A matter previously voted down during a meeting last month was approved Tuesday night.
During the Oct. 4, meeting of the Picayune City Council, a divided vote denied Councilor Larry Breland’s request to combine $9,464 in remaining funds from a sidewalk project with $13,900 in money within the Westside Fund, an account earmarked for use within his district.
The proposed project aims to repair sidewalks from the corner of Weems Street to Davis Street and from Davis Street to Rosa Street. The estimated cost totals $21,000, according to previous coverage.
Tuesday’s meeting was a stark contrast to the meeting dealing with the matter last month. Instead of the matter sparking a dispute between the Council, almost everyone seemed on board, passing the motion without much discussion.
However, Councilor Wayne Gouguet verbally expressed his opposition to the project since it did not follow the city’s recently established sidewalk plan, which mandates the sidewalks around public buildings and schools are repaired first.
Mayor Ed Pinero was not at Tuesday’s meeting, but in a phone interview, he also expressed his opposition for using the remaining sidewalk funds in Breland’s precinct, for the same reason as Gouguet.
When the matter came up for a vote, Breland and Councilors Tammy Valente, Jan Miller Stevens and Lynn Bogan Bumpers voted for using the funds for Breland’s request. Gouguet was the only member in attendance who voted against the motion.
City attorney Nathan Farmer said any governmental body can revisit a matter previously voted down, so long as it is not considered by that body twice within the same month.
In a separate matter, the Council approved a motion to award additional work at Crosby Commons to TL Wallace, to be paid $821,513. Public Works Director Eric Morris said most of the work will entail installation of lighting along the walking track, the city logo at the Goodyear Boulevard entrance, construction of the amphitheater and adjoining bathrooms and a crosswalk from the entrance at Goodyear Boulevard to the entrance at Sixth Avenue.
City Clerk Amber Hinton said the city’s match in the project, expected to cost about $1 million total, is $162,000. Morris said the project is expected to take six months to complete.
A donation of an additional $1,000 from Lynn Crosby Gammill for use at Crosby Commons was accepted by the Council. Morris said those funds could be used in landscaping or the installation of a movie screen at the park.
The Council also approved a motion to allow the Picayune Police Department to destroy misdemeanor records from 1999 into the early 1970s, which is the furthest their records go back. Chief Bryan Dawsey said the structure where the records are stored is full, and the weight of all of the files is causing the floor to sag. Dawsey said that according to his staff’s research with the Department of Archives and History, the department is not obligated to keep misdemeanor records any longer than 5 years. However, felony files for a case involving a death or other serious crime must be kept on file for 75 years, while all other felony files must be kept for at least 25 years.
Council members took a moment to thank Shane Smith, manager of the Picayune Wendy’s, for organizing Monday’s Trunk or Treat. They said the event was successful, drawing in thousands of children and parents. The Council also thanked the Picayune Police Department for providing security during the event.
The next Council meeting will be Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. in City Hall.