Mayor and Board of Aldermen - Regular Meeting

everyone and uh thank you for being here looks like we got a packed house so uh more people than we normally have so it's good to see everybody i'm gonna call this meeting to order now please stand with us we'll be led in prayer by alderman gallagher please remain standing after that for the pledge of allegiance that will be led by alderman at large george payne

Heavenly Father, thank you for your grace and endless mercy, Lord. Lord, we pray that you would be among us as we make decisions for our city, Lord. Lord, I also pray for the young students who are the future leaders. Lord, that you would just bless them as well. In your name we pray. Amen.

and indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Okay, first on the agenda this evening is the approval of minutes for two meetings. One was on September 1 of 26, and the other was on September 8 of 26, a special meeting. Second. We have a motion by Alderman Hoots, second by Alderman Jenkins. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, roll call, please.

Alderman Payne. Yes. Alderman Jenkins. Yes. Alderman Hoops. Yes. Alderman Jerome. Yes. Alderman Gallatin. Yes. Alderman Wheeler. Yes.

That motion carries. Next on our agenda is a special thing we do once a year. We're going to swear in the Mayor's Youth Council. So what that means is school's back in session, right? All the summer's over. It's amazing to me when you get old like I am. I remember when I was young in school, it seemed like summer lasted forever. Now I look up and the kids are going back to school. It just happens so quickly. Anyway, what a special time of your lives to be in high school. It just, you know, there's so many great chapters to a lifetime, but high school is one of the best ones. So you got everything ahead of you. You got a fresh white page out there for you. You can write it however you want to write it. So anyway, it's an exciting time for y'all. But I thank y'all for serving on the Mayor's Youth Council. And I'm not going to name everyone. We have a lot of... Students on here that are coming back for another year. But these are new members from each school. We're going to do a swearing in tonight. So if you will not call your name, please come down to the front and then wait on your peers to join. So from let's start with North Point Christian School. We have Hadley Brown. We have Lee Catherine McIntosh. and they're both seniors. Senior artists last time around. Then we have for juniors, we have Rivers Bloodworth. Sophomore Annabeth Lawler. And then we have freshman Maddox Haddock. Zara Patel. And Connor Skinner. And then from DeSoto Central High School, we have Emma Gules Mahala. Freshman Mackenzie Elmore. Ricky Hill, and Robin Beeman. And then South Haven High School, we have juniors Patrick Hune, Savon Moss, Kaelin Deberry, and freshmen Sarah Gardner, and Christian Smith. And then our sponsors do so much with this group every year. So our sponsors, Tim Gardner of Sallieman High School has been with this program longer than anyone. He does an incredible job and keeps everything on track for the whole program. So Tim, we appreciate you. Terry Bowler is with DeSoto Central doing an outstanding job. Terry, thank you for all your time and efforts. And same thing with Danny Mann at North Point. So Danny, we appreciate all that you're doing with the group of students from North Point as well. So we will swear in. Y'all didn't know it was going to be this formal, right? You're swearing in, you're holding your first public office. Y'all are supposed to laugh. I'm trying to be a little funny. Okay, so I'm going to... stand of the sign so everyone raise your right hand and you'll you'll repeat after me okay so i will say i you state your individual name and then we'll all say the same thing with you okay so i do solemnly swear that I will faithfully support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Mississippi and obey the laws thereof. that I am not disqualified from holding the office of Mayor's Youth Counselor. And I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I'm about to enter. So help me God. Congratulations.

I understand.

You want to get a picture? Yeah, you're welcome. We're going to get a group picture. Come back. Go ahead. Hey, guys. Y'all make a picture. Y'all come up. I'll step behind. I'll step behind. Just so we can ease it up. Here, come right here. Let's walk you in. Step back.

Awesome thank y'all.

Thank you.

Okay, next on the agenda. See you later.

Next on the agenda is the city health insurance renewal. So we have... I believe we have Bruce Robinson with Holland Insurance with us. So the good news is we've had the policy with Blue Cross Blue Shield, and we got a favorable renewal. So basically we got a flat renewal, meaning that the premium is exactly the same as it was last year, which is a huge thing in the insurance market these days with all the inflation, all the challenges. with everything going on in our world and with physicians and everything else. So it was a big deal for us to get a flat renewal. We appreciate the work of our broker on that. There was a small adjustment. The dental and vision is with a different company and there was a small Adjusting on that to just like a matter of dollar or two. So very, very flat overall for the health insurance renewal. So we, as y'all know, we adjusted our renewal date to keep both of our PNC insurance and our health insurance to coincide with an October 1 budget year. So this policy is set. to renew on October 1. So we have, again, we have Bruce here. If anybody has any questions, but it's my recommendation that we renew this policy with Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Mayor, I'll make that motion. Thank you.

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

Alderman Payne? Yes. Alderman Jenkins? Yes. Alderman Hoot? Yes. Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Wheeler?

Yes. That motion carries. And the next on our agenda is the renewal, again, like I said, of our property casualty insurance. And this, obviously, is everything else. So this is your physical damage of all your buildings, your vehicles. It's liability insurance for everything with the city. It's employment practices liability. all the employee benefits liability, then Inland Marine, which is your miscellaneous equipment in addition to automobiles and buildings. It also includes workers' compensation insurance, which is a huge deal when you have as many employees as we have. So the good news, and we've renewed this or had this call your insurance, has been the broker with this, and it's placed through Travelers, which it has been for many years. We've had a really good experience with Travelers. Travelers has been very supportive of us and very loyal to us through some challenging claims, being a big city that we are and some of the challenges that we face in our area. We've been through some tough claims and Travelers has been there with us and so we've appreciated that relationship and they obviously are appreciated as well and they want to renew the policy with us. Same thing here, the premium is basically flat. Last year We paid $2,348,000 a year. and the only difference in everything is the same with the exception of the workers insurance so so when we um do employee pay raises like we did we had significant pay raises so that impacts the workers comp rates so the workers comp goes up based on on your on your total payroll but then again this is assuming that you had everybody every position filled for 365 days of the budget year which we know that does not happen so what they do is audit the workers comp at the end of the year and adjust it back so we'll start the policy with two million five hundred sixty six thousand seven forty six and again that's just due to the workers comp increase but then it's likely that that number that that gap will see so it's pretty much a flat renewal so um it is my recommendation that we renew the property casualty insurance policy with travelers again as well we'll make that motion second second we have a motion alderman gallagher second alderman wheeler is there any discussion Hearing none, roll call, please.

Alderman Payne? Yes. Alderman Jenkins? Yes. Alderman Hughes? Yes. Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallatin? Yes. Alderman Wheeler?

Yes. And that motion carries. So next on the agenda is an interlocal agreement with DeSoto County for the Mental Health Crisis Center. City Attorney, Mr. Nick Manley.

Yes, Mayor Board. The county or Southern County has proposed to interlocal for the crisis center there. I think attempting to build or wanting to build as part of the proposal, each city will contribute some of the funds from a national opioid settlement that we were receiving in the past or this year. It's the estimated that we'll receive around $41,224 for FY27. The amount we've received so far is $376,000. I think at this juncture wanting to know if we're willing to contribute funds to the crisis center and then if we are entering into a local agreement I think Hernando and all branch have both agreed to contribute some of their funds for this project and also in the amounts I'm not sure but I don't know if we need if they're asking the entire amount of your specific amount However, tonight, just bringing this to the board to see if we're willing to contribute money from our opioid settlements to the crisis center and enter into the interlocal with the county. So, like I said, the amount we were going to receive is the $41,224, I think, in the past. I don't want to speak for the mayor, but I think there has been some interest among the cities to contribute to it from the standpoint of this is needed within the county. So tonight, bringing this for discussion in any... actions that the board will have to take.

But we don't know how much or what percentage of the... My understanding is Hernando is doing 50%.

And then our branch is contributing up to a certain amount, maybe of 35,000, 40,000, somewhere in there. They're contributing up to a certain amount. We can contribute a percentage. We can contribute a dollar amount that we think we'll make this year from the settlement. So it's just kind of up to how the board wants to proceed with that.

And just to catch everybody up on the history, and it's been several years ago when this was first discussed in a Council of Governments meeting, and it was my understanding then that everyone pretty much pledged the funds. And the reason is because... The mental crisis centers that are in Mississippi are so few and far between that we were transporting patients like a long distance, somewhere in the Corinth, Mississippi area at one time. And so there's a tremendous need to have facilities to address the mental health crisis. Our police can tell you that a lot of times they, by default, are handling people who are not criminals. They just are sick. And so having a place to take these people is critical to our future in DeSoto County. And so for that reason, we appreciate that the county is wanting to build facilities for this. So we're not having to transport that long. And so we can meet the needs of more of the patients in DeSoto County. So I promised at that point that I would advocate to y'all that we use the money for that purpose. Now, I don't think we got into, it was my understanding that we were talking about a hundred percent at that time, but that's probably been four or five years ago. It's been a while ago.

Yes.

So I'm not sure what the other cities, what they have in mind with that. But I would say that, or my recommendation to you would be that we mirror what the largest percentage is. Do we know what olive branch is?

Uh, I think, I don't know. I think they're contributing up to 35,000.

I think a set dollar amount, not a percentage. I think so. Yes, sir. Okay. I think our money was $41,000. Was that what came in?

Yes, that's what we're projected to do in 2027.

And so what we've been doing, kind of waiting, we want to use the money for productive purposes. So we've been using the money to purchase Narcan. So the money that we've been receiving has been used for good purposes. So whatever's left over with that would be my recommendation. We continue to use it for... you know, first responders in dealing with situations like, you know, with drug situations. So I would suggest to the board, and I mean, open for discussion, but I would suggest we do at least what the highest one is. We're the largest city in the county. I would suggest we do at least what the highest contribution is from one of our sister cities. Are they actually going to build a facility? And if so, where's it going to be used? It's my understanding, I saw a presentation on this, it's been, that's why I said, we haven't really revisited this in a long time, but it's my understanding that it's by the new jail facility, it's in that area. But I want to say that it's, that Urban Art designed it, it was a really nice facility.

Holler Branch is doing $35,000, and

I think Hernando's doing half of the monies they received.

Yeah, Hernando, yeah, they're half.

So if we did 35, that's the majority of the money that we're projected to receive. But that just would be my recommendation. Obviously, there's been other discussions. When this first became public, there were other organizations that reached out to us for this money. And again, I want to thank them for that. There's a lot of quality organizations that deal with mental illness and drug addiction and everything that a lot of times goes together. So we had pretty much had a an agreement that we would advocate and work together to help the county with the new facility. So anyway, not trying to slight anybody else that's reached out, but I think it's best used if we pull our money and help with the facility in DeSoto County.

Mayor, I'll make a motion that we spend $35,000 on that.

I agree, especially if we've committed, if we've committed, you know, 100%, I'm sure that we're limited on what these funds can be spent on.

Yeah, what's left over, $6,000?

Yeah, they can only be spent. Let's go $100,000. The funds can only be spent on basically opioid mitigation and that type of treatment. So it has to be spent on mental health type things. It couldn't be spent on a park. That's where the funds are limited from as part of the CLAS Act. So we've been using it for EMS and RCAN purposes to stay consistent with the use of what the funds have to be allocated towards as part of the settlement with all the different entities.

If we were to commit 100%, is that going to hurt us budget-wise on what we've been spending for Narcan and other paramedic?

No, but the reason, and I appreciate your comment, the only reason is we haven't had a discussion about this. It was my understanding everybody was going to do 100%, so there's obviously some reason why the other cities have chosen not to. So that's why I was just suggesting that we match that and then find out what they're doing with it. and then kind of get an update about that, we can come back and do an amendment.

What you could do is just do at a minimum of 35,000 and authorize the mayor to sign interlocal with the amount to not to and with the authorization to proceed with the entire amount received by the city. So that way you have The mayor has leeway depending on what other cities do. That was my motion. Okay. And again, to your dollars.

I agree with you, but I also don't have a problem with funding it at 100%.

No, that's why I recommended that. And I didn't commit because I don't commit to y'all, but I said I committed to advocating for 100%.

Right, I understand.

And so I'm still comfortable with 100% of it going to them. I just would like to get more information on why the other cities are not doing 100%.

Second.

Okay, so we have a motion to do a minimum of 35,000 with discretion up to 100% of our money by Alderman Hoots, the second Alderman Wheeler. Is there any other discussion?

What percentage is 35,000?

That's almost, well, 35,000 of 41,000. That's almost all of it. Andrew, you get to calculate.

No, that's fine. I didn't know how much the total was.

Yeah, that's almost all of it. And you authorize the mayor to enter into an interlocal? 85%. Thank you, sir. Authorize the mayor to sign an interlocal as well. Yeah.

Okay. If there's no other discussion, roll call, please.

Alderman Payne? Yes. Alderman Jenkins? Yes. Alderman Hughes?

Yes.

Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Wieser?

Yes. That motion carries. Thank you. Next on the agenda is the resolution for a citizen's agenda ordinance.

This was discussed at the last meeting. We had discussion regarding the resolution for the ordinance. It just basically codifies the previous customs and practices that we've been using for the citizen's agenda. This puts it into an ordinance format. Just to remind everyone that you have to sign up by noon on Friday before the meeting. Three minutes for each speaker, 15 minutes of total agenda unless authorization is approved by the board for additional minutes. You have to provide any documents by that Friday that you want to speak or provide to the board. Only address the governing authority and not specific individuals. No profanity. Stay on topic of what you signed up for. And then also there is some rules for the audience as well in the ordinance. So I think the last meeting we discussed it and they wanted, I think it was more and more kind of review. So tonight just representing this for approval if the board desires.

I make a motion that we approve the Orkins as discussed. Second.

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

Alderman Payne?

Yes.

Alderman Jenkins? Yes. Alderman Hoots? Yes. Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Wheeler? Yes.

That motion carries. Next on our agenda is a resolution to surplus the firearm of Sergeant Jonathan Ellis. So Sergeant Ellis has been with the city for 22 years, our police department. He's a United States Army veteran, so right after his military service, he went to work in law enforcement, spent 22 years with us. He had a A decorated career, you know, touched on many of the operations throughout the whole department, starting with patrol. So I spent a bunch of years in the patrol division. Then he moved into to the SWAT team and served in 2000 starting in 2014 and then went into special investigations a year later and then was involved in one of the most famous arrests in South Haven history. It was a narcotics related Rico case and so he was he excelled tremendously in with detective work. Then he went into training 2020. helping our new officers get started with their professionalism and do things the right way like we do it at the Southland Police Department. And then in 2025, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and then became a supervisor again in the patrol division. And again, some of the people that he trained when he had training responsibilities, he actually became their supervisor in real life operations. Then he was assigned to the vice unit, special unit that we created in 2026, made a tremendous impact right there. We appreciate that. I mean, 22 years of your life is a significant part of your life that you gave to an organization. And so for the excellence that he displayed and all the sacrifices that he made, I want to thank Sergeant Jonathan Ellis. So it is my recommendation in asking for a motion to approve the surplus of the firearm.

So moved. Second.

We have a motion by Alderman Hoots, second by Alderman Jerome. Any discussion? Hearing none, roll call please.

Alderman Payne. Yes. Alderman Jenkins. Yes. Alderman Hoots. Yes. Alderman Jerome. Yes. Alderman Gallagher. Yes. Alderman Wheeler.

Yes. That motion carries. Next on the agenda is the award of term contracts for asphalt materials and asphalt overlay.

There's two different awards for this. The first award is for the asphalt supplier material, and that is in the low bid, or the low bid was from Lehman Roberts, the amount of four million forty nine thousand eight hundred dollars um so the recommendation is to award that material supply to layman roberts and then the recommendation for the asphalt overlay is to um falcon construct contracting company an amount of three million two hundred and fourteen thousand seven fifty dollars as the primary for the asphalt overlay, but the first alternate contractor being Lehman Roberts in the amount of $4,005,550. So tonight, authorizations to approve the Lehman Roberts as the supply and then as the actual overlay recommendation contracting company, Falcon Contracting as the primary, then the secondary being Lehman Roberts. for those bids. If you have any specific questions, Dan Cordell is here, but tonight that is a recommendation.

Mayor, I'll make that motion.

I'll second.

We have a motion by Alderman Hoots, second by Alderman Jenkins. Is there any discussion? And Dan did let us know that he let the new contractor know that the city has a mayor that rides the streets and when the sun's out and it's 85 degrees, he wants to know why we're not paving streets on every day. They said they were okay with that. Any other discussion? Hearing none, roll call please.

Alderman Payne?

Yes.

Alderman Jenkins? Yes. Alderman Hayes? Yes. Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes.

Alderman Wheeler? Yes. That motion carries. Number 12 on the agenda is not necessary. We're not going to need that agreement any longer. We don't need that service. According to IT Director Michael Norris, So 13 on the agenda is BCN Telecom Service Wireless Agreement.

This is a service agreement for AT&T service at the South Haven West Precinct. The cost is $226.95 per month. It's dedicated service for the drone and the ICAC machines that will be stationed at that precinct. So tonight you need authorization for the signature for that contract with Chief Kern or Michael Norris.

So moved. Second.

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

Alderman Payne. Yes. Alderman Jenkins. Yes. Alderman Hoots. Yes. Alderman Jerome. Yes. Alderman Gallagher.

Yes. Alderman Wheeler.

Yes. That motion carries. Next on the agenda is a resolution. for assessments?

These are the resolutions for assessments that will be converted from liens to tax assessments for those properties cut under 21-19-11, which deny any authorization for the Mayor to sign this resolution so that those liens can be cancelled and filed as assessments in accordance with 21-19-11.

I'll make that motion, Mayor.

Second.

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

Alderman Payne. Yes. Alderman Jenkins. Yes. Alderman Cruz.

Yes.

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

Yes.

And that motion carries. Next on the agenda is a resolution for FY27 donations.

And this is the resolution that sets forth the donations for FY27 that were included as part of the budget and the legal authority for each of those donations.

Is there a motion?

So moved.

We have a motion from Alderman Gallagher. Is there a second?

I'll second.

Second from Alderman Jenkins. Any discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Jenkins? Yes. Alderman Hughes? Yes. Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Wheeler?

Yes. That motion carries. Next on our agenda is a fuel tank relocation project award.

This bid received for the fuel tank relocation from from May Boulevard. The low bid is an out of $520,850 to altera construction. So tonight that is the recommendation is lowest and best bid to altera construction and out of 528 50 for that relocation of the fuel tank at Maple or tell me

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

Alderman Payne.

Yes.

Alderman Jenkins. Yes. Alderman Hoots. Yes. Alderman Jerome. Yes. Alderman Gallagher. Yes.

Alderman Wheeler. Yes. That motion carries. Next on the agenda is our planning agenda. Planning Director, Ms. Whitney Cook.

Yes, so item number one was actually tabled at the Planning Commission. The person did not attend the meeting, so it was tabled at that level. So we're going to ask to have that removed from the agenda. So we will start with item number two. And that is an application for an amendment to the Silo Square PUD. The request is to revise both the map and the text. If you look highlighted right there in orange on the aerial photo that is called silos for north That was approved as the first amendment to the overall PD to allow more the cottage homes in that location So it would have been an addition to what you see over to the right What he is now wanting to look at is to further diversify housing stock over there and create a senior living campus there that may or may not include an assisted living facility in the center, some independent living. They plan on putting some possible golf course cutting greens and like a golf cart community type style. So that was previously approved right there. You can see the extension of the roads that exist now into those small cottage homes. What he would like to do is put that as an alternative use on the property. I think that they have seen that there's a bigger demand for the senior living there and the demand is lessening with the cottage homes. So he just wants that ability to make that change. It was definitely seen as a benefit. It actually increases the common open space. and it obviously lowers the density. An additional thing he wanted to do was there is a small portion of office only designation that's inside the commercial area, just south of where Silo Grocery is. We've seen it as well as his marketing side is that just office only uses, it's a very hard market right now, so he wants the ability to change that over to mixed use. We see no issue with that. The whole site's mixed use anyway, so that was viewed favorably. And then you've all got a copy in your package of some of the text amendments. It was all redlined, and this is just more corrective measures for what we've seen happen on the ground. As you well know, 280 acres of a plan unit development, it's very hard to predict what's going to happen on site throughout the years that come for demand, I mean, for supply and demand. So what they're doing is redlining the text and adding in the things that we've seen that have happened now and excluding the things that were not necessary anymore. We looked at all of it. It was all positive change, all corrective measures. So it was seen by staff as something that should be approved. We recommended that to planning commission who agreed with us and voted unanimously in favor of it.

Mr. Mayor, I make a motion to approve item number two on the plan agenda. Second.

On item two, we have a motion by Alderman Wheeler, second by Alderman Payne. Is there any discussion, please? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Payne?

Yes.

Alderman Jenkins? Yes. Alderman Hughes? Yes. Alderman Jerome? Yes. Alderman Gallagher? Yes. Alderman Wheeler? Yes.

The motion carries. Thank you. Next on our agenda is our mayor's report. Just a couple of quick transportation things to update everyone on. Obviously, we talked about the street paving contractor. So what our plan is, each year we set the, after the budget's set, we prioritize the streets. We have a schedule and base that on the street conditions and the traffic volume to prioritize those. And then we give that to the contractor to get going. So there's good weather still left. October is a great month for paving streets. So we asked the contractor to get a head start on the year. And so we're hoping that, you know, October 1 that this new contractor will be paving some streets while the weather is still good. You all heard us talk about this, but you have to have, weather's got to be over 45 degrees in order to get, and get the asphalt to be laid properly. So the old country saying we want to make hay while the sun shines. We want to make some hay while the sun shines. So we'll get started this year on that. A couple other things. Get one multi-use trail. We've effectively used the MPO plan which is a metropolitan planning organization. It's a federal plan that sends federal funds to metropolitan areas to be used for an assortment of transportation projects. We used that for the Getwell extension two years ago, $15 million project. We've used it effectively for other projects road widening and extension projects. But they also have a special division for pedestrian enhancement. And so Whitney has helped us stay on top of that. And we've picked out certain projects that really enhance the flow of pedestrian traffic in our city. And so over the last 10 years, we joined Greenprint 2040 which is a regional plan in 2015, and since then we've spent over $10 million with pedestrian projects. So when someone may say, well, that's not a lot of money, well, it is. We're trying to juggle your road projects and traffic mitigation and then add your pedestrian stuff in there too. So for us to be able to spend that much money on pedestrian enhancement has been a big deal for us. So we've come a long way with that. We actually have now created the longest pedestrian trail, in DeSoto County history. And I'm not talking about a four-wheeler trail, you know, through the country. I'm talking about a paved trail that you can actually, you know, ride bikes on and walk, push strollers on, the whole thing. And so we added bike lanes throughout the Greenbrook neighborhood. So we really now have a connection all the way from Airways to the west, all the way through Greenbrook to Clarington, then connect to Central Park, go through the trails. They're all new at Central Park. Then another specific trail, a 10-foot multi-use trail going southward from Central Park down to Lahoma to May Boulevard. Then with help from the private developer, as the new homes were built, that connected that trail through Silo Square. Then you cross the bridge, added a new trail that was done through Stone Grove Park. So it goes all the way to Malone Road. So that and Whitney, I don't somebody asked me the other day. I know I haven't measured. Do you know about what the distance of that is?

We calculated at one point in time. I don't know what it is off the top of my head, but I'll give it to you.

Very significant, though. It's a long trail. Yeah. And then to spin off of that, so the trail runs through those that have asked, you know, why did you put the bridge right there? Well, because it connected those two parts, like right there at May Boulevard. But then in addition to that, we've extended the trail southward along Getwell. So they go all the way to Central Parkway along Getwell and then Nail Road as well. And so the latest project that MPO is funding is Another extension that will go from Central Parkway South to Church Road. That'll make a big difference for the DeSoto Central kids. It'll connect Baskin-Robbins and some of the other businesses with the school. And then, obviously, the board knows that when we widened Getwell years ago, Part of that plan had a multi-use trail that goes all the way to Star Landing. And so that's still in the plan. For budget reasons, we had to back that out. But it's still in our plan to get that funded, too. So it'll take this trail all the way to Star Landing. Well, then in addition to that, throughout the city, we've done many bike lanes throughout residential neighborhoods. We've done Carriage Hills. We put a sidewalk project through Carriage Hills. We did the Main Street pedestrian project that goes from Associate Park all the way to Highway 51. So there's been an extensive work with these trails. And so in the future, we want to continue adding to that as funding becomes available. One of my favorites that I would love to see, it's not funded yet, is to extend the trail and connect South Haven High School and Cherry Valley Park. That's never been done. But you have the sidewalks that go in front of the high school. But if you could start another multi-use trail like this one and put it on the south side of Rasco, and then run it to Highway 51 and then south to connect to the other trail that's in existence down there. That way you could potentially have connection to South Haven High School and Cherry Valley Park. So that's one that we don't have funded yet, but it's on the radar. And then we have several others on it as well. But anyway, we're just excited that this one is about to be under construction. When they're MPO projects, they're administered by MDOT, so you have to follow MDOT's rules so they don't start construction until the spring. So it'll start in the spring and be done by July of next year. So excited about that. State line widening project, everybody knows that we have Well, for years we've had an increase in traffic on Stateline Road, but especially now with the industrial developments that are going on on Stateline Road, we have a widening project. So I've been answering a lot of calls to citizens about that recently. So it's a two-lane road. from Highway 51 all the way to, I believe, Horn Lake Road or even further. So it will be extended to two lanes. It will be widened to three lanes. So that is actually about to go out for bid, and so that project is fully funded, and that will be under construction soon. That will make a big difference for the flows on Stateline Road. And that's all I really have tonight. I just want to update on those things. Next on our agenda is our donation docket.

I'll make a motion to approve it. Second.

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

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

Yes. That motion carries. Next on our agenda is our personnel docket.

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

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

Alderman Payne? Yes. Alderman Dinkins? 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. Mr. Nick Manley again.

This man board a couple of items tonight. The first item is authorization for ratification of emergency repairs expense in the amount of forty five thousand two hundred eleven dollars and twenty five cents for the repairs at the north and south wells at Whitworth. So we need authorization to ratify those expenses for to ensure the drinking water was being provided at those locations. We can do all these at one time or do them separately. And then next one is park surplus. There's a surplus of a 2011 Ford F-150. Just need to our surplus that. We're going to start doing a surplus docket in the future, but we didn't get that for this agenda, but we'll do it in the future for surplus property, but not even authorization for that in accordance with Mississippi Code 172525. And then last one was the renewal of the legal contract for Butler Snow for an additional year. that I will send out.

I'll make the motion to approve all three. I'll second.

We have a motion by Alderman Payne for all three. Second by Alderman Jenkins. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Payne. Yes. Alderman Jenkins. Yes. Alderman Hood. Yes. Alderman Jerome. Yes. Alderman Gallagher. Yes.

Alderman Wheeler.

Yes. That motion carries. Next on our agenda is a 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 Jerome. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Payne. Yes. Alderman Jenkins. Yes. Alderman Hughes. Yes. Alderman Jerome. Yes. Alderman Gallagher. Yes. Alderman Wheeler.

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

Mr. Mayor, I move we approve the claims docket in the amount of $4,528,314.19, including demand checks. I'll second. We have a motion, Alderman Payne. Second, Alderman Jenkins.

Is there any discussion? Hearing none, roll call.

Alderman Payne? Yes. Alderman Jenkins? Yes. Alderman Hewitt? 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 have a motion. Second. We have a motion by Alderman Gallagher, second by Alderman Wheeler. All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed say no. As have it, motion carries with the need. The needs are litigation and claims involving city infrastructure and public works, economic development, potentially locating to our city, and interdepartmental personnel with no action. So is there now a motion to declare executive session?

So moved. Second.

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