Aldermen Minutes
MINUTES
MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN
CITY OF OCEAN SPRINGS
RECESS MEETING OF JULY 20, 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 July 20, 2010. Mayor Moran presiding, Aldermen Ross, Gill, McDonnell, Cody, Denyer, Dalgo and Hagan were present. Also present was City Clerk Shelly Ferguson and City Attorney John Edwards.
Alderman Cody led the invocation and the Mayor led the Pledge of Allegiance.
PRESENTATION
The Presentation was postponed until a later date.
Mayor Moran requested an amendment to the agenda. Motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Cody and unanimously carried to add the Addendum to the Agenda.
Motion was made by Alderman Dalgo, seconded by Alderman Ross and unanimously carried to move item (7-g) to New Business.
NEW BUSINESS
Sheriff Mike Byrd and Lt. Curtis Spiers, commander of the Narcotics Task Force of Jackson County, briefed the Board and asked them to consider adopting the following Ordinance.
Motion was made by Alderman Ross and seconded by Alderman Cody to adopt Ordinance No. 2010-09 AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING THE USE, POSSESSION, DISTRIBUTION, SALE OR OFFERING FOR SALE SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS OR OTHER SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS, THEIR SALTS, ISOMERS, HOMOLOGUES, AND SALTS OF ISOMERS AND HOMOLOGUES (Exhibit 7-g). 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 Voted Aye
Alderman Dalgo Voted Aye
Alderman Hagan Voted Aye
Mr. Mickey Williams requested the Board consider funding the Façade Grant Program in the FY10-11 Budget in the amount of $25,000.00. He also suggested the Board consider including businesses East of Martin Luther King Boulevard. The Committee would consist of representatives of the City, the Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Council. Alderman Denyer asked to consider making this request a line item in the upcoming budget and Alderman Gill stated the Finance Committee would consider it during the budget process (Exhibit 4-a).
The Mayor updated the Board on the removal of the mailboxes to allow the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) to repave the State Aid Road – Halstead Road. She stated the City could loose the ARRA funding if the 6 or 7 mailboxes MDOT identified were not moved off of the State right of way to allow the paving. She advised the City could move the mailboxes but could not re-erect them. The Public Works Director read the MDOT guidelines. He further stated all of the mailboxes in question were marked that could affect the funding. He reiterated that the Public Works Department were willing to attempt to pick up the mailboxes and set them on the property but could not erect them on private property.
Mayor Moran requested an amendment to the agenda. Motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to move items (7-e) and (7-f) to New Business.
Motion was made by Alderman Dalgo and seconded by Alderman Gill to adopt Ordinance No. 2010-10 AN ORDINANCE TO REGULATE SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES (Exhibit 7-f). 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 Voted Aye
Alderman Dalgo Voted Aye
Alderman Hagan Voted Aye
Motion was made by Alderman Dalgo and seconded by Alderman McDonnell to table item (7-e) An Ordinance Amending the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance of the City of Ocean Springs, Mississippi to allow Sexually Oriented Businesses as a Permitted Use in I-2 Industrial District. Motion carried with Aldermen Gill, McDonnell, Cody, Denyer and Dalgo voting aye and Aldermen Ross and Hagan voting nay (Exhibit 7-e).
PUBLIC COMMENT
Ms. Anita Humphries asked why her neighbor, Mr. Smith, is requesting to demolish his house that had previously been denied a demolition permit and why he has not filed for a building permit.
CONSENT AGENDA
Motion was made by Alderman Cody, seconded by Alderman McDonnell and unanimously carried to accept the Consent Agenda with exception of items (e) which was pulled by Alderman Denyer and item (r) which was pulled by Alderman McDonnell. Alderman Gill abstained from voting on the Consent Agenda.
Alderman Denyer pulled item (e) to ask if it was more cost effective to purchase a container for storage rather than rent a POD. Motion was made by Alderman Denyer, seconded by Alderman Ross and unanimously carried to approve for Contracted services and equipment purchases related to the BP Deepwater Horizon Block Grant with changes to purchase a container.
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded Alderman Ross and unanimously carried to table item (6-r) until the September 7th Board meeting. Alderman McDonnell stated if anyone is interested in acquiring the home for free and having it moved to another site, to contact Mr. Bill Lack at (228) 324-3772.
DEPARTMENT REPORTS
Mayor:
The Mayor presented a thank-you letter from the Ocean Springs Renaissance Faire Committee (Exhibit 7-a).
The Mayor gave an update on the Contracted Public Outreach Services, eight-page tabloid special section to be inserted in the Sun Herald on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 (Exhibit 7-b).
The Mayor presented a proposal from Natural Capital Development to pursue an official certification from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality in the “ENHANCE” program recommended by the Beautification Committee. She stated once certified, the City will be eligible for grant opportunities. The Mayor asked to fund this proposal from the Mayor’s special projects budget. There was a question whether this work could be done in-house. Ms. Cynthia Ramseur from Natural Capital Development explained the scope of work proposed and the standard hourly rates for the project. Motion was made by Alderman Cody, seconded by Alderman Ross and unanimously carried to table item (7-c).
ALDERMEN’S FORUM
Motion was made by Alderman Ross, seconded by Alderman McDonnell and unanimously carried to design and erect a new sign recognizing the State Champions for the tennis and baseball teams at the end of Fort Bayou Bridge; Highway 57 and by the caboose on Highway 90 to be funded by a private donor.
Motion was made by Alderman Ross, seconded by Alderman Dalgo and unanimously carried to waive the rental fees for the Ocean Springs Community Center for the “Art Off the Walls” fundraiser for the Mississippi Kidney Foundation hosted by DiVita Ocean Springs Dialysis on September 18, 2010 (Exhibit 8-b).
Alderman Gill asked to have a light study done on Portree Place and Dunsinance Street.
Alderman Gill suggested the City needs to host an event similar to the Jimmy Buffett Concert recently held in Gulf Shores, AL to promote tourism on the Coast. Motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Cody and unanimously carried to authorize the Mayor to send a letter to the Governor’s Advisory Board requesting this type of event to fill restaurants and hotels/motels to be paid by the $15M tourism BP grant.
Alderman McDonnell asked for an update on the slab removal progress at the next meeting.
Alderman McDonnell asked for a status on Claire Brou’s trailer removal. The Building Official stated she has been given to a date certain and understands the trailer has to be moved.
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Dalgo and unanimously carried to authorize up to $1510.00 from Ward 2 Capital Improvement Account for a small drainage project on Magnolia Avenue.
Alderman Cody asked the Planning Department to check the oak trees in the center median on Bechtel Boulevard; there are limbs hanging in the right of way and trucks are hitting them. The City Arborist is working in the area and will check on this matter.
Alderman Ross asked the City Engineer to look at the new crosswalk at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Government Street and stated he thought it appeared it was sunk down in the crossing. The City Engineer said the Contractor has acknowledged there is an issue at the crossing and they have been instructed the City would not accept that intersection as it is and will be withholding payment until the punch list items have been corrected and completed.
Alderman Ross asked if it was viable to have the new seat wall be defined as a seawall. The City Engineer advised to ask Brown & Mitchell to investigate this matter with the appropriate entity.
Alderman Denyer asked the Public Works Department to cut back the northwest corner of Halstead Road and Davidson.
Motion was made b Alderman Denyer, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to authorize up to $800.00 from Ward 4 Capital Improvement Account for a drainage project.
Motion was made by Alderman Denyer, seconded by Alderman Ross and unanimously carried to authorize up to $1,000.00 to advertise city resources through the Ocean Springs Athletic Foundation from the miscellaneous promotions budget.
Motion was made by Alderman Dalgo, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to authorize up to $1,000.00 from Ward 5 Capital Improvement Account for books, videos, DVDs and shelving at the library.
Alderman Dalgo asked for light a Cabildo Place and Booth Circle.
Motion was made by Alderman Dalgo, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to accept the Tree Committee Report with the exception of 2006 Kensington Avenue (Exhibit 7-d).
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Cody and unanimously carried to table any action on 2006 Kensington Avenue listed on the Tree Committee Report.
Alderman Gill announced there is a Drainage and Infrastructure committee meeting on Friday, July 23rd at 8:30 a.m.
Alderman McDonnell asked for the H.R. Director for the written explanation to provide a tighter filter system on the City computers regarding the Internet Usage Policy. She stated it will be provided at the next Board meeting.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Motion was made by Alderman Denyer, seconded by Alderman Hagan 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 a motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to remain in executive session to discuss personnel in the Planning and Public Works Departments.
Motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Ross and unanimously carried to return to regular session.
Motion was made by Alderman Hagan, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to accept the recommendation of the Public Works Director to suspend Billy Toche for two (2) weeks without pay.
Motion was made by Alderman Cody, seconded by Alderman Dalgo and unanimously carried to authorize the Mayor to send a letter to the Jackson County Board of Supervisors requesting them to pick up the trash on Front Beach or to participate in the cost.
Motion was made by Alderman Cody, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to adjourn until 6:00 p.m. on August 3, 2010.
Meeting ended at 8:50 p.m.
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City Clerk Mayor
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