Please note that this post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward MageeNews.com a small commission – at no extra cost to you.
The Magee Board of Aldermen met on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, for a regularly scheduled meeting. The meeting was opened with a prayer, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor Dale Berry informed the board and the public that a kickball tournament is being held every Sunday afternoon at McNair Springs. There is no cost to participate, and everyone is welcome.
Ben Stephens appeared before the board requesting approval of the purchase of a new rack for the city’s servers. He told the board the current rack is home to $48,000 worth of equipment. The low bid for the new rack, which will be soundproof and lockable, is $5539.99. All city departments will use the rack, which will not only house the servers for the police department and City Hall but also the 12 primary firewalls of the city. The board approved the purchase.
Forrest Dungan of Clearpoint Engineers updated the board on current projects in the city. He said the meter replacement project and is expected to come in under budget. The contractor is currently replacing the dozen or so 2″ meters the city planned to replace.
The board approved a pay request for the Lamar Rd. Sewer extension project in the amount of $13,955.50.
The board approved a summary change order for contract #4. The total will decrease $26, 283 and the project will come in under the contract amount.
The paving project is nearing completion, and the final inspection is expected today, Wednesday, May 21, 2025. Dungan said there is still a lot of cleanup left to do and that the contractor will be given a punch list before final approval and payment of the project.
The board approve the 3rd pay application for the project in the amount of $66,346.95.
Dungan said the city should be approximately $70,000 under budget on the paving project.
The board approved the low quote of $20,635 for grading in preparation for the park project to begin. The equipment for the park should arrive by the end of June.
The board approved a ranking form for water and sewage to be submitted for the possibility of funding projects that target replacing deteriorating water mains throughout the city and evaluating sewer mains and main replacements. The board approved requesting $4 million for water and $4 million for sewers. The ranking form and application are non-binding.
The minutes of the previous board meeting were approved.
Sue Honea joined the meeting via phone.
City Attorney Wesla Sullivan presented the board with letters of engagement for Windham and Lacy for city audits for the years 2020-2024. Brett Duncan assured the board these audits would suffice with the auditor’s office and would save the city between $40,000 – $60,000.
The claims docket was approved.
Mara Polk, Director of the Central Mississippi Library System, and Alice Green, Magee’s Branch Manager, appeared before the board to give an update on the Magee Public Library. In 2024, the library had a circulation of 26,614, and there were 2,484 computer users. Visits to the library last year numbered 20,160, and the library has 12,347 cardholders. Total program attendance in 2024 was 17,508 at a total of 264 programs. The library has 1,976 WiFi users.
Green encouraged the public to attend the library’s summer reading events this year, which will include a dinosaur experience on June 27.
Jessica and Justin Hamilton appeared before the board to ask if cleanup at McNair Springs would be done before a wedding they are planning to have on August 3. The board assured them the problems would be addressed by that time but advised them that the bathrooms will not be available.
The board listened to a discussion concerning the issue of RV parks in the city limits. Zoning Administrator Penny Aguirre, Jim Ball, Chad Hand, and Bruce Lewis presented information and opinions on the matter.
Bruce Lewis told the board, “We’ve met every criteria y’all want.”
The issue has been in question for some time, but Jim Ball said the first request for conditional use for an RV park was received in April of this year, though the property was rezoned to C3 in January of 2024.
Work began on the property in October 2024, but the zoning board determined that an RV park is not a permitted use in C3, which overruled the zoning director.
The board voted to uphold the overruling at a previous meeting, but nothing further has been decided.
“What can I actually do here?” Chad Hand asked the board. “That’s what I’d like to know.”
Ball told the board the zoning board is working on guidelines for RV parks but is not yet prepared to make a recommendation.
Public Works Administrator Tim Bray advised the city that two different boring crews for C-Spire are currently operating in the city and advised the public to be aware because he does not believe safe practices are in place. He also said citizens’ yards have been damaged by the crews.
“It’s not safe at all,” Bray said.
Bray told the board the city is down to one bushhog and that his department is understaffed.
It takes “six men just to run garbage trucks,” he said, and no inmates have been available to help.
Police Chief Denis Borges asked for permission to apply for an extension of a grant from the state’s homeland security department, which was approved.
The board also approved application for the Cops Hiring Program grant, which requires a 25% local cost-share. Borges said he plans to apply for a waiver of the match.
The board approved a request for two investigators and the city’s evidence custodian to attend training in Bilox June 2-5 at a cost of $310 per person with the 3rd person free. Hotel costs were also approved.
Fire Chief David Craft advised the board and the public that the department will be flushing and working on fire hydrants soon and that he will be at the fire academy for fire inspector certification during the 2nd and 3rd weeks of June. The program is a 80 hour course.
The board approved special events applications for Crazy Day, Juneteenth, and a Cornhole Tournament and Cookoff which will be hosted by Main Street Magee.
They requested more information about an application for Simpson Academy seniors to use the Community House.
The board approved the cleanup of the property at 214 5th Avenue SE because it has been deemed unsafe. The trailer on the property was hit by a tree.
“It’s wide open,” Aguirre told the board. “People and animals go in at free will.”
“It is unsafe, very unsafe,” she said, “for humans and animals.”
The property’s owner appeared with Aguirre in support of the cleanup.
The board approved final adoption of the amended zoning ordinance for the city of Magee.
Brett Duncan of Prince C.P.A. updated the board on the city’s budget, explaining that 25% of the city’s budget must be left by July 1, 2025, because it is an election year. Approximately $1,000,000 must be left for the new board.
“Right now,” Duncan said, “you’re spot on.”
He presented the board with two tax abatement requests.
The board approved an order to pay $20,292.50, which is the principal payment for the radios the city recently purchased.
“The budget at the city of Magee is sound,” Duncan said.
The building inspector reported that he has:
- completed 2 commercial plumbing inspections
- completed 2 commercial electric inspections
- completed 3 residential electrical inspections
- issued 1 residential plumbing permit
- renewed 3 city electrical licenses
- issued 1 demolition permit
- issued 1 HVAC install permit
- issued 2 remodel permits.
Jimmy Zila updated the board on baseball and softball teams and tournaments and explained continuing electrical problems at the city’s splashpad.
Mike Berry updated the board on work at the airport.
Mayor Dale Berry announced that he has chosen to drop out of the mayoral race, citing ongoing health concerns.
The board entered executive session.
