Poplarville’s Board of Aldermen approved a motion to form a committee to find a new police chief.

City Clerk Jane O’Neal said the motion included appointing Aldermen Kevin Tillman and Russell Miller, and Mayor Rossie Creel to that committee. According to the agenda, the motion included the stipulation that the committee include members with a law enforcement background. Creel and Miller have both worked for local law enforcement agencies in the past.

The Board also approved motions to approve paying monthly retainer fees to the city attorney at a rate of $850, the city judge at a rate of $850, the prosecuting attorney at a rate of $700, and both city public defenders at a rate of $345 each.

The current city attorney is Manya Bryan, the current judge is Hames Hal Breland, Clay Cranford is the current prosecuting attorney and Kevin Roberts and Janet Lindsay Watts are the current public defenders, the agenda states.

Efforts to establish a bond to fund repairs and improvements to city streets are ongoing. O’Neal said that the city engineer has sent a cost estimate of the work proposed along with engineering details to the bond attorneys in Jackson as an effort to expedite the process.

During Wednesday’s meeting, the Board also approved a motion to promote part time police officer Daniel Collier to full time at a rate of $16.31 per hour.

The Board also approved motions to appoint police officers Capt. Norman “Al” Tynes and Capt. James Steinkamp as deputy court clerks as pursuant to Mississippi Code 21-23-11.

The next Board meeting will be Jan16 at 5 p.m. in City Hall.