The City of Mendenhall Board of Aldermen convened for its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 6, with all members present to considered city purchases and contracts, property cleanup, and personnel matters.
A franchise agreement with Comcast was approved after legal review, with Alderman Robert Mangum voting against it. The Comcast contract was approved to provide internet, cable, alarm systems, and landline telephones. The City will receive 5 percent of the revenue. Comcast has agreed to remove and clean up the old Bailey Cable lines around town also. The project is expected to be completed by next July.
A streetlight was approved for installation on South Main Street, while a discussion on the Revolving Tables building was dismissed due to lack of motion. The agenda was then approved with amendments. A motion was approved to officially end the most recent State of Emergency following severe weather.
Additionally, the board ratified Mayor Booth’s emergency purchase of a $5,300 air conditioning unit for the sports complex concession stand. Financial matters were addressed quickly, with the board approving the April 2025 financial reports and claims dockets totaling nearly half a million dollars. These included both paid and unpaid claims, as well as water meter refunds.
The board also approved an office check for $66,777 to Clearpoint Engineers for engineering design fees related to the MCWI project. Several items were tabled until the June 3 meeting, including the purchase of a 19-foot trailer for the Public Works Department and ongoing property cases. However, the board did approve the transfer of a 2018 Ford pickup from the police department to city hall inventory.
Attorney L. Wesley Broadhead presented legal statutes related to property cleanup and demolition, leading to a detailed review of specific properties. Fines were issued or increased for multiple properties, including 512 Bailey Street and 202 W. Bell Avenue, for failure to comply with cleanup notices. Public hearings were scheduled for several addresses on July 1.
A public hearing was held during the meeting, in which the board voted to rescind or impose property fines on several locations.
In personnel matters, the board accepted resignations from city staff in both the Police and Public Works departments. They also ratified the mayor’s action to hire Marvin “Doug” Ashmore as a part-time garbage truck driver and Ryan Millis as a part-time assistant at the Sports Complex.
The resignation of Investigator William Hutson was accepted, effective May 29, while a proposed status change for Officer Justin Brown was moved to executive session.
Following executive session, the board took several personnel actions. Officer Justin Brown’s status change was denied, and his employment was terminated. Jason Duncan was also terminated from the Public Works Department.
