WINONA – Chief of Police Tommy Bibbs presented the Winona Board of Aldermen the department’s plans for 2020 at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
Bibbs explained to the board the he and other members of the department’s administration met and discussed plans and goals for the new year. The focus for the year centers on training and increased community involvement.
“We want to make us more community-related,” Bibbs said. “We are also working to get National Accreditation which will also help you with grants and lawsuits.”
Bibbs said it would take the department about a year to earn a National Accreditation.
“We want to make the Winona Police Department an elite police department,” Bibbs said. “We want other departments around us to want to emulate us.”
Bibbs announced that Captain Dan Herod is planning to get re-certified as a firearm instructor, and he plans to acquire Homeland Security training with the intention of becoming a certified instructor as well to train officers and the people of Montgomery County in the event of an active shooter situation.
“Me, the mayor, and the [Winona-Montgomery Consolidated School District] have been in contact with Homeland Security for the last two years to get active shooter training for the community. We plan to send our people to be trained, and then they can train everyone in the county,” Bibbs said.
In other department business, Bibbs announced the retirement of Captain Calvin Robinson from the department, effective January 17.
He recommended the board hire Calvin “Dooney” Young to replace him as captain, and the board voted unanimously for the measure. Young has been in law enforcement since 1993. Most recently, he served as a deputy at the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department for the last 12 years.
In other city business:
• Mayor Jerry Flowers presented a thank you card to the board from the management at the new Burger King, which opened last month.
“We rarely have the privilege to work with a city that is as helpful as your great city of Winona,” wrote W. Walter Norman, vice president of Venture Construction, the general contractor of the restaurant.
Norman enclosed a check for $750 to “help you and your people” in Winona.
Flowers told the board, “I think we have the best employees in the state, and it is nice to hear it from someone else.”
• The board voted to hire Roleshia Gomiller as a laborer and Robert Beck as a maintenance operator at the Winona Water Department. They also promoted Robdasious Merritt to water technician, at the recommendation of Water Superintendent Frank Faulkner.
• New City Attorney Adam Kirk told the board that he “is honored to represent this board and the city” with the appointment. Kirk replaced longtime City Attorney Ray Baum, who retired at the end of 2019.
• The board voted to set a condemnation hearing for property located at 402 Academy for February 18.
• Winona Animal Control Officer Arlin Pearson told the board that he had already picked up two stray dogs that have become a nuisance to residents on Speedway Avenue. However, several residents in attendance said there are other dogs that are also causing problems. One resident is having problems having his mail delivered due to aggressive strays. Pearson said he is continuing to work to solve the problem.
• The city recently renovated three tennis courts located at the Winona Recreational Park at a cost of $15,000. The project included the courts washed, filled cracks, pavement resurfaced, painted, lines painted, and purchase and installation of new nets. The city used funds generated from its two percent tourism tax to make the improvements, as is specified by the Mississippi Legislature.
