Aldermen Minutes
MINUTES
MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN
CITY OF OCEAN SPRINGS
REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 3, 2009
Be it remembered that the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Ocean Springs met in a Regular meeting at City Hall in the City of Ocean Springs at 6:00 p.m. on February 3, 2009. Mayor Moran presiding, Aldermen Gill, McDonnell, Lloyd, Weaver, Denyer, Dalgo and Hagan were present. Also present were City Clerk Shelly Ferguson and City Attorney John Edwards.
Alderman Weaver gave the invocation and the Mayor led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to add the addendum to the Agenda.
OLD BUSINESS
The Mayor gave an update on the actions with the Jackson County Board of Supervisors regarding the Front Beach walkway and lighting plan. The Jackson County Board of Supervisors did approve the Front Beach walkway and lighting project. The Planning Director stated the County will continue to pick up trash in the trash cans and clean the beach with their machinery and the Public Works Department will continue to take care of Front Beach Drive. The Planning Director proposes the Planning Department will use landscaper; assistant landscaper and Youth Corps. to maintain the vegetative swale between the road and new path. Once the path is constructed, the Planning Director proposes to use the City Arborist and two trustees from the MS Department of Corrections on a weekly basis for pruning, weeding and clean-up. There is no agreement to brush the new path.
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Dalgo and unanimously carried to proceed with engineering to prepare bid specifications of Front Beach walkway and lighting project.
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Denyer and unanimously carried to authorize a Contractor to build a 50’ demonstration strip of path by the harbor at no cost to the City.
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to authorize the Mayor to negotiate with the Martins’ to use their property for parking through September, 2009.
Mr. Buzzy Bolton gave an update on the Public Safety Center project. Motion was made by Alderman Denyer, seconded by Alderman Weaver and unanimously carried to authorize Bolton, Lack and Furr to continue with design development for the Public Safety Center project.
NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Steve Munn requested a parade permit and route authorization for the purpose of holding a night Mardi Gras parade. Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to issue a parade permit to hold a night parade on Friday, February 20, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. beginning at the intersection of Ward Avenue and Government Street; eastbound on Government to Magnolia Street; southbound to Porter Avenue; westbound to Washington Avenue; northbound to Government Street and eastbound to Ward Avenue.
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Weaver and unanimously carried to authorize the Mayor, Public Works Director and Police Chief to coordinate what time to close streets for the Mardi Gras parade on February 20, 2009, for approval at the next meeting.
Mr. Brian Sanderson, Director of the Gulf Coast Business Council, asked for acknowledgement and support for the 2009 Mississippi State Legislature to appropriate additional funds for the wind pool to reduce wind pool insurance rates and further stimulate economic recovery. Motion was made by Alderman Weaver, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to adopt the Resolution of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, acknowledging and supporting the 2009 Mississippi State Legislature to appropriate additional funds into the Mississippi Wind Pool in order to reduce wind pool insurance rates and further stimulate economic recovery and to forward a copy of same to all local legislature and the Gulf Coast Business Council.
Mr. Bobby Culumber of Culumber, Fletcher, Harvey & Associates, P.A. presented the Audit Report for Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2007 (Exhibit A-2b).
PULBIC COMMENTS
Mr. Dan Abbate asked the City to consider places for 18-21 year olds for dancing and socializing.
Mr. John Mass stated he had been victimized by the Ocean Springs Police Department and the Mayor’s office and demanded that the City Prosecutor resign.
Ms. Carol Jones, 4077 Groveland Road, asked for clarification concerning retaining the R-4 zoning for property located at the southeast corner of Deana and Groveland Roads which had been rezoned from I-1 on January 2, 2007, and spoke against the development.
Ms. Pam Dalton, 4084 Groveland Road, expressed concern about the drainage ditch located near her home and fears if property located at the southeast corner of Deana and Groveland Roads is developed, her home will flood.
Ms. Mary Marr Beckman, asked the Board to be aware of certain items in the comprehensive plan.
Mr. Bill Lucas, 203 Front Beach, asked about the Front Beach path project and expressed he would like to see the plan for the project.
CONSENT AGENDA
Motion was made by Alderman Weaver, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to approve the Consent Agenda.
DEPARTMENT REPORTS
Mayor:
The Mayor presented a letter from Mississippi Department of Transportation denying the relocation of the current Mississippi Vietnam Memorial Sign located on the north right of way of Highway 90 and east of the Ocean Springs Civic Center.
The Mayor presented a letter from Mississippi Department of Transportation announcing the request to re-stripe the pedestrian crosswalk has now been programmed with the maintenance division schedule and will be re-striped as soon as the schedule allows.
City Clerk:
Motion was made by Alderman Dalgo, seconded by Alderman Denyer and unanimously carried to reappoint Denise Jones to the Civil Service Commission term ending November 30, 2014.
Motion was made by Alderman Dalgo, seconded by Alderman Denyer and unanimously carried to appoint Tim Taranto to the Ocean Springs School Board term ending February 28, 2014.
Alderman Dalgo left the meeting.
Human Resource/Risk Management:
The Human Resource Director presented a Donated Leave Analysis. Motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Weaver to change the length of employment to receive donated time from one (1) year to no length of employment. After further discussion, Alderman Weaver withdraws her second. Motion dies for lack of second. Motion was made by Alderman Denyer and seconded by Alderman Lloyd to authorize all department heads to meet with the Human Resource Committee to offer input concerning the Donated Leave Policy for a recommendation to the Board. Motion carried with Alderman Lloyd, Weaver and Denyer voting aye and Aldermen Hagan and Gill voting nay. Alderman McDonnell refrained from voting. (Exhibit A-2b)
Public Works:
The Public Works Director announced that Notice to Proceed has been issued to begin base repairs and asphalt overlay on eight different roads on Monday, February 16, 2009, funded by a grant from the Federal Highway Administration.
The Public Works Director announced that the Forest Hill Drainage project began Monday, February 2nd.
The Public Works Director also announced that ground breaking for CDBG funded water/sewer project on Highway 90 will be February 17, 2009.
Community Development and Planning:
The Planning Director asked for consideration to allocate funds for engineering to get projects “shovel ready” to be funded in the economic stimulus plan.
Motion was made by Alderman Denyer, seconded by McDonnell and unanimously carried to authorize the City Clerk to look for sources of revenue for engineering for possible stimulus funds and provide list of projects with engineering already done.
City Attorney:
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell and seconded by Alderman Denyer to authorize the Mayor to execute the revised Memorandum of Understanding – Mississippi Alternative Housing Program between Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the City of Ocean Springs. Motion carried with Aldermen Gill, McDonnell, Weaver, Denyer and Hagan voting aye and Alderman Lloyd voting nay (Exhibit 7-f).
Motion was made by Alderman Denyer and seconded by Alderman Gill to adopt Ordinance No. 2009-03 FLOOD DAMAGE ORDINANCE (Exhibit 7-g). The motion passed with a roll call vote as follows:
Alderman Weaver Voted Aye
Alderman Gill Voted Aye
Alderman McDonnell Voted Aye
Alderman Lloyd Voted Aye
Alderman Denyer Voted Aye
Alderman Dalgo Absent
Alderman Hagan Voting Aye
ALDERMEN’S FORUM
Motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Denyer and unanimously carried to authorize the Mayor to send a letter to MDOT asking to include the paving of Highway 90 in their stimulus package.
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to authorize $500.00 from Ward 2 Capital Improvement Account for the entrance improvements at Chandeleur Place Subdivision.
Alderman Lloyd asked the City Clerk to send each candidate information related to election signage required by law.
Alderman Weaver announced there is a Mayoral debate on Thursday, February 5th at 6:00 p.m. at the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Arts Center.
Alderman Hagan clarified the issue of the rezoning of property located at the southeast corner of Deana and Groveland Roads from I-1 to R-4 in January, 2007, with stipulations included in the Ordinance. Alderman Hagan stated he did not place the item on the agenda because he was not ready to begin affirmative action to revert the property back to the original classification. The developer has not applied for any permits. The drainage issue will be addressed by the City Engineer, Public Works Department and the developer once they submit their final plan.
Alderman Denyer asked the Building Official to begin lot cleaning on Ashley Place.
Alderman Denyer asked the Building Official to look at usage on Catherine Drive in R-1 subdivision.
Alderman Hagan asked the Building Official to begin lot cleaning on big white building on Highway 90 next to Lakeview.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Motion was made by Alderman Hagan, seconded by Alderman Weaver and unanimously carried to go into closed session to determine the necessity of going into executive session.
The City Clerk returned to the meeting and announced that a motion was made by Alderman Hagan, seconded by Alderman McDonnell and unanimously carried to remain in executive session to discuss economic development in planning department; personnel in police department; personnel in court department and potential litigation.
Alderman Weaver left the meeting.
Motion was made by Alderman Hagan, seconded by Alderman Denyer and unanimously carried to come out of executive session and return to regular session.
The Mayor stated that the Public Works Director supported YADA’s use of the armory. The City Attorney will draft a resolution concerning this matter.
Motion was made by Alderman Hagan, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to authorize to declare eight (8) airpacks and eleven (11) spare bottles as surplus; of no use or value to the City and disposed of.
Motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to recess until 6:00 p.m. on February 17, 2009.
Meeting ended at 10:30 p.m.
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City Clerk Mayor
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