Mayor and Board of Aldermen - Regular Meeting

Mayor, we're live. We are working with the nice bond slave. This meeting of the mayor and the board of aldermen for the city of Cleveland is now in session. Do you have any business before this board? Please come forward and don't be shy. Uh instead of a prayer tonight, we're going to take a moment of silence to remember Steve O'Ferrall. Thank you. Okay. Uh Mayor Mitchell, please come forward. Would you state your name and address for the record, please? I'm Mary Mitchell. 18 South Court Street, Cleveland, Mississippi. All right. What can we do for you tonight? Well, I want to be a bondsman. I've been writing for 21 years.

[clears throat]

I write about 15 in the county. And each county, I can write for the city, uh just and circuit. About 2 weeks ago, I was told by Chief Tribble that I can't write in Cleveland city because I live in too far. But most of the people that I bonded out, they already at the county. I never been to the city to write bonds. I had one there that day, and I asked him could I write their bond because the person been there for a while. And he didn't want to have anything to do with it. So, I I just want to understand why I can't write for the city of Cleveland, especially if the person is already at the county and been there for a while. I've done some background on it with Chief's explanation. It'd probably be correct and clear unless you like him to. Yes. Ms. Mitchell, I advise you if you have an agent here close by, then you're more than welcome to write bonds for the city. Uh very few folks make bonds in the Bolivar County city court. 90% of our folks make bonds in the Cleveland city court. But those are the ones I'm worried about, the ones that I bonded out at the county. I Like I said, I never wrote one in the city. Well, I'm not I can't put you on a bond slip in the city of Cleveland when I'm out there. It's going to be both. It's It's going to be all the same. Uh so, if you get an agent here in town, I'd be more than happy to work with you. Uh I can't afford to have where I arrest someone on like a theft charge, takes us 10 minutes of paperwork, I'm sitting there waiting That officer sitting and waiting 30 45 minutes to drive someone. I've got an officer who's sitting in

that station with that with that said person. The thing is, I don't want anyone to sit there waiting. I write them when once they get to the the county. Like I said, I never went to the city to write a bond. Ma'am, we don't put anybody in the county jail. Well, I I don't have to write I mean, if when What if you would go to the county? I can't write them then? Ma'am, we got to be on both bonds. Both bonds for the city of Cleveland and when I'm out there. If we take a person out there and you leave them and she's waiting on a bondsman, are they going to charge us the city for a day's charge? We're not going to do that. They would charge us for a day's prison time waiting on you to get there. You're not understanding. They're not calling me while they at the city. They only call me once they get to the county. So, they give an option of course they want to call for a bondsman before they ever leave city jail. Yeah. I'm sure they do, but they don't call me. So, I don't get a lot of I don't get a lot of bonds from the Bolivar County. I get only a few. Uh but the few that I do get, they already at the county. So, Dudley, you take somebody in for whatever brought, you process them, go through your your system, then do y'all hand them a list Yes. And so, what you're saying, it could be something that's a minor fraction, they're handed a list, and if they just go down there and they pick, you know, her for instance, then then you got to wait. That's That's what you're saying.

Correct. Okay. Correct. I don't All our We have three bondsmen. It's not beyond our people. All of them are in here for now, both through the city of Cleveland. They have to respond very quickly. The perfect case, you see, it's 35 minutes, 40 minutes from Cleveland. If I call her them officers call her at 2:00 in the morning, wake her up, that means you're looking at probably an hour that I got an officer sitting there arrested. It took him 10 minutes to do that paperwork, but he's got to stay there with that arrestee at that police department to make that bond. This not what I want. This not what I want. I don't want one sitting in the I want the one that's been praying for from the city to the county that's been there for hours or days. That's all I'm asking. Why can't I bond them out if they already been at the county for hours?

So, you're not asking to come to the city jail, you just want to bond You want to be on the list at the county? Yeah. Like I've been Well, that's not our list. Are Are you on the county list? Yeah. Well, then what's the problem? The fact she's got It's our prison. Not county jail. Okay. Got it.

So, she's not on the list at the Cleveland police department. If she could get on that list, if she would put an agent here close by, I am agent. I mean, I work for Hampton Bonding Company. So, I don't own the only company. Then Hampton would have to put an agent here to get that. You're not the only one up I'm sitting here. If we have to put them out there, then we have to start paying. So, you're saying they're the They don't already pay for them there. I I lost three last week that were already at the county. Didn't nobody else write it. They were at the county. The city Well, they're city If they're at the county, they were city prisoners that were already Mhm. Well, I got police officers on this business. I don't know about We're We're not going to pay for them to be in the I It'd have to be out of the county. They're already I mean, you know. So, sometimes when we put someone out there, I mean, you They can't They can't They don't have them bonds, so they're sitting out there until our next court. That's the reason we mad. All right. So, the thing is, these other three bondsmen won't come bond them out. There's people people that don't want them to bond. That's the problem. That's one thing with uh What What do you mean by that? I'm sorry. What do you mean by that? They're picking people they don't know to come bond them out. What What do you mean? What Well, I mean, these other bondsmen won't bond them out if they don't know them. Well, I have a lot

I don't I don't know I mean, generally

Sometimes the the people are from Tallahatchie, Oklahoma, they know me. Sometimes they are from Bolivar County, and they know me, you know. I mean, I'm I'm I'm just Bolivar County making I mean, anybody else. I retired from AVL City. Uh I retired about 10 years, and I needed time off. And I needed everything that I could get. I don't get a lot from the county. I don't. Most of them be just uh circuit that I write at. But if I do get some for the for the city, I'm able to write at least that I'm able to write it if they been sitting there for a while. If she can get you on the city's I don't know if if if you had to, so that's what you would really do. Can I get on what? The city's uh list as well. So, you can I I applied for I have a Well, that's what I'm saying, that she's not close. So, What she's saying is she works She's a sub agent for someone else. Mhm. But can you talk to your your people that you work for to ask them if they can collaborate with somebody here and um to get on to get on the list? If you are in partnership with somebody here, and then get on the list here, then

agent here? Yeah. Like I said, we got the only town that have city court. I write for the up city. court. I I go to Hernando. I go to Oxford. Yeah. All right. I totally understand what you're saying. And you know, I had a situation with with the record service. You know, they were fine there when my deputy sheriff and records take the other deputy. You know, I'm just saying what the chief told me. But at the same time, we want to continue that you you're fairly well on the matter. I don't want to hear to Like I said, I never got a call from the from the chief. It might It may anytime. I'm not 35 minutes away. If If they call me and they say they're they're at the city, I'll say I'm too far. But if they [snorts] say they're at the county, they've been saying it for hours. I'm 35 minutes away. I I don't have

an issue. From the county is not an issue. It hasn't been an issue. I haven't had an issue. So, is that part of the issue? You're only talking about the city. You only want to be on the city list. No, I want to be on the county. The county But are you already on the I'm on it. Okay. So, that's not That's not the problem. The only problem is that I can't I just found this out 2 weeks ago that I can't write for the city. Now, are we obligated to allow any bondsman to write bonds? You have to be reasonable. That's why I asked the chief to explain. Uh it it's only reasonable in his judgment to have a single list so that he's got uniformity and knows who to get so that he can have people show up. And then a requirement, not of residency, but of prompt access is reasonable. I And I'm I'm I'm I'm sympathetic to the to uh the lady's situation. I would love it if she got an agent cuz she would be good to have have you working here. Uh certainly suggest that you take a look at that and see if you can get an agent here or closer. I don't want an agent. We understand that, but we need if you want to have an agent here in town that can respond quickly because we're not going to have officers sitting around waiting for you to get here. That's basically what Well, apparently you don't understand cuz I don't want nobody waiting on me. Well, but you're not understanding either. I don't I'm You don't want us to wait on you, but if he goes ahead and takes them out to the county, then we just get the bill from the county while they're waiting for you to get here. They're going to bill us. Well, I'm saying that they're already at the county when they called me. Not all of them are already in the county, though. And that's the ones he's talking about. The ones that He's talking about the ones they are trying to process. How many people change where they are?

If you're only bonding with me, then I'll bond you later. You can bond anybody from the county or out here. So, you're saying if she's on the list, we can't you can't tell a whatever detaining that they can't call her while they're at the police station. If anybody's on that list, I can advise them. Whoever they want to call, they've got to pick someone on that. If they call her, then Currently, we have three on that. Waiting for her to come in. But if they To your point, it's both of them either for the city. Yes. Got you. One question, cuz I believe I We talked about this. You have bonding companies from way off doing business here and their agents are here. Can you tell me about that?

bonding company, Shaw. And then we have Shaw. That would be Oxford Bonding Co. Second one is Absolute. I'm not sure where Absolute Bonding Co. is at. They have agents in Oxford and in Oxford. Uh her name is Faith Crawford. And then we have Davis uh Bonding, which is also All right. I think Dana had the best idea. You need to find somebody in Cleveland you can work in conjunction with. Thank you. Um Katie, that was it. Uh Over here. Yes. Uh The list is is shortened. Uh I will read only those. 1326 Highway 8 West, Joel Trust Partnership, 507 South Bio Avenue, Avatar LLC, 504 South Bio Avenue, Mary Lois and Jimmy Deweese Brewis. 1028 South Davis Avenue, K11 Properties LLC. 701 Memorial Drive, Cotton Station Holdings LLC. 201 North Street, Joe Holdings LP. 518 North Bio Avenue, Kenneth Thomas Maddox. 204 Grover Street, Larry and Dorsett Davis. Down here at 3619 Highway 61 North, Wanda Caswell and Marsha Skelton as life estates with James T. Hatcher. They've requested a 30-day extension. Uh is that your recommendation? Yes, sir. Uh continuing to the final page, 200 and 202 Grover Street, Lakita Huggins.

616 North Bio Avenue, uh MWB Capital LLC. 614 Hadley Street, State of Mississippi and Jerry Wright. 413 South Christian Avenue, Norman Jones. Uh as we've read these uh the adjudic- the adjudication notice list uh pursuant to Mississippi code, is there anyone here to answer to any of these that I have called out? Your Honor, it would be in order for the board to adjudicate uh keeping in mind the 30-day extension Make a motion with the exception of the 30-day extension. Got a motion by Gains Poletti.

Second. Seconded by Brian. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? All right. Thank you. Uh yes, I I can say you have a public hearing request. I hear Jerry Borgan on it. Uh it's a 10-ft side yard setback and uh it was damaged during the 2026 ice storm. I believe you provided with some photos. Do you have a recommendation, Billy? I haven't heard any objection. I recommend approval. Uh is anyone here to address that? It would be in order for the board to move to approve. So moved. Excuse me? Oh. Motion.

Uh I'll second. Seconded by Winston Chenault. Motion by Brian, seconded by Zinn Y'all in favor? Aye. Opposed? Moving on, you have a public hearing. Uh David Junkin has submitted an application to request a 10-ft side yard variance. Uh and again, this is rebuilding a damaged carport at 504 University. It was a damaged in the ice storm. Mr. Brown, have you heard any complaints or questions? No objection. I'll make a motion to approve. Motion by Gains Poletti, seconded by Zinn Y'all in favor? Aye. Opposed? All right. That's all the public hearings. Yes, sir. Okay. Uh business issue? Sir. Good afternoon, sir. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. I just had a little update. One update we have for today for the sidewalk. Uh we have the sidewalk project on our city and y'all city. Throughout town by PDS where they started. Uh they're making headway on the north sidewalk today as well. Uh they're continuing the north sidewalk. So, it'll take about another month and a half to finish sidewalk all the way to Davis. And uh after that, then we'll we'll be waiting on the traffic signal signals uh from the city. We're hoping that we'll be getting them around September. So, we'll see some sidewalk construction here soon. Uh the next thing is the North Industrial Site flood mitigation project. Uh Still working at the path. We relocated those power poles on the south ditch. Uh the contractor is working. Uh they have relocated water lines out where the path will be. And they're working today uh to install two relocated those two. Uh so, you can have that project. Um

[clears throat]

First approval I have is for the drinking water system improvement project. It's based on It's basically the same as SRF loan that we've done in the past. It's based on the treatment plant and the infiltration and elevation. Uh this is just for drinking water. We applied a few years ago. We didn't apply for any kind of project this year. But this year, you are making kind of a project this And so, this is just the next step to authorize the mayor authorize the project this authorize the loan application for the city. Uh Next step after this is to kind of This really doesn't tie you into anything. This just said, "Hey, let's start making you know, the hat receiving the ratio to uh We need a motion. Mhm. Motion by Robert, second seconded by Ted. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Okay. Then the last thing I have is change order for the police station project. There's some finishing touches on the things here and there and it's done. So moved. Motion by Gains Poletti.

Second. Seconded by Brian. All those in favor. All right. Opposed. I was just curious and then don't give a real detailed explanation. What are they going to do about these guidelines that are right in the middle where the sidewalk is going No wow. No wow. Okay, so you may you may not be through in September. You may not be through in September. Thank you. I don't know the answer. He said very well. But he's still under budget. Appreciate it Cliff. Thank you sir. Back to you. Yes sir. The consent agenda is before you. We'll need a motion second to approve. All motion by Brian. Second. Second by Guns ready. All those in favor. You have our report Katie and I in the

folder and then the next item here is discussion as you can like to hear of off-road vehicle prohibition ordinance. Any questions, comments or etc. About the about the two ordinances. Yes. They I didn't see but one paragraph different in either either one. They are. Remember under state law this board if they find a serious public need and they unanimously agree they can take an ordinance and make it take effect as soon as she as he signs it and she certifies. Any board goes to play. Now if it's not unanimous or if you just think it's a better idea to wait 30 days you can pass a majority vote ordinance, still make the findings and then it goes into effect in 30 days. You know the the clock starts ticking when the Chief then I'm not big on an emergency ordinance and stuff and a storm or anything like this. I'd like to at least give notice and is that with you I'd be my recommendation would be we do the standard 30 day 30 days after published. Yeah just one thing that you might want to change the these kids aren't coal miners. They're all minors. The first paragraph m i n e r s You know I did send that to the mayor in the first

[laughter] place. Everybody knows I can't spell. Well and the next paragraph is spelled correct. It is it is a draft. [laughter]

Okay there there are a couple of options. You can you can take it upon review and review it until the next meeting or you can approve. I thought we did we did this last meeting. We did. There were some there were some changes. Okay do you want to because it's public meeting and people are watching on YouTube kind of between the chief and I we summarize what this is. Yes I think you need to. Yeah it's it's got language and it's got citations to the law. When you do an ordinance you need to cite the board's authority and you need to cite the limits of the board's authority. The problem that's arisen has been we had that ice storm. The only way to get around is if you had a four wheel drive or if you had an ATV or some kind of side by side. And everybody got used to it and liked it and now you have a bunch of unlicensed unregulated regulated vehicles on city streets. If you so find it would be within the city board's authority to prohibit those and that would be something that the city could issue a citation for. One of the things we're careful in there to to make sure we do is to define exactly what these are. There's literally a definition in Mississippi code from the legislature of electric bicycle. So we tried to be as clear as we could. We're only talking about these described vehicles. Made some calls and those pretty much fit any side by side or four wheeler that you're going to run into. And I think Chief may want to clarify there this the mayor and board this ordinance is not something that that they're just drafting. It they're clarifying the city's

uh stance on this state law that is already in existence. Right? Right. Yeah the state basically does not recognize these as highway vehicles. Right. And so that leaves it within your jurisdiction on the city streets the decision to somehow swim upstream and allow them or to say that you don't allow them. Either is within your authority. But there's going to be some people unhappy because there's an awful lot of There's a whole lot of them being driven. And unless you stop everyone of them you're not going to figure out who doesn't have a driver's license. I love them. But it is what it is. So we are like the mayor said we are going to have a grace period. I'll I'm going to warn Are you are you going to issue any planning on issuing any warnings for maybe a a month or so? And one question that we had I believe was what happens if we have an ice storm? Well in an ice storm you're under an emergency situation and either the city board or the mayor has the power to declare an emergency as you did in the ice storm and and provision could be made if needed. That would be within your authority. And this ordinance section four is blank. I'll have to approve that. Do so here for here there. All that all that second four.

Oh. I'm sorry. And what's in there I'm making sure this what's in Note section four is simply It should be blank. It doesn't have any writing below it. That's in the bottom page. It says use of off-road vehicles is prohibited on public streets and in public parks within the city of Lake and notice that and in public parks and the chief can understand that if they explain that if they're present we've had we've had some We've got a lot of public parks. What else talked about last week last meeting? We had four wheelers riding around. Sidewalks and parks. All right. Do we want to do this now? I make a I think oh if we have a unanimous vote then we're going to go by the one that's got the prepared paragraph on You don't have to. That's when you're doing the The two differences are one is in in an emergency it takes effect immediately. The other one is our standard procedures for an ordinance that we publish for 30 days and it takes effect after 30 days. That's the two differences. You know I would recommend actually not the emergency and let that go around so the people understand. I make a motion we accept the ordinance recommended by our attorney. Second. Motion by Gary and second by Tim. All those in favor. Okay. I think that's me. We do have executive session items. One employee action. I believe the

attorney has some litigation updates. For executive session. Uh good. Good evening. Good evening. We have one planning commission recommendation to for commission to request saying Justin Harden requested a middle lot of variance at 204 North Victoria architect 609 if you people commission have that information. Motion to have time. Motion by Grier, second by Robert. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. My next order of business is the bank commissioner make recommendation for Lincoln Winstead to fill an expired term. They came about this through the So, Mike A motion by Brian. Seconded by Morris. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. I didn't know about it. Um South Pike Okay. You know We got a quorum now. Yeah, and I see we're we're staying on it ourselves. It's a thing that we're going to grow with. Yeah, we had about 7-day notice up standing at either What? South Pike South Pike Yeah, I'm asking you to copy that. Okay. You know Okay. Hey, all right. Yeah, I I was just impressed by his uh building permit report. I mean, it's amazing that, you know, we got so much construction still going on. Good thing. It is a good thing. I get it. Uh Anna, you're out there? I'm here. How are y'all? We're good. Um y'all have my report

unless y'all need something from me. I'm good. Anybody have any questions for Anna about her report? Got a lot of traffic. We do. We do. Very busy and it's it's picking up a lot right now. That's great. Thank y'all. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Uh Chase Y'all have my report if y'all have any questions. I like everything y'all are doing. Well, I actually it's one thing that we would continue to have on the concession So the the South Pike Who was that talking to you? I mean, you can proceed with the plan. All right. Greg I didn't have anything to share with y'all. Do you have any questions for Greg? Yeah. Uh you must You said yeah or No. No, okay.

[laughter]

Uh Jamie Jamie is not with us, um but I did want to share uh and and I did ask her first of I did cuz I feel like I'm stealing her thunder. Um Seven Brew, they have been giving away free coffees. But they while they've been doing that, they've been doing caffeine for a cause. And so the animal shelter was one of the causes that they selected. So, this past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday anyone that went through and got a free coffee could make a donation to the animal shelter. And she on the the employees of the animal shelter went up there today and um received one of the large They haven't actually gotten their actual check yet, but they got the big presentation check for $9,700. Jamie People made donations towards the animal shelter, which I thought was great. So, um she's very free drinks very excited ex I told Jamie people went through there with the free Exactly. coffee Exactly. So, very exciting news. Just in 3 days. I have a question now. Have we got We still hadn't heard anything from the county I'm I'm going to share something with you. I'll I'll I'll share something with you after the meeting, but yes, we're we're working on that and we will have it probably in a couple of weeks. Do you have anything else on Jamie? I do not have anything else for Jamie. Blake Yeah, good evening. The only thing I have is I'm looking for approval to repair one of our effluent pump. Uh coming in around $24,000. In the budget? Um well, it's it's in there. In the budget? What kind of repair budget? It's repair budget. I'll make a motion to approve. Motion by Gainsville addicts, second by Morris. All those in favor? Aye. Aye.

Thank you. Thank you, Blake. Good to see you here. Lucas Yeah, I know. I have my report in now. Do you have any questions for Lucas? Brian I have a question about potholes. Uh Yeah, we're coming along with it. We're working street by street. Uh Right now, we're doing South Pike. We need to fill We're working street by street. Thank you. What happened on South Pike? The old man has kids. So, my street and all those are all mine. All one all the way. Okay. Don't spend a lot of money on South Pike. I'll still order fix. You got to fix all of those. I'll catch you. Any other questions for Lucas? Thank you. Glenn

[laughter]

It's married. What's wrong? Hey, shopping. You you you just finished the grant. You ain't got a new one. Not what He's working on a couple of He's got a couple of them he's working on already. Okay, Christian. I have my report in. I do uh ask y'all for people towards We have a park evaluation on our Facebook page uh page. Can I just get people's opinions on like the parks and what they'd like to see inside. Please ask people to fill it in. We don't have a whole lot of participation yet. I'm trying to get more more in detail. Any departments that have a Facebook page, if you will please go share this Did you share it on I mean, share it on your Facebook page? So, if if anyone had any other departments that have a Facebook page, if you will go find his post and share it from your own Facebook page. Be careful what you ask for. Um We will I'll actually go and see about talking to them and putting the things to uh in the budget. We got two minutes. Got two minutes. Well, I I see uh congratulations for uh the things that you were doing. I see that you all are making money. Yeah, so so um How what what's the process for securing those funds and making sure that everything is in order. Are they there? You know, you know, for the same thing You still with it to do the report. How is that that Yes, ma'am. So, with concession, it goes uh all of the concession workers um they will put it in a money bag and then

it goes into the safe. And then all the business day, I bring it back to the office. And then we get done, we send everything back up. Um what's needed for the concession stand, that day we just put back in the safe. Awesome. Awesome. Any other questions? Christian I've seen it with Black Dahlia. Um I've talked to a couple of playground uh companies. Um it's kind of out of date, so it's kind of hard to find a replacement. So, we're It is it's it's Black Dahlia. Um Uh try to see if I can get them to go and take that whole piece. Anything else? Thanks, Christian. Lady A I don't have anything, mayor. Thought you were going to say something. Y'all have anything today? I did. That was Jamie's. Yeah, but you were Executive session, Oh, excuse me. Okay. Ella Um Talked to Brown here tonight. You said you didn't have anything. What did you say you got? You weren't listening to me. You ain't been listening to me over there, have you? No. Okay. I'm sorry. Okay. Most people don't. I'm sorry, mayor. Uh we have approval. I would like to say though um update my report. So, that leaves the police department with only one opening. And uh the first time 2 years now that leaves public works to go and complete. Wow, that's amazing. Wow. 135 went on 135 went on but they just wanted to go to public works to talk to like 2 or 3 years.

That's great. I make a motion. I make a motion to approve. Motion by Robert, second by Gainsville addicts. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Don't be sorry. I'll take that. Robert We're good. You don't have anything. I'm good. This is nothing related to board, but I just want to just share that a young man in my my board all of a sudden recently has received a $500,000 scholarship for air flight school and trustee meeting. What? He's a senior and has a GPA of 3.94. We're just really proud of him. This This covers flight school so far. He may be reaching out to some people to to assist him with his room and board and all the things like that, but I just want to say that we're just really proud of this young man um that has started flight school when he was a young kid and then I don't know if he's going to go to the All right. Well, that's great. Thank you. Uh Here. Yeah, I noticed that we are in in my board, I noticed a quite a few of those potholes and fields. Thank you for that. Gary? I'm good. Brian? I'm good. Uh I don't have anything. I do have a thank you note here for y'all from the Daniel Ryder. Danny Danny Ryder. Thank you.

[clears throat]

I'm I'm fine. Thank you. Never mind. Sorry. Danny. Thank you note from uh Del State Foundation for our participation in the uh uh night of the closing for uh Del State 100 year celebration. Thank the board for backing it and helping with it. It was a great night for those of y'all who went. It was really cool. Cool drone show. Danny is online. Oh, Danny, are you there? I'm here, but I don't have anything. Thank you. How's it working? Can you hear us? We can hear you. I can hear you very well. Thank you. Am I too loud? No, no, sir, not at all. Okay. All right. Since you're on Del State, is my baseball team Did they win again today? Thank you. Thanks. Yes. And uh you know, Del State got a big grant in this last round of uh unrestricted unrestricted amount of money to go where they want to use it, which is really great. You don't see that happen very often. A lot of people. Uh I don't have That's all I have. We need to go into executive session. Brian?

Uh make a motion we consider entering executive session for employee action items and a litigation update. Motion by Brian. Second. Seconded by Gary. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. Motion we enter executive session for the second. Roll call. Second. Seconded by Gary. All in favor? Yes. Aye. We're now in executive session. We still meet with Lucas in the morning tomorrow. Uh