Routine business was handled at Tuesday’s Picayune City Council meeting.
The first matter on the agenda was the appointment of a replacement for Martha Sheppard, who has stepped down from the Planning Commission. Mayor Ed Pinero said he had not seen any resumes for her replacement before asking for a motion. Ultimately, no resumes had been turned in, so Councilor Wayne Gouguet made a motion to table the matter until a later date. Councilor Larry Breland agreed with the motion, pointing out that there was no rush to find her replacement because Sheppard’s health had prevented her from attending a majority of the meetings anyway.
The council then approved a motion to table the matter.
In another matter, the council approved a motion to apply for the Mississippi Department of Transportation Enhancement 2016 Urban Youth Corps Program grant, which provides 80 percent of the funding for the city to employ students during the summer months.
Grants Administrator Christy Goss said the grant provides $35,000 to employ 12 young people during the summer. The city pays $7,000 into the program as a 20 percent match, she said.
During discussion of the program, Councilor Lynn Bogan Bumpers asked if young women apply for positions with the program. Goss said there have not been any applications from young women so far. Goss explained that the work involves manual labor, such as cleaning sidewalks and other beautification projects. Public Works Director Eric Morris said this summer the young people will be working on beautification projects for Crosby Commons.
The requirements for the program state that participants must be a student either in high school or college, aged between 18 and 25 and a United States citizen.
A motion to apply for the grant was approved by the council.
The council approved two separate motions concerning city owned property. The first concerned the sale of 11 city-owned properties.
The second motion dealt with property currently owned by the state, but may soon become city property. City Attorney Nathan Farmer said the properties came under state ownership due to tax forfeitures. The goal is to give them to the city so the properties can be sold to private landowners, and subsequently put them back on the tax rolls. Farmer said there are 51 properties involved in that matter. A motion for Farmer to “request the presented properties from the Secretary of State’s Public Land Division” was approved.
In other matters the council:
— Heard a presentation from Billy Ray Causey concerning his recent certification with MDOT and the Secretary of State’s office to work on state and federally funded projects as a trucking company owner.
The next council meeting will be at 5 p.m. on March 15 in the council chambers of City Hall.