Mayor and Board of Aldermen - Regular Meeting

Now calling this meeting to order, please stand with us. We'll be led in prayer by Alderman Gallagher. Please remain standing after that for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Alderman-at-Large George Payne.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your infinite goodness. We thank you that all good things come through you, Lord. We thank you that you're a God that we can come to and who will listen to our needs, Lord. Lord, we just want to thank you for being here, invite you to stay, Lord, and invite you to influence all of our decisions, Lord. In your name we pray. Amen.

I pledge allegiance.

First on the agenda this evening is the approval of minutes for the May 5, 2026 meeting.

Mayor, I'll make that motion.

Second. We have a motion by Alderman Hoots, second by Alderman Payne. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, roll call, please.

Alderman Payne? Yes. Alderman Lewis? Yes. Alderman Hoots? Yes. Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Wheeler?

Yes.

That motion carries. Next on our agenda is a contract amendment with... TK Elevator Corporation, City Attorney, Mr. Nick Manley.

Yes, Mayor Moore. This contract with TK Elevator is for the lease precinct at Silo. It's just an additional cost of $315 for the maintenance of that precinct, which will extend the monthly cost of $1,195.72 in authorization for Dylan Brink's clients. Second.

We have a motion by Alderman Gallagher, second by Alderman Payne. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say no. Ayes have it. Motion carries. Next on our agenda is a sole source purchase within our police department from Clearview.

This resolution will authorize the sole source purchase of software from Fairview AI. They've held the patent right now for methods for providing information about a person based on facial recognition. And that was granted in 2022. They offer capabilities for images that have helped for our police force to locate fugitives and those that they're searching. So tonight, since they didn't provide the sole source letter, So moved. Second. We have a motion by Alderman Hoot, second by Alderman Lewis.

Is there any discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Payne? Yes. Alderman Lewis? Yes. Alderman Hoot? Yes. Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Williams?

Yes.

That motion carries. Next on our agenda is approval for MML travel and MML delegates.

Alderman Hooch, would you like to be a delegate? Alderman Lewis, would you like to be the secondary delegate? Sure.

Mr. Mayor, I move we approve MML Travel for the Board of Aldermen and name Charlie Hoots as our primary delegate and Alderman Lewis as our secondary.

Second.

We have a motion by Alderman Payne, second by Alderman Hoots. Is there any other discussion? Hearing none, all in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed say no. motion carries next on our agenda is a resolution to ratify emergency expenditure

In this, there were repairs that were required for the generator at City Hall. The amount of $7,315.30 was required, so they were made functionary or power outage at City Hall. So those repairs were done, so it's not in the authorization to repair those. We need to confirm the repair expense and generate a portion of the amount of $7,315.30. Second. Second.

We have a motion by Alderman Hoots, second by Alderman Wheeler. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Payne? Yes. Alderman Lewis? Yes. Alderman Hoots? Yes. Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Wheeler?

Yes. That motion carries. Next on the agenda is a utilities department service agreement with Unity Solutions.

This service agreement with Unity Solutions will authorize or just add another level of connectivity for reliability and stability for the towers and plants. This is announced at $3,640 per month. It does require a signature and it's the SD-WIN service for several of the city water treatment facilities. So it's a non-unit authorization for either the department or the utilities department or the IT department to sign the agreement for this service with Unity Solutions. I'll make that motion.

Second.

We have a motion by Alderman Gallagher, second by Alderman Lewis. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed say no. Ayes have it. Motion carries. Next on our agenda is a resolution for surplus property in our police department.

And this just will surplus the property with SWAT rifles, suppressors, shotguns, I don't know if it's even by police department, in accordance with 17-25-25. In the past, lots of surplus seemed to come to be with licensed firearm dealers, and that's how it's being conducted. But tonight, in order to start that process, we need to pass a resolution for the surplus for those rifles. So moved.

Second.

Second.

We have a motion by Alderman Hoot, second by Alderman Lewis. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Haynes?

Yes.

Alderman Lewis? Yes. Alderman Hoot?

Yes.

Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Wheeler?

Yes.

That motion carries. Next on the agenda is approval of a change order for fire station number three.

This change order has amounted to $7,996.16. It's the South Indian Fire Department's request for wooden trusses as opposed to metal trusses. So if there's adequate fire and storm resistance in the living area, it's in the emergency facility, 7-9 authorization. I'll make that motion, Mayor. I'll second.

We have a motion by Alderman Payne, second by Alderman Wheeler. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Payne. Yes. Alderman Lewis. Yes. Alderman Hoot. Yes. Alderman Jerome. Yes. Alderman Gallagher. Yes. Alderman Wheeler.

Yes. That motion carries. Next on the agenda is a court department agreement with Best Vending.

Yeah, this agreement just authorizes Best Vending of Memphis to place a vending machine in the new court building. We've got authorization for Thomas Madison's signature.

So moved.

Second. We have a motion by Alderman Hoot, second by Alderman Payne. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed say no. Ayes have it. Motion carries. Next on the agenda, we need to leave that table. We still don't have the complete information there. Basically what this is about, this is the... This is a hummingbird garden. So we were going to do an amendment to our overall master facilities contract. They came back with a bid. We started looking at that. So like for the phase one and phase two, it was like $30,000 a year just to maintain the hummingbird garden. So, you know, we threw the brakes on, so we've been working on that. It looks like what we may be able to do is we may be able to do some of the stuff in-house where it's to reduce the cost. And then there's a few things that, you know, that is a large job. You know, redoing the beds twice a year, some of the clipping and stuff like that is something that needs to be professionally done. But I don't know about y'all, but I have a little heartburn. I didn't realize I wasn't planning on paying $30,000 a year to to maintain it. I know you love it, I love it, but that's a lot of money just to keep some beds maintained.

It saves a lot for what it is.

So anyway, we've been doing some homework. Dylan Brink has been doing some serious work on that. Wes Brown is on it, too. So we've got some other quotes and just at least looking at the scope of the work to see what is necessary, what we can live without or do in-house. So we're hoping that we'll be able to cut that down some. So when we get that information, it should be on the next board meeting. We'll bring a solution back. But tonight, I'm recommending we leave it tabled.

Is that the Premier Longstone? This was the Premier. This was for the Nail Road. There were two of them, Mayor. This was the other one.

Okay, is this not the... Okay, that's the other contract?

That was the other one, yes. This was the Nail Road right away, Nail Road Islands.

Which is the one that's on the agenda that's... That was not added back to time because we're waiting to hear it.

Is that Hatcher?

Okay, so we took that off.

Yes, sir.

Okay, well then never mind that. That's not on the agenda. This is different right here. We will need to address this then tonight.

This is just an amendment to the premier turf and our lawn turf for the right of ways and no road islands and no road right away for the new extension. This amount of 7250 per month for all that. So that's the for premier for amendment to their contract.

You say per month.

I had per month thing. I think it was a monthly cost on the

What that may be another we want to go back in because that's fine. Yeah, so we got two different ones. So what I'm talking about, we split facilities and right of ways up.

So we've reached three or four visits a year for the 70 200.

The price listed Robert, Robert, do you have is what their question is the amount of money is that added per year or is that a is that a monthly It's monthly.

That's what they had. It's monthly.

I recommend we do table that one as well. I would have questions about that as well.

Yeah, absolutely.

What we're doing is when we re-bid it last year, we did facilities and the right-of-ways two different contracts. Actually, what started is the Hummingbird. That's what started the review of this. When we started discussing the scope of work with the hummingbird garden. Then we also discussed the fact that there have been some additions to the right-of-way contract, one of which being the Nail Road median. Whitney, you were involved in the beautification, so it's the Nail Road median. What else, or Robert, what else is on there?

Right away. Right away. Yeah, that's the only updated project. We try to drop them in after we do the big projects, so it should have just been Nail Road, those medians towards Tulama. And the right way, not the wrong way.

Well, then that opens the same question for me. For just that addition, that's a significant... So my recommendation is that we do table this. Let's work on this some more.

We need to make a motion or anything?

Well, now this is significantly larger. I mean, you're talking about the medians and then some of the other islands as far as the square footage of service is a lot larger. But still, I would question that too. So, motion to table this. Thank you. Okay, got a motion. Who's tables are a second? Second. Second. Any other discussion? Hearing none, all in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say no. Ayes have it. Motion carries. We're going to table that too. So, Robert, we need to know exactly what has been added, exactly what the exact cost is, and we need to sit and meet and hammer that out. OK, next on the agenda is the agreement with Doctor Joe Holly. That does business as emergency medical resources PLLC.

Yeah, this agreement is keep our EMS in compliance. This agreement with Doctor Joe Holly. It is the same agreement we've used in the past for the last 15 years with Doctor Holly. It's an amount of 1500 per month and expires on June 30th, 2029. He will be the doctor advising our EMS Department. Same agreement we've had for.

As long as I've been here, so I'll make the motion second, we have a motion waterman pain second waterman Hoots. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor say aye. Any opposed say no. Ayes have it. Motion carries. Next on the agenda is a resolution for Police Department purchase from Neogo.

This resolution authorized sole source purchase from Neogo. There's a sole source provider of power DMS, which is the only software platform designed to recruit, train, equip and protect the first responders. It's also a software that's being purchased and it's later to the service provided. So tonight need authorization for the purchase and to be signed by Chief current and then the mayor can sign the resolution for the sole source. Cost is $8,844 for year one and then $10,918 for year two.

Second.

We have a motion by Alderman Hood, second by Alderman Lewis. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Fain?

Yes.

Alderman Lewis? Yes. Alderman Hughes?

Yes.

Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Wheeler? Yes.

And that motion carries. Next on the agenda is the SCADA Solutions software license.

Yes. Our existing support contract for SCADA software expires on June 11th. The quote we have now is for three years. It's billed annually. It's an amount of $19,080. We currently have seven licenses of this software. It's also ancillary to service provided, provides technical support for our meters, and then also software updates to keep the city of the latest software revisions for those meters. tonight need authorization for any action to be taken by the utility department so that it can be approved for the SCADA software license.

So moved. Second. We have a motion by Alderman Hoots, second by Alderman Lewis. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say no. Ayes have it. Motion carries. Next on the agenda is a Ward 1 Planning Commission appointment.

Mr. Mayor, I would like to nominate Ginger Bacon as the Ward 1 Planning Commissioner.

Second.

Okay, we have a motion by Alderman Lewis, second by Alderman Hoots. On discussion, one thing we do need to clean up before we do this, our ordinance, when we appoint someone, it's an appointment for the term. So I'm in agreement that if When we appoint somebody, if I appoint somebody and I feel like a change is needed, I want to do it immediately. And I'm assuming you do too.

Yes.

So I'm making a suggestion, a recommendation before we do it that we change our ordinance. Nick, would you guide on that where we change it to where the aldermen make the discretion not just at the end of the term of the planning commissioner, but at any point we can change the planning commissioner.

Okay.

And then that's all he'll do is just make the language to that. But are y'all in agreement with that? Yes. So would somebody make a motion first to approve that? So move.

Second.

So motion made by Alderman Hoots, second by Alderman Lewis. Any discussion on that first before we get to the planning commissioner change?

So the way that I'm not as familiar with the ordinance, I guess I should be. So we can't make the...

The way it is now, you appoint them for your term.

Right.

And so you don't, if they don't resign on their own, they're in there for that term. Correct. Okay. But what, but I, I, like we said, I think that if you see a need to change that, that the elected officials should have the right to do that at any time. So that's, that's what we're changing tonight. Any other discussion about that?

I know I'll just put down the next agenda. It'll be ready. Just note that it was okay.

So with no other discussion, roll call please.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

That motion carries now back to the original motion to change the ward one planning commission appointment to ginger bacon. Is there any other discussion about that? Hearing none, roll call, please.

Alderman Payne.

Yes.

Alderman Lewis. Yes. Alderman Hoots. Yes. Alderman Jerome. Yes. Alderman Gallagher. Yes. Alderman Wheeler.

Yes. And that motion carries. Next on our agenda is the resolution to clean private property.

Mr. Mayor, I move we adopt the resolution granting authority to clean private property as presented on the state. Second.

We have a motion by Alderman Payne, a second by Alderman Hoots. Is there any discussion among the board? Hearing none, is there anyone in the audience who has a financial interest in any of the properties who would like to speak? Hearing or seeing none, roll call, please.

Alderman Payne? Yes. Alderman Lewis? Yes. Alderman Hoots? Yes. Alderman Jerome?

Yes.

Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Wheeler? Yes.

And that motion carries. Next on our agenda is our planning agenda. Nothing, Whitney? Is nothing being built in South Haven? Okay, just not tonight?

Just not tonight.

Okay. Okay, next on our agenda is our mayor's report. Just update everyone on some things going on around the city. We are very busy in the city of South Haven. Our court is almost done. Y'all may have noticed that we put the stripes on the parking lot, resurfaced the parking lot, put the stripes on parking spaces. It's a beautiful, beautiful building. It's a great job of renovating an older building in our West End. So it's really going to add a lot of aesthetic value to our West End. And we're going to occupy that. We'll start moving next week. So we'll be in a couple weeks, we'll be in that building. Y'all may remember that when we set the budget back for October 1 of this budget year, we discussed a street striping machine. Over the years, we've realized that waiting on a contractor to come stripe our streets has been not just inconvenient, but it's just not getting the job done in a timely manner. But the other thing is when you pave the streets with thermoplasts, You instead of just paint, you get a better product, you get the better reflection, you get a lot more longevity out of it. So we need a street shop. We need our own street shop machine. It's about 250,000. We're looking back into that to make sure the prices haven't changed. But it's my recommendation. As I said, when we had the budget talks, we agreed we'd get to mid-budget year at some point, reevaluate where we stand. We're definitely going to have a significant surplus for 2026, and so we can definitely afford $250,000 for a street stropping machine. So I'm making the recommendation that we go ahead and do that now. And so anyway, no actions needed tonight, but just in the future, we'll need that approved. And then Caleb will help us with any budget line changes to keep the budget right. But just any discussion about that tonight.

So this will put, not just paint, this is the... Thermoplast. Yeah, which is like a coating almost. Right.

Reflective coating stuff.

Yes.

And it's just tremendously, looks tremendously better.

Makes 100% difference in the rain and at night.

Absolutely. Yeah, and lasts longer. But the other thing too is, you know, our city is so large, like, you know, Having to wait on a contractor's schedule, the more we can do things in-house, the better our service is, and we can get these projects done when they need it quicker. And so it's just something that we've been thinking about it for a few years, but the time's right. It's time for us to do it. We can keep the streets strike better if we can do it ourselves. Any other discussion about that? Okay, thank you all for listening to that. Stateline Road has been resurfaced from Highway 51 to the interstate. Again, the patch under the interstate is MDOT. We're working with MDOT to get them to go ahead and work with us to do it at the same time. It needs to be done. It's in horrible condition. But we did get the part that we have authority on done, and it will be striked next week. It will be totally done, and it looks fantastic. Star Landing Sweeney Roundabout is in the process of going to bid in the very near future, so that's on the horizon. Same thing with the Mill Branch Town and Country Roundabout. So this year, both of the first two significant roundabouts outside of Silo Square will be underway in our city, so excited about that.

Hey, Mayor, as far as the Mill Branch is concerned, since we got Civil Lake working on prices and stuff for us, can we get them to give us an estimate on maybe putting medians down Mill Branch north of State Line to the roundabout? You kind of get an idea and see.

I think we got some right-of-way issues. Whitney, is there right-of-way to do that?

The problem I'm going to run into with Mill Branch is that the curb ones, those existing retail strips go right into our right-of-way. So if we do have to expand out to the convenience, we're likely going to take away a lot of the parking. We can certainly look at it again.

But cost is another significant issue.

Yeah, I mean, cost is going to be what it is, but in terms of like the parking and trying to make sure the circulation stays perfect, it's all just old school kind of out of compliance in terms of like access. So we'll have to just look at it and see if we have to go right away. Does that cut the parking in half or does it cut down the drive aisles? There'll be some contingencies like that. We'll just take a look at it.

I was just thinking, you know, since we're doing that, if it's feasible, you know, that might be something we could do at the same time and When it's done, it will just be a complete, nice-looking project from the state of North.

Yeah, we'll check into that. We had the funding in place for the roundabout, so we had to look at the numbers and do it. But, yeah, we'll check that out. Then moving on, so like the Stateline West widening project, y'all know with the XAI development, and even before that really, the amount of traffic flow that's on Stateline Road now is tremendously more than it was five years ago. But with XAI coming, it's created a significant need to widen Stateline Road west of Highway 51. So that project is being designed. The only thing that's holding that up is some issues with the railroad crossing right there. So this year we should be able to start that project this year as well. It'll be much needed. The Central Parkway to Church Multi-Use Trail is a project that we with MPO the last MPO cycle and so that has been approved so we're waiting on that but that's that's another one that will be under construction this year and that would just extend the multi-use trail that's in place now from Central Parkway which is where the main pedestrian school traffic from DeSoto Central intersects with Getwell and it'll take that south all the way to Church Road and Then as y'all know, when we did the Gatwell widening project years ago, it was bid and designed with that trail going all the way to Star Landing. So eventually we would want to come back and connect that. Then you would have walkability all the way to Star Landing Road. So you talk about making some serious strides with your pedestrian grid. We've come a long way in the last 12 years, but these are just two more that make a huge difference right there. And this first leg of it, the church from the school will be done, will be started a little bit later this year. Same thing with MPO, the airways resurfacing. If you haven't been that way, we know that the road is in horrendous condition in the middle of our retail district there, just south of Goodman Road on airways. And so from Goodman south to Nell Road, we applied four years ago to get MPO money to resurface that. It's a large project because all the lanes, that's in bad condition. I think the road was eventually done when the mall came, which was many years ago, so it needs to be resurfaced. So we have the NPO approval, and that one is about to be underway as well. Last thing that I have this evening is just an update regarding my favorite topic of 2026, XAI noise. I love it. It's my favorite topic of 2026. Every night, I talk to somebody about it. Every night. They've come a long way. They've done the things we've asked them to do. When this development was proposed to the city, one of the first questions I asked them is, what's negative about it? Is there any noise? Is there smell? Is there smoke? All these things. And so there were no answers that led me to believe it would have been A problem to the magnitude it has been. Now the other things have not been a problem. As you all know there have been a lot of misinformation circulated about turbines and all that. That's not true. The turbines have been in compliance from day one. The air pollution EPA through MDEQ has approved the turbines. So all that that circulated on a national scale is not true. But the one thing that I've told everybody I'm telling you again tonight that has been a legitimate concern has been the noise. The noise has not been acceptable when they started. We've spent hours and hours and hours working with them. We checked the readings every four hours out there. Code enforcement. Our police do that for us to make sure that it's at an acceptable level. Their levels, I've asked them, a normal noise ordinance decibel level in the United States, all around the country, at the boundary of an industrial zone is about 70 dBA. And so there have never been in violation of any noise ordinance here. However, because it is a continuous noise, a low frequency, continuous hum, we've asked them to do extra things. So even EPA has acknowledged that continuous low frequency noise needs to be kept at a lower level. And they shoot for a goal of 55. I'm just telling everybody that to let them know the perspective of what we've asked of them in South Haven. So 70 was never acceptable. 55 is what EPA suggests. In South Haven, Whitney knows, I've asked them, keep it under 50. And so they have had moments where I've learned that when they turn the turbines on and off, There are periods where the noise escalates, and so they've had ups and downs with that that are not acceptable. I've explained that to them. The report tonight is they've done what we asked them to do as far as putting up walls. They've now put up three sound walls. It has made a difference. They're more consistent with the noise mitigation than they've ever been since it's been over there. So I just want the public to know that they're continuing to add other noise mitigation measures to keep the noise level at an acceptable amount. And the other thing is I'm not saying that to be funny. I'm just saying that keep my own sanity. I talked to someone or get a message about every night about noise. Um, and so it's a huge goal for me. Uh, like I do with everything in this city is mayor. When a citizen expresses concern to me, I immediately put myself in their shoes and I say, If I live right here, and it's a Saturday afternoon, and I'm watching college baseball or college football, and I'm cooking out, would this bother me? And I do that with everything I do. And so that is what's been the driving force. There are times now when it's at an acceptable level. And if it stays under 50, I'm just telling you, I would live on the back street. I would live on Charleston. or Ashland if it stays under 50. When it's up to 58, I would not want to live there. And so I hear the citizens. I agree with them. And I can assure you there are people in this room that have been in some of the meetings with me. I can assure you that they heard me loud and clear, and they have responded to that. And so anyway, the report is that They're continuing to add another sound wall. They're having more consistency in keeping the decibel level at 50 or below than they've ever had during the project. So I'm encouraged by that. And then the report is when the permanent turbines are installed, that they're better controlled, the noise even better controlled with those. That's supposed to happen by the end of the year mostly. There could be a little carryover into 27, but in the near future, the permanent turbines will take the place of that. So we're hopeful that that's going to even make a bigger difference in a positive way. But just wanted to update everybody about that. That's something that, again, is something that we work on daily. That's all I have this evening on the mayor's report. Next on the agenda is a donation docket. Looks like we got a donation of $315 from Lucky Dog to our animal shelter. And what an appropriate donor to our animal shelter, right?

Lucky Dog. Mr. Mayor, I move we approve the donation docket from Lucky Dog to the animal shelter for $315. So thank you, Lucky Dog. Second. Second.

We have a motion by Alderman Payne, second by Alderman Gallagher. Is there any other discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Payne? Yes. Alderman Lewis? Yes. Alderman who? Yes. Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Wheeler? Yes.

And that motion carries. Next on our agenda is a personnel docket.

Mr. Mayor, I move we approve the personnel docket as presented on the state. Second.

We have a motion of Alderman Payne, second of Alderman Hoots. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Payne?

Yes.

Alderman Lewis? Yes. Alderman Hoots?

Yes.

Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Wheeler?

Yes. That motion carries. Next on our agenda is our city attorney's legal update.

I hear you.

We'll move on. Next on our agenda is our utilities billing leak adjustment docket.

Mr. Mayor, I move we approve the utility bill leak adjustment docket as presented. Second.

We have a motion by Alderman Payne, second by Alderman Gallagher. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Payne.

Yes.

Alderman Lewis. Yes. Alderman Hughes.

Yes.

Alderman Jerome. Yes. Alderman Gallagher. Yes. Alderman Wheeler.

Yes. That motion carries. Next on our agenda is one claims docket.

Mr. Mayor, I move we approve the claims docket in the amount of $2,533,273.16, including command checks. Second.

We have a motion by Alderman Payne, second by Alderman Hoops. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Payne?

Yes.

Alderman Lewis? Yes. Alderman Hoops? Yes. Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Wheeler?

Yes. That motion carries. Next on our agenda is the purpose of determining the need for executive session.

I'll make that motion. Second.

We have a motion by Alderman Gallagher, second by Alderman Wheeler. All in favor say aye.

Aye.

All opposed, say no. Ayes have it. The needs this evening are claims and litigation involving public works, our police and fire departments, utilities personnel, economic development within the city, and interdepartmental personnel with no action. Is there now a motion to declare executive session?

So moved.

Second.

We have a motion by Alderman Hoots, second by Alderman Lewis. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed say no. Ayes have it. Motion carries. The mayor and board will now enter executive session.