A trucking school wants to open up a new location in Duck Hill, and their broker came to the board to see what they could do or not do. That led to a discussion of Duck Hill’s privilege license and the steps needed to open a business in the town.
Jada Green said she’s a broker for KLLM Trucking, and she said after speaking with them, they’re looking to place a school in Duck Hill.
“They want to even name it after Duck Hill,” she said. Green said she told them she thought she might have had to come before the board for a business license. City Clerk LaSonja Sizemore said they don’t have to. They just have to pay the privilege license fee of $30 and file with the state.
“They would have to do something with the state and the county right?” Mayor Al White said.
“Yes, because they have to pay state and county fees,” she said.
After Green left, Alderwoman Lula Brown wanted to make sure she clarified.
“So, just for my clarification, if I want to put a business here all you have to do is pay $30?” Brown asked.
“Yes ma’am. Now, if you want to sell alcohol, there are a few more hoops you have to jump through. But, if you want to sell food or open up a business, you just have to come up here [to city hall] and fill out the application and pay the fee,” Sizemore said.
Also, Alderwoman Shernell Everett asked why the police department didn’t answer the cell phone when calls come through.
“It can be a life or death situation, and won’t nobody answer the phone,” she said. Everett said there was a situation where three people broke into her home along with several others. She said she called the police department number, and no one answered.
Police Chief Tyler Winter said they would prefer if residents would call 911. “When you call 911, the line is recorded,” he said. Winter said the recorded line helps with prosecution as opposed to someone calling the duty phone. He said sometimes it’s dead, sometimes they’re not on duty. But, if anything happens, he’s the first person that the Montgomery County Emergency Operations Center call.
Everett also complained because Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies are the ones who respond. Winter said when the incident happened, there was no one on duty. He said it happened around 2 to 3 a.m., and Duck Hill doesn’t have an officer on duty at that time.
He said, and has stated numerous times, that he doesn’t have it in his budget to keep an officer around the clock. And he won’t be able to afford it unless the board increases his budget.
White asked about any upcoming grants. Winter said he’s trying for new grants and he just submitted a grant for equipment. He said the COPS grant that current officer Tim Gholston works on, is up for submission this year also. Winter said this year, it’s different. He said this year, the grant will pay up to three years, and the town would have to pay the fourth year.
In an update on the Michael Ringold case, Winter said they’re still awaiting the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. He said they’re working, but they’re behind on cases also.
“It’s just a waiting game,” he said.
