WINONA – The Winona Board of Aldermen appointed a new board member to the Winona-Montgomery Consolidated School Board of Trustees at their Tuesday night meeting.
Tim Privitt will fill the seat vacated by longtime member Mark Middleton after a 3-2 vote. With an Alderman David Ware motion and an Alderman Travis Johnson second, the board passed the measure with Alderman Kelvin Winbush and Alderwoman Sarah Minnieweather casting the dissenting votes.
Prior to the vote, Winbush motioned for the board to appoint Nora Dunn, with a Minnieweather second, but the measure ended with a 2-3 vote, with Ware, Johnson, and Alderman Mickey Austin casting the dissenting votes.
Minnieweather asked the board about the Winona-Montgomery Consolidated School District’s policy on advertising vacant seats on the board. Mayor Jerry Flowers told her there was no policy, but the information did appear in a story in the Winona Times.
“Should we have something in place for that? An advertising policy?” Minnieweather asked.
Flowers said the school district submits two names for the board to consider for nominations, and that is what they did this time. A policy would be up the school district, not the city, according to Flowers.
In other city business:
• The city was awarded a grant by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to make infrastructure repairs to areas that were damaged during fall storms. According to Flowers, the money will reimburse the city for repairs to a drainage ditch on New Hope Road Extended, Stafford Wells Road near the bridge, a low-lying area on Mortimer Street, and a culvert installation on Old Highway 51. The grant funded 75 percent of the projects, with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency funding an additional 12.5 percent.
• The board voted to hire two current volunteer firemen at the Winona Fire Department to be part-time firefighters. The board hired Robbie Roberts and David Seals, both certified firefighters, at the recommendation of Fire Chief Brad Mooneyham.
• Winona Park Director Mike Narmour informed the board that the turf installation on four baseball fields at Winona Recreational Park is nearly complete. Narmour predicted the job would be finished next week, weather permitting.
“It is a beautiful facility, especially compared to how it looked 10 years ago,” Narmour said.
The first tournament of the 2020 season is scheduled for February 29, and Narmour said 40 teams have already signed up to compete.
• The board okayed Chief of Police Tommy Bibbs to apply for a $109,000, three-year grant from COPS. Bibbs said the money will likely be used to buy new patrol vehicles.
• Bibbs also announced that a Coffee With Cops, a breakfast allowing citizens to meet local law enforcement, will be held on February 19, 2020, from 7 a.m. until 8 a.m. at Honest Abe’s Donuts in Winona. Bibbs said officers from the Winona Police Department, deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, deputies from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department, Constable L.C. Smith, and Constable Jerry Dale Bridges will be on hand to speak with citizens and address their concerns.
• Bibbs told the board that he is planning on instituting a Citizens Police Academy and a Youth Explorer Scout program at the Winona Police Department.
• Animal Control Officer Arlin Pearson informed the board that he has collected $25 in adoption fees and $300 in ordinance violations in January.
• The board authorized the city to pursue a survey on property to install a water pumping station.
• The board approved a resolution in support of a federal holiday for Native American Indians.
• The board gave their verbal support in the creation of a Delta Sigma Theta Chapter in Winona, an organization that assists citizens of all ages, especially children and the elderly, according to Minnieweather.
• Minnieweather presented entry information in the HGTV “Hometown Makeover” contest for the City of Winona. One lucky city will be selected to get a facelift by Ben and Erin Napier, stars of “Home Town.” Flowers said he would oversee the city’s entry into the contest.
