Poplarville Board purchase new police equipment

Published 7:00 am Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Poplarville Board of Aldermen approved the purchase of $36,757 worth of new police equipment during Tuesday’s meeting.

The Board approved purchasing 10 dashcams for $18,044, 11 bodycams for $7,689, a Dell server for video storage for $4,435, 11 Tasers for $3,927 and a Barracuda backup storage device for $2,662.

To make the purchase, the Board approved transferring $36,995 from a debt service fund to the general fund. The debt service fund was inactive from prior debt service and the remaining cash balance already needed to be transferred back to the general fund, said City Clerk Jane O’Neal.

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In a separate matter, the Board adopted an amended flood damage prevention ordinance, which updates the maps used to determine floodplains in the city. The city of Poplarville does not have a floodplain administrator, so is asking the Board of Supervisors to enter into an interlocal agreement to help the city comply with the ordinance, said city attorney Manya Creel Bryan.

The goal of the ordinance is to identify sections of Poplarville prone to flood, so people living in those areas can get flood insurance, and to minimize private losses during floods, said Bryan.

The Board of Supervisors discussed the city’s request during its meeting Wednesday, and said representatives of each entity will work together to determine if entering into an interlocal agreement with the city is a good option.

In a separate matter, the Board of Aldermen entered executive session to discuss potential litigation related to the acquisition of right-of way deeds for Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. The Board is trying to acquire the deeds for drainage work.

The Board stayed in executive session to discuss police department personnel matters. No motions were made after executive session ended.

The next meeting will be Sept. 2, at 5 p.m. in City Hall.