Board of Aldermen - Regular Meeting

Good evening. This board of alderman meeting is hereby called to order. Welcome to this board of alderman meeting on April 21st, 2026. Uh we're pleased to have with us tonight uh pastor Michael Graves of Emanuel Baptist Church who will lead our invocation followed by the pledge of allegiance which I will lead. Please stand. Let us go to the Lord in prayer. Father, we thank you first and foremost for allowing us to awake to new mercies this morning. God, we recognize that you are the one who is ultimately supreme. That you are ultimately the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. And so, Father, we do ask for your blessing, God, tonight as we handle this business. God, I do pray for this board. God, I pray that you would give them wisdom from heaven above. God, we know that if we're left to our own devices and we're left to our own wisdom, God, we'll fall short of the glory of the Father. But we know that if we act with wisdom from heaven, we know that you'll be honored and glorified by all the business that is handled. God, we do pray for this city. God, I lift up all of Branch to you, God. I pray that you would continue to allow this city to prosper for the sake of its citizens, God. that you would continue to place a hedge of protection around it, God, as we know the world around us continues to decline. Father, we pray that olive branch would continue to increase, that you would allow us to increase and our finances, God, that you would open up heaven's windows of blessings over olive branch for the sake of allowing it to flourish. God, I pray that God that we would be good stewards of all that you do give us. God, we know that your word says that there is not a thing that we have that has not been given to us. So, Father, I pray that this board and the citizens of this city, God, would would treat all that we have as such, God, that is everything that we have as a gift from you. Father, we pray that tonight would run smoothly, God, that there would be no hiccups. God, that there would be no uh serious altercations, but Father, tonight would

strictly be about business for the sake of this city. God, I do lift up once again each of these board members and each person in attendance, God, as there will be recognitions, God, and there will be votes and everything else and motions. God, I pray that everything that's said and everything that's done would be honoring and glorifying to you, God. I pray that Christ would have the preeminence in this meeting as well, God. That our hearts would be set on him, God. And we thank you, we love you, and we praise you. And it is in your name that we pray. Amen. United States and justice for all.

Please be seated. Thank you, Pastor Graves. Miss Stewart, would you conduct roll call? Aldridge, here. Collins, here. Dickerson here. Earhart. Gamage here. Hamilton here. Wallace here. All present except Alman Earhart. Obviously a quorum has established board. You have before you the minutes of the regular meeting of April the 7th, 2026. Any questions, comments, or motions to accept those regular minutes of the last meeting? Motion to approve. Miss Hamilton. Motion. Is there a second?

Second. Second, Mr. Gamage. Any discussion? All in favor? All opposed? Motion carries. Mr. Wallace abstains. He was not with us the last meeting. Welcome back, Alderman Wallace.

Good to have you back. Board, we have on the agenda recognition of the Ali Branch Champion girls basketball team. our girls basketball team that's a champion either way. They are the champions and I'm going to defer to Alderman Dickerson uh to recognize them. I I'm very thankful for your victory and congratulate you, but I know that Alderman Dickerson has made pretty much all the games and like to allow him to do the recognition.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. If y'all indulge me just a second, I want to give you a little road map how we got here tonight. This season, the girls basketball team, won their league, went down to the regional tournament on the road in South Panola, won the regional tournament, got a home playoff game, played Jackson Mura, got out of that with a two-point win. Next game was at Mississippi Valley State, played Canton. Canton had the 6A player of the year for their team. We came out with a six-point win. Sent us to Jackson. They set us up for a nine o'clock game on Monday morning to play in the state semi-finals. It wasn't a big crowd, but I was one of them sitting in that stands right on the front row. Um, we played West Jones. West Jones is the team that beat us last year in the semifinals and we came out with that game with a a one-point win. West Jones came very close to coming back all the way and beating us, but we more than one point. We had a serious injury at the very end of the game. Our senior guard Ivy Self got hurt in the last minute of the game and was not going to be able to play in the in the championship game. We were playing Nhoba Central and Nova Central was a prohibitive favorite. When I say a prohibitive favorite, the last three games that they played, they won by 36 points, 59 points, and 37 points. They were just blasting people with running clocks, and they just, you know, once we lost our guard, we knew we were going to have to play some underassman who hadn't played very much, just weren't given a chance. But I'm going to tell you, our girls stepped up to the challenge. some of the younger players that had played some

during the year had to take a big role. Coach, you did an outstanding job moving those players like a chess match. But girls won the championship. They won the championship in 2019, 2020, 2021, and this year you're their 6A 2026 Mississippi girls state basketball champs. Congratulations ladies. I have not missed a playoff game in those in those four years since 19 2019. I've been every playoff game no matter where they played and and they are a joy to watch. Coach Thompson, if you'd like to come up to the mic and say a few words to the team and to the to the city. I'm gonna tell you, they do a not only a great job on the court, but these girls are an outstanding representative of the city. They wear all the branch on the uniform and they proudly wear it and we are proud of them because of the way they handle themselves on and off the court. Thank you, coach.

Thank you all for having us. I didn't know that this was going to be part of what we did. and I was just going to be in the background. So, I thought, and just allow them to get their flowers and roses and things that you all have mentioned. I will say that I'm definitely proud and thankful that you all had this opportunity and that you all are taking this time to do this for these young ladies because they have worked their tails off on the court, off the court, in the classrooms, and everywhere. They've represented Olive Branch well. And so, we definitely thank you all. We appreciate you all for having us and uh we're just glad that these uh group of young ladies were able to perform and do the task that they asked to do. Thank you. Thank you.

Mr. Mayor, I think coach, this is one of the best coaches in the state of Mississippi. And I think this is 10th n 10th state championships. That says a lot for a coach to win 10 state championships in the state of Mississippi. Thank you. co coach and team if you would uh would you come up on the risers and let us uh take a picture with you if you're okay with that please come forward and board we can stand and Mr. Nichols will take the picture maybe y'all just maybe line up here Don't foul.

Thank you, team. for this next recognition. If Methodist Hospital Chief Operating Officer David Beoss and Director of Labor and Delivery, Miss Linda Tugle, will come forward. We're just a little bit ahead of the actual date, but this is an opportunity the city would like to use to thank you and to recognize our National Nurses Week. And uh we have a proclamation from myself and the board. Uh it reads, "Whereas nurses play a vital role in safeguarding the health, safety, and well-being of our community, providing compassionate, highquality care to individuals and families in time of need. And whereas nurses are often the first point of care and the last comforting presence, demonstrating unwavering dedication, skill, and professionalism in hospitals, clinics, schools, and throughout the community. And whereas the nursing profession is consistently recognized as one of the most trusted and ethical professions, reflecting a deep commitment to integrity, service, and patient advocacy. And whereas the contributions of nurses extend beyond bedside care to include leadership, education, research, and public health efforts that strengthen our health care system and improve outcomes for all citizens. And whereas the city of Branch is proud to recognize and honor the invaluable

service of nurses who work tirelessly to promote health, prevent illnesses, and provide care with compassion and excellence. Now, I therefore, Kenneth R. Adams, mayor of the city of olive branch and the board of alman do hereby proclaim the week of May 6th through the 12th 2026 as nurses week in the city of olive branch. Thank you very much. Bring this down a little bit. Good, good evening everyone. Um, it is truly an honor to serve as a nurse. It's definitely a calling from God. Uh, and I am so honored and and grateful and I speak for the nurses at Methodist Olive Branch uh, labor and delivery along with the entire hospital and the entire nursing community. Um, thank you for this recognition. The board, thank you. And um, we are just uh, honored to continue to serve this community and to um, do what God has called us to do. So, thank you so much. Amen.

Thank you so much.

I can't I can't pass up a a second to to speak, but I want to recognize Linda because she was our leader when we delivered our first baby in February of let's see 2020 2014. And since that time, I figure we've we've delivered over several thousand babies. several thousand people that are born and raised in Olive Branch and I think that's special. So, thank you for for your support of our hospital and again our nurses um do make a difference and very proud of them. Uh most recently they were recognized by Leaprog which is a quality award national quality award and it's based A to F and for uh since we qualified in 2018 we've always been a straight A. In fact now they recognize Olive Branch along with a couple hundred hospitals across the United States as a lead A for quality and that's what that's why that's what we strive for to provide high quality patient and family centered care. So any way we can ever be of assistance to you, please feel free to call upon us. Thank you. board. You have before you the consent agenda items 1 through 25. Uh hopefully you've had an opportunity to review that through the weekend and yesterday. Any questions, comments, or motions for the consent items 1 through 25? Move

Mr. Collins motion to approve. Is there a second? Second. Second, Mr. Gamage. Any discussion? All in favor?

All opposed? Motion carries. Agenda approved. Planning Commission, new business. This is to set a public hearing date for consideration of application to amend the project text for Trinity Park Plan development submitted by Al Alamasta Nasser on behalf of Nihob Nasser property owner the 16.21 plus and minus acres subject property zone PUD plan unit development and is located on the southwest corner of Highway 305 and Church Road East known as 8961 Church Road. The request is to add medical cannabis as a permitted use within area 7 of the PUD board. You're being asked to set a public hearing on May the 19th, 2026.

That's also that second one there because they're both items for the consent.

Thank you. And item B is on the consent agenda as well, asking you to set a public hearing date again of May the 19th, 2026 for consideration of an application for a zoning map amendment submitted by Michael Level Allen and Hostel on behalf of property owner DInnesota County School District. The request is to reszone 42.5 plus and minus acres from plan unit development and M1 light industrial district to AR agricultural residential district. subject property is located on the east side of Craft Road in the southeast corner of the future expansion of West Sandage Road and Craft Road. Is there a motion to approve these as consent items to set them for May 19th, 2026?

So move. Miss Hamilton motion. Is there a second? Second, Mr. Wallace. All in favor?

All oppose? Motion carries. Item two is consideration of application for a final plat for Magnolia Auction Group submitted by Greg Russell Civil Source on behalf of property owner Christopher McCord. The request is to create a single industrial lot of 6.36 plus or minus acres. The subject property is zone M1 Light Industrial District and is located on the northeast corner of Highway 178 blocker known as N 9490 Highway 178. Staff report please. Mayor Adman, before you is a request to consider a one lot finer plat subdivision for an existing over 6 4 acres piece of property or paso at this location in the city south of Goodman Road just along the railway one highway 178. this particular location. This is a piece of property that is currently used. It has a lot of metal on it. U it exists. The parcel exists. It's just not been platted. A potential buyer intends the use to use the property as an auction site which will require a conditional use permit from the board of zoning adjustment and some improvements are required on the property before they can obtain a building permit to make those improvements. If the conditional use permit is approved, they need to plot and record the property. That's why this is before you. This is the plaid of the side. It's currently exist. There is a fire hydrant at this location. Is private. It's not a public hydron. Is very very old hydrant. Probably going back to the 70s or 80s. Doesn't meet current standard. One of the recommendations of the city engineer and the fire department is that the applicant will have to make upgrades

to that particular fire hydrant and bring it up to the current model permitted or required by the city's fire code. There is a water line also at this location on the property. The city maps show a sewer line come down from the north. Uh it would appear that a sewer line services the existing buildings on the site. The planning commission reviewed this item at its meeting. One item to call attention to is access. Access to this property is through an easement come off Highway 178 and there is a cross access easement here to get onto the property that crosses two other lots. The planning commission reviewed this plan at its meeting on April 14, that's last week, Tuesday, and unanimously recommended approval subject to these conditions one to four. Condition number four being that the property owner shall replace the private hydrant on the property with a modern model that meets applicable specifications of the city's fire code. That concludes staff's presentation. Thank you.

Thank you, Dr. Song. board. Any questions on the staff report?

Hearing none. Does the applicant or applicant's representative have anything else to add? Mr. Russell.

Thank you. Any questions of Mr. Russell from the architectural side, engineering side. Thank you. Thank you.

Any discussion or any motions or is there a motion to approve this as requested? Mr. Wallace, motion to approve. Second, Mr. Dickerson. Any discussion? All in favor? All opposed? Motion carries.

Thank you, Mr. Russell. Item three, public hearing day for consideration and action on a motion declaring the condition of the following properties to be amends to the public health and safety and directing either the city staff or contract labor to clean the property forth with. My other man, we have uh 20 pieces of properties in the city that need to be cleaned up. Some of these have been cleaned already as was indicated in your packet. These include Somerset view lot 2. This particular lot along Pleasant Hill Road has been clean. Uh Summer view lot 14. This has also been clean. Um 10624 Cali Cove. this private piece of property. The yard has also been cleaned. And lastly, this property at 6580. This has also been cleaned. So these are the four properties that have been cut. There are number of others that still require attention. This include 4592 Chanel Lane. See the tall grass and this other piece of property on Lake Shore. We have one over on the Fox Creek area. There's a common open space privately owned by Mr. Neil. And we also have this. This is a common open space piece of property on Alexander Road that requires or needates to be cut. We have three other pieces of properties here that are owned by the state of in the Alexander Road area. These also need to be cut. There's also two properties, one on Hickory Cove and College Park lot. One of the lots that also need to be cut. These are all common. This is common open space. This is in the Maywood subdivision.

Two other lots, parcels, common open spaces that have been turned over to the state over the years. This is a storm water detention area. This is along Alexander Road. Overgrown. The grass needs to be cut. These are also common open spaces for storm water management turnover to the state. Another common open space. They all need to be cut. They all overgrown. No attention has been given to them so far. In Fox Creek, we have two other lots or parcels that also needs attention. Fox Creek section B Lot 159 and Fox Creek section B lot 161 that need also to to be cut. I believe this is the one that the city is interested in providing access to a future city park. These all need to need attention. L A these are the four parcels that I did indicate. They have all been mowed or cleaned. No action is needed. While B about 16 different properties, 12 of them owned by the state, four by private individuals, which staff's recommendation would be that these be declared a man as to the public health and safety and as such that you may direct staff to hire labor and get these properties clean. Thank you.

Thank you, Dr. S. Board. Any any questions on list B that is not mowed and not cleaned?

Mayor, I just had one uh comment for the board. You'll notice on list B you have Fox Creek section A lot 116 and you have Fox Creek section B lot 159. Those two properties have been subject to recent discussion by the board. My recommendation and we've discussed this with mayor is that the board go ahead and declare them amenous and go ahead and cut them. And if there's an ownership change in those lots at some point between now and October, what we would do is just not assess the cost and penalty against them if they become uh city owned in the interim. Uh but if they need to be cut, the city can go ahead and cut them under a menace declaration tonight. But we would deal with it on later on in October is when we assess the actual cost and penalty on all these. Anyway,

Dr. I've got a question over on Lake Shore. That one is uh one that the owner died and we haven't been able to find a a new owner. That one is not just grass. That one has got some structural damage and stuff that needs to be repaired. Is that got a open property management case on it through the courts?

Yes, sir. But of course we have the structural issues that be very difficult to resolve using the process that we have because it will basically mean that we have to hire contract labels to go let's say if the wall is broken they have to go and fix the wall and that's really not something that we handle through this process. It's a the city attorney can speak to that in terms of the limitations we have under the law on what we can do but as far as I guess we'll just cut the grass. Cut the grass. Yes, sir. But the other property issues will have to be dealt with through the court.

That's right. You have the property maintenance code which would be a process for the municipal court to handle. Uh typically that requires uh owner paid for repairs that are ordered by the court. Now for the city to do the work, let's say that this property were never to be u properly taken care of by an owner. uh what you would wind up with it could conceivably come back to the board under this process for more um issues to be addressed than just the grass. But today I think the only thing that's before you is a request by code enforcement to cut the grass. Any additional questions board

or motions on list B? I'll make a motion to declare list B minutes and have the Mr. Dickson motion to cut it. Declare list B. Is there a second? Second, Mr. Collins. Any discussion? All in favor? All oppose? Motion carries. Under old business, consideration of bids received March 30th, 2026 for the Craft Road Rawwater production facility. This was tabled our last meeting to this meeting in order to review the bids. Uh Mr. Swims.

Yes, sir. This is um a water production facility that's part of um um our effort to to get um two wells and um a water treatment plant at the uh where the craft road tower is located. So, our two wells are under contract right now. This is the second part um to to create the water production facility uh that was designed by Fischer and Arnold. Tim Verer is here with us tonight. Uh they're the ones that did the design. So we're um looking forward to get this this portion of it underway. The low bidder in this project was TL Wallace at $4,172,993 and we had five biders and I think it was a pretty competitive bid. So, we're always happy when we get that. They're expecting this to take 365 calendar days to complete the project and we are recommending the bid. Thank you, Mr. Swims. Any questions, board, or any motions on this water plant?

It'll pump. It'll pump to the water tank. This is the lot that's beside the fire station. Yes, sir. Make a motion to approve. Motion to approve by Mr. Collins, second by Miss Hamilton. All in favor?

All opposed? Motion carries. Under new business, consideration of recommendation to approve change order number two on the contract with Enscore LLC in the additive amount of $62,1814 increasing the contract from 7,567,880 to $7,630,614 extending the contract time by an additional 30 days, making the new contract completion date May the 7th, 2026 six for the project referred to as annexation water sewer east area project one Mr. swims again.

So, East One project is is well underway. U we're making good progress on it. But if y'all ring for call, this is going to be u serving the area of Kirk Farms. That is a potential new development that's that's um being proposed um right there adjacent to this. It's also going to be taking offline um in the future, hopefully very near future. the Fox Creek Lagoon uh is going to be serving uh when we do do that and that ties into this system, it's going to um it's going to serve Fox Creek, Lawbrook, and Country Meadows and possibly some others. So, this is a change that we're requesting basically because when we started looking at where all these all these different subdivisions come together, this water line at a as a 10 in I didn't think was going to serve our future needs. And so, we're asking to upgrade that from a 10 inch to a 15 inch. And so we are recommending this change order of $62,181.14.

And Mr. Swims, this one and number two has nothing to do with the performance of the time of the contractor. These are changes the city is asking the contractor to make. Correct. That that's correct. Okay. Any questions or motions on that item? Mr. Collins motion. Second, Mr. Wallace. Second, Mr. Wallace. Any discussion? All in favor?

All opposed? Motion carried. Item two, consideration of recommendation to approve change order number three on the contract with Enscore LLC in the additive amount of 52,635 increasing the contract from $7,630 and excuse me 7,630 $61.14 to 7, excuse me, 7,630114 to 7,6 68269614 extending the contract time by an additional 39 days making the new contract completion date June the 15 2026 for the project referred to as the annexation water and sewer east area project one so along this is also a part of the ensor contract for east one um this is change order number three uh along old Goodman road in adjacent to this project we had a water line and change order number one that was brought before y'all. Um they had discovered that uh there was an existing water man along there and we did a deductive change order for change order number one. Um this change order is because we found out it wasn't all there. Um they had done some potholeing and and determined that there was an 8 inch water line, but the the limits of what they did did not go all the way across the road. We assume that it went all the way down, but what actually happened was an 8 inch was downsized to a 1-in copper line. So, we need u now that we we've taken we had deducted or we had um added that in um we're now I'm sorry, we had deducted that out with change order one. Now, we're adding that back in with this change order three in the areas where we did not have an 8 in water line. um we felt like that was necessary to uh create good circulation through the system. So there are some deductions

that are a part of this that were a part of change order one but overall this is uh this is what we needed uh which was originally proposed with the project. So we are recommending this change order um in the amount of 52,631 $35. Thank you Mr. Swims. Any questions or motions on that item? approved. Mr. Dickerson, motion to approve. Is there a second? Second, Mr. Aldridge. Any discussion? All in favor?

All opposed? Motion carries. Item three, consideration of recommendation to accept the proposal from Fischer Arnold Incorporated for design and construction engineering services in the not to exceed amount of $159,459.50 50 cents for the Lick Creek Conservatory and Recreational Area. I know that Mr. Baker is here tonight, Mr. David Baker of Fisher Arnold. This is basically board engineering services for us to put out to bid the Lick Creek Conservatory and Recreational Area. Uh staff has provided recommendation and information to Fischer Arnold and this is uh getting that ready to go to bid. Uh the cont excuse me, the grant uh is be available a little bit later this month from the state. Uh, so we're ready to do design work and put it out to bid.

Thank you. Mr. D reminded me there's a revised contract in your in your folder that is a little bit higher because of other services that uh we asked to be added. And those services, Mr. Swims, was

Yes, sir. The the contract that you had was uh increased. The new total is $181,659.50 and that is for them to do um the um contract um administration that has to do with the grants and that that added an additional $22,200. So that's the change from what you may have looked at earlier to what's in your packet that you were handed um soon just before the board meeting. So that was added for the administration of the Mostiff Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund grant for fish and honor to manage that grant that's been received. This is both both for design and for um construction engineering and inspection. That's a part of it as well.

Mr. Baker, anything to add? Thank you. Board, any questions or motions on that item? I make a motion to approve. Motion to approve by Mr. Wallace's second by Miss Hamilton. Thank you. Any discussion? All in favor? All opposed? Motion carried. I think the board and I, Mr. Baker, look forward to seeing that uh come to fruition and continue to grow. So, very exciting project and uh look forward to all of us working with you on it. Thank you. Appreciate the opportunity.

Yes, sir. Item four, consideration of recommendation to approve change order number three on a contract with W&T Contracting Corporation for change of scope of work for the project referred to as fire station number six. Mr. SWS, we'd like to remove this one tonight if we could from the agenda. We've decided to we can move forward without it. So, if anything changes, we'll bring it back before the board, but we'd like to remove this if possible. No action needed on that particular item. Is there a motion from the board to leave regular session with the intentions of going in executive session? So move.

Mr. Gamage. Motion. Second. Mr. Collins. All in favor. All opposed. Motion carried. Is your motion to go into executive session to discuss personnel matter in the dispatch department, personnel matters in the fire department, personnel matter in general services department, personnel matter in the park department, and pending litigation discussion with city attorney, honorable Brian D. Is there a motion to go in executive session for those five items? Mr. Collins, motion. Second, Mr. Dixon. All in favor. We are in executive session.