During Tuesday’s Poplarville Board of Aldermen meeting, the aldermen discussed the possible funding and maintenance for emergency alert sirens located in town.

Poplarville Fire Chief Jonathan Head said he was approached by Pearl River County EMA Director Danny Manley, who told him the county will no longer fund the emergency alert sirens located throughout the county.

“They are offering the jurisdictions the opportunity to take them over,” Head said. “There are four sirens located in Poplarville, two on the Pearl River Community College campus and one near the high school campus and the other is located behind First Baptist Church. The college has assumed responsibility for the two sirens on their campus.”

Head said the only maintenance on the sirens would be the replacement of the four batteries every two years at the cost of $150 per battery. The city would also assume the responsibility of rotating part of the siren head, he said.

“The sirens are used to alert our citizens to seek shelter from a storm cell,” Head said. “The county is moving toward another means of emergency alerts.”

Head also told the board that by the meeting time Tuesday, he did not have all of the specifics on the new system.

The board voted to take the matter under advisement until they received more information about the sirens.

In other action:

–– Poplarville Police Chief Charlie Fazende informed the board about a number of upcoming holiday events this week beginning with Wednesday’s Carols, Cookies and Cocoa at City Park beginning at 5:30 p.m. Movies on Main will be held Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and the Christmas Parade will begin at 5 p.m. Friday.

Also, during his departmental report, the police chief told the board about a request from the middle school regarding the transfer of a police vehicle and equipment to be utilized by the school’s resource officer. The plan, Fazende said, of which he has no control, is for the officer to utilize the official vehicle to direct traffic during drop-offs and pick-ups at the middle school. The board approved the transfer of the 2008 Crown Victoria equipped with radios for the school’s resource officer.

The next Poplarville Board of Aldermen meeting will be held on Dec. 15 at 5 p.m. in the boardroom at City Hall.