The start of the new year has brought new faces to the table of the Indianola Board of Aldermen meetings.
Three newly elected city officials took their rightful seats alongside incumbents Alderman Ruben Woods and Mayor-elect Steve Rosenthal and lobbed their first shot at making decisions for the citizens, Alderman Gary Fratesi was absent.
The aldermen heard and received several departmental reports but as imaginable, had a quill of queries for the department heads with regards to the information in those reports, several items on the agenda and the claims docket.
Fire Chief Eugene Snipes agreed to begin providing the board with reports that detail the department’s findings in the cases of structural fires, something that even though the department has trained investigators, it has not been doing. The decision came after the monthly report detailed three structural fires, Ward 5 Alderman Sam Brock Jr., asked Snipes if he had investigative reports and results on the cause of those fires.
Snipes then explained the circumstances under which a state fire marshal would be called in to render such a report. Brock then responded, “Does the city have to pay the fire marshal,” Snipes said that it does not, and Brock inquired, “What’s the holdup?” He then asked if the lack of investigation or not determining the cause would affect the individual citizen’s insurance rates and Snipes explained that there are other elements that affect those rates but not whether a cause was determined on a particular fire.
At that point, Woods asked if the city has its own fire investigators like other municipalities and Snipes responded that there are three firefighters trained to do investigations. “Are you utilizing their services,” Brock asked, and Snipes indicated that he was, “Must not be, you said you don’t have reports,” Brock asserted. Snipes then asked Brock if the board would like to start receiving the reports, “I think that would be helpful to us,” Brock said.
Snipes reported a total of 169 fire calls for the year and several fire extinguishers installed with a waiting list of approximately 15 homes still needing the safety devices.
In other business the board,
Queried several entries on the claims docket before approving all but one item related to the cost of the bonds, that was held to the next meeting to get more information.
Raised other questions related to police uniform costs, monies expended for city vehicles, utility costs, fees to be paid to the new process server and Alderman Marvin Elder questioned an expenditure for a tranquilizer gun and supplies which raised questions of how many such weapons the city owns, how and where are they stored, who has access to them and who is certified to use them? “That’s a good question,” said Rosenthal. Elizabeth Elmore, shelter director said she would find out.
Woods then raised the questions of costs for euthanization and why Mississippi State was no longer providing the service for lower costs. After additional questions by Alderman Darrell Simpson, an enlightenment by Attorney Gary Austin and a brief discussion, Elder suggested that the issue be revisited.
Approved the acceptance of a donation from S&K Beauty Supply, Snipes asked if the donation could be used for the department’s kid’s summer program, but Woods suggested using the funds to purchase smoke detectors for those on the waiting list instead.
Voted to hire two firefighters presented for consideration contingent upon them completing the fire academy. One candidate has attempted the academy before but failed a portion and would be paying his own fees this time.
Heard and received departmental reports from public works and the cemetery departments.
Heard and received the departmental report from Chief Edrick Hall, who reported a combined total of 2,211 calls, 134 arrests, 78 felony cases, 17 felony arrests and eight pending felony warrants with seven refusing to prosecute, for the months of November and December and a total of 15,008 calls and four homicides for 2017 with all homicides solved. In addition, Hall explained the crime by zone breakdown for the newbies.
Approved several officers and dispatchers to travel for training purposes, but not before questioning if any of the expenses were reimbursed to the city.
Accepted a $1,500 donation from Walmart for the Shop With a Cop program. The donation was received late, but according to Hall five children from the SCCSD have been selected as recipients.
Accepted a lone bid of $3,751 from Wade Inc., for a 15-foot by 500-foot piece of property that runs behind their showroom on the north side. The board had voted to abandon the spot at a previous meeting and take bids.
Approved paying $1,070 to Gardner Engineering to provide an estimate of the cost to repair drainage situations on Battle Street.
Accepted the estimate for the airport improvement grant.
