REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2008 AT 5:00 P.M.

 

Meeting called to order by Council President Perry.

 

Present:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

 

Absent:  None.

 

 

            The meeting was opened with prayer by Rev. Odell Hopkins and followed by the Pledge to the Flag.

 

           

            Motion was made by Councilman Thomas duly seconded by Councilwoman Henson and unanimously passed by the Council to confirm the agenda for this meeting with an amendment to remove R-7.

 

 

            Motion was made by Councilman Thomas duly seconded by Councilman Palmer and unanimously passed by the Council to approve the minutes dated September 30 and October 07, 2008.

 

 

            Councilman Thomas offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14415       ORDER CONFIRMING THE RE-APPOINTMENT BY THE MAYOR OF                                                           LARRY MAZINGO TO THE MERIDIAN AND BONITA LAKES

                                    DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

 

and, Councilman Palmer seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Councilman Thomas offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14416       ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF MERIDIAN TO PAY THE

                                    COST OF FLU SHOTS FOR CITY OF MERIDIAN EMPLOYEES

 

and, Councilman Palmer seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Councilman Thomas offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14417       ORDER AUTHORIZING A 3% RAISE FOR MUNICIPAL COURT

                                    OFFICIALS EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 21, 2008    

 

and, Councilman Palmer seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Councilman Thomas offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14418       ORDER DECLARING EQUIPMENT SURPLUS AND NO LONGER NEEDED

                                    BY THE CITY OF MERIDIAN AND AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF SAID

                                    SURPLUS EQUIPMENT

 

and, Councilman Palmer seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Councilman Thomas offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14419       ORDER DECLARING PROPERTY LOST OR STOLEN AND TO BE

                                    REMOVED FROM INVENTORY

 

and, Councilman Palmer seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Councilman Thomas offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14420       ORDER DECLARING MERIDIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT HORSE

                                    “NICK” SURPLUS AND NO LONGER NEEDED BY THE CITY OF

                                    MERIDIAN AND RETIRED TO KEITH AND PAULA ROBINSON

 

and, Councilman Palmer seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Councilman Thomas offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14421       ORDER DECLARING MERIDIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT HORSE

                                    “BUCK” SURPLUS AND NO LONGER NEEDED BY THE CITY OF

                                    MERIDIAN AND REMOVED FROM INVENTORY

 

and, Councilman Palmer seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Councilman Thomas offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14422       ORDER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF WATER TANK

                                    MAINTENANCE CONTRACT BETWEEN UTILITY SERVICE

                                    CO., INC. AND THE CITY OF MERIDIAN (COBB HILL TANK)

 

and, Councilwoman Henson seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Councilman Thomas offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14423       ORDER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF GRANT RECIPIENT

                                    AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, DEPARTMENT

                                    OF PUBLIC SAFETY, OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY, AND THE

                                    CITY OF MERIDIAN

 

and, Councilman Harris seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Councilwoman Henson offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14424       ORDER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF CONTRACT BETWEEN

                                    SPEC. RESCUE INTERNATIONAL AND THE CITY OF MERIDIAN

                                    (SWIFT/FLOODWATER RESCUE TRAINING)

 

and, Councilman Palmer seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Discussion was held regarding the plans to hire a code enforcement officer to handle hazardous waste and illegal solid waste.  There is a police officer who has the background needed for this position.  Councilman Thomas and Councilman Harris both said they would not support taking an officer off the street and putting him as the code enforcement officer.  More police officers are needed on the street.  Chief Dubose said that they are in the process of taking applications for police officers and that they have had lateral transfers whereby they get experience officers to come to work for the city.  Councilman Thomas offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14425       ORDER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND SUBMISSION OF

                                    SOLID WASTE ASSISTANCE GRANT REQUEST WITH THE

                                    DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

 

and, Councilwoman Henson seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Perry, Henson, Palmer.

Nay:  Thomas, Harris.

 

 

            Councilman Harris offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Resolution:

 

RESO. #5540                        RESOLUTION DESIGNATING APPLICANT AGENT

 

and, Councilman Palmer seconded the motion, whereupon said Resolution was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Councilwoman Henson offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14426       ORDER ALLOCATING FY 2009 BUDGET SUBSIDIES, GRANTS

                                    AND PUBLIC RELATIONS EXPENDITURES

 

and, Councilman Palmer seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Discussion was held regarding the proposed interlocal agreement with Newton County for the  city to put their prisoners there.  Councilman Harris said that something needs to be done to work with Lauderdale County to get this settled and use the Lauderdale County jail.  Mayor Smith stated that if something was worked out with Lauderdale County the city could have an interlocal agreement with Lauderdale County and Newton County to house city prisoners.  Councilman Thomas offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Resolution:

 

RESO. #5541                        RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF 2008

                                    INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR THE USE OF THE NEWTON

                                    COUNTY JAIL

 

and, Councilman Palmer seconded the motion, whereupon said Resolution was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Councilwoman Henson offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14427       ORDER RATIFYING PUBLICATION OF “NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING”

                                    IN REGARD TO THE BROWNFIELDS CLEANUP GRANT PROPOSAL

                                    (SITE OF NEW POLICE FACILITY)

 

and, Councilman Thomas seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

            Councilman Thomas offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14428       ORDER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF STATE-LOCAL

                                    DISASTER ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE

                                    OF MISSISSIPPI, MISSISSIPPI EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

                                    AGENCY AND THE CITY OF MERIDIAN

 

and, Councilman Harris seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Motion was made by Councilwoman Henson duly seconded by Councilman Palmer and unanimously passed by the Council to approve the claims docket dated October 17, 2008 in the amount of $1,762,608.80.

 

 

            President Perry advised of the notification of legal advertisement for the following: a) asbestos abatement of fifteen structures.

 

 

            President Perry called for the Mayor’s report.  He asked Odell Hopkins to report on garbage, trash/debris pick-up.  Mr. Hopkins said he met with Steve Porter and Buford Clark with Waste Management to work on schedules.  The results of the meeting have been fruitful.  He said calls were down during the September 01 to October 01 time period.  Mr. Porter stated that they are in the process of making a flyer to send to every household.  They would be mailed out next week.  City Clerk Ed Skipper appeared and gave an update on the renovations to city hall.  The project is in Phase III which is basically the exterior with some interior work.  As the terra cotta was removed, more damage was found.  Removal of the damaged portion is complete.  Some of the steel support has rusted and needs to be replaced.  Cleaning of the outside has been going on.  The metal panels have been cleaned and primed.  The new terra cotta tiles will be delivered over the next six months.  Some of the tiles have been delivered and are being installed.  Three sets of windows have been received.  Demolition of the ground floor has been done in preparation of the installation of the elevator and fire stairs.  The steel is being fabricated for the fire stairs and should be delivered by Christmas.  There was damage to the downstairs windows that were covered with concrete blocks.  Phase III is running about $119,000 over and above the contingency funds.  They are currently looking at credits for redoing the windows and other cuts to keep this phase in budget.  Phase IV is basically the interior.  The design team completed the design documents and submitted them to Archives & History.  Archives & History approved those plans but in the process of estimating the cost for bids, the estimates were coming in more than originally anticipated.  They are reworking these designs to see if they can come in at a more acceptable cost.  The schedule for design approval is by Thanksgiving.  Approximately $7 million has been spent so far on this project. 

 

            President Perry called for citizen comments.  Kelly Cross, 3201 46th Street, appeared and presented an update on commercial vehicles still being parked in the city.

 

 

            President Perry called for Council comments.              Councilman Palmer said he was happy to see an enforcement officer coming on board.  He said he calls Waste Management directly about trash, etc. in his ward.  He drives around his ward routinely looking for problem areas and reports them.  Councilwoman Henson said she and Councilman Harris attended the Mississippi Economic Council meeting last week.  Councilman Thomas congratulated the MHS softball team for winning 2nd place in the state play-offs.  Councilwoman Perry congratulated the young men who played against Brandon.  She thanked Waste Management, Rev. Hopkins and the Mayor for doing what they can to get trash, etc. picked up. 

           

 

            There being no further business to come before the Council at this time, the meeting was adjourned.  Sine die.

 

                                                                        Respectfully submitted,

 

                                                                        Pam McInnis, Clerk of Council