Civic Corner: Board of Aldermen Recap
By Ricki Garrett, PhD, Alderwoman at Large
The Board of Aldermen approved a number of dimensional variances in its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday evening, October 19. The Board was also asked to address an appeal of an interpretation by the Director of Community Development pertaining to signage for the Briars Subdivision. Director of Community Development Roy Edwards had ruled that the two entrance signs requested by homeowners of the Briars were not allowed under our current ordinances. Although Board Members were sympathetic to the desire by the neighborhood to have a double entrance sign, the issue before the Board was the interpretation by Mr. Edwards that having two signs was against current ordinances. The Board ruled in a six to zero vote, with a recusal by Alderman Wilbanks, that the interpretation was correct. However, the Board did inform the residents of the Briars that an evaluation of current ordinances would be forthcoming and that the issue of two entrance signs could be a part of that evaluation.
The Board also adopted the redistricting guidelines of the Central Mississippi Planning and Development Authority for the upcoming redistricting of the City’s Wards. The Wards will be redrawn as a result of the newly released 2020 Census data. Some of Clinton’s Wards have grown in population, while others have lost population, and the re-districting will provide for a re-balancing.
The Board also moved ahead with the purchase of five police vehicles and one vehicle for the Clinton Fire Department because of a slowdown in the manufacture and delivery of vehicles and the desire to have them available by spring. A Federal signal outdoor mass notification siren and the City of Clinton Hazard Mitigation Plan were also approved for the Clinton Fire Department. Two grants totaling $117,000.00 were accepted on behalf of the Clinton Police Department.
The City of Clinton’s waste collection contract with Waste Management of Mississippi was extended in its current form for one year.
Final payments were approved for payment on a number of just-completed projects in the city, including the Clinton Public School District multi-use path project, the Cynthia Road bridge replacement and the Kickapoo Road bridge replacement project. Aldermen also approved resolutions to submit pavement management project applications to the Jackson MPO Surface Transportation Block Grant Program and designated the remaining FY 2021 street paving funds for designated streets and the remainder for pavement markings of other streets.
The Board of Aldermen are pleased to welcome two new department heads to the City. Amanda Mills Jones will serve as the Director of Communication and Tourism, and Daniel Lang will assume the role of Director of Economic Development for Clinton.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Space will be provided in each issue of The Clinton Courier to the Board of Aldermen for a recap of each meeting. Aldermen are asked to volunteer to provide this recap for the Courier.
