026 Fire Investigators Association conference in Oxford April 15.

A motion was approved to pay $3,503 for repair of a 2022 Ford Explorer used in the police department and to pay $1,000 to Advanced Collision for a 2022 Ford Explorer in the Police Department.

The board discussed quotes for upgrade of playground equipment in Henley Park and Sam Coopwood Park. The matter was taken up in executive session and a vendor selected for each park upgrade.

The board approved advertising for a general laborer for Parks and Recreation.

The board approved a motion to hold Kross Karter Spring Break Basketball Camp for March 11 through March 15.

A motion to approve emergency procurement for debris removal contract with Looks Great Services was authorized. And a motion was approved for procurement of a debris monitoring contract with Debris- Tech. The company removing the debris can’t monitor themselves, said Chawanna Harris with HSUD. Separate contracts were approved for the City and the HSUD.

A motion was approved for superintendent Tracy Reynolds to attend the Mississippi Natural Gas Conference in Alabama.

The board approved City General Bills and Claims of $138,081 and City Utility Bills and Claims of $2,020,078.