From sentiments expressed at the May 19 meeting of the Magee Board of Aldermen, Tyson Foods may not be getting their requested tax exemption on renovations at their Magee feed mill.
Mayor Dale Berry told the board that the city had spent money repairing the road to the Tyson plant two years ago, costing the city an unbudgeted $60,000.
According to Berry, the city agreed to do the work if Tyson would pay for the materials. Berry said Tyson refused. Projects around the city had to be cut back in order to pay for improving the road into the Tyson plant.
Board members asked about land adjacent to the Sportsplex that Tyson had donated to the city to provide additional parking for the ballpark. Berry replied that it was “swamp land.”
Berry also told the board that Tyson only pays $17,800 a year in city taxes. The board decided to take Tyson’s request for exemption under advisement until more information could be gathered.
The county received a similar request for exemption from Tyson, and the Board of Supervisors was not sure that the plant would qualify under the “creation of new jobs” standard which, according to the county’s attorney, is one of the requirements for granting exemption.
Berry told the group that he and others had met with officials of ASAP Ambulance, which will begin providing service to Simpson County on July 1, and they were assured that an ambulance would always be on call in Simpson County. The City of Magee is offering the existing ambulance service building on Choctaw Street to ASAP with the understanding that ASAP would maintain the building.
Berry expressed his support for the plan proposed by the Simpson County School Board to have a consolidated high school in Magee. He told the board it was a bargain to have the facility here because the school district could purchase the proposed already developed property for $3.5 million compared to a cost of $35 million for the new consolidated school that was proposed when Berry was a member of the school board. He said he commended the school board for this action.
Repair of the recent water leak that shut down the intersection of Main Avenue and Highway 149 came with a big price tag. The bill from Puckett Machinery was just over $142,000. Berry reported that he was seeking CARES funding from the state for the cost and that Representative Price Wallace and Senator Chris Caughman are working on the funding issue at the state level.
Part of the cost was for the removal of a 10-inch thick concrete slab that covered the area over the leaks.
Berry said the city has excess funds in the Water and Sewer Fund, as well as the mayor’s Rainy Day Fund. These funds were not part of the budget for operations for this year. However, Berry reported talking with accountant Brett Duncan, who helped prepare the city’s budget, and the city may be able to use their reserve funding for the repairs. Berry has formerly stated that the reason for all of the leaks in Magee was the work done by a company that the city permitted to bore lines.
Berry suggested as a possibility that the board may want to cancel their paving projects for the year as an option to pay the bill.
The city plans to take action against the owners of dilapidated property on the east side of Entergy. The city is already in the process of demolishing a house on Simpson Highway 149. These costs will be assessed to the property owners.
The mayor reported that two people had applied to the board for work in the Public Works Department, where he said that employment is down from 15 to 11.5 full time positions. Those two applying will be reconsidered at the next board meeting.
The city plans to maintain the curfew from 11 p.m. until 5:30 a.m.
The mayor reported that he has had two requests to reduce garbage bills since the city is only collecting garbage once a week. The board decided to see how services are to continue during the pandemic. One reason the city reduced service is the lack of inmate help in sanitation. Inmates who had been helping to man the garbage trucks were recalled due to the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.
