WINONA – The Board of Aldermen has tapped Adam Kirk to be the next city attorney.
Kirk, of Grenada, will fill the position vacated by longtime city attorney, Ray Baum, who has served the city for 21 years.
The board has been mulling over candidates for the past two weeks, and the decision to appoint Kirk came after an Alderman Travis Johnson motion. The measure passed three to two with Aldermen David Ware and Alderman Mickey Austin casting the dissenting votes.
Kirk was “highly recommended” by Baum, who will also fill Baum’s vacancy as the city attorney for the Town of Duck Hill.
“He spends a lot of time in Montgomery County,” Baum said.
Alderman Kelvin Winbush said he felt Kirk was the right candidate because “I prefer someone closer to home.”
Tuesday’s meeting of the Winona Mayor and Board of Aldermen was Baum’s last in his 21 years with the city.
“Thank you for allowing me to be the city attorney,” Baum told the board. “The city is very fortunate to have Mayor Flowers and some excellent board members.”
Baum commended the city’s department heads and personnel for always working hard for the citizens of Winona.
“I saw all they do, and I saw how hard they work,” Baum said. “It has been a pleasure to work with all of you.”
In other city business:
• Winona-Montgomery Public Library’s Wendy Rushing gave her bi-annual report of the library’s business.
• Flowers asked Rushing if it was possible to construct a shadow box in the library’s lobby to display memorabilia of Astronaut Donald Peterson, a Winona native. She said there was plenty of room. Flowers said he would have Street Superintendent Tony Palmertree work to create something.
• The board authorized advertising for open positions at the Winona Water Department.
• Flowers said the city plans to have an Economic Impact Study done on the Winona Recreational Park and the Montgomery County Coliseum.
• The board granted the promotions of Oliver Hughes, Cordarius Gholston, and Orlando Bolden from patrolman to corporal at Chief Tommy Bibbs’ recommendation.
• Bibbs informed the board that the Winona Police Department will soon be trained on responding to complaints involving the mentally ill.
• The board accepted a bid of $4,500 for fencing to surround the City Barn to prevent people from dumping garbage all around the grounds. In addition, cameras will be installed to enforce the city’s litter ordinances.
• Code enforcement officer Arlin Pearson encouraged citizens to bag their leaves instead of piling them up along the street. In time, the leaves will not only affect the integrity of the street but it will affect the city’s drainage of wastewater.
• The board voted to accept a $45,650 bid to purchase a hydro-excavation trailer for the street and water departments.
• The board voted to pay attorney fees for the city’s general obligation bonds. The board voted 4 to 1, with Ware casting the dissenting vote.
