The boardroom was full of Winona residents during last Thursday night’s rescheduled Board of Aldermen meeting.
The Feb. 8, meeting began with a public hearing discussing properties that are in the process of being condemned. Only one property owner was present at the meeting, Carl Smith. Smith’s property in located in Alderman Charles Harris’ Ward 4. Harris said that he would speak with City Attorney Adam Kirk about the code violations to the property at the next board meeting slated for Feb. 20, and Smith would have 30 days from then to correct the violations. A motion was made by Harris, Ward 1 Alderman Mickey Austin seconded. The vote was unanimous.
After the public hearing, the regular Board Meeting proceeded with the introduction of guests. There were several visitors on the agenda with Montgomery County Economic Development Board member Vicki Roberts-Ratliff first up. She informed the Aldermen that the city had been approved for a Mississippi Freedom Trail marker. The unveiling of this marker will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 8, at the bus station near State Farm.
Her next point of order was regarding a granite marker recognizing Fannie Lou Hamer Day in Winona that had been recently approved by the city. She presented a quote from Davidson Marble & Granite Works, Inc., in the amount of $3,598 for the design and installation. She added that it could take 9 to 12 months until the marker would be ready.
Roberts-Ratliff asked for clarification from Kirk regarding her ability to proceed with the quote, which would be funded from the tourism budget. Kirk responded, stating that if the expense is to be covered by tourism dollars, it is permissible. However, he emphasized that the ultimate decision lies with the Board.
Ward 5 Alderwoman Linda Purnell then made a motion to deny approving funds for anyone until the Board is provided with a budget.
“We haven’t seen a budget,” she said.
Mayor Aaron Dees mentioned that the tourism budget has been included in their packets previously, but Purnell said that she has not seen it.
The Board voted in favor of not proceeding with implementation of the marker.
Resident Stephanie Holmes was next on the agenda. She was in attendance seeking clarification regarding the rental policy for both the Community Center and the Community House. Holmes explained that on Jan. 5, she visited City Hall to initiate the rental process for the Community Center for an event on July 6. She highlighted conflicting information regarding the refund policy for the $100 deposit. Subsequently, she contacted Alderwoman Purnell, who expressed concerns about revisions to the policy without the Board’s approval.
Mayor Dees said that he contacted the Attorney General’s Office in Jackson and was informed that changes could be made without the Board’s approval as it fell under day-to-day operations. Alderwoman Purnell then mentioned that she, too, reached out to the AG’s office and was informed that they could not make changes like that, specifically because it involves financial matters.
Kirk then joined the conversation and mentioned that he would write a letter to the AG’s Office to seek clarification on the matter.
Calbrina Woods, director of Blessing For All Empowered by Faith, Inc., was the next speaker on the agenda. She started by expressing gratitude to the Board for its support over the past couple of years. Following that, she announced that in the previous year in Montgomery County, she and her team distributed nearly 300,000 pounds of food to our community, through various programs.
Next, Woods discussed the Warming Center her organization spearheaded in January during the winter storm. She noted that this initiative was a new addition to Montgomery County and considered it a tremendous success.
Following that, Woods sought assistance from the Board. Each month, she distributes food to senior citizens at the Community House, but the current location has led to traffic concerns with lines extending down the road and obstructing one lane. She requested recommendations from the Board for an alternative location to relocate the food distribution. Woods explained that she understands this issue may not be resolved immediately, and she does not expect it to be. However, she requested the Board to keep it in their considerations and, if possible, discuss it in a future Board meeting.
Lastly, Woods proceeded to give out thank you cards to the Board members, along with awards of appreciation presented to Alderman Harris, volunteer Jason Campbell, and District 3 Supervisor Willie Townsend.
After the award presentation, Alderwoman Purnell raised questions for Woods regarding the use of the Community House for the Warming Center. She inquired about the authority that granted permission for using the Community House for the center. Woods responded, stating that she followed a specific process involving the Mongomery County EMA and Mayor Dees.
“Did you pay for the Community House?” Purnell asked.
“No, I did not pay for the Community House,” Woods explained. “It was an emergency. I do understand that there has been talk. If we need to pay for it, I will gladly write you a check now.”
Alderwoman Purnell clarified that she was merely asking questions.
Resident Nicholas Martin presented a proposal titled “The Cold Weather Emergency Water Act” as the next agenda item, addressing the recent extreme cold weather.
He recommended that, during severe cold weather, such as the conditions experienced in January, Winona residents should receive a discount on their water bills due to the elevated rates caused by the need to keep faucets dripping to prevent freezing. Martin explored various options for funding these discounts.
Martin’s reasoning was based on the potential issues citizens face if they refrain from letting water run, specifically, the risk of burst pipes. Dealing with burst pipes not only results in excessive water bills, but also presents a considerable challenge for the city to address. On the other hand, if residents choose to let the water run to prevent pipe damage, they will incur higher water bills, though not as severe as the costs associated with pipe ruptures.
Following Martin’s presentation, the Board engaged in a discussion with him and Kirk. Mayor Dees stated that the Board would deliberate on the proposal, conduct further research, and explore potential solutions.
