CPD to use grant funds for new ATV

At the Board of Aldermen’s October 6 meeting, Clinton Police Chief Ford Hayman said a big ticket item this year for the Clinton Police Department (CPD) was training. 

“We tried two to three times to get the [training] school up and running,” he said. “The school was shut down for the year because of COVID-19, so we will get them there next year.”

Since money couldn’t be used for training this year, the Board voted to allow CPD to use their 2019 Homeland Security Grant Award to purchase a 2021 Kubota ATV utility vehicle for their Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team.

The department previously had access to a Kubota ATV utility vehicle, which they were housing in Clinton for Homeland Security. However, the vehicle has since been picked up and moved to another location, so the CPD asked to purchase a new vehicle using the grant money. 

The vehicle will be used to assist with down-range transport during Explosive Ordnance Disposal operations. 

“We’re asking to buy the side-by-side ATV [because] if they get off in a spot or somewhere that is a little bit away from the road, somebody can drive it down there, dump him [ordnance expert] off so he can do his work.” 

The Board approved the purchase request by a vote of 7-0. 

Also at the meeting, Mayor Phil Fisher announced that, for the first time in the past five years, the Police Department won the blood drive competition, a yearly event in which the CPD and the Clinton Fire Department compete for the most donations.

In other business, the Board approved a $20,000 donation to Clinton Community Christian Corporation for 2020-21.

The Board also approved the acceptance and award to low bidder Traffic Control Products Co., in the amount of $39,790 for the 2020 Street Paving Marking Improvements Project and authorized the Mayor to execute the Bid Package documents and contracts for the project improvements. 

“As soon as we pass this, they’ll start making some street paving marking improvements throughout the city,” Fisher said. 

The Board also approved a Subordination, Nondisturbance and Attornment Agreement between the City of Clinton, Siemens Energy, Inc., and Gulf Relay LLC regarding lease space that is currently under lease by the City.

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“This is a request for Siemens…to consider an attornment agreement,” City Attorney William Purdie explained. “This essentially legally establishes that their lease is subordinate to our lease… It says if they’re not in breach, we won’t of over there and kick them out….We will honor the lease that Siemens is making with Gulf.”

Siemens will lease space in the Gulf Relay building. Gulf Relay rents the space from the City, who has a lease on the property from Crenshaw. Purdie said he believes the lease arrangement between the City and Crenshaw goes back to the 1950s. 

“This provides protection for Siemens in the future,” Prado said. “This is [for] a long term… it protects them from change of ownership or transfer of rights.”

Following the Board meeting, several aldermen/alderwoman, the Mayor and other City officials were on hand to field questions during the Virtual Neighborhood Night Out, held by the City this year via Zoom. Four neighborhoods participated in the event.

The next meeting of the Board of Aldermen and Mayor will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 20, at the Municipal Courtroom, 305 Monroe Street.