The Magee Mayor and Board of Aldermen held their regularly scheduled June 4 meeting at 6 p.m. in the absence of Aldermen Patrick Brown and Sammie Tebo.
Under unfinished business no bids were received on the janitorial proposals posted in the paper; however, several bids were already on file. City Attorney Wesla Sullivan will put the necessary information together in spreadsheet form to present to the board at the next meeting.
Alderwoman Lawana Thompson requested three financial reports be presented from this point forward –the privilege tag list, monthly credit card expenditures and monthly bank statements.
Magee resident Susan Walker appeared before the board with concerns over cemetery plots she purchased in 2010. She said a headstone belonging to another family unrelated to hers was infringing on one of her burial plots. Walker also shared with the board a concern over the possibility of two persons being buried together in a single plot. She is also concerned that there may be someone buried in one of her plots.
Walker asked for assurances from the board to determine if a body is buried there. Her husband, Brent Walker, came forward and asked the board to determine within 15 days whether or not a body is buried there and if so to move the remains to the appropriate location.
Sullivan responded that there was no action the board could vote on, but they have already begun looking into this issue and attempting to find a solution. She suggested that a piece of equipment specifically designed to locate vaults be purchased or leased to address this instance and prevent others in the future.
Zoning Board Chairman Jim Ball appeared before the board with suggestions for consideration regarding surplus property, street paving and city contacts. He said he wants residents to be offered first opportunity to purchase surplus, but Mayor Dale Berry explained that by state law that is not possible.
Each city ward has received $186,000 for street paving projects. Ball asked that names of the streets to be paved be published. In addition he asked that consideration be given to not overlaying existing asphalt on the sides of the streets as some already have tremendous build up and a new overlay would create further safety hazards. The board told Ball that the issue has already been addressed.
Ball also requested a simplified city contact list – whom to contact for what, printed and possibly mailed with the monthly water bill, made available at various locations in Magee as well as on the website.
Investigator Brian Green with the Magee Police Department presented a letter of resignation from Assistant Police Chief Josh Bryant effective June 18, 2024. The board accepted the resignation.
Fire Chief Buck Craft informed the board that the new fire truck is undergoing final inspection and should be delivered in three to four weeks. At this time the board passed a motion to restructure salaries of several firemen, including the chief.
Zoning Director Penny Aguirre noted that Central Mississippi Planning and Development District personnel have begun working with her in charting gravesites in the Magee Cemetery, adding that it will take time. She noted that CMPDD has equipment to detect vaults underground as discussed previously in the meeting, and will begin to use it next month.
The board agreed to the restructuring of the offices for zoning and storage of requisite documents, maps, etc. to make the space more efficient. The estimated cost is $800.
Aguirre requested two hearings to be held Tuesday, July 2, for two properties on 49 South at Magee city limits. In addition to the overgrowth, heavy equipment machinery and safety issues, Aguirre noted that activity has occurred requiring a police presence although she did not have the reports in hand. Numerous interactions have occurred between the city’s Zoning Administration and the property owners who continue to do nothing to clean up the properties. The board agreed to the hearings.
City Building Inspector Kara Lucas briefly updated board members on the status of Millcreek additions, T-Mobile and Cypress Cove Expansion. She informed the board that the city is under audit by FEMA regarding the National Flood Insurance Program that is to be completed by July 1, 2024. Lucas provided a list of several properties that may be non-compliant.
Parks and Recreation Director Jimmy Zila provided some financial information that had been requested during the May 21 board meeting, but further research is necessary. At least $14,374.00 has been spent on splash pad repairs over the last two years. All-star tournaments will begin this weekend.
City Airport Manager Mike Berry said that clean up continues on the airport property including grass cutting of the green spaces. The Airport Board recently performed a walk-through of the house on the property and agreed it should be cleaned, fumigated and updated so it may be used to attract helicopters whose pilots are in need of an overnight stay. Arrangements have been made with Michael Duncan to remove the unusable jet fuel.
In other business, Sullivan asked the board to vote for final passage of the ordinance establishing the Magee Preservation Commission and have it published in the paper. The board approved and the meeting was adjourned.
