A Recess Meeting of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Ocean Springs was called to order by Mayor Ainsworth at 6:00 p.m. on December 16, 2003, at City Hall in the City of Ocean Springs. Present were Aldermen Jalanivich, Lloyd, McDonnell, Cody, Carvin, Dalgo and Gill, City Attorney Oscar Jordan and Deputy City Clerk Diane Northrop.
Alderman Cody gave the Invocation.
Mayor Ainsworth led the Pledge of Allegiance.
At this time Mayor Ainsworth recognized Dr. Billy Walker of the Dept. of Marine Resources who presented the Mayor with a Tidelands Fund check in the amount of $122,388.33 for the Fort Bayou Fishing Bridge Project. Mayor Ainsworth also recognized Representatives Danny Guice and Hank Zuber, and Consultant Joe Gill who were present and had been instrumental in helping the City obtain approval and funding for the project.
Next, Gloria Skillestad of the Fort Maurepas Foundation introduced Consultant John Quarstein, who gave an oral presentation to the Board about possibilities for development of Fort Maurepas. Possibilities included making the fort a living history museum site by rebuilding it as it looked in 1699, creating a marsh trail to show what coastal Mississippi was like when the French came to Ocean Springs, creating an interpretive center (6,000-8,000 sq. ft.) that would have restrooms, admission, gift shop, interactive exhibits where people could learn about geography, history, natural science, etc. and would include films. He said that this type of dynamic project would take effort from the Board of Aldermen, volunteers, naturalists, educators and the Dept. of Marine Resources, and that it would give the City the platform to expand its tourism industry and educational resources.
City Clerk:
a) Approve Minutes of Regular Meeting of December 2, 2003
b) Accept Action Report
c) Pay Docket of Claims and spread docket summary upon the Minutes:
(Docket Summary)
Fire Dept.:
d) Place Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Williams on full-time exempt status and increase annual salary to $43,000.00:
(Williams probation memo)
City Engineer:
e) Approve Pay Request No. 5 from Caldwell Tanks ($34,141.50) regarding Contract A – New Elevated Water Tank, DWI-280035-02, and release payment upon receipt of DWSIRLF loan funds:
(Caldwell Invoice)
f) Approve Pay Request No. 3 (final) from M&D Construction ($4,028.94) regarding Evergreen Cemetery Retaining Wall:
(M&D Invoice)
Public Works:
g) Authorize Public Works Director to attend National Hurricane Conference in Orlando, FL, on April 5-9, 2004, prepay $300.00 registration fee and pay all other reasonable and actual expenses
h) Pay invoices from Compton Engineering regarding Government St. Widening ($4,785.00 – STP Grant), Hwy 90 Street Lighting ($2,597.50 – STP Grant), New Utility Lines – EPA reimbursement), and Water & Sewer System Model Analysis and Report ($4,495.00):
(Compton Invoices)
i) Pay invoice from Graham Construction Co., Inc. ($321.70 – retainage) regarding sewer rehab on Holcomb/Davidson:
(Graham Invoice)
j) Pay invoice from Graham Construction Co., Inc. ($219.20 – retainage) regarding sewer rehab on 112 Stennis:
(Graham Invoice)
k) Pay invoice from Graham Construction Co., Inc. ($638.60 – retainage) regarding sewer rehab on Davidson/Mincheck:
(Graham Invoice)
l) Pay invoice from Graham Construction Co., Inc. ($782.40 – retainage) regarding sewer rehab on Lift Station #13 (Bryant Circle):
(Graham Invoice)
Community Development & Planning:
m) Accept Building Report for October 2003
n) Accept Building Report for November 2003
o) Accept Bienville Place Homeowners Association landscaping and tree planting plan and authorize them to spend the $6,000.00 donated by Ed McMurtry:
(Bienville/McMurtry Letter)
p) Release payment of $2,378.00 to Joseph and Helen Gill for acquisition of easement at 3727 Quave Rd. regarding Davis Bayou Wastewater Improvement Project (CIAP Program):
(Gill Easement Letter)
q) Release payment of $2,868.00 to Donald and Mary E. Caillavet for acquisition of easement at 3701 Quave Rd. regarding Davis Bayou Wastewater Improvement Project (CIAP Program):
(Caillavet Easement Letter)
r) Pay invoices from Compton Engineering, P.A. totaling $1,312.50 regarding subdivision reviews:
(Compton Invoices)
s) Accept Historic Preservation Commission recommendations with regard to the following:
1. St. Alphonsus Catholic Church – COA at 502 Jackson Ave.:
(St. Alphonsus COA)
2. Chris and Susan Snyder – COA at 318 Jackson Ave.:
(Snyder COA)
3. Patrick Thompson – COA at 1310 Bowen Ave.:
(Thompson COA)
t) Accept Planning Commission recommendations with regard to the following:
1. Donald Scharr – grant approval for lot reconfiguration at 1226 Vermont Ave.:
(Scharr Documents)
2. Ocean Springs Land Co. – grant approval for lot reconfiguration at property north of Hwy 90 and 200 ft. east of Deena St.:
(Ocean Springs Land Co. Documents)
3. Louis Breland/Randy Wrigley – grant Preliminary Plat Approval to Waterford Village Phase I:
(Breland/Wrigley Documents)
City Attorney:
u) Pay City Attorney’s bill for November 2003 ($2,900.00)
v) Adopt Resolution of the City of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to Enter into Interlocal Governmental Agreement with Jackson County, Mississippi, for Construction of Fort Bayou Park:
(Fort Bayou Park Interlocal Agreement)
Miscellaneous:
w) Approve request of Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce for release of $30,000.00 Hotel/Motel/Bed & Breakfast Tax funds:
(Chamber Letter)
x) Allow all Elected Officials, Department Heads and City Attorney to attend MML Mid-Winter Legislative and Training Conference in Jackson on January 20-22, 2004, prepay registration fee and pay all other reasonable and actual expenses
y) Pay invoices from Delgado, Acosta & Wallace, P.L.L.C. totaling $4,987.39 for legal services regarding annexation:
(Annexation Invoice)
z) Pay invoice from John V. Quarstein ($3,000.00) for consultant services regarding Fort Maurepas Foundation:
(Quarstein Invoice)
aa) Approve contract with NovoPrint USA, Inc. ($950.00) for purchase of color ad in Jackson County map
bb) Accept Letter of Engagement from Piltz, Williams, LaRosa & Co. for municipal audit services and authorize Mayor to sign on behalf of City:
(Letter of Engagement – Piltz, Williams, LaRosa)
Items c, p, q, y, z, and aa were removed from the Consent Agenda for further consideration.
Motion by Jalanivich, seconded by Carvin, to approve the Consent Agenda, excluding items c, p, q, y, z, and aa.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
At this time consideration was given to item z of the Consent Agenda.
Motion by Gill, seconded by Carvin, to approve item z of the Consent Agenda.
VOTING AYE Aldermen McDonnell, Cody, Carvin, Dalgo and Gill
VOTING NAY Alderman Lloyd
VOTING ABSTAINED Alderman Jalanivich
Alderman Dalgo noted that Steve Robinson had announced that he would not seek reappointment to the Ocean Springs School Board of Trustees and said that he had personally received two requests for consideration for appointment in addition to the one received by the Board. He suggested a policy be established for appointments to the School Board.
Motion by Dalgo, seconded by Carvin, to adopt a policy regarding School Board appointments that would include, but not be limited to, a timeframe for considering candidates and that the Board set aside time either by a work session or special call meeting to introduce potential candidates to the public and allow the whole Board to interview them.
At this time discussion was held regarding the motion. Alderman Lloyd asked for clarification as to whether the interview process would be held publicly or in private. Alderman Dalgo said he did not know how the whole Board could convene and ask questions of potential candidates without it being public, so he asked that the interview process be made public. Mayor Ainsworth recommended that each Board member submit a list of questions and have a questionnaire prepared to distribute to potential candidates with a deadline for submission back to the Board. Alderman Dalgo said that was an alternative, but felt that public interaction was important and wanted the interviews held during a work session in a public forum. Alderman Lloyd disagreed that candidates should be interviewed publicly and have to go through public scrutiny. Alderman Gill said that he supported public interviews. Alderman McDonnell noted that department heads are not put through any kind of public interview process, that they are interviewed by the Board of Alderman and that the Board makes the selection. He said that the Police Chief’s job was every bit as important, if not more, than a school board member’s job is in terms of safety and welfare of citizens and the community. He felt that the misinformation and hard knocks the school district has taken in the last few months was unfair and was hurting the number one asset in the community, the school. He felt that the process currently in place works and wanted it made clear that the Board has not denied anyone an opportunity to interview for the position if they have wanted to interview. Alderman Jalanivich agreed with the opinions of Aldermen Lloyd and McDonnell.
After hearing all discussion on the motion, Mayor Ainsworth called the question, said vote being as follows.
VOTING AYE Aldermen Jalanivich, McDonnell, Cody, Carvin, Dalgo and Gill
VOTING NAY Alderman Lloyd
Mayor Ainsworth recommended that potential candidates write a letter to the Board of Alderman and include a resume.
Motion by Dalgo, seconded by Cody, that potential candidates for the School Board position submit a letter to the Board of Aldermen, along with a resume, and that no resumes be accepted after January 15, 2004.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
Mayor Ainsworth said that by the first meeting in January he would have a timeframe for the interview process somewhere in the 3rd or 4th week of January.
Motion by Dalgo, seconded by McDonnell, that any and all questions put to potential candidates will come from the Board.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
Dr. Joachim announced that Ocean Springs School Superintendent Anna Hurt had been selected and nominated as Co-Superintendent of the Year for the State of Mississippi and would represent Mississippi in February at the AASA Convention in San Francisco and vie with candidates from the other states in the United States.
Motion by Jalanivich, seconded by Carvin, to recess the Regular Session and convene as the full Zoning and Adjustment Board.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
Members of the Review Section Committee present were Angela Sanders and Charles Rivers. Richard Schmidt, Ashley Hendren and Danny Dubaz were absent.
(Jackson Documents)
Motion by Cody, seconded by Carvin, to accept the recommendation of the Review Section Committee to grant a 4 in. front yard variance and a 5 ft. rear yard variance to Shane Jackson at 703 Ward Ave.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
ABSENT AND NOT VOTING Members Schmidt, Hendren and Dubaz
Motion by Cody, seconded by Carvin, to adjourn as the full Zoning and Adjustment Board and resume the Regular Session.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
Motion by Cody, seconded by Gill, to ratify the actions of the full Zoning and Adjustment Board.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
Mayor Ainsworth left the meeting at this time and Mayor Pro Tem Danny Jalanivich assumed chair of the meeting. As Mayor Pro Tem Jalanivich assumed chair of the meeting, he did not vote on any of the following issues unless otherwise indicated.
At this time discussion was held regarding item c of the Consent Agenda. Mayor Pro Tem Jalanivich had requested that claim no. 111 from Fund 100 be removed from the docket of claims.
Motion by McDonnell, seconded by Carvin, to remove claim no. 111 under Fund 100 from the docket of claims.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
Motion by Carvin, seconded by Lloyd, to pay the remaining items on the docket of claims.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
At this time consideration was given to items p and q of the Consent Agenda.
Motion by Dalgo, seconded by Carvin, to approve items p and q of the Consent Agenda.
VOTING AYE Aldermen Lloyd, McDonnell, Cody, Carvin and Dalgo
VOTING NAY NONE
VOTING ABSTAINED Alderman Gill
(Brown Resignation)
Motion by Cody, seconded by Carvin, to accept the resignation of Lt. Mary Brown, effective January 2, 2003.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
Alderman McDonnell thanked and commended the firefighters that handled the fire at the Villa Maria and for how they kept the residents safe and calm, and how they got them back into their residences as quickly as possible. The Police Dept. was also commended.
The City Engineer was asked to check on the lighting situation at Shearwater Bridge. Mayor Pro Tem Jalanivich said that the Mayor had received a letter from Batson and Brown wanting to know what the City wanted to do about the railing. He felt that it was Batson and Brown’s responsibility for leaving the railing out of the specs and that they needed to install the railing. Alderman McDonnell noted that they had an invoice on the agenda for consideration. The Mayor Pro Tem said that it would be held over until the next meeting. Alderman Cody suggested getting a price on the railing in case the City had to pay for it. Public Works was to place brick barricades up on a temporary basis.
(Martin Fast, Jr. – Road Right-of-Way Clearing)
Mr. Fast was present and said he just needed to get some small trees out of the way so he could get his bushhog and trackhoe to his property.
Motion by McDonnell, seconded by Carvin, to authorize Public Works to do only preliminary clearing if the property is a public right-of-way.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
The City Planner reported that he had received one proposal for redistricting and was expecting to receive another one. He anticipated having a recommendation at the next meeting. He told the Board that the initial redistricting process would take approximately four months, with a total of six or seven months for Justice Dept. approval. He said that he was looking for more members for the redistricting committee.
(Twin L Invoice – Sidewalks)
Motion by Dalgo, seconded by Carvin, to pay the invoice from Twin L Construction in the amount of $17,500.00 regarding sidewalk improvements on Government St. near Magnolia Park Elementary.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
The City Planner presented a diagram of proposed entrance signs for the City and asked that the City Attorney be authorized to draft the necessary interlocal agreement with Jackson County for funding.
(Sign Diagram)
Motion by McDonnell, seconded by Gill, to authorize the City Attorney and City Planner to contact the Jackson County Board of Supervisors and begin to draft an interlocal agreement for the contribution of the $29,500.00 in funds for the signs.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
The traffic studies for 3-way stops at Pershing/Calhoun and Shearwater/Pine and stop signs for Brumbaugh were held over until the next meeting.
Mayor Pro Tem Jalanivich acknowledged the letter that the City Attorney had placed in their boxes concerning a “pooper scooper” law. He asked the Board to make a motion for the City Attorney to draft an ordinance as outlined in his letter.
Motion by McDonnell, seconded by Gill, to authorize the City Attorney to draft a “pooper scooper” ordinance as outlined in his letter.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
Motion by McDonnell, seconded by Carvin, to authorize the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem to schedule a meeting with Shae McNeese of Batson and Brown prior to the next Board meeting to determine when the Shearwater Bridge Project will be finished in its entirety and to address the possible of dimming the wattage of the light bulbs when all lights are up, and any and all other pertinent matters.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
Hwy 90 East Water & Sewer Extension and Location of Speed Signs were held over until the next meeting.
New Business
(Fort Maurepas Foundation – Request for $1,500.00 Community Promotion/Advertising Funds)
Motion by Cody, seconded by Dalgo, to give $1,500.00 in community promotion funds to the Fort Maurepas Commission/Foundation for advertising the assets and attributes of the City of Ocean Springs and to take the funds equally from all of the Aldermen’s capital improvements accounts.
VOTING AYE Aldermen McDonnell, Cody, Carvin, Dalgo and Gill
VOTING NAY Alderman Lloyd
No one addressed the Board of Aldermen at this time.
At this time discussion was held regarding item y of the Consent Agenda.
Motion by Lloyd, seconded by Dalgo, not to pay the invoices from Delgado, Acosta & Wallace, P.L.L.C. totaling $4,987.39 for legal services regarding annexation.
At this time discussion was held on the motion. Alderman Dalgo said that he agreed with Mr. Lloyd in principal, but since the majority of the Board had voted to move forward with the annexation and Mr. Wallace had done the work, he should be paid. Mr. Lloyd said that since he disapproved the idea, he needed to indicate it on every vote. After hearing all discussion on the motion, the question was called and the vote was as follows.
VOTING AYE Alderman Lloyd
VOTING NAY Aldermen McDonnell, Cody, Carvin, Dalgo and Gill
The motion failed.
Motion by Gill, seconded by McDonnell, to pay the invoices from Delgado, Acosta & Wallace, P.L.L.C. totaling $4,987.39 for legal services regarding annexation.
VOTING AYE Aldermen McDonnell, Cody, Carvin, Dalgo and Gill
VOTING NAY Alderman Lloyd
At this time discussion was held regarding item aa of the Consent Agenda. Alderman Lloyd wanted the Chamber of Commerce to pay the $950.00 for the maps to be given out at the Chamber office because of the amount of funds given to them by the City. Several of the Aldermen had questions concerning distribution of the maps and agreed to hold the matter over until the next meeting.
Parks Superintendent Damian McKay gave an update on the walking track project. He said he had met with Mike Teeter of the Mississippi Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee and had given him the lighting plans for the track. He said he was waiting for the Seabees to provide him with a materials list of items to be purchased for the project. He said the project would not cost much with the Seabees doing the work because the materials were fairly inexpensive. He said the most expensive part would be the lighting and that the wood chips would cost about $4,000.00. Alderman Lloyd asked who would maintain the walking track. Mr. McKay said that he thought the Park Commission would probably be responsible for maintenance.
Alderman McDonnell asked about the status of the restrooms at Little Children’s Park. Mr. McKay said that Architect Carl Germany had estimated the cost to be $25,000.00, but that the lowest bid received was for $48,000.00. Mr. McKay said that he was looking at alternative ways to find money for the project.
Jalanivich asked about the status of the playground equipment for Kensington. Mr. McKay replied that the equipment had been received and that the Park Commission was waiting for an opportunity to install it.
Motion by Cody, seconded by Carvin, to adjourn.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
______________________________ _____________________________
City Clerk Mayor
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