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At the June 6, 2023 City of Magee Board of Aldermen meeting, fifteen year employee for the city Jimmy Padgett was recognized and presented a plaque.
Jimmy has been a faithful servant for our city. His knowledge and work ethic is visible everyday.
At the meeting after receiving his plaque, Jimmy gave a little “talk” with information that blew me away!
When Jimmy began with the city (May 2008) under former Mayor Jimmy Clyde, the city employed 21 people in the city maintenance department. Breland Hall was the Superintendent. The Street Department had 7 workers and public works had 4 employees. The water department had 4 employees and the Garbage had 3. One general Maintenance worker was employed. The city shop employed 2 making a total of 21 employees. PLUS !!! 24 inmates! Add all that up and we had 45 people taking care of the city.
June 2023: Tim Bray is the Superintendent. The Street Department has 3 employees. Public works has 1 employee. The Water department has 4 employees and garbage 3. Zero people for Maintenance Department. The Shop employees one person making a total of 12 employees. If we are lucky we have 3 inmates. The total employed by the city at this time (including inmates) is 12. No wonder we can’t keep the city clean!!!)
Here are a list of the duties for the department:
Gary, the mechanic, is in the shop everyday
Garbage Truck every day but Wednesday requiring 2 drivers and 2 inmates.
Box truck everyday
One street department and 1 water department employees on back of garbage truck every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday
One street department employee and 1 water department employee on limb truck every day of the week
One person on meter readying as well as turning off and turning on water meters and rereading all week.
This leave 3 people to do locates, fix water leaks, add new services, fix sewer problems, patch pot holes, patch streets were service has been fixed, bush-hog the creeks, the sewer lines, Tyson ball park field (giving to city by Tyson), the lagoon, the firing range, the streets and sometimes the airport.
Also try to keep streets clean, curbs cleaned, culverts put in, drain boxes build, and culverts out,
Also because the state only cuts highway 1 49 and the State Streets twice a year, the city attempts to keep roadways into the city cut.
I am exhausted just thinking about this situation. What is the answer? (Feel free to share).
The aldermen are working to find funds to increase the pay of the employees. Our pay scale must be competitive with surrounding cities.
Would you support an increase in your taxes for city services?
Mayor Berry announced at the board meeting that our street bond has only one payment left. He feels at this time, we will pursue another bond.
(As you know, asphalt cost so much making a full paving in the millions.)
I know you get discouraged with our board and sometimes our workers. But as a board member, I can tell you we are searching for answers.
To me, more or enforced requirements are a necessity. But, cleaning up property does not come cheap.
I think we as citizens are all going to need to join in and help. When you are mowing, see if there is property around you that needs cutting and cut it! If there is trash in your area, pick it up. Adopt an area to keep clean.
We want Magee to be beautiful and have good streets! Help us out!…and say a prayer.
MageeNews.com is an online news website covering Simpson and surrounding counties as well as the State of Mississippi.
Tax Increase!!!! What a moronic idea!! People are struggling everyday to make ends meet and this the most you can offer? You were elected to solve problems, so do it and quit looking for somebody else to solve it for you. It just doesn’t get any better!!!!