REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2007 AT 5:00 P.M.

 

Meeting called to order by Council President Henson.

 

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

 

Absent:  None.

 

 

            The meeting was opened with prayer by Rev. Jason Bird of Fifteenth Avenue Baptist Church and followed by the Pledge to the Flag.

 

 

            Motion was made by Councilman Thomas duly seconded by Councilman Palmer and unanimously passed by the Council to confirm the agenda order for this meeting with an amendment to: add as P-2 a presentation by Meridian High School.

 

 

            Motion was made by Councilman Thomas duly seconded by Councilman Palmer and unanimously passed by the Council to approve the minutes dated November 06, 2007.

 

 

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

 

ORDER #14210       FINAL ORDER GRANTING AD VALOREM TAX EXEMPTION

                                    TO MAGNOLIA STEEL COMPANY, 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, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

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

 

RESO. #5475                        RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF CONTRACTUAL

                                    AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CLAY FIRM (BETH C. CLAY) AND

                                    THE CITY OF MERIDIAN

 

and, Councilman Harris 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.

            Next on the agenda was the ad valorem tax exemption request from Rush Medical Foundation.  City Attorney Hammack recused himself from this matter because of a conflict of interest and left the chambers during the discussion and vote.  Councilwoman Perry offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Resolution:

 

RESO. #5476                        RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN,

                                    MISSISSIPPI, GRANTING TAX EXEMPTION FROM AD VALOREM

                                    TAXES TO RUSH MEDICAL FOUNDATION D/B/A RUSH FOUNDATION

                                    HOSPITAL AS AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 27-31-1(F) OF THE

                                    MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, AS AMENDED

 

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.

 

 

            (City Attorney Bill Hammack returned to the chambers.)

 

 

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

 

ORDER #14211       ORDER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF CHANGE ORDER

                                    NO. 3 BETWEEN THE CITY OF MERIDIAN AND ONYX, INC.,

                                    BESSEMER, AL (SWEETGUM BOTTOM ROAD SEWER LINE

                                    INSTALLATION)

 

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.

 

 

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

 

ORDER #14212       ORDER ACCEPTING THE BID OF PANOLA CONSTRUCTION

                                    COMPANY, INC., BATESVILLE, MS, FOR CITY HALL EXTERIOR

                                    RENOVATION, PHASE III AND AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF

                                    CONTRACT FOR SAID WORK

 

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.

 

 

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

 

RESO. #5477                        RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION AND FILING OF

                                    PRESERVE AMERICA DESIGNATION APPLICATION

 

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, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

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

 

RESO. #5478                        RESOLUTION FINDING AND DETERMINING THAT THE RESOLUTION

                                    DECLARING THE INTENTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

                                    OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI, TO ISSUE GENERAL

                                    OBLIGATION BONDS OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI, IN

                                    THE MAXIMUM PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED ONE MILLION        

                                    DOLLARS ($1,000,000) ADOPTED ON THE 18TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2007,

                                    WAS DULY PUBLISHED AS REQUIRED BY LAW; THAT NO SUFFICIENT

                                    PROTEST AGAINST THE ISSUANCE OF THE BONDS DESCRIBED IN SAID

                                    RESOLUTION HAS BEEN FILED BY THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS; AND

                                    AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF SAID BONDS

 

and, Councilman Harris 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.

 

 

            Motion was made by Councilman Harris duly seconded by Councilwoman Perry and unanimously passed by the Council to approve the claims docket dated November 15, 2007 in the amount of $3,947,667.38.

 

            Councilwoman Henson called for the Mayor’s report.  Mayor Smith stated that the five mile track around Bonita will be open Friday, November 23rd, thru Sunday, November 25th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for slow vehicular traffic so people can enjoy the beautiful fall foliage.  Staff has been working on the trail to improve it.  He wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving.  He stated that the city has applied for a $2,000,000 grant to repair the dam at Bonita to keep it from failing.

            Elizabeth Thomas with the Meridian High School appeared and presented police officers Terrell Thompson and Dearrell Thompson with t-shirts in appreciation for their help in raising money for the MHS drama group to attend the Festival this year.  They will be leaving on November 30th for the Festival.  Also, the drama group will be presenting “Don’t Say Macbeth” play on November 29th at Meridian High.  She urged everyone to attend.

 

            President Henson called for citizen comments.  1) Virginia Coleman, 3104 10th Street, appeared and asked who she needed to talk to regarding an emergency in her neighborhood.  The city dug up the sidewalk in front of her house and did not repair it.  Mud is being tracked into her home from this situation.  Also, there is an open sewer line at the Williams house that needs to be fixed.  She also complained about the two house on the side of her that need attention.  2) Randy Hammon, 2516 28th Avenue, showed a map of the city indicating 120 houses that need to be torn down.  They would like to meet in a work session with the city council to discuss this situation and the inter-local agreement between the city and county to demolish condemned houses.  3) Bill McBride, 1806 Apache Ridge Road, stated the inter-local agreement with the county will expire the end of December.  Their group would like to meet with the city council and go over some remedies to address the demolition of condemned houses.  They would like to get a time frame on when these houses will be demolished.

 

            President Henson called for council comments.  Councilman Harris stated that the Jingle Bell run will be next Saturday.  He appreciated the recognition of senior citizens at the Frank Cochran Center.  He said there is a lot of work to be done and if they keep pushing on these items they can get things done.  Councilman Palmer thanked the Supervisors for getting part of Old 8th Street Road paved.  He said he would like to see Mrs. Coleman’s concerns taken care of.  He went to New Orleans for a conference and he felt sorrow for what he saw the condition of the area to be in.  Councilwoman Perry stated she attended the NLC conference in New Orleans.  She is pleased with the city’s Code Red program.  It is much better than the one presented at the conference.  She said the conference was a good one.  She wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving.  Councilman Thomas stated he saw the dismay and depression in New Orleans while attending the conference there.  He said the response on the Mississippi Gulf Coast was more optimistic than in New Orleans.  There will be a reception for R. D. Harris on December 3rd.  Mr. Harris did a lot for the public school system and students.  Lamar won their state championship.  Meridian High is on their way to a state championship.  The legislature is preparing things for the next year.  There are new people going it.  He stated that more and more it is evident that there is a need for consolidation of governments.  Council President Henson said she has spent a good portion of the year in Jackson but Meridian is the best water.  She wished everyone a pleasant holiday and sent thanks for the prayers for her husband.  She asked people to continue to pray for him.

 

             

            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