Civic Corner: Board of Aldermen Update for July 16, 2024
By Ricki Garrett, Alderwoman at Large
The Board of Aldermen met for its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, July 16th. In its first action following the approval of the consent agenda, the Board accepted a letter of obligation regarding the Municipality and County Water Infrastructure Projects. The Board also authorized the advertisement for bids for construction services related to Phase I of the 2% Parks Improvement Project.
In other action, the Board of Aldermen approved a number of resolutions granting either a 5-year exemption from Ad Valorem Taxes or an additional 5-year exemption from Ad Valorem Taxes to McNeely Plastics for expansions in the years 2018-2023. City Attorney, Will Purdie, also asked the Board to approve a resolution of intent, related to the bond for the Parks Improvement Project.
Further, the Board of Aldermen approved the request for acquisition payments to Lark Properties LLC and Social Storm Properties LLC for the Pinehaven Bridge replacement project. The Board also approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the Natchez Trace/United States Department of the Interior and the Clinton Police Department for the purpose of mutual law enforcement services in or near the Natchez Trace Parkway within the jurisdiction of the Clinton Police Department.
The Board also agreed to surplus the listed city-owned police vehicles due to old age and /or extensive maintenance repair costs by selling these vehicles at auction with proceeds being remitted to the City Clerk’s Office. The Board of Aldermen also voted to accept and consider bids received for the 2024 Street Paving Improvements with a recommended award to AJ Construction, Inc. in the amount of $1,056,295.16.
The Board also approved the lowest and best quote from Delta Construction, Inc., in the amount of $24,900.00 for the Hollyberry Drive sewer repair. The Board also approved the lowest and best quote from Sherwin Williams in the amount of $24,613.00 for the purchase of a Graco Linelazer V250 for the purpose of line stripping by the Public Works Department. In another surplus vehicle action, the Board voted to declare a GMC Schwarze A400 2009 Sweeper truck as surplus property and further authorized the sale of the property.
The Board of Aldermen will begin the process of developing and approving a budget for 2024-2025 in the coming weeks. The process includes the Department Heads providing a requested budget for their department to the Office of the Mayor. Mayor Fisher then works with the City Clerk to develop a proposed budget for the Board of Aldermen. In multiple meetings, the Board of Aldermen hear presentations from the Department Heads. They then go through the budget line by line and make any changes to the budget that they agree are necessary. The budget agreed upon by a majority of the Board of Aldermen is then presented in a public hearing, following the notification of the budget in the newspaper. The public is given the opportunity to comment on the budget during this hearing. The Board then approves the budget in a specially called meeting for that purpose.
As I am sure you can see from the items that regularly come before the Board of Aldermen, the City of Clinton has many needs, so it is often difficult to determine if funds should be focused on salaries, roads and bridges, other infrastructure needs, improvements to parks and other services, equipment or other needs. Your thoughts are always welcome.
