Aldermen Minutes
MINUTES
MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN
CITY OF OCEAN SPRINGS
RECESS MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 13, 2007
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 September 13, 2007. Mayor Moran presiding, Aldermen Gill, Lloyd, McDonnell, Weaver, Denyer and Hagan were present. Also present were Interim City Clerk Shelly Ferguson and City Attorney John Edwards. Alderman Dalgo was absent.
The Mayor gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
OLD BUSINESS
Mr. Marty Dove with Brown & Mitchell displayed a rendering of the Community Pier (Exhibit 3-a). Motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Denyer and unanimously carried to grant authority to submit joint application permit to DMR for construction of the pier, accept conceptual designs, begin negotiations with FEMA and MEMA and relocate the pier to Fort Maurepas.
NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Granville Smith, developer of Guyton Place, explained that he has offered the historic cottage on the site to the City to be used where it is for $1.00 a year for twenty years or donated and moved to City Hall to replace the Human Resources building and a stipend $35,000.00 to cover the costs of moving and renovating the cottage. Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell and seconded by Alderman Gill to accept the cottage pending a cost estimate to bring it up to code, move it, renovate, demolish the other structure and the total expense should not exceed the $35,000.00 donation and an additional $25,000.00 for a total of $60,000.00. Motion carried with Aldermen Gill, McDonnell, Weaver and Denyer voting aye and Alderman Lloyd and Hagan voting nay.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Mr. Terry Breland from Ocean Springs High School announced that the homecoming parade will held on September 27, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. and invited everyone to participate. He also invited everyone to come out for tailgating before every home game and thanked the Police Department for the Click It or Ticket program at the pep rally.
CONSENT AGENDA
Motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Weaver and unanimously carried to approve the Consent Agenda with the exception of items (d) and (f) which were pulled by the Alderman Hagan, item (h) which was pulled by Alderman Lloyd and item (i) which was pulled by Alderman Weaver.
Alderman Hagan pulled item (d) to abstain from the vote and requested that it be held for Executive Session.
Alderman Hagan pulled item (f) and the Public Works Director requested the re-establishment of a clerical position and authority to utilize the services of a temporary agency until the position is filled. Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to authorize the new position and the use of a temporary agency until the position is filled.
Alderman Lloyd pulled item (h) to clarify the removal date of the MEMA Cottages and Assistant City Planner Kyle Smith said that the cottages will be removed by March 2009 which is indicated on the application. Motion was made by Alderman Gill and seconded by Alderman McDonnell to authorize placement of a MEMA Cottage at #6 Fleetwood Place. Motion carried with Aldermen Gill, Lloyd, McDonnell, Weaver and Denyer voting aye and Alderman Hagan voting nay.
Alderman Weaver pulled item (i) and asked Alderman Lloyd if he was in agreement to the zoning change since the properties are located in his Ward and he said that he is. Motion was made by Alderman Weaver, seconded by Alderman Lloyd and unanimously carried to authorize City sponsored rezoning of (6) properties: 1101, 1107, 1203, 1209, 1211 and 1213 Government Street located along the north side from C-1 to C-2.
DEPARTMENT REPORTS
Mayor
Motion was made by Alderman Hagan, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to lift the State of Emergency for Hurricane Katrina.
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to form a committee for the bridge opening on November 1, 2007.
Motion was made by Alderman McDonnell, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to block the necessary streets for Cruising the Coast, the bridge opening, Trick or Treat Down the Street and the Peter Anderson Festival.
Motion was made by Alderman Hagan and seconded by Alderman Gill to allow open containers for the duration of the Ocean Springs portion of Cruising the Coast. Motion carried with Aldermen Gill, McDonnell, Weaver, Denyer and Hagan voting aye and Alderman Lloyd voting nay.
City Clerk
Motion was made by Alderman Gill and seconded by Alderman Hagan to adopt the FY 06-07 budget (Exhibit 6-c). The Mayor asked that an additional $10,000.00 be budgeted for overtime for the Police, Fire and Public Works Departments for the bridge opening. Following discussion, motion was withdrawn to hold until after Executive Session.
Motion was made by Alderman Hagan, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to adopt the resolution fixing the Tax Levy for FY 07-08 (Exhibit 6-d).
Police
The Police Chief explained that Mr. James Quintano was authorized to be hired on a temporary basis at the last board meeting but his necessary documents to put him on payroll have not been received and he requested the authority to pay him as contract labor. Motion was made by Alderman Hagan, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to allow Mr. James Quintano to work as contract labor.
City Attorney
Motion was made by Alderman Lloyd and seconded by Alderman Gill to adopt Ordinance No. 19-2007 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE OCEAN SPRINGS MUNICIPAL CODE AS REGARDS THE OPERATION OF TAXICAB AND CERTAIN OTHER PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR HIRE BY UPDATING SAID CODE TO COMPLY WITH CHANGES IN STATE LAW, TO CLARIFY SAME, AND TO ADD RATES, PENALTIES AND CERTAIN FLEXIBILITY IN IDENTIFYING SUCH TAXICABS AND DRIVERS OR CERTAIN OTHER PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR HIRE (Exhibit 6-e).
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 Voted Aye
ALDERMAN’S FORUM
Motion was made by Alderman Hagan, seconded by Alderman Gill and unanimously carried to authorize $1,100.00 from the Ward II Capital Improvement Account and $1,100.00 from the Mayor’s Capital Improvement Account to upgrade the irrigation system at Washington Avenue and Highway 90.
Alderman Weaver said there is a property on Government Street by Beverly Place that is a code enforcement issue due to abandoned junk cars.
Alderman Denyer urged the Mayor and the Board to turn in the property list for the DMR Hazardous Mitigation program and said that properties that are bought out can be utilized as parks.
Alderman Denyer said that traffic continues to be a problem at Government Street and Hanley Road.
Alderman Denyer asked that the Community Development Director be reminded about researching used car sales.
Alderman Hagan said it is his understanding that five or six properties in the City have been chosen by lottery to receive a MEMA cottage and would like to be presented a story as to why they are needed or not needed when presented to the Board for approval.
Alderman McDonnell commended Grant Writer Carolyn Martin for her excellent work and asked for a report of total grant dollars received.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to go into closed session to determine the necessity of going into executive session.
The Interim City Clerk returned to the meeting and announced that a motion was made by Alderman Gill, seconded by Alderman Hagan and unanimously carried to remain in executive session to discuss personnel issues in Parks & Leisure Services, Human Resources, City Clerk, Police, Fire, Public Works and Community Development & Planning.
Motion was made by Alderman Denyer, seconded by Alderman McDonnell and unanimously carried to come out of executive session and return to regular session.
Motion was made by Alderman Weaver, seconded by Alderman McDonnell and unanimously carried to accept the budget as presented with amendments to personnel and salaries which are reflected on Exhibit 8-a.
Motion was made by Alderman Weaver, seconded by Alderman McDonnell and unanimously carried to adjourn until 6:00 p.m. on September 25, 2007.
