Starkville Aldermen found themselves in the middle of several controversial matters at their regular recess meeting on Tuesday. The board heard early in the meeting from Beatrice Henry, a lifelong Starkville resident, about problems with sewage service at her residence.
“I was annexed into the city in 1985. I was promised (sewer lines) within five years. I was promised sewage service again in July. I still don’t have it. It’s backing up behind my house. All the other people that live around me, that aren’t lifelong residents-they have it.”
Mayor Mack Rutledge and Ward 5 Alderman Virgil Bolin both posed questions to city engineer Bill Webb about the situation.
“We were working with the housing authority,” Webb said, “but previously discussed options simply aren’t feasible.” Webb also said that the city will attempt to run lines from new housing development to the west of Henry’s property, with the summer of 2003 being the earliest she may see any work done.
Aldermen also heard from David Thornell, CEO of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, in a second attempt to get the board’s approval of the Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority (OCEDA) budget. The board refused to act on the budget in its previous meeting, citing a need for additional information.
Thornell’s presentation showed that a previously reported $109,000 deficit was covered by more than $300,000 in OCEDA surplus funds. He also reported
that the partnership has almost completed its relocation to the OCEDA office building in the Mississippi Research and Technology Park and will have an open house in the coming weeks.
Thornell added that the partnership, which includes OCEDA, the Starkville Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Starkville Area Chamber of Commerce, is working with two aviation-related new business prospects. He said one of the companies looking to relocate to Starkville is a Canadian steel fabrication company.
“The business incubator is full,” Thornell said.
Alderman-at-Large Vic Zitta refused to accept Thornell’s report and the
OCEDA budget. “I find it difficult to approve a budget that looks at deficit
spending,” Zitta said. “I asked…where that money is going to come from
without much positive response.”
Zitta also asked Thornell if the partnership was paying rent for the use of the OCEDA building and if the partnership would show how it spends public money.
“We are paying for the renovations to the (OCEDA) building,” Thornell said.
“We are paying to make it more presentable. Every dollar will be reported.
(Our)…budget is available. Anyone can request it.”
Reminding Thornell of his displeasure about the recent firings of former OCEDA Executive Director John Rucker and Research Park Manager Audrey Scales, Zitta said, “I’ll do anything for your success, but I didn’t know it
would cost my friends being fired. I have some real problems with that.”
Ward 2 Alderman Frank Davis asked Thornell about the “new direction” the
partnership was moving in.
Thornell said the firings of Rucker and Scales resulted from an opinion by
Mississippi Attorney Mike Moore that said law did not require the positions,
and that the work would be handled by other staff in the future.
“The new direction is really a forward direction that’s coming about from
the partnership…and discussions held in this community for years,” Thornell said. “There will be more dollars spent on marketing Starkville.”
The board approved Thornell’s report and the OCEDA budget 6-1. Zitta voted “present” because of “strong reservations.”
Aldermen went on to appoint Mississippi State University Business Law
instructor Gloria Liddell to the city’s planning and zoning commission.
Liddell was selected after two rounds of secret balloting. She will fill an unexpired term until June 2003. More controversy came before the board when Starkville Police Chief David Lindley requested authorization to adjust the hours and pay for one police officer and two communications supervisors. Lindley said, “the salary increases can be covered by the salary budget line item.”
Lindley explained that with the shifting of 911 duties to the county, he
wanted to “reclassify” the work of the communications supervisors.
Starkville City Clerk Vivian Collier responded to the chief’s request with
an accusation. “So you’re budget was padded, then,” Collier said.
“No, ma’am,” Lindley said. “I do not pad my budgets. In my 28 years of
service, we have never been at full strength in the police department…. What I’ve tried to do is get the most out of my existing personnel. It would have
been easier to ask for new positions out of hard money. I simply don’t have
enough staff.”
Ward 3 Alderman P.C. McLaurin praised the chief’s work. “Anytime we can reduce the city’s force through cross training, I’m all in favor of that.”
The board approved Lindley’s request unanimously.
In other business, Aldermen approved a new interlocal agreement between the city, Oktibbeha county, and MSU for joint use of warning sirens. Rutledge reported that a new draft had been agreed upon by each of the entities that
gave all three the power to activate the system.
“There is one sound for severe weather…that familiar wail…and another for non-weather emergencies,” Rutledge said. “It is essential for the system they be activated several times a year.” The mayor also said that the system will be tested on the first Tuesday of each month.