REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2008 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. John Sweeney of Victory Outreach followed by the Pledge to the Flag.

 

 

            At this time Councilman Harris presented a proclamation to Frank Polizzi, President of the Lakemont Civic Improvement Association, for their clean-up day on Saturday.

 

 

            Motion was made by Councilman Thomas duly seconded by Councilman Harris and unanimously passed by the Council to confirm the agenda order for this meeting with an amendment to: add as R-11 granting of quitclaim deed to Frank A. Gullette; add an executive session regarding potential litigation.  (Councilman Palmer not present at meeting at this time.)

 

 

            Motion was made by Councilman Thomas duly seconded by Councilwoman Perry and unanimously passed by the Council to approve the minutes dated April 01, 2008.  (Councilman Palmer not present at meeting at this time.)

 

 

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

 

ORDER #14296       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, Harris.

Nay:  None.

Absent:  Palmer.

 

 

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

 

ORDIN. #4330         ORDINANCE RESCINDING ORDINANCE NO. 4312 ENTITLED

                                    “ORDINANCE CLOSING, VACATING AND ABANDONING IN

                                    THE CITY OF MERIDIAN, LAUDERDALE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI,

                                    “J” STREET WEST OF 18TH AVENUE, SOUTH OF SOWASHEE CREEK”

 

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

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Harris.

Nay:  None.

Absent:  Palmer.

 

 

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

 

ORDIN. #4331         ORDINANCE CLOSING, VACATING AND ABANDONING IN THE

                                    CITY OF MERIDIAN, LAUDERDALE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, “J”

                                    STREET WEST OF 18TH AVENUE, SOUTH OF SOWASHEE CREEK

 

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

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Harris.

Nay:  None.

Absent:  Palmer.

 

 

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

 

ORDER #14297       ORDER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND SUBMISSION OF

                                    2008 BULLET PROOF VEST PARTNERSHIP GRANT APPLICATION

                                    WITH THE OFFICE OF THE BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE

 

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, Harris.

Nay:  None.

Absent:  Palmer.

 

 

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

 

 

ORDER #14298       ORDER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND SUBMISSION OF

                                    SEATBELT ENFORCEMENT GRANT WITH THE OFFICE OF

                                    HIGHWAY SAFETY, DIVISION OF PUBLIC SAFETY PLANNING

 

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, Harris.

Nay:  None.

Absent:  Palmer.

 

 

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

 

ORDER #14299       ORDER AUTHORIZING APPROVAL OF GRANTING HOME INVESTMENT

                                    PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM (HOME) FUNDS TO EMMA EASON, 1801

                                    37TH AVENUE, MERIDIAN, MS 39301

 

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, Harris.

Nay:  None.

Absent:  Palmer.

 

 

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

 

ORDIN. #4332         ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE 2008 NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE

 

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

 

Yea:  Thomas, Perry, Henson, Harris.

Nay:  None.

Absent:  Palmer.

 

 

            (Councilman Palmer arrived at the meeting at this time.)

 

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

 

ORDER #14300       ORDER AUTHORIZING THE REGIONAL RESPONSE TEAM PLANNER

                                    AND TRAINER TO TAKE THEIR HOMELAND SECURITY VEHICLES

                                    HOME EACH EVENING

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, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

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

 

RESO. #5512                        RESOLUTION APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE AMENDED BUDGET

                                    FOR THE CITY OF MERIDIAN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING

                                    SEPTEMBER 30, 2008, AND DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK IN REFERENCE

                                    THERETO

 

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

 

ORDER #14301       ORDER ACCEPTING THE BID OF NORMAN ENTERPRISES, INC.,

                                    MERIDIAN, MS, FOR ROOF REPLACEMENT – WWTP PRESS

                                    BUILDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,500.00 AND AUTHORIZING

                                    EXECUTION OF CONTRACT FOR SAID WORK

 

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 #14302       ORDER ACCEPTING THE BID OF BILL HOVER PAINTING &

                                    WALLCOVERING, MERIDIAN, MS, FOR EXTERIOR PAINTING

                                    OF UNION STATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $44,600.00 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.

 

 

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

 

ORDER #14303       ORDER AMENDING ORDER NO. 14276 ENTITLED “ORDER ACCEPTING

                                    THE BID OF TRUSTMARK NATIONAL BANK OF MERIDIAN, MERIDIAN,

                                    MS, FOR LEASE PURCHASE FINANCING OF A RESCUE PUMPER FOR

                                    THE ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE OF 2.85% ON THE AMOUNT OF

                                    $364,000.00 WITH THREE (3) EQUAL ANNUAL PAYMENTS OF

                                    $127,486.12” IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE THREE (3) EQUAL ANNUAL

                                    PAYMENTS TO $127,397.00

 

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, Harris.

Nay:  None.

 

 

            Next on the agenda was the conveyance of tax forfeited surplus blighted property to Word of Truth Worship Center.  Councilman Thomas asked City Attorney Bill Hammack if this was legal.  He advised that the Council must determine whether the subject property is in a blighted area and whether the intended purposes – construction of off-street parking- will promote and foster the development of the City or the civic, social, educational, cultural, and moral welfare of the City.  Councilman Palmer offered and moved the adoption and passage of the following Order:

 

ORDER #14304       ORDER AUTHORIZING CONVEYANCE OF TAX FORFEITED SURPLUS

                                    BLIGHTED PROPERTY TO WORD OF TRUTH WORSHIP CENTER

 

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 Councilman Palmer duly seconded by Councilwoman Perry and unanimously passed by the Council to approve the claims docket dated April 10, 2008 in the amount of $3,300,959.47.

 

 

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

 

ORDER #14305       ORDER AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN,

                                    MISSISSIPPI, TO SIGN AND DELIVER QUITCLAIM DEED TO

                                    FRANK A. GULLETTE

 

 

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.

 

 

            President Henson advised of the notification of legal advertisement for the following: a) proposals from qualified consultants for municipal engineering services; b) planting materials for 22nd Avenue.

 

 

            President Henson called on the Mayor for his report.  He stated that on April 22nd from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. there will be a presentation on the Greening Meridian program.  He thanked city crews who were out during the storm.  He read a letter from Governor Barbour advising that the city was approved for community revitalization funds through the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program in the amount of $1,786,000 for Bonita Lakes dam repair and drainage improvements.  The Mayor thanked the community development staff and Dr. George French for their work on the grant.  Exercise equipment will be going in soon at Bonita Lakes.  Homeland Security Director Bunky Partridge stated they are working on an emergency plan for Bonita Lakes.

 

 

            President Henson called for citizen comments.  No one appeared.

 

 

            President Henson called for council comments.  He said it was good to see Mr. Fisher.  He expressed his thanks to George French.  He congratulated Mrs. Sharp on the demolitions.  He reminded everyone that hazardous day is this Saturday.  He congratulated Mark Naylor in getting the fields together for the kids and the summer programs.  He said he has been pushing Betty Lou Jones and Sharon Smith to get churches involved in cleaning up this month and next month.  He asked Chief Homan about the new fire station and he said it is about 65% complete.  Councilman Palmer said ditto on the houses.  He issued a heads-up on the stimulus payment extension.  He mentioned the passing of Jimmy Cole.  Councilwoman Perry reminded everyone about her ward meeting on Tuesday, April 22nd at 6:00 p.m. at Velma Young.  She thanked the County for the houses being torn down.  She urged people to attend the Main Even on April 24th at the Ag Center.  Councilman Thomas sent his congratulations to the girls’ power lifting team from Meridian High School for winning another state championship.  The rodeo is coming up, the Riley Center is having shows, colleges are having shows, and awards are being presented to students and teachers.  Council President Henson said she was excited about the grant for Bonita Lakes.  Several people

 

staying at motels and the RV camp have said how much they enjoy walking at Bonita.  The guys out there have done a wonderful job.

 

 

            An executive session was requested regarding potential litigation.  Motion was made by Councilwoman Perry duly seconded by Councilman Palmer and unanimously passed by the Council to close the meeting to determine whether to declare an executive session.  Motion was made by Councilman Thomas duly seconded by Councilwoman Perry and unanimously passed by the Council to declare an executive session in order to discuss potential litigation.  The Council then went into executive session.  Motion was made by Councilman Thomas duly seconded by Councilwoman Perry and unanimously passed by the Council to go out of executive session.

 

 

            President Henson called the meeting back to order.  No action was taken on the executive session.

 

 

            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