Tuesday, the Poplarville Board of Aldermen accepted local contractor Keith Lott’s bid of $17,650 to conduct repairs to the building located at 101 N. Main Street.
Late last year, city building and code enforcement officials discovered a termite infestation. The building is home to the Poplarville Chamber of Commerce and the Poplarville Historical Preservation Society’s museum.
Poplarville Historical Preservation Society Joan Bassett approached the board Tuesday with an idea to help the city restore and repair historical structures in town.
Schools, churches and the courthouse are considered landmarks, she said. Buildings of any kind can be listed on the National Historic Registry.
Bassett suggested the board meet with William Gatlin from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History to explore their options.
“The more buildings we have on the registry, the more tourists we can attract to our area,” Bassett said. “They also help the city acquire finances for different things.”
In other action the board:
• Accepted the resignation of Poplarville Police Department Captain Rossie Creel, which will be effective at the close of business on March 18. The board also acknowledged Police Chief Butch Raby’s decision to promote patrolman Christopher Netto to captain.
“I’ve known Chris for a long time and he’s worked for the Poplarville department for about 11 years faithfully,” Raby said. “He’s going to do a good job. He will have to learn different things, but he wants it and accepted it.”
• Heard from Pearl River County District III Supervisor Hudson Holliday about the status of a well owned by the city located on Michigan Street. Poplarville Public Works Director Sam Hale told the board there is a 25,000-gallon concrete reservoir, which presents a real safety hazard. The property also needs to be cleaned, Holliday said. Holliday suggested the board advertise for the sale of the property and specify that the buyer has about 30 to 60 days to clean the property at the buyer’s expense, then assess a certain penalty if the area is not cleaned in time. The board took no action, but City Attorney Nick Thompson said he would research the legalities of the proposal.
• Holliday also told the board of his desire to see an economic development program designed to benefit the entire county. He asked the board to keep an open mind and put the idea on the front burner.
“If a company called and wanted to invest in this county, we have no one to see to it,” Holliday said. “We’ve got to have an entity working for all of us. We’re not prepared for success but we’ve got to be.”
• Authorized a payment of $11,986, which the city’s 2.5 percent share for the close out of the Poplarville – Pearl River County airport construction of the hangar and access taxiway.
• Engaged Thompson and his law firm, Copeland, Cook Taylor and Bush, PA, to represent the city’s interests in HL&C, Poplarville LLC versus Michele Angelo, Herbert Denard Power, Shelton Ezell Powe, Brenton Craig Dwayne Davis, Talisha Jacenta Davis, Lisa Otis Davis, Mark Bridgers, Dennis Lastrapes, Judy Graeber and d/b/a RGW, Inc. The complaint is to confirm tax title, Thompson said. HL&C filed to acquire a title, which was never redeemed, he added. The property was sold in a tax sale in 2009.
• Approved a motion to schedule a meeting with lawyer Lucien Bourgeois of Butler Snow at the recommendation of Thompson. Thompson said his firm does not handle bond issues, but Butler Snow attorneys do. The city is pursing bond issues for the purpose of repaving city streets.
The next aldermen meeting will be held on April 5 at 5 p.m. in the boardroom at City Hall.