During Tuesday’s meeting, the Board of Aldermen made the decision to close the lobby to Poplarville City Hall, but the public can conduct business via the drive thru window until further notice. The closure is due to COVID-19 protocols.

Also during the meeting, the Board heard from Mary Alexander, who represents First United Methodist Church in Poplarville. She has requested authorization to conduct a Touch-A-Truck event at the railroad park located behind the Town Green, on Oct. 9 2021. Her event will be held in conjunction with the Second Annual Sweet Mississippi Tea Festival. Alexander requests the presences of a city fire truck, police car and ambulance at the festival. Each vehicle will be manned by its officers. The vehicles will be in position to be deployed if needed. There will be a donation box and sign in at the entrance of the park. All donations will go towards the church’s mission center. The Board approved her request.

In other business, city attorney Gregory P. Holcomb is still reviewing a proposed ordinance that would allow operation of golf carts and other low speed vehicles on certain public roads. The results from the review will be presented at the next Board meeting.

Public Works Superintendent Sam Hale provided an overview list of recent work that needs to be done in the city. The list included city maintenance, roads that need to be paved and recent water leaks. The Board will review his request and rank the items from most important to least before the list is presented at the next Board meeting.

Travel authorization was approved for the mayor and two members of the Board of Aldermen to attend the Mississippi Rural Water Association training. The cost will be $115 per official.

 

Board also approved to have the city attorney investigate, with the police chief, the marking of publicly owned or leased vehicles. The police department currently has three unmarked vehicles. It’s cheaper to have the cars unmarked and also allows the officers to conduct surveillance and enforce traffic laws.

Soon Poplarville residents and Pearl River Community college students will have affordable housing options when a new residential area is completed. Since April, Poplarville developer Glennis Neal has developed a residential housing unit for six single-family homes. Poplarville’s Planning Commission recommended his request be accepted. Neal has subdivided property located at 500 Highway 26 East where the units will be built. The total cost for this project is about $800,000. Once final planning is approved by utility companies and other agencies, construction will begin and is expected to be complete six months after the work begins. The housing units are said to be affordable to Poplarville residents for rent or buy.

In other business, the Board:

— Approved hiring Tahniqua T. Netterville as a part-time police officer.