Aldermen Minutes
MINUTES
MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN
CITY OF OCEAN SPRINGS
RECESS MEETING OF JANUARY 19, 2010
Be it remembered that the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Ocean Springs met in a Recess meeting at City Hall in the City of Ocean Springs at 6:00 p.m. on January 19, 2010. Mayor Moran presiding, Aldermen Ross, Gill, McDonnell, Cody, Denyer and Hagan were present. Also present were City Clerk Shelly Ferguson and City Attorney John Edwards. Alderman Dalgo was absent.
Alderman Cody led the invocation and the Mayor led Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor Moran requested an amendment to the agenda. Motion was made by Alderman Hagan, seconded by Alderman Ross and unanimously carried to amend the agenda to add item (3-b) under New Business for a presentation on the Battle on the Bayou – Kayak Race; pull item (6-a) off the Agenda and pull item (6-k) off of the Consent Agenda to allow the City Clerk to swear in Janice Hilton, as Deputy City Clerk before New Business.
The City Clerk, Shelly Ferguson, swore in Janice Hilton as Deputy City Clerk (6-k).
NEW BUSINESS
Ms. Juliet Lawson Jowett, newly elected president of the Friends of the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, introduced herself to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen and stated she looked forward to working with the City in the future. She further invited everyone to the open membership meeting to be held on Wednesday, January 20th at 6:00 p.m. at the Mary C.
Mr. Nick Kinderman announced the First Annual Battle on the Bayou – a 12-mile kayak race would be held on March 6, 2010 on Old Fort Bayou in Ocean Springs. Motion was made by Alderman Denyer, seconded by Alderman Ross and unanimously carried to authorize up to $500.00 to advertise the resources of the City at the Battle on the Bayou kayak races on March 6, 2010.
OLD BUSINESS
Motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman McDonnell and unanimously carried to appoint Sam Alsgood, Jr., Roy Kelcey Allison, Marie Sanderson, Scott Walker, Mickey Williams and Fred Moran to the Economic Development Council.
Mr. Frank Burandt presented the final sign design for the Fort Maurepas Park. Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Cody and unanimously carried to obtain quotes for the sign (Exhibit 4-b).
Motion was made by Alderman Denyer asked to table item (6-v) concerning Harbor Landing for two weeks. Motion dies for lack of second.
Motion was made by Alderman Hagan and seconded by Alderman Cody to accept the City Attorney’s recommendation to rescind the May, 2007 decision of the 2005-2009 Board of Aldermen finding business proposal a permitted use but with the additional restrictions on parking, noise and hours of operation as conditions to the use which the Court found as a special use permit. Motion carried with Aldermen Gill, McDonnell, Cody, Ross and Hagan voting aye and Alderman Denyer voting nay (6-v).
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Mr. Paul Barber spoke on behalf of the Friends of the Ocean Springs Harbor and encouraged the City to look at the Harbor Landing issue and support the law as currently written. Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to spread the documents presented by Mr. Paul Barber on the minutes.
CONSENT AGENDA
Motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Ross and unanimously carried to accept the Consent Agenda with exception of item (a) which was pulled by the Mayor; item (n) which was pulled by Alderman Ross and item (q) which was pulled by Alderman Denyer and to add an item (6-w) to accept the resignation of Jerald Hill to the Agenda.
Alderman Ross pulled item (n) and asked for clarification concerning the Tree Committee Report concerning 207 Perryman Road. The Planning Director advised the Tree Committee denied the applicant’s request to remove four (4) medium sized live oak trees to accommodate new home construction. Motion was made by Alderman Cody and seconded by Alderman Ross to grant the application to remove the trees pending the property owner meet with the Planning Director and City Arborist on a mitigation plan to either replant or transplant the trees and further to allow the Planning Director and City Arborist the make the determination on the mitigation plan (6-n). Motion carried with Aldermen Gill, Cody, Ross and Denyer voting aye and Aldermen McDonnell and Hagan voting nay (Exhibit 6-n).
Alderman Ross pulled item (q) and asked if there would be any advantages of rezoning the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center from R-2 to C-2. Ms. Julie Lawson Jowett and Ms. Melanie Allen spoke on behalf of the Mary C. stating the facility operates as a museum and soon a culinary arts café and there may be liability insurance issues since it is used as commercial and zoned residential. Motion was made by Alderman Ross, seconded by Alderman McDonnell and unanimously carried to accept the Planning Commission recommendation to approve rezoning 1600 Government Street from R-2 single family residential district to C-2 community commercial district (Exhibit 6-q).
DEPARTMENT REPORTS
Mayor:
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to authorize the City Attorney to draft an Ordinance to create an 8th Planning Commission member.
Motion was made by Alderman Denyer, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to table item (7-b) to remove the stop signs at the intersection of Old Spanish Trail and Fountainbleau Road until the next meeting (Exhibit 7-b).
City Attorney:
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell and seconded by Alderman Cody to adopt Ordinance No. 2010-01 AN ORDINANCE DEFINING THE SPEED LIMITS ON LOVER’S LANE FROM ITS INTERSECTION AT HIGHWAY 90 (BIENVILLE BOULEVARD), WESTWARD TO ITS INTERSECTION AT IOLA ROAD TO PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE DECELERATION AREA WHEN EXITING BIENVILLE BOULEVARD (Exhibit 7-c). The motion passed with a roll call vote as follows:
Alderman Ross Voted Aye
Alderman Gill Voted Aye
Alderman McDonnell Voted Aye
Alderman Cody Voted Aye
Alderman Denyer Voting Aye
Alderman Dalgo Voting Absent
Alderman Hagan Voting Aye
Community Development & Planning:
Mayor Moran requested an amendment to the agenda. Motion was made by Alderman Ross, seconded by Alderman Denyer and unanimously carried to amend the agenda to add item (7-d) under Department Reports, Community Development and Planning – Award Bids for multi-modal path at East Beach.
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Cody and unanimously carried to award the bid for the multi-modal path along East Beach Drive and Halstead Road to Peavy Construction Co., Inc. in the amount of $443,855.05 contingent upon concurrence by MDOT and FHWA (Exhibit 7-d).
ALDERMEN’S FORUM
Motion was made by Alderman Hagan, seconded by Alderman Denyer and unanimously carried to approve items (8-a) and (8-b).
Motion was made by Alderman Denyer, seconded Alderman Ross and unanimously carried to authorize up to $400.00 from Ward 1 Capital Improvement Account to repair the entrance sign at Fort Bayou Estates Subdivision damaged by a hit and run driver.
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Cody and unanimously carried to authorize up to $1,300.00 from Ward 2 Capital Improvement Account for materials to Parks and Leisure Services Department to erect a privacy fence on the West side of Freedom Field.
Alderman McDonnell asked the Planning Director for a status on the clean-up of properties caused by Hurricane Katrina and further asked what the City’s position is concerning the slabs. Alderman McDonnell asked to have a discussion on this matter at the next Board meeting.
Alderman Cody asked the Public Works Department to erect the street signs that were knocked down on Westbrook Street.
Alderman Cody asked the Public Works Department to check the sink hole on Government Street. The Public Works Director advised it was caused by a gas leak and the gas company was notified. The Public Works Director further addressed the concern with not having a local contact person with the gas company. He asked the Mayor and the Fire Chief to get involved to resolve the issue with the gas company.
The Mayor commended the Public Works Department for building the pier across the drainage ditch on Westbrook Street and making it safer access for the children walking to school.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Cody 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 McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to remain in executive session to discuss personnel in the Mayor’s Office; litigation in Chancery Court in Hinds County; litigation in Chancery Court in Jackson County; Annexation and litigation regarding Harbor Landing.
Motion was made by Alderman Cody, seconded by Alderman Ross and unanimously carried to come out of executive session and return to regular session.
Motion was made by Alderman Ross, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to adjourn until 6:00 p.m. on February 2, 2010.
Meeting ended at 8:54 p.m.
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City Clerk Mayor
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