By Jeremy Pittari, Item Staff Writer
The Picayune Item
PICAYUNE —
A local developer asked the council to reconsider a recently approved ordinance that would allow the city to charge multiple minimum usage fees for commercial and residential buildings with more than one unit, but served by one water meter.
The ordinance will go into effect on July 1, and has been published in the paper, said city attorney Nathan Farmer, but local developer Richard Teague stood before the council at Tuesday’s meeting to ask them to reconsider. Teague said he has a shopping center with seven units in it, for which he is now billed only $50 a month for water and sewage. With the change, he expects to have to pay more than $300 a month.
He suggested the city consider grandfathering in all the existing structures in the city, or possibly reducing charges for minimum usage.
The ordinance will allow the city to collect minimum usage fees for buildings with only one water meter but have more than one family or business in the building. In the past developers or owners of such buildings were charged only one minimum usage bill, instead of being charged for usage in each of the units. This ordinance will change all that.
City Clerk Priscilla Daniel said she polled other city clerks in the state to see how they are handling the issue. So far she has received only two responses, but both say they are handling the situation in a similar manner.
Council members Wayne Gouguet and Todd Lane said that some changes could be made to the ordinance, such as possibly reducing charges or considering vacancies, respectively.
However, the city attorney said the ordinance has already been published in the paper and unless the council holds a special meeting or decides to amend itor put in a moratorium on the ordinance, it will go into effect on July 1. Otherwise, Farmer said, the council could revisit the matter at the first council meeting in July.
The council did not make a decision either way in open session.
Earlier in the meeting Picayune Police Chief Jim Luke tdiscussed a few things going on in city law enforcement. He gave a short description of two programs that will begin soon, the Citizens Police Academy and Citizens on Patrol. He said each of the programs will give local residents an opportunity to see first hand the tough decisions officers make in their day-to-day jobs.
Luke also took a moment to recognize Patrol Officer Ettienne Mixon, who caught a suspected bank robber wanted in three states. After commending Mixon for his hard work, the department showed the dash cam video from Mixon’s patrol car.
In the video, Mixon could be seen conducting a traffic stop on the suspect’s vehicle. After Mixon asked what the man’s business was in the city, the suspect could be heard saying he was looking for a restroom. Then the suspect sped off.
Mixon jumped in his car and pursued the vehicle, which was heading out of town along Sycamore Road in the wrong lane. Once the vehicle reached the curve where Stegall Road meets Sycamore Road ,the suspect hit the brakes. Red lights could be seen on the rear of the suspect’s vehicle before it slid into the ditch, struck a culvert and spun several times in the air like a top. The vehicle came to rest in the road.
The video was stopped shortly after Mixon got out his car and radioed for assistance and asked the suspect to show his hands. The suspect, Terrance James Hardy, was later taken into custody and is being held in jail in Hattiesburg where he will face charges for a robbery, Luke said. Luke said Hardy suffered only minor injuries in the accident.
Some changes have been taking place at the local animal shelter. Not only is the shelter looking to add some more work space, but the building has a new outside cat playpen. Maria Diamond said the cat playpen not only allows the cats to get some time outdoors, but is instrumental in reducing upper respiratory infections.
With so much renovation work taking place on the building, SPCA Secretary Treasurer Bettie Cashion said the focus has shifted from looking for a new building to renovating the existing location. To do that the SPCA will attempt to renew the license that allows the shelter to hold bingo nights in Hattiesburg. If the license is renewed, it could mean about $10,000 a month in revenue for the shelter. No action from the council was requested on the discussion.
After some problems at the Blue Moon Trailer park on Peach Street, the city has made a change in its water ordinance dealing with service cut off notices. Previously, residents in the trailer park lost water service when the owner of the park failed to pay the bill. However the residents were not warned of the impending service termination. Several of the residents in the park became irate, since they said they paid their bill to the park owner.
The city attorney said a proposed ordinance change will allow utility customers that do not pay their bill directly a chance to sign up for service termination notification. Farmer said previously only the bill payer was notified if utility service was to be terminated, but now renters can sign up at city hall so they too will be notified.
The council went into executive session to discuss personnel and economic development matters. Decisions on those matters were not available at press time Tuesday.
In other business the council;
— Approved a motion for the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors to secure right of way from the city for the construction of a road from Sycamore Road to the new Highland Community Hospital. City Engineer Brooks Wallace said the right of way involved was small and involved a section of existing road near Sycamore Road.
— Decided to get in touch with the party or parties responsible for the Made in USA parade scheduled for July 4, to work out scheduling details.
— Approved moving forward with the sale of the former Arizona Chemicals building which is currently serving as city hall. The motion was to authorize negotiations concerning the lease or sale of the property. Mayor Ed Pinero Jr. said while there have been no formal offers, there has been some verbal interest in the property.
The next scheduled meeting of the council will be at 5 p.m. July 6.
