Clarksdale city officials, as well as its residents, have been happy to see gas prices plummet in the city to where they’re comparable to surrounding towns in the Delta.
During the Wednesday, Dec. 26 board of mayor and commissioners meeting at city hall, interim City Attorney Bill Gresham said he believed that a letter from the mayor and board of commissioners addressed to the Mississippi commissioner of agriculture played a part in gas prices falling here.
Gresham said there was an approximate 25-cent drop in the price per gallon of gasoline at Clarksdale gas pumps after the city wrote the letter.
In early December, gas was being sold for $2.29 per gallon at several Coahoma County stations, which was 19 cents above the state average and higher than all five of its surrounding counties. The biggest disparity – a 33-cent difference – was between Coahoma and Quitman counties.
On Monday, gas was being sold for $1.96 per gallon at the Murphy USA station on South State Street in Clarksdale.
Mayor Chuck Espy said commissioners Willie Turner Jr. and Bo Plunk both spearheaded the drive to lower gas prices and he said it was a collective effort to “put a lot of those owners and suppliers of gas on notice about what was happening in our area.”
Espy said the board is pushing for the best interests of the citizens of Clarksdale.
“I’m very proud of what this board does on a daily basis,” he said.
In other news, the board of commissioners:
* Heard Commissioner Ken Murphey ask if city crews could make repairs to an entrance to a city downtown parking lot located on Delta Avenue where a few vehicles have suffered damage in the past from a severe slant where the parking lot meets the street.
Murphey said it appears that when a contractor put in a new sidewalk they cut out part of the street “and it really didn’t need to be cut out, so it’s making that drop there so much lower.”
He said, “That was not a problem caused by the city. That was a problem caused by a contractor that came in here.”
City resident Kerry Lee had appeared before the commission earlier this month asking that something be done after the bumper on his vehicle was damaged when he exited the parking lot.
Murphey said he also hopes to have a sign installed that warns drivers of the low spot while the city takes the steps needed to fix the problem.
Espy agreed that something needs to be done.
“I can see this reoccurring over and over again,” he said. “If another car gets torn up, that’s just going to be a bad situation. Let’s try to cure the problem.”
Murphey praised the work done by the city’s public works department.
“I appreciate the fact that I see things getting done without people actually having to call about them,” he said.
* Heard Commissioner Ed Seals request that city crews fill potholes located at the intersections of Andrews and Sixth streets and Ritchie Avenue and Espy Drive, as well as well as one at 1045 Ritchie Ave., which is located in front of the mayor’s home.
Seals also requested that dilapidated structures located at 2209 and 2210 Seventh St. be demolished.
* Unanimously gave its approval for the mayor to execute the task orders for Brownfield grants in regard to three projects: cleanup of an old gas station property at 2015 Fourth St. and the WROX building, as well as grant for the Community Engagers organization.
Espy said the city is allotted the grants to make sure “the land is clear of any issues that come up environmentally.”
* Authorized consultant Mac Crank to prepare a strategic planning grant for the Clarksdale Police Department.
* Went into executive session to discuss personnel and the possible acquisition of property. After meeting for approximately 90 minutes, the commission came back into open session where they announced that longevity pay increases had been approved for six city employees* .
