Eupora leaders voted this month to rehire/reappoint all city employees.
The Board of Aldermen went into executive session during its regular monthly meeting on July 7 to discuss the personnel matter. Aldermen exited the closed session two hours later, according to city officials.
Unofficial minutes show that they then voted in separate motions to:
add Joe Griffin and Jan Butler as city prosecutors, who will be available in addition to current prosecutor Hugh Gibson.
reappoint Stephanie Malette and Austin Vollor as public defenders.
hire Shed Shaw for 30 days and require him to have a medical exam by Aug. 4.
contract with Randy Tabb as the only meter reader for the city of Eupora.
rehire/reappoint all other employees.
Jake's Recycling
In a matter tabled from a previous meeting, the board discussed attempts to get Jake's Recycling to clean up its property on East Roane Avenue/Highway 182. Mayor Tommy Lott said he had asked the owner if he was interested in buying the former Allied Electroplating property on Adams Avenue Extended and relocating the business there, and that he was.
Board attorney Hugh Gibson, who said Jake's attorney had requested a letter stating how much the city wanted for the property, suggested obtaining an appraisal first. Gibson said the city could require as part of the sale that the building on the existing property be torn down and the lot cleared, with no more waste material to be placed there.
Aldermen eventually approved a motion by Dan Burchfield (Ward 2) to have the Allied property appraised after obtaining quotes to do so. His motion also called for Gibson to send a second letter to the owner of Jake's Recycling demanding him to appear at the next board meeting to explain why the property has not been cleaned up. If the business has not erected an opaque fence by Aug. 4, Burchfield said the city should take the owners to court.
"He's been in violation of the (blight) ordinance since he started that business," Burchfield said. "I think it's two different things."
In a related matter, Henry Flowers (Ward 4) said he had gone through his ward and written down addresses where junk vehicles are located. He suggested the other aldermen do the same and submit their list to the Police Department for enforcement of the city's junk vehicle ordinance. Flowers submitted his list that night, adding, "We should move swiftly."
Other Business
The board also voted to:
accept the resignation of deputy city clerk Tamaria Myers effective Aug. 11 and authorized the city clerk to start advertising the position.
accept budget amendments presented by City Clerk Lesa Hardin. Jack Haney (at large) said he would like to see all purchases above $1,000 approved by the mayor/board.
authorize Calvert-Spradling Engineers to submit a pre-application to the Mississippi Emergency Management for a generator.
took under advisement three bids for an excavator to be used by the Water/Sewer Department.
reject all six bids received for a 2000 Ford Crown Victoria, the highest of which was $1,501. The motion also authorized the mayor to contact the Board of Supervisors and offer to transfer the car to the Sheriff's Department, with its value applied as credit toward the housing of city prisoners at the county jail.
write a letter supporting Dr. Joyce Yates' application for a minigrant to research the high incidence of cancer in Webster County, and to send a representative to related luncheons later this year. Yates, of Eupora, is a professor of health education at Mississippi University for Women.
Lott said no bids were received for the right to purchase all timber on three separate tracts owned by the city. Also, sewer system construction bids will be opened July 29 at 10 a.m., and bids for Industrial Park II access and fencing will be opened Aug. 15 at 10 a.m.
Post a Comment