Comprehensive Plan
A comprehensive plan is in the works to guide Starkville’s growth and development for the next 25 years.
This plan, first started by interim city planner Shelly Johnstone and continued by our current interim city planner George Rummel, outlines a series of recommendations on how the city can grow. Some examples include recommendations to hire a long term city planner, to more strictly enforce city ordinances and to require that sidewalks be incorporated in all new development.
This plan will be voted on by the Board of Aldermen and if approved, will then be used as a template for establishing a series of new ordinances. While the comprehensive plan provides recommendations, new city ordinances will provide the local laws that will make that plan come to pass. The board is set to hear the final draft and vote on the plan at the Oct. 18 meeting. The plan can be downloaded and viewed at the city’s Web site: http://www.cityofstarkville.org/. Scroll down and click the link that says “Draft Comprehensive Plan 2005-2006.”
Justice Complex
Work is still being done on drafting a plan for the downtown location of the justice complex. This complex will include a new electric department as well as a police station and municipal court. One of the nice features will be a drive-through location for citizens to pay their electric bill without having to leave their car. Shafer & Associates is the architecture firm working on the plans. The firm will be giving additional presentations before the board as time goes on.
Poplarville
The entire board approved adopting the city of Poplarville in helping with Hurricane Katrina relief. The city received quite a bit of damage, as its sole fire station was destroyed as well as its police station being flooded. The help will come in the form of collections of goods around town as well as sending volunteers to assist with cleanup.
Currently, Poplarville’s fire chief is working on a needs assessment that will outline the specific needs of the city. Once this is completed, the assessment will then be publicly announced so that citizens may contribute as they see fit.
New Appreciation Day
Due to its tireless help in the face of recent events, the city decided to declare Sept. 23 as Red Cross Volunteer Appreciation Day. Those of us who work for the city wish to personally thank each and every volunteer for their work in times of need.
City Fire Rating
The Rating Bureau in Mississippi assigns to each city a rating based on their fire protection and response. This rating ranges from 1 to 10 and currently Starkville is at a class 5. Plans are in the works to improve fire protection where the city can obtain a class 4 rating. This change will result in lower fire insurance rates, mostly for commercial and industrial businesses. To achieve this rating, the city still needs to build a fire training facility, some additional hydrants and a new aerial apparatus.