REGULAR
COUNCIL MEETING, TUESDAY, AUGUST 04, 2009 AT 9:00 A.M.
Meeting
called to order by Council President Smith.
Present: Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Smith.
Absent: None.
The meeting was opened with prayer
by Parks & Recreation Director Mark Naylor 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
approve the agenda for this meeting with an amendment to add as R-8 order
designating 34th Avenue from 10th Street to 20th
Street as George Frank Sims Avenue; add as R-9 a resolution approving execution
of a memorandum of understanding regarding Handy Hardware.
Motion was made by Councilman Thomas
duly seconded by Councilwoman Perry and unanimously passed by the Council to
approve the minutes dated July 21 and July 27, 2009.
Motion was made by Councilman Thomas
duly seconded by Councilwoman Perry and unanimously passed by the Council to
approve the following proclamations to be issued by the Mayor:
August 11-13, 2009 – “Mississippi
Operation Lifesaver Railroad Safety Week”
September 9-13, 2009 – “Power Team
Week”
Councilman Thomas offered and moved
the adoption and passage of the following Order:
ORDER #14603 ORDER DECLARING VEHICLES SURPLUS AND NO
LONGER NEEDED
BY THE CITY
OF MERIDIAN AND AUTHORIZING SAID VEHICLES
TO BE SOLD
And,
Councilwoman Perry seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed,
passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:
Yea: Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Smith.
Nay: None.
Councilman Thomas offered and moved
the adoption and passage of the following Order:
ORDER #14604 ORDER DECLARING EQUIPMENT SURPLUS AND NO
LONGER NEEDED
BY THE CITY
OF MERIDIAN AND AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF SAID
SURPLUS
EQUIPMENT
And,
Councilwoman Perry seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed,
passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:
Yea: Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Smith.
Nay: None.
Councilman Thomas offered and moved
the adoption and passage of the following Resolution:
RESO. #5594 RESOLUTION
APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE AMENDED BUDGET
FOR THE CITY
OF MERIDIAN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING
SEPTEMBER
30, 2009, AND DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK IN REFERENCE
THERETO
And,
Councilwoman Henson seconded the motion, whereupon said Resolution was
discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:
Yea: Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Smith.
Nay: None.
Councilwoman Perry offered and moved
the adoption and passage of the following Order:
ORDER #14605 ORDER AMENDING ORDER NO. 14565 ENTITLED
“ORDER
ACKNOWLEDGING
AND PLACING ON MINUTES THE EMERGENCY
PURCHASE AND
INSTALLATION OF FENCING AROUND THE THREE-
FOOT
BUILDING AND NECESSARY STABILIZATION MEASURES ON
THE
THREEFOOT BUILDING IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION
31-1-13(D),
MISSISSIPPI CODE ANNOTATED” IN ORDER TO REFLECT
THAT
SOUTHERN PRESERVATION SYSTEMS IS THE COMPANY
SELECTED TO
PERFORM THE STABILIZATION OF THE THREEFOOT
BUILDING FOR
THE AMOUNT OF $89,431.00
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, Smith.
Nay: None.
Councilwoman Perry offered and moved
the adoption and passage of the following Resolution:
RESO. #5595 RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZING FILING AND EXECUTION OF A GRANT
APPLICATION
FOR THE 2009 TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT
TREE
PLANTING PROGRAM FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION
OF TREES ON
PUBLIC PROPERTY
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, Smith.
Nay: None.
Councilwoman Henson offered and
moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:
ORDER #14606 ORDER
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN,
MISSISSIPPI,
TO SIGN AND DELIVER QUITCLAIM DEED TO YOUTH
EXCITEMENT
TEAM, INC.
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, Smith.
Nay: None.
Councilwoman Henson offered and
moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:
ORDER #14607 ORDER AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF MERCHANT
APPLICATION
AND POINT
AND PAY E-PAYMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE CITY OF
MERIDIAN AND POINT AND PAY LLC
And,
Councilwoman Perry seconded the motion, whereupon said Order was discussed,
passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:
Yea: Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Smith.
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 July 30, 2009 in the amount of $2,045,807.45.
Councilwoman Perry offered and moved
the adoption and passage of the following Resolution:
RESO. #5596 RESOLUTION
DESIGNATING 34TH AVENUE FROM 10TH STREET
TO 20TH
STREET AS “GEORGE FRANK SIMS AVENUE”
And,
Councilwoman Henson seconded the motion, whereupon said Resolution was
discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:
Yea: Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Smith.
Nay: None.
Councilman Thomas offered and moved
the adoption and passage of the following Resolution:
RESO. #5597 RESOLUTION
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN,
MISSISSIPPI
AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AN MOU IN SUBSTANTIALLY
THE FORM
ATTACHED HERETO AS INDUCEMENT FOR COMPANY’S
LOCATION
WAREHOUSE/DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN MERIDIAN,
LAUDERDALE
COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI
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, Smith.
Nay: None.
President Smith advised of the
notification of legal advertisement for the following: a) asbestos abatement of
21 structures.
At this time Planner Kevin Lock
along with members of the Tree Commission (Tom Carmichael, Cynthia Boyd,
Majorie Davidson and Helen Gough) as well as Greg Chatham with the Mississippi
Forestry Commission appeared before the Council regarding the designation of
Meridian as a Tree City USA for the 19th year.
The hour of 9:15 a.m. having
arrived, the hearing as called for in Resolution #5590 regarding unclean property
was opened with motion by Councilwoman Henson duly seconded by Council-woman
Perry and unanimously passed by the Council.
No one appeared regarding the unclean property. Motion was made by Councilman Thomas duly
seconded by Councilwoman Henson and unanimously passed by the Council to close
the hearing. Councilman Thomas offered
and moved the adoption and Passage of the following Resolution:
RESO. #5598 RESOLUTION
ADJUDICATING PARCEL OF LAND TO BE A MENACE
TO THE
PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY (BROWN
SUR BLOCK 14
LOT 4; AKA: 1703 34TH AVENUE)
And,
Councilwoman Perry seconded the motion, whereupon said Resolution was
discussed, passed and adopted by the Council by a vote as follows:
Yea: Thomas, Perry, Henson, Palmer, Smith.
Nay: None.
At this time Joseph-Merrell White
presented a video project he did on Meridian for his Eagle Scout rank. He said this video will be on the city’s web
site and that copies will be given to visitors to Meridian.
President Smith called for the
Mayor’s report. CAO Mark McDonald stated
that Mayor Barry was on a much needed vacation.
The Mayor asked him to point out some high points thus far – the meeting
held the previous Monday with different entities regarding the Threefoot
project; Meridian Day at the Neshoba County Fair. Mona Boykin appeared regarding a project to
help the Cans for Kids effort. There
will be 42 containers placed around the city for people to put their cans in so
they can be recycled with the funds aiding this project that helps needy
children. CAO McDonald stated that there
were several areas in the city that did not have benches. Some old ones have be refurbished and placed
in areas such as 5th Street downtown. He announced the hiring of Kirk Thompson as
the executive advisor to the Mayor in accordance with Section 8.02 of the Civil
Service rules and regulations. The drug
and alcohol drug testing policy has be changed and expanded to include some
prescription drugs. They plan to have
the proposed 2010 budget to the Council members by the middle of next
week. He would like a schedule set up
with the department heads to talk about the changes and recommendations that
have been made. President Smith advised
him that the Council members wanted a copy of the budget that was originally
submitted by the department heads prior to changes. He said that he would make sure this was
given to them. CAO McDonald stated that
they are working on getting the new road to the industrial park named the
Jimmie Rodgers Parkway. The funding for
the extension of water and sewer to Handy Hardware comes from MDA funds. Discussion was held regarding sworn police
officers being put in the public schools as resource officers. Police Chief Benny Dubose stated they have
five certified officers ready to be placed in the schools. The school system has requested two officers
rather than four. Financing for these
officers will have to be found.
Councilman Thomas stated he had a problem with trained, uniformed police
officers at the schools. He feels this needs to be taken care of by the counselors, teachers,
volunteers and the school system.
On the Study Agenda was the
amendment to the Agenda Ordinance.
President Smith called for citizen
comments. Larry Jones with the Alliance
for Downtown Meridian appeared and discussed benches that the Alliance is
proposing for the downtown area. Candy
Hall, Dogwood Hills, appeared and asked for assistance from the city to help
pay for the sewer tap that she had to put in.
She was advised by City Attorney Ready that the city did not have the
authority under law to do this. All
Willis appeared and talked about the need for resource officers in the
schools. Elliot Street appeared and said
it bothered him putting law officers with guns and tasers in the schools.
President Smith called for Council
comments. Various comments were made.
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