Board Of Aldermen

By Randy Bell The City of Clinton expects to save about $60,000 with a new landscaping and grounds maintenance contract for various parks, City buildings and roadways. The Board of Aldermen on March 7 approved a $237,601 professional services agreement with Rotolo Consultants, Inc. The company, based in Slidell, Louisiana, was already doing landscaping and…

By Ricki Garrett, PhD, Alderwoman at Large The Board of Aldermen received a report from our Fire Chief, Jeff Blackledge, regarding the activity of the department during 2022. He reported that there were 1,730 emergency medical service calls, 139 fire/arcing calls, and 369 false alarms. There was a total of 3,007 calls, which amounted to…

By Randy Bell Clinton will no longer require tree-trimming crews to consult with a certified arborist before cutting limbs away from utility lines. The crews won’t have to get a City permit before starting their work, and they’ll have more time to pick up the limbs they bring down. The Board of Aldermen voted at…

By Randy Bell Food trucks and trailers which are scattered around Clinton could be brought together in a centralized location, if an idea being kicked around by the Board of Aldermen becomes a reality. Ward 1 Alderwoman Karen Godfrey says a lot of research is being done on the possibility of a food truck park.…

By Ricki Garrett, PhD, Alderwoman at Large Although I was in California visiting my son and his family during the last Board of Aldermen meeting, I would like to share with you a brief update on the actions of the Board. The Board approved the hiring of four firemen, contingent on passing medical, psychological and…

By Randy Bell A Clinton alderwoman says legalizing medical cannabis establishments would give patients more options to deal with debilitating medical conditions. But another Board member says it wouldn’t fit the City’s brand. The police chief says marijuana in any form would not be good for Clinton. But one of the investors hoping to grow…

By Randy Bell With Clinton’s City Clerk Russell Wall retiring at the end of March, Deputy City Clerk Jimmy Baldree has been promoted. The Board of Aldermen, at its February 7 meeting, appointed Baldree to be the new City Clerk. Baldree released the following statement: “Since 2010, I have been privileged to work for the…

By Ricki Garrett, PhD, Alderwoman at Large The February 7 Board of Aldermen meeting followed a long work session on the Monday evening prior. During that session, the Board had a long conversation about permitting the attendees at either our work sessions or the Board meetings to discuss their concerns or bring issues to the…

By Randy Bell If Clinton voters approve the legalization of medical cannabis establishments in the February 28 special election, the City will have regulations in place to deal with those new businesses. The Board of Aldermen, at its February 7 meeting, unanimously approved an ordinance setting out certain requirements for companies growing, processing and selling…

By Randy Bell The final decision on whether medical cannabis businesses should be allowed to operate in Clinton will be in the hands of the voters. The Board of Aldermen at its February 7 meeting will certify petitions calling for the issue to be put to a citywide vote and will set the date for…

By Ricki Garrett, PhD, Alderwoman at Large The Board of Aldermen had a routine meeting on Tuesday, January 17. It began with a department head report from Tara Lytal, the Director of Main Street Clinton. Tara mentioned some recent awards won by Main Street Clinton and highlighted both past and upcoming events. They continue to…

By Randy Bell Customers in Clinton won’t be allowed to sip a wine cooler while having their nails done or enjoy a beer at the barber shop. At least, not legally. The Board of Aldermen voted 5-2 at its meeting January 17 to defeat the proposal championed by Ward 6 Alderman James Lott, which would…

By Randy Bell A sewer line repair project which Clinton’s public works director calls “an adventure” can’t move into its final phase because the City wasn’t satisfied with a contractor’s bid. The Board of Aldermen at its January 3 meeting accepted Phillip Lilley’s recommendation to reject the bid to replace a 65-foot segment of collapsed…

By Ricki Garrett, PhD, Alderwoman at Large The Board of Aldermen are beginning 2023 with a very substantial plate of issues to work through. Some of the issues have previously been discussed and analyzed, and some of them are new, but all of them will have to be dealt with as soon as possible for…

By Randy Bell As it refused to approve a fence which was constructed in Clinton’s Olde Towne District without a permit, the Board of Aldermen sent a message:  This has to stop.   “This is the third or fourth instance just in the last year of individuals moving ahead with constructing a project and then…

By Randy Bell Marlee Price says one of her top priorities since taking over as Clinton’s Director of Communication and Tourism in September of last year has been to make some long-overdue improvements to the City’s website—and to find other ways to keep local citizens informed. And the Board of Aldermen at its meeting last…

By Randy Bell People living in north Clinton were starting to use the new multi-purpose path along Arrow Drive even before the work was finished. And it’ll likely become busier with some Clintonians making New Year’s resolutions to exercise more. At its meeting on November 15 of last year, the Board of Aldermen approved a…

By Randy Bell The Mississippi State Conference NAACP has honored Clinton Ward 6 Alderman James Lott with its Medgar Evers Award. The presentation was made at the Freedom Fund Awards Banquet during the organization’s 77th Annual State Convention in Jackson in November. The award is named in memory of the NAACP’s Mississippi field secretary, who…

By Randy Bell Some of the Clinton aldermen are concerned that tough regulations regarding utility line tree-trimming in the City may have led to unnecessary power outages. A local ordinance requires Entergy and other utilities to get recommendations from a “certified arborist” before cutting limbs and trees along their rights of way and mandates that…

By Randy Bell More parking spots will soon be available in the heart of Clinton’s historic district. The Board of Aldermen voted recently to authorize Mayor Phil Fisher to execute a lease agreement with Evans Holdings LLC for eleven parking spaces along the north side of the alley running between Jefferson and Capitol streets in…

By Ricki Garrett, PhD, Alderwoman at Large The Board of Aldermen met on December 6 for its regularly scheduled meeting. After approving the Consent Agenda items, the Board heard a Department Head report from Courtney Nunn, Director of Parks and Recreation. Her report focused on the participation by the department in this year’s Chamber of…

By Randy Bell It’ll be next year before the Board of Aldermen decides whether to rezone agricultural property in Clinton. The original proposal to reclassify all land zoned A-1 to R-E (residential estate) ignited a firestorm of protests from local farmers, who believe the change would hurt the value of their land, increase their taxes…

By Randy Bell Clinton will now have a parks superintendent and a private company handling landscaping and grounds maintenance at Traceway Park. The Board of Aldermen voted November 15 to create the superintendent position and to hire a Louisiana company for the Traceway work. “The park superintendent, I think that’s a position that’s definitely needed,”…

Ricki Garrett, Alderwoman at Large   In our meeting on Tuesday, November 15, the Board heard from Public Works Director, Phillip Lilley, who shared again with the Board the challenges he is facing maintaining a full contingent of workers in the department.  Although it is difficult to lose any employee, it is particularly hard to…

By Ricki Garrett, PhD, Alderwoman at Large   The Board of Aldermen met for their first meeting in November this week, and, for the most part, it was a fairly routine meeting. In its first action, the Board denied a request for a Dimensional Variance from the owner of 108 Keith Lane to add a…