A park received a new moniker, two members of Picayune’s City Council were approved to take a trip to Washington D.C. and a request for alcohol licenses was denied at Tuesday’s meeting.
To kick the meeting off the council approved a motion to proclaim April as Paint the Town Purple Month in recognition of Relay for Life.
During the meeting council members approved a motion to name the park on East Canal Street the Leola Jordan Park.
Jordan was the victim of a long-standing cold case. In June of 1998 investigators with the Picayune Police Department were called to Jordan’s home, where it was discovered she was the victim of murder. Investigation into the case has not yet led to the arrest of a suspect, but a reward is still being offered for information that would change that.
On Tuesday, the council approved the motion name the park after her.
Council member Lynn Bogan Bumpers took a moment to share the impact Jordan had on her life.
“This lady here always taught us the value of coming to church,” Bumpers said.
Two members of the council will head to the nation’s capital from April 15-17. While there, Bumpers and council member Larry Breland will share the need for funding to conduct phase III of the Memorial Boulevard overlay project, conduct the Ridge Road project, and conduct upgrades to the city’s water and waste water systems.
In a separate matter, the council approved a motion to move the precinct two polling place from the Criminal Justice Center on Main Street to the Central Fire Station on South Loftin Avenue. Bumpers said she feels more people in that precinct will vote at the fire station as opposed to the police station. She did not elaborate.
A request by a business named “The Plantation” to sell beer and light wine and alcoholic beverages with an alcoholic content greater than 5 percent was denied by the council. Apparently, the business, located at 217 South Curran Ave., did not intend to sell food as required by the city’s alcohol ordinance, Planning and Zoning Director Diane Miller said. Miller said she contacted a business representative to acquire their plans to sell food, but the response was that there were no plans to sell food. Miller said without food sales, the business would have essentially been classified as a lounge. The establishment of new lounges has been restricted by the city’s alcohol ordinance. City Attorney Nathan Farmer said there are a couple of lounges in the city, but those were grandfathered in when the ordinance was adopted.
During the citizen’s concerns portion of the meeting, Rev. John Goss addressed the council about some work that took place at Ben Taylor Park, located on Neal Road. Goss said he collected donations for the construction of a couple of small pavilions at the park, but when the slabs were being poured city officials halted construction.
Mayor Ed Pinero said no one is in trouble, but asked Goss to address future plans with the city manager before moving forward with projects so they can be managed by the right city employee.
Goss said he addressed the council about the need for further development at the park three years ago, but has seen no action. Goss said during that meeting three years ago the council promised a walking track, junior basketball court and other work would be conducted, Goss said.
“They say it’s going to be done, but when?” Goss said.
The next council meeting will be at 5 p.m. on April 7.