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The Magee Board of Aldermen met on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, for its final regularly scheduled meeting before the new board takes office on July 1. Diane McPhail opened the meeting with prayer.
Mayor Dale Berry announced that Thursday’s garbage collection will be done on Monday, June 24, because of the Juneteenth holiday.
Forrest Dungan of Clearpoint Engineers updated the board on projects that are ongoing in the city. The board approved a pay request in the amount of $64,775.76, as well as a $9000 invoice for engineering.
Dungan said the water meter project is 100% complete, but the GPS locations of meters are being validated because some are incorrect.
A punch list has been issued for the paving project.
The board approved the minutes and the claims docket.
Alderman Patrick Brown said, “Overtime looks good.”
Betty Harper appeared before the board to discuss problems at the intersection of Colonial and Adams.
“It’s filling up. It’s almost equal to the bridge,” she said. “I’m losing all my topsoil and getting to where I can’t hardly park in my yard.”
The mayor asked Forrest Dungan to take a look at the situation.
“We need to get your expertise,” Berry said.
Public Works Superintendent Tim Bray said that Raleigh Road has opened back up, and a project is about to start on 5th.
Bray said 2nd Avenue will be shut down on June 23 for about a week while the railroad crossing is repaired. He said they expect to start on Monday and hope to finish by Thursday, depending on the weather.
He told the board, “Every chance we get without rain, we’re going to bush hog.”
Police Chief Denis Borges was not present, but the department asked the board for an update on its submission about policies and procedures. The board told the department representative that they will have City Attorney Wesla Sullivan look at the submission and vote on July 1.
Zoning Administrator Penny Aguirre appeared before the board asking for approval for two upcoming special events. The first, which will be held June 30, is a night of prayer in front of the Civic Center. Multiple churches are working together to plan the event. The board approved the request.
The board also approved a request for a church-sponsored event at McNair Springs. Holy Church Baptist will hold a city-wide baptism.
Aguirre said, “It’s a good way to baptize people, but also to baptize McNair. It’s coming back!”
The board approved requests for two public hearings. The first, which is about a property on 9th Street, has three trailers. Aguirre said one of them is falling apart. She told the board the owners are in New Orleans and had told her they would take care of it in March.
The second hearing is about a property on 1st Street with two abandoned trailers. Aguirre said the owner has passed, and trees are growing inside of the trailers. The property has not had an active water account since 2015.
Alderman Patrick Brown asked if there were any way to find interested buyers for some of the properties in question.
“It’s always an easier transition if we can get someone to buy the property,” he said.
Aguirre also asked the board for approval to submit a grant request for $15,000 to get the city’s historical survey done. The grant would reimburse the city $7,500. The deadline to apply is July 1.
“The survey has to be done before any designations,” Aguirre said, but ” we can try it again next year.”
The board voted to table the issue until the new board takes office.
The building inspector reported the following:
- 2 remodel permits issued
- 1 roof replacement permit issued
- 2 demolition permits issued
- 1 electrical permit issued
- 1 parking lot repair permit issued
- 1 fence replacement permit issued
- 1 residential electrical inspection completed.
Jimmy Zila updated the board on the city’s teams and upcoming tournaments in which they will participate. This weekend, 36 teams will play in Magee, which will be the city’s last tournament of the spring season. There will be a 6-week break before Copiah Academy holds a tournament on August 6.
Zila told the board the playground at the Sportsplex has been mulched. He is still waiting on a part for the Splashpad.
“We’ve got everything else working electronically that wasn’t,” Zila said.
Mike Berry told the board that since December 12, the airport has sold approximately 3,000 gallons of fuel.
“Rain is our biggest problem,” Berry said. “The airport is a lake.”
He also updated the board about his recent training in Colorado.
“I made an 88 on the test, and we are now insured,” he said.
Brett Duncan told the board that they had succeeded in leaving 25% of the budget for the incoming board.
He also warned the board to carefully consider grant applications that require reimbursement.
“Grants are great,” he said, “but too many grants will bankrupt you.”
At his final meeting before retirement, Alderman Patrick Brown said, “I really appreciate from my heart the people who come out and listen to what we have to say.”
