A Special Call Meeting of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of
the City of Ocean Springs was called to order by Mayor
Ainsworth at
Mayor Ainsworth read aloud the following Special Call:
(Special Call)
(BFI Partial Assignment Agreement)
The City Attorney explained that BFI was refinancing and wanted to use the City contract as collateral to assign the proceeds under the contract as collateral for the loan. He stated that approving the assignment agreement would not change anything, or increase or decrease the City’s liability under the contract.
Motion by Jalanivich, seconded by Gill, to authorize the Mayor to sign the Consent to Partial Assignment with BFI Waste Services, LLC and to spread the documents upon the minutes.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
ABSENT AND NOT VOTING Aldermen McDonnell and Carvin
(Wallace Letter)
Motion by Cody, seconded by Jalanivich, to publish the Annexation Ordinance.
At this time discussion was held regarding the motion. Alderman Dalgo asked if a completed feasibility study was in hand showing the financial obligation of the City of Ocean Springs if the proposed area was annexed. Mayor Ainsworth replied that he did not have the final feasibility study, but that it was on its way. The City Attorney advised that attorney Jerry Wallace would be in town tomorrow and felt the Board’s questions would be answered at that time. Alderman Lloyd said he felt the Board was flying blind without a study. He said he wanted to protect the northern corridor and felt annexation was good as long as it helped the City of Ocean Springs. Mayor Ainsworth disagreed with Alderman Lloyd’s analysis of flying blind. He said he realized there was information the Board did not totally have, but that they were going against projections and there would still be some gray areas in those projections. He felt the Board needed to wait and see. Alderman Jalanivich said that even though he was not supporting annexation, he agreed with Alderman Lloyd in that the consultant had not produced the reports promised. Mayor Ainsworth stated that the City had gotten the attention of the annexation attorney and the consultant, and that they were working diligently on it. Alderman Dalgo said that he was voting against the motion because, after asking for the feasibility study for 8 months, the Board still did not have it, that the City’s case had been thrown out of court, and that $77,000.00 had been spent thus far and it was only the beginning of the process. Alderman Cody reminded the Board that all they were voting on was publication of the ordinance and that the annexation process could be stopped at any time. He felt it was better to proceed so that the City didn’t have another obstacle in their way. Alderman Dalgo said that he was not voting to spend any more of taxpayers’ money for something that he did not yet know if he supported until he had reviewed the math. Alderman Gill agreed with Alderman Lloyd and said the only thing that had been successful so far was spending $77,000.00. He felt that although the expert was not doing his job, it would be hard to justify getting rid of him this far in the game. Alderman Lloyd said the City was flying blind on two issues: (1) the City was competing with D’Iberville and did not know how the judge would rule, or what the City would get or wouldn’t get, and (2) the City didn’t even have the numbers to figure out what they mean when the judge tells the City what it gets. He said he would support the motion, however, he had not made up his mind on the issue, and depending upon the results of the study, he wanted to reserve the right to vote against the annexation if he felt it was not in the best interest of the City of Ocean Springs. After hearing all discussion on the motion, the question was called, said vote being as follows:
VOTING AYE Aldermen Jalanivich, Lloyd, Cody and Gill
VOTING NAY Alderman Dalgo
ABSENT AND NOT VOTING Aldermen McDonnell and Carvin
Motion by Jalanivich, seconded by Cody, to adjourn.
VOTING AYE ALL
VOTING NAY NONE
ABSENT AND NOT VOTING Aldermen McDonnell and Carvin
______________________________ _____________________________
City Clerk Mayor
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