A hearing on Clarksdale’s Five Year Comprehensive Plan was held Monday with the community providing input on the document and the city voting to continue the hearing until next month to allow for more public comment.
Clarksdale’s Board of Mayor and Commissioners were handed the 70-page document by Slaughter, Willingham & Associates, the firm hired to create the plan.
“Implementing the comprehensive plan is critical to achieving the goals and recommendations set forth in the document,” the firm said in presenting the plan. “The plan can also be a guide for many different city decisions and should be referred to periodically for guidance and periodically updated as needed.”
The report included eight tools to implement the report: reviewing annual budgets; concentrate on capital improvement programs; enter intergovernmental agreements; enforce zoning ordinances, enforce building, construction and fire codes; establish subdivision regulations; improve community design and appearance; and develop day-to-day policy enforcement.
City Board Attorney Melvin Miller pointed out the plan specifically addressed increasing the number of police officer, paving streets and improving fire department water resources.
Mayor Chuck Espy suggested the city delay adopting the document until the City Planning Commission had a chance to review it and meet Thursday.
“Let’s do this hearing again to cover us,” said Espy. “Some may say they didn’t know about it.”
Being a public hearing, Victor Wheatley was recognized and pointed to several items in the report that he had discussed with the city for several months.
Wheatley pointed to rental housing ordinances, strictly enforce those ordinance and work to improve those ordinances as three items he hoped the city enacted. Wheatley also pointed to improving the city’s sewer system and the use of septic tanks. He said neither the city, county or Waste Management had a plan to address terminal trash and garbage disposal in the community.
Ward 1 Commissioner Bo Plunk thanked Wheatley and urged him to keep the city informed.
The city will hold a second public hearing on the five year comprehensive plan at its Thursday, Nov. 7 meeting.
In Other Business:
• The city approved 2024 Downtown Open House and blocking off streets on Delta Avenue from Second Street to Third Street on Thursday, Nov. 7, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
• The city approved closing of all offices Friday, Nov. 29, for Thanksgiving and Tuesday, Dec. 24, for Christmas in additional to the regular holidays.
• The board approved travel for Mayor and Board to attend 2025 Mid-Winter Conference in Jackson in January.
• The city authorized the purchase of replacement parts at MLK Park in the amount of $3,050 following vandalism at the park.
• The city approved a new Meal Reimbursement Rates to $68 a day.
• The city acknowledge Municipal Compliance letter from the State Auditor for FY 2023-24. Details of that letter were not made public.
• The city voted to transfer of $150,000 from Capital Reserve to the Garbage Fund to cover the garbage fund through receiving funds for the new garbage rates negotiated by Mayor Espy.
• The city paid the following miscellaneous claims: Cornerstone, $5,237; KS Statebank, $5,272.35; I think For You Consulting for public relations, $1,500; Gale Dixon for litter control, $580; General Fund, $24,272.50; Tony Newson, $250; Carrier, $3,427.58; Fuelman, $8,041.33; Brocato Const., $101,700; Watkins & Eager; $1,298.50; Magcor, $768; Sandra Johnson, $2,511.89.
• Approved Investigator Larry Grimes to attend the Crime Scene Management & Investigation Class at the Coahoma County Higher Education Center
• Approved a fire department service agreement with Taylor Sudden Service for a generator.
• Acknowledge quotes received from Russell's Tree Service for $4,500.
• Set hearing for property at 131 Adams
• Approved advertising for a track hoe and stump grinder in the Public Works department.
• The city approved an engagement letter with Butler Snow for the Public Safety Local & Private Legislation Project aimed at funding police, drug, gang enforcement and ordinance enforcement.
• Approved Neel- Schaffer as the engineer for the landfill slope stability study and opening of the new cell
• The city went into executive session and came out and voted on maintaining its policy on responding to a personnel requests from a particular officer and also voted to settle a claim in the police department.
• The city recessed until noon, Thursday, Nov. 7 at City Hall. All meeting are open to the public and the community is urged to attend.
