During Tuesday’s meeting, the Poplarville Board of Aldermen approved a proposal to start a farmers market this spring at the city-owned green space on Main Street.
The Board approved the event to be held the first and third Thursday of each month from late March or early April through October and sponsored by the Poplarville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Norman Tyner, a chamber member, and April Grecho spoke to the Board about their plans for the event, saying it will grow and change with the demands of the community and farmers.
Tyner said the group chose to hold the event on Thursday nights, for now, in an effort to bring vendors in from other areas who host popular markets on the weekend.
Grecho said the aim is to have a vendor’s meeting after the Mardi Gras holiday, with at least two dozen vendors already signed up to participate.
Booths are available for $10. Fundraising booths are also acceptable so long as the groups sell a homegrown product from Mississippi.
In other matters, Board Attorney Nick Thompson addressed questions posed after the previous meeting concerning tutoring services offered by Kimra Torrence.
During a public hearing earlier this month, Thompson said Torrence’s operation of after-school tutoring services was not in compliance with city ordinances, despite the lawful operation of her homeschool.
On Monday, Thompson said further research led him to form the opinion that the Board couldn’t grant Torrence a variance or conditional use permit so she could continue tutoring.
Instead, Thompson said the Board could make a text amendment to the current zoning ordinance to allow tutoring services to be operated in residential zones.
To do so, the Board would have to hold a public hearing after notifying the public of the meeting.
“We also have to consider other people in town who are providing tutoring out of their homes, like piano lessons…they’re just doing it under the radar and one student at a time,” Alderwoman Maggie Smith said.
The Board approved a motion to set a public hearing for April 18 to discuss the ordinance amendment. Thompson also said that he expects to receive an Attorney General’s opinion concerning the state statute’s definition of a school by that meeting as well.
The Board also discussed conducting a controlled burn to remove a blighted property on Poplar Drive. Poplarville Fire Chief Jonathan Head said there is sufficient clearance around the mobile home to conduct the burn safely, but was uncertain of the exact cost to do so.
The Board took the matter under advisement pending further discussion with the property owner.
More information from Tuesday’s Board meeting will be published in tomorrow’s Item.