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 bi-monthly meeting of the Magee Board of Aldermen took place Tuesday night, May 5, 2020 at 6:30 PM. All board members were present. Attorney Bruce Smith joined by FaceTime.
Curfew for the City of Magee remains 11:30 PM to 5:00 AM.
The change for Garbage pick up for Memorial Day (Monday, May 25th) is regular Monday pick up will be on Tuesday. Regular pick up on Tuesday will be on Wednesday.
ASAP is the new ambulance service for the county beginning in June. Mayor Berry and Alderman Lane Steele met with representatives of the company/. According to the Mayor, there will be four ambulances in the county. Three ambulances will transport out of town but one ambulance will remain in Simpson County at all times.
Mayor Berry stated he wanted to go on record as supporting the 5.0 plan for consolidation of the county schools.
The minutes and claims docket were approved.
Mayor Berry announced demolition of the property on 149 should begin this week.
Bids were opened for the paving project. The matter was tabled for more discussion.
Tyson Foods has requested a tax exemption on upgrades to the plant in Magee. Members of the board questioned whether the criteria for tax exemptions applied to their request. The Aldermen tabled the matter until the board receives clarification on the path the Board of Supervisor is following.
A discussion was held concerning an abandoned house located at 838 1st Street NW (behind Entergy). The house is tied up in an estate which is slowing the process of moving forward with clean up. The house as been abandoned for years. Board attorney Bruce Smith is looking into the matter.
All city fire hydrants have been repaired.
Alderman Steele gave a report on the hotel fire at the Sanatorium Monday night. The call came in around 11:00 PM. The fully engulfed fire was difficult to fight. Mendenhall Fire Department joined in fighting the fire. Steele expressed his appreciation to the Mendenhall Fire Department. The firemen fought the fire from 11-4. After returning to the station, the men were called our again and then a third time. Lane stated, “this is probably the 2nd or 3rd largest fire I have ever dealt with.
Mayor Berry reported there had been turn over in the Public Works Department. Tyrone Weathersby and Joe Willie Lockhart came before the board with applications for the 2 vacant Public Works jobs. The board is taking their hire under advisement.
Mayor Berry announced that a citizen had contacted him asking if the garbage bill was going to be cut in half now that we are on a one day a week garbage pick up schedule. According to Attorney Bruce Smith, the public is paying for a service they are receiving. Aldermen Matthew Hickman suggested we see how long we will be under the one day a week program before making any decision on reducing bills. Alderwoman Whitney Baker suggested if any type of refund came into play that the refund could be in the form of a credit on water bills. No action was taken on water bill reductions.
Alderman Lane Steele offered to replant the flower beds surrounding city hall in the fall. Lane will provide the labor if the city will buy the plants. Mayor Berry is getting bids on trimming the flower beds at City Hall, the Library, and the Community House. “Our men can cut the yards, they just don’t have the touch with cutting shrub,” stated Berry.
With no additional business, the meeting was adjourned.
MageeNews.com is an online news website serving Simpson and surrounding counties as well as the State of Mississippi.
