Over the past few years, there have reportedly been several contributing factors as to why the city's audit and financial reports have not been kept up to date; however, on Monday night the city leaders were finally presented with a report for the 2016- 2017 fiscal year.
The city lawmakers had engaged Brown, Ewing and Co., P. A., back in the fall of 2019, under former city clerk LaShonda Moore. The report had been delayed by the onset of COVID-19 and is just now being presented.
The results from that year, apparently reflect that the city was in good shape.
"I'm excited to see that there is no fine, so I take that means our policies and procedures and safety measures were all pretty much in place," Rosenthal said.
He then asked auditor David Ewing what his "general feeling" was regarding the audit report.
Ewing described several things that he felt would benefit the city in the future.
There were reportedly some minor corrections to be made in the report, so final approval will not come until those corrections are made and the board meets again later in the month.
The audit company has reportedly already begun work on the 2018 audit and still have the 2019 and the 2020 reports to complete.
Additionally, the city lawmakers approved a $35,000 outlay to Sunflower Humphreys County Progress Incorporated to match funds for a South Delta Planning and Development District Community Service Block Grant and a Mississippi Department of Transportation grant.
SHCPI CEO Monica Hope made the request, Ward 4 Alderman Marvin Elder made the motion to approve and after a clarification from City Attorney Kimberly Merchant that the motion must stipulate that the request qualifies as a social and economic community service program, the measure passed 4-0.
Ward 1 Alderman Gary Fratesi was not present at that time.
In response to an agenda item regarding recent water bills and why those bills showed an increase, City Clerk Kaneilia Williams explained, "An employee in the water department made a mistake on the bills. Since then, the bills have been corrected and it has been adjusted and that has been applied to the new bills that was printed on Friday and those bills have since gone to the post office."
Ward 5 Alderman Sam Brock, who had apparently placed the item on the agenda, asked if the citizens would receive some type of notification explaining that the issue had been handled and Williams affirmed that they would.
The aldermen also approved several HUD home project contracts regarding lead abatement, asbestos abatement and legal services.
They also approved a pay request to Double S Construction Incorporated in the amount of $641,279.46 for the 2020 MDOT project and an engineer's estimate to Gardner Engineering in the amount of $41,809.30 for the same project.
The city lawmakers were introduced to two noise-related ordinances on Monday night. The approval procedure requires that the aldermen review the ordinances and vote on whether or not to adopt them at their next meeting.
Attorney Merchant said that due to some of the terminology used in the ordinances, she would have to consult with city inspector Elvis Pernell to clarify the meanings.
The proposed laws were loosely based on laws adopted in another municipality and Merchant added that some of the provisions of the enforcement section might also have to be clarified. In addition, she mentioned the fee assessment for special condition permits and noise perimeter limitations.
Once the aldermen have had opportunity to review the document, satisfy any questions, make revisions and vote it into existence, it must be published in the local newspaper and after 30 days it can be officially adopted. "Our current ordinance does not make an offense for loud motorcycles and loud cars, this does," said Rosenthal.
In addition to the noise ordinance Merchant said the police chief had also given her an ordinance on drag racing and she has to clearly define what is considered racing. "Seeing and proving that somebody is racing" may be difficult, Merchant said.
Several other items that had reportedly been placed on the agenda by Fratesi had to be rescheduled because he was not present for the first hour and a half of the meeting.
