The Clarksdale Board of Mayor and Commissioner took their oath of office in ceremonies held at City Hall Monday.
The last week in June of an election year is traditionally the date for municipalities to install elected officials and is traditionally followed by the hiring or re-hiring of city department heads and judges by commissioners.
Commissioners and the Mayor held up their right hand and, at the direction of Circuit Court Judge Linda F. Coleman, took their oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States, the State of Mississippi and their respective office.
“It took a lot for all five of us to get to this moment,” said Mayor Chuck Espy, prior to the event. “We need to make sure we are good stewards of the citizens.”
Then Mayor Espy, Ward 1 Commissioner Bo Plunk, Ward 2 Commissioner Ken Murphey, Ward 3 Commissioner Willie Turner Jr., and Ward 4 Commissioner Ed Seals took their oath in front of a room full of family and friends.
The motion to seat the new board was made by Murphey and seconded by Turner.
The board next appointed the following people as Clarksdale Department Heads and Judicial Staff:
• City Clerk, Cathy Clark.
• City Attorney, Melvin Miller.
• Police Chief, Robbie Linley.
• Fire Chief, Rocky Nabors.
• Public Works Director, Todd Jones.
• Judge, Derek Hopson.
• Judge Pro Tempore, Carlos Moore.
• City Prosecutor, William Gresham.
• Public Defender, Richard Lewis.
The motion to make these four-year appointments was made by Turner and seconded by Seals.
Mayor Espy asked that department head reports not be conducted on this day. There were no commissioner comments either.
Monday’s board meeting was upbeat and saw only a limited amount of city business conducted.
No mention was made of pay raises voted on by the Board of Mayor and Commissioners at their last meeting.
The raises were part of a large agenda of more than 75 items presented by the Mayor to the Board of Commissioners at the June 14 regular city board meeting. The vote to accept the raises came after the Mayor and Commissioners were re-elected in the June 8 General Election.
The June 14 meeting also saw a number of raises for city workers passed by the Board of Mayor and Commissioners. How the petition might affect those pay increases is not known.
The June 14 meeting broke from tradition with Espy calling for an executive session. The board voted to enter executive session to discuss personnel, land acquisition and salary increase.
Salary increases are not one of the reasons listed for executive session under Mississippi’s Open Meetings law.
The annual compensation for Mayor will go from $86,421 to $122,421.92. The annual compensation for a Commissioner will go from $26,650 to $46,650. Both Mayor and Commissioners also have expense accounts.
A petition is being circulated in the community asking that commissioner and mayor’s salaries be rolled back to previous levels. The pay raise will take effect in July.
In other business:
• Earlene Metcalf asked the city to block off portions of South Edwards Street on July 4 for a neighborhood event.
• Doris Mitchell, of Cleveland, said tree limbs and leaves on a vacant lot next to her property at 516 Sunflower have caused damage to the north side and back of house.
• The board carried forward a hearing on the Second Street Tire Store as a public nuisance.
• On a motion by Plunk and a second by Murphey, the board granted permission for the City Clerk to issue warrants from time to time to cover the salaries of city employees; to pay freight bills; payment for bond maturities and/or interest on bonds, to transfer certain monies from one city fund to another city fund, for the purpose of meeting certain obligations of the city and for the purpose of keeping proper records.
• On a motion by Murphey and a second by Turner the board granted permission for Zelena Ratliff to continue making payments on the cleanup for 607 Sunflower Ave., with a balance due of $2,058.85.
• On a motion by Turner and a second by Seals, the board voted to advertise for lease of the old animal shelter on Anderson Blvd.
• On a motion by Seals and a second by Plunk the board authorized the city to pay the following bills: Election Poll Workers, $845; Cannon, $123,440; Delta Rent All, $32.50; Lillie Houston, $1,200; SouthGroup, $1,066; Visa, $3,741.71; Cornerstone, $2,250.
• On a motion by Plunk and a second by Murphey the city authorized the City Clerk to make line item budget changes.
• The city delayed the following board appointments: Mayor’s appointment to the Planning Commission; Ward 2’s appointment to the Blues Museum Board
• Commissioner voted to allow dispatcher Tucker and Monix to attend training in Pearl July 15 and July 29.
• City voted to allow Ulyda Johnson to purchase her weapon for a $1, upon her retirement from the Clarksdale Police Department.
• On a motion by Murphey and a second by Turner, Public Works will obtain quotes to repair the alley between Yazoo and Delta Avenue.
• On a motion by Turner and a second by Seals, Brocato Construction will repair a hole on Sunflower Avenue in front of Gates and Gates Veterinary.
• On a motion by Seals and a second by Plunk the city will begin the process to demolish 702 Mississippi.
• On a motion by Plunk and a second by Murphey the city will begin the process to demolish the house next to 1614 Reno.
• On a motion by Murphey and a second by Turner the city voted to hire Patrick Williams as part-time Patrol Officer.
• On a motion by Turner and a second by Seals the city voted to hire Dorothy Henley as Patrol Officer.
• On a motion by Seals and second by Plunk the city approved the longevity pay increases to: Darrion Wolfe, knuckleboom operator; Darius Russell, laborer; Raymond Hill, Corporal 2nd Class; Vincent Ramirez, Assistant Chief; Jermaile Hill, Lieutenant II; Kacy Williams, Lieutenant II.
• On a motion by Plunk and a second by Murphey the city voted to increase pay for completion of employee introductory period for the following employees: Christopher Wilson, knuckleboom operator; Lane Roberts, laborer; Jarmarcus Gilliam, laborer; Devontae Williams, laborer; Shapora Cox, equipment operator.
• On a motion by Murphey and a second by Turner the city hired the following men as firefighters: Steve Gamble and Charles Jackson.
• On a motion by Plunk and a second by Murphey the city appointed Norman Starks as Assistant Chief at the Police Department. Stark was recommended by Police Chief Robbie Linley.
• On a motion by Murphey and a second by Turner the board recessed until noon Thursday July 7.
