Monday evening’s Town of Duck Hill Board of Aldermen meeting caused a bit of a stir among residents. With the meeting room overflowing, citizens of Duck Hill had a lot to say.
After approving the Docket Claims and the previous meeting’s minutes, Police Chief Tyler Winters began new business by resigning his position after recently being hired as the new Chief of Police for the Grenada campus of Holmes Community College.
“I thought I could work both jobs full-time, but I’m not going to be able to,” Winter said.
The Board accepted Winters’ resignation and approved to appoint Tim Goldston as interim chief.
The Board also heard from citizen Kimberly Cooley on multiple issues. She asked for an update on the code enforcement of the dilapidated buildings mentioned in last month’s meeting, but the response from the Board was unable to give a direct answer.
Cooley then asked for an update on the water issues the town has been facing. Since 2022, Duck Hill has been having recurring issues of high chlorine levels in the town’s water supply. Residents have complained of the smell and that the water has been ruining their clothes by discoloration.
“We’ve hired a new water person and she has checked on it,” Mayor Al White said. “She’s run samples and got an extension in regard to some reports she needs to get in. I haven’t been told that there was still a chlorine smell.”
Cooley also asked for reimbursement on clothing items that were ruined from the water, which totaled $114.12. However, the Board voted to only reimburse half of this amount, which came out to be $57.06.
Lastly, Cooley complained to the Board about individuals that are mentally challenged “wandering around the town,” which she believes causes a safety issue for citizens. She was informed that the town cannot intervene regarding this issue.
In other business, the Board,
• Received a progress report from a representative from the American Red Cross on both stocking a closet in the school’s gymnasium with disaster preparedness supplies as well as installing fire alarms in residents’ homes. The representative also mentioned hopes of getting carbon monoxide alarms installed.
• Heard a plea from Maxine Ringold regarding the case of Michael Ringold’s murder.
“I ain’t got no autopsy, I ain’t got nothing,” she said.
Chief Winters was not able to give Ringold an update on the investigation.
• Heard requests from two citizens including Everline Bell about installing new streetlights near their homes.
“They’ve [trespassers] been sitting in chairs in my yard,” Bell said regarding how dark it is without a streetlight near her home.
• Heard a proposal from Mayor White to have the town apply for a new strategic grant and approved the proposal to apply for it.
• Heard an update regarding the natural gas situation from Attorney Adam Kirk. They have begun the process to find a new source for their “supplemental supply” of gas for the town. Per their November meeting, the town has received a letter from Atmos Energy stating that the company will no longer be able to provide them with gas from their overflow supply.
Kirk has started the process of searching for a new source by contacting a place in Texas where the source company of their current source is located. He said that he has not received a concrete answer.
