Meeting of the Southaven, Mississippi Mayor and Board of Aldermen - August 4, 2026

[0:05:50] Welcome everyone. I'm now calling this meeting to order. Please stand with us. We'll be led in prayer by Otman Gallagher. After that, please remain standing for the pledge of allegiance that will be led by Honorman at large, George Payne. >> Heavenly Father, we love you so much and we're so thankful for all that you do for us, Lord. day in and day out your forgiving to us and you show your love to us and your mercy to us, Lord, even though we don't deserve it, Lord. We thank you for uh what you've done for us, giving us a way to salvation, Lord Jesus. And we pray that we would do things that are pleasing to you, Lord. Lord, I I want to take time to uh ask you to watch over our kids as they uh start school, Lord. Just keep your hand over them and keep them safe from all that try to harm them in Jesus name. Amen. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. Okay, first on the agenda this evening is the approval of minutes for the July 21, 2026 meeting. >> So move. >> Second. >> We have a motion. A Bman Hoot, second Payne. Is there any discussion? >> Hearing none. Roll call. >> Alderman Payne? >> Yes. >> Alderman Jenkins? >> Yes. >> Alderman H? >> Yes. >> Alderman Jerome, >> yes. >> Alderman Gallagher, yes. >> Orderman Wheeler, >> yes. >> That motion carries. Next on our agenda is a task order uh from Urban Arc for the indoor tennis concept development. I know we have uh Ryan Morris. Thank you for being with us tonight if anybody has any specific questions. But after our last meeting uh when we were reviewing our parks enhancement plan, uh there was um we left there with the um idea of uh designing a indoor tennis complex and so that's where we are now. So, we're

[0:07:54] asking uh this task order is is um in compliance with all the other master uh task order contract that we've used in the past with them. So, we're just asking to approve this task order so they can get busy uh designing an indoor tennis complex. >> I'll make that motion. >> Second. >> We have a motion Wheeler, second by Alderman Gallagher. Is there any discussion? >> Mayor, is they going to have both designs? I know we said you you had a more conservative one and then there was the the bigger plan. Is it going to show both? >> We we we met since the last meeting to uh discuss that. So after talking to uh everybody, Wes, our parks director, um talking to Michael Johnson, tennis director, all of us, we also went to um visit um I can never remember. >> Left witch. >> Leftwitch. Uh we did a a tour of Left Witch, which is the University of Memphis um center, which is beautiful. It's it is super nice. And so we believe that it's um if we want it like the the instructions when we left, let's build this thing, right? So we believe if we're going to do it right that we ought to do a freestanding build. That way we can What that does allows us to move like um our pro shop and other things into the center of the complex. uh uh maneuvering with the other layout, you would have it kind of offcentered and then have your tennis court separated from that. Doing it this way will allow us to have things more centrally located uh with a one of the coolest things we like about it is has um it has like a u over overhang where the visitors can walk and they can look at both sides of the court from the top which we wouldn't have had that in the other design. So long way to answer your question, we think it's better uh if we demo the current facility and build a brand new facility >> and then go ahead. >> The amounts it's going to be. Go ahead. >> Well, I I'll just tell you up front. I mean, I'm hoping that we get good numbers like that, but just being realistically with everybody, it's it's probably not something that um we could get 12. is probably something that

[0:09:57] you're looking at, you know, probably 8 to 10 because we're already going to have to tap into some general fund money to do it. My recommendation, well, again, we'll see what it is. They're going to they're going to draw it multiple ways so we can have options, but I just I don't want everybody to get their hopes up that we're doing 12. It may end up being eight, eight, maybe 10 because just >> show us 8, 10, and 12. >> Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah, that's >> Yeah, we'll show you the numbers on eight. Uh when we talked to Brian, that's correct. uh he was going to draw it and um have it where it's uh 8, 10, and 12. >> That's correct. So, uh this concept will include the demoing of the existing facility, putting in the base of eight courts, and then again, we'll get the pricing to update it to show it at 10 court max or a 12 court max. Uh present that all to you all and let you all make the decision if you want to move forward with eight, 10, 12. I mean, we can put in as many as you have space for. >> Okay. >> Or money, right? >> That's right. One of those will be the limiting factor. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Good. Any other discussion hearing? None. Roll call. >> Alderman Payne? >> Yes. >> Alderman Jenkins? >> Yes. >> Alderman Huth? >> Yes. >> Alderman Jerome, >> yes. >> Alderman Gallagher, yes. Alderman Wheeler, >> yes. That motion carries. Next on our agenda is a resolution to amend city ordinance title 13, chapter 16, sections 13- 16, city attorney, Mr. Nick Manley. >> Yeah, this ordinance, mayor and board, it's uh just it's more of a clarification. Um under our pre our current ordinances um we authorize a registered engineer um to provide a survey and we were contacted um and reviewed that and it just needs to be a registered surveyor and not an engineer. So all this ordinance does is clarify that it's a registered surveyor and not a registered engineer um who can certify and test boundaries um as part of a plat or uh certify the survey. So it's a technicality but just need to reflect that in the ordinance as the revision. I'll make that motion. Second. >> We have a motion by Alderman Payne. Second, Alderman Jerome. Is there any discussion? >> Hearing none. Roll call. >> Alderman Payne. >> Yes.

[0:11:57] >> Alderman Jenkins. >> Yes. >> Alderman who? >> Yes. >> Alderman Jerome. >> Yes. >> Alderman Gallagher. Yes. >> Alman Wheeler. >> Yes. And that motion carries. Next on the agenda is resolution for soul source purchase for utilities. the um city city utility department um they util utilize a um yes trio vision robotic camera um for various task um they need a new crawler cable um for the camera and ICM is the only entity that sells a crawler cable for that specific camera. So we need a soul source purchase and resolution um for $9,500 with uh um ICM and $925 for the installation as set forth in the resolution. So move. >> Second. >> We have a motion by Alderman Gallagher, second by Alderman Payne. Is there any discussion? >> Hearing none. Roll call. >> Alderman Payne? >> Yes. >> Alderman Jenkins? >> Yes. >> Alderman Hoot? >> Yes. >> Alderman Jerome? >> Yes. >> Alderman Gallagher? Yes. >> Alman Wheeler? >> Yes. >> And that mot that motion carries. Next on our agenda is a ratification of a contract with Midsouth Environmental Services. >> Yeah. This contract uh is just the ratification of the contract with Midsouth Environmental Services. Um they had to remediate and clean a police car that had been contaminated with drugs. So we need authorization um to ratify the contract. >> So move second. >> We have a motion by Alderman Hoot, second Alderman Payne. Is there any discussion? >> Hearing none. Roll call. >> Alderman Payne. >> Yes. >> Alderman Jenkins. >> Yes. >> Alderman Hoot. Yes. >> Alderman Jerome. >> Yes. >> Alderman Gallagher. Yes. >> Orderman Wheeler. >> Yes. >> That motion carries. Next uh on the agenda is a resolution for authorization to file leans and assessments. >> Yeah. These leans would just be filed for those properties that were cut in accordance to 211911. They'll be uh then re uh refiled or cancel the lean and then um be assessed as an assessment as part of the property tax. Just need authorization for the mayor to sign that resolution. >> I'll make that motion.

[0:14:00] >> Second. We have a motion. Alderman Payne, second Alderman Hoots. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call. >> Alderman Payne? >> Yes. >> Alderman Jenkins? >> Yes. >> Alderman H? >> Yes. >> Orderman Jerome? >> Yes. >> Orderman Gallagher? >> Yes. >> Orderman Wheeler? >> Yes. >> That motion carries. Next on the agenda is a resolution to clean private property. >> Mr. Mayor, I move we adopt a resolution granting authority to clean private property as presented on the state. >> Second. >> We have a motion Payne. Second, Merman Hoots. Is there any discussion? Is there anyone in the audience who has a financial interest in any of these properties who would like to speak? >> Hearing or seeing none, roll call. >> Alderman Payne, >> yes. >> Alderman Jenkins, >> yes. >> Alderman who? >> Yes. >> Alderman Jerome, >> yes. >> Orderman Gallagher, yes. Orderman Wheeler, >> yes. >> That motion carries. Next on our agenda is our planning agenda. our planning director, Miss Whitney Cook. >> Yes, sir. Our first application, well, the first two applications uh are associated with the same project. If you will recall, back in 2024, we had a conditional use permit request to do the towing facility right there at the Stateline Airways Boulevard. Uh tabled once and it came back up and we put some contingencies on it in terms of what the design review was to look like and how many they were allowed to store and so on and so forth. So, what you have in front of you tonight is first the subdivision application. Um it is a single lot subdivision um request. It is 1.83 area uh acres. It is still located in an M1 zone of the city. Uh everything they've submitted to us from the standpoint of a subdivision is compliant with the ordinances uh and the bulk regulations set forth in those ordinances. So it was voted unanimously to approve the single lot subdivision application for it. >> Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make the motion that we approve item one as presented. >> Second. On item one, we have a motion by Alderman Jenkins. Got it right. A second by Alderman Payne. Is there any

[0:16:01] discussion? >> Hearing none. Roll call. >> Alderman Payne. >> Yes. >> Alderman Jenkins. >> Yes. >> Alderman H. >> Yes. >> Alderman Jerome. >> Yes. >> Alderman Gallagher. >> Yes. >> Whether >> yes. >> That motion carries on one. >> So the second part of the um project is the design review application. And as I stated before, some of the contingencies we put in um the minutes for the conditional use approval was that it had to be masonry uh materials. They had uh originally come to us with a um prefab building they were going to bring out from another site, put it on the ground, wanted to use gravel, wanted to do uh just a wood fence. And those conditions were quickly knocked down by this board. And some of the stipulations they put in there, it had to be brick and mortar buildings. Uh it had to have decorative fencing along the front. We did condition it to 12 vehicles only. It had to have 247 security. Uh landscaping was supposed to be beefed up. So what you see in front of you is their proposed building um which does meet the guidelines that we put forth uh not only in the conditions from the conditional use permit but also with the standard guidelines that we put for plan business park and light industrial areas. So um it is a metal building that is covered with a brick and stone veneer. It is grayscale. Uh it does have a a high height limit because it does have where they will work on some trucks. They do have the decorative fencing added to the front. We have heavily souped up the landscaping on it. Uh there were no further comments by the planning commissioners uh to add anything additional than what they'd already submitted. Um very much an improvement from the previous submitt they had um proposed to this board. So it was recommended as submitted. >> Mr. Mr. Mayor, I'd like for us I would like to make the motion that we accept item number two as presented tonight. >> Second. On item two, we have a motion by Alderman Jenkins, a second by Alderman Hoots. Is there any discussion? >> Hearing none. Roll call. >> Alderman Payne, >> yes. >> Alderman Jenkins, >> yes. >> Alderman Hoots, >> yes. >> Alderman Jerome, >> yes. >> Orderman Gallagher, yes. Orderman

[0:18:02] Wheeler, >> yes. That motion carries. The third application we have is for uh a mixeduse building. Uh well, two mixeduse buildings in Silo Square. Um what you've got is uh just a carry-on of the buildings that are already there, the materials that are already there. Um one of them is commissioned for a bank or slrealer and mortgage financer. It does have the lofts uh located upstairs. This is going to be north of um I guess best north of where Lucky Dogs corner is. There's now the mixeduse building next to it. It's going to be that lot just north of there. Um but it will mimic a lot of the other buildings that were there. Same materials, same kind of design factors. Um there were no comments associated with it. Landscape plan has already been submitted and approved through the PUB text. Uh so was voted unanimously in favor. >> Mr. Mayor, I move we approve item number three on the planning agenda. Second. >> On item three, we have a motion by Alderman Payne, second by Alderman Wheeler. Is there any discussion >> hearing? None. Roll call. >> Hayne, >> yes. >> Alderman Jenkins, >> yes. >> Alderman Hoot, >> yes. >> Alderman Jerome, >> yes. >> Alderman Gallagher, >> yes. >> Wheeler, >> yes. >> That motion carries. >> Our final application is a Scrier's era. Um this is uh required by the chancer or the chancellor clerk's office down in the county. Any type there any type of um error in the verbiage or dimensions associated with the plat have to go through uh the board for a final approval to do those changes. The centerbrook subdivision is going to be on the north side of Goodman Road just east of uh Ilmore which you see right there. It's all residential lots. Uh, initially in the plat that we approved, it had a minimum of a three-foot sideyard setback with a total of five combined between two lots. The new building codes that we've adopted now require that that's 5T. So, what we're doing now is just going back taking three-foot minimum, placing a 5 foot in there so that it stays consistent and compliant with the building code for

[0:20:03] 2024. So, that is the scrier's errors request. Um it is going to be the subdivision is already plotted in book 159 page uh five. And I do have to for some reason get on the um minutes that it is section 30 township 1S range 7 west. Um that way we have that documented and we can get it submitted and changed by the chancer clerk's office. >> Mr. Mayor, I will uh make the motion to approve item number four as presented. >> Second. On item four, we have a motion by alderman Jerome. We have a second alderman Payne. Is there any discussion? >> Hearing none. Roll call. >> Alderman Hay. >> Yes. >> Alderman Jenkins. >> Yes. >> Alderman who? >> Yes. >> Alderman Jerome. >> Yes. >> Alderman Gallagher. >> Yes. >> Wheeler. >> Yes. >> That motion carries. Thank you. Next on our agenda is our mayor's report. Got several things to update everyone on about tonight. First of all, just a reminder that uh we will have our budget workshop this Thursday. uh August 6 at 9:30 a.m. Uh we got a balanced budget proposal prepared to uh bring before the board. Uh very excited about I think it's a really good budget. Uh our finance director uh Caleb Flowers has done a great job with that. He and I work together on that. But I love it because it it meets so many different uh demands of our operations. So I I think you're going to like the budget. Uh but anyway, what we'll do is um as we have done in several years past, we're going to bring the uh department heads to you, let you hear uh exactly what uh they've submitted and um and and we'll go through that and then we'll summarize at the end and obviously discuss and make whatever changes the board requests. So that's Thursday at uh here at 9:30 in the morning. We got a current uh pro tennis tournament going on. Y'all know that with all the talk about tennis and all the expansion we've done with tennis, it's enabled us uh to bring more tournaments, including pros. So, right now we have uh 60 male pro players out there and 70 female uh pro players. So, we got a lot of pro tennis players out

[0:22:07] there. Um just a big motivation for our for our kids that live in the city, you know, to be able in their own city to go sit down and watch a pro tennis player play. It's just anytime with any sport that you uh you know, you mix the pro players in with the kids, it just you know, that's how dreams are created. They they see that they they see what they want to be. And so anyway, it's just a great thing going on right now. um the LED lighting project that we've talked about to replace uh the lights at Greenbrook Park and Snow Grove Park with LED lighting which makes a tremendous difference uh in the visibility for night games but also is tremendously more efficient from a cost standpoint. Uh it reduces uh maintenance tremendously. So that project is actually underway now uh and will be done by September 1st. the John's Creek Bridge project. I don't know that we've talked about this enough in recent years, but uh Dan Cordell and Civil Link and I have been involved in uh drainage discussions here going back to 2013. Uh the Summerwood neighborhood uh has John's Creek goes permeates through Summerwood and it's created uh many drainage problems out there, a lot of erosion. uh it's taken away um uh you know well with flooding you have some overflow just has created a lot of you know drainage problems throughout the Summerwood neighborhood. So um one of the best solutions to that is to uh the channel goes northward. So when it goes out of Summerwood and crosses Stateline Road into Tennessee um it was uh meandering through there was tight. the the bridge and the culvert were small so the water couldn't get through there quicker. So this project is opening that up to allow the water to escape quicker so it's not hung up in the Summerwood neighborhood for so long. So this is something we've been waiting on for a long time and excited about it. So it's been underway uh for a few weeks but the update tonight is uh that thing should be done uh sometime in October but it'll make a big difference in summer with

[0:24:12] airways reservicing. Uh this board knows that we use the um federal MO program, metropolitan planning organization. And what they do is they have pools of money that they bring to metro areas around the United States. And you have to make application for that to get the funding because there's many competing uh governmental entities in the Midsouth. One of the ones that we put on about four years ago was to have they have different divisions. They have, you know, widening projects and they have reservicing projects, pedestrian projects. So, one of our reservicing projects was Airways uh from Nail Road north to Goodman. And if you haven't been that way recently, it's in horrible condition. It's where we have a ton of retail traffic, you know, with the mall and the restaurants there. So, uh it's a very expensive project because of how many lanes and how long it is. Uh but the good news is we were approved for that project years ago and it's ready to be bid and get going. So the bids should be open in September and you should see resurfacing of that area in October of this year and it should be done quickly. So they should be done in October and November. So that'll be big for our city. It'll clean that area up right there. And then uh haven't talked about this one in a long time, but I wish I had um a quarter for every discussion that we've had about this, but I55 widening. So what has been going on uh for about uh two years, the state legislature approved uh MDOT to have funding for the the first phase of that which is to widen the interstate from Goodman Road to Church Road from four lanes to 10. Uh and in that project, it would also widen the intersection uh I mean the underpass would make Church Road wider. uh also add double lanes in the uh ramps and then add a um a loop in the uh southeastern uh quadrant. So I don't have to explain that to anybody. That's that's one of the biggest traffic problems, congestion problems in our city. And so it's going to take them a while to do it. But the good news is um the last two years we've been moving utilities getting ready. Uh but they're

[0:26:15] expected to open bids in November for the actual construction and construction will start when the weather gets good in the spring at 27. So, that's going to be a huge um long time coming, but a huge benefit to our to our city and not just our city, but really North Mississippi in general. Uh, last thing I'll share with you is a fun thing. Y'all may remember last year that our animal shelter was named uh the best of 2025 by business rate organization and uh they named us that again. So, congrats to Perry Mason and our um and and Robert Booth um that manages that department and and all our staff uh for running a outstanding animal shelter and and volunteers that like to, you know, make donations. Everybody involved in that, you know, contributes. But, but it's uh just a cool thing that our animal shelter like so many things in our city, our animal shelters is topnotch, too. So, anyway, congrats to Perry and Robert and the whole team. And that's all I have uh there this evening, I believe. Let me scan all this. Yep, that's all I got. So, um moving on from the mayor's report, next on the agenda is a personnel docket. >> Mr. Mayor, I move we approve the personnel docket as presented on the state. >> Second. >> We have a motion by Alderman Payne, second by Alman Hoots. Is there any discussion >> hearing? None. Roll call. >> Alderman Payne? >> Yes. >> Alderman Jenkins? Yes. >> Alderman Hoots. >> Yes. >> Alderman Jerome. >> Yes. >> Alderman Gallagher. Yes. >> Alman Wheeler. >> Yes. >> And that motion carries. Next on our agenda is our city attorney's legal update. Mr. Nick Manley again. >> Yes, Mor. I sent the email this afternoon. We had a couple things that came up and it was need to get an approval for them. Um, I can do them all at once or we can do them individual. Um, however you want to do it. Uh, but the first one is just piggybacking off the mayor noted was approval to advertise for Airways Boulevard. um it's going to advertisement next week. So, we just need to get approval on our minutes to advertise for that resurfacing. Um and then also the approval for the entry

[0:28:18] contract the mayor's uh noting um for the parks department as far as with put the LED lights at Cherry Valley so that uh parks director West Brown can sign. Um and then we can do the other one have the resolution for um the termination of the lease contract with Tower Ventures. That was for the telecommunications tower to go ahead and authorize the cancellation of that contract. Um, and we had a sole source purchase by city public works department uh for the MRL miniac 400 thermoplastic detail striper and detail trailer in the amount of $377,30.73. Um, this soul source is only um sold by Mark Wright Lines Equipment Company, Inc. and they're the um based on the public works review and due diligence that's the only entity that sells this thermoplastic detail striper which is needed um for the striping as opposed to paint um since thermoplastic thermoplastic st I guess withstands temperatures and wear and tear better than paint and then last item is theou between the crua olive branch and South Haven. Uh thisou is for the NAO um study for the um analysis of the creek pipeline NAO. It was requested by South Haven and all branch and DURO would be is the entity that did the study and it just authorizes the cost share between the three entities um not to exceed $12,000. That study has been complete but it allows for the city of South Haven to pay its share based on the local and private with the crua and thisou. So those are all the items under the um attorney report. We can do them all at once and approve it or go by each individual item. >> Make a motion to approve all. >> A second. >> Okay, we have a motion to approve all by Alderman Hoots, second by Alderman Payne. Is there any discussion about any of those? >> We discussed most all those. Anybody got any other questions or discussion? Hearing none. Roll call. >> Alderman Payne, >> yes. >> Alderman Jenkins, >> yes. >> Alderman Hoots, >> yes. >> Orderman Jerome, >> yes.

[0:30:18] >> Orderman Gallagher, yes. Whether >> yes, >> that motion carries. Next on the agenda is the utilities billing leak adjustment docket. >> Mr. Mayor, I move we approve the utility bill leak adjustment docket as presented. >> Second. We have a motion by Alderman Payne. Second by Alderman Gallagher. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call. >> Alderman Payne. >> Yes. >> Alderman Jenkins. >> Yes. >> Alderman Hoot. >> Yes. >> Alderman Jerome. >> Yes. >> Orderman Gallagher. >> Yes. >> Alderman Wheeler. >> Yes. That motion carries. Next on the agenda is one claims docket. >> Mr. Mayor, I move we approve the claims docket in the amount of $4,625,519.31 including demand checks. >> Second. We have a motion Payne, second Alderman Hoots. Is there any discussion? >> Hearing none. Roll call. >> Alderman Payne. >> Yes. >> Alderman Jenkins. >> Yes. >> Alderman Hy. >> Yes. >> Alderman Jerome. Yes. >> Alderman Gallagher. Yes. >> Wheeler. >> Yes. >> That motion carries. Next on the agenda is the purpose of determining the need for executive session. >> I'll make that motion. >> Second. >> We have a motion Gallagher. Second by Alderman Wheeler. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any oppose say no. Eyes have it. Motion carries. The needs this evening are claims and litigation involving city infrastructure, potential property easement access, acquisition, economic development within the city, and interdep departmental personnel with no action. Is there now a motion to declare executive session? >> So moved. >> Second. >> We have a motion by Alderman Payne, second by Alderman Hoots. All in favor say I. >> Any oppose say no. Eyes have it. Motion carries. The mayor and board will now enter executive session.

Captured 2026-08-05 · source: youtube.com/watch?v=B37laJn0CmU