After more than 30 years of service, McComb Police Chief Greg Martin was nearly denied his right to retire.
Near the end of the city board meeting Tuesday, Mayor Whitney Rawlings asked for a motion to accept Martin’s letter of resignation. After a few seconds of silence, the selectmen burst into laughter.
“What do I do if I can’t get a motion and a second?” Rawlings asked.
“He can’t leave!” deputy city clerk Sherry Spears responded.
Eventually, Rawlings got his motion and second, and the board voted to accept Martin’s retirement, effective Aug. 30.
“I’m sure you had some bumps and bruises along the way, but you look like you got all your pieces and your parts,” Rawlings said. “You’ve made our job as a board a lot easier leading your department.”
Martin, a Magnolia native, moved to McComb because he loves the city and its citizens. “I think McComb is a great town,” he said. “The city of McComb has provided me a career that took me places I probably never would have been.”
Martin’s future plans include as many hobbies as he can find and learning how to live a more relaxed life.
“What I plan to do during my first six months of retirement is learn to sleep without waiting on a telephone call,” he said.
While the room was focused on Martin, his attention was turned to the citizens he’s worked with these 31 years.
“I want to thank y’all and I want to thank the citizens for the opportunity to serve them.”
Rawlings and the selectmen will discuss Martin’s replacement at the Aug. 6 work session.
“Everything comes to an end at some point in time,” Rawlings said. “Gotta move on to something different.”
The board also:
• Approved the payment of $6,375 to Haddox, Reid, Burkes & Calhoun of Jackson for the preparation of the city’s financial statement and $22,000 to The Gillon Group for the preparation of the audit.
• Authorized an annual interlocal agreement between the city and Pike County for a Justice Assistance Grant Program Award for $5,287 to purchase equipment and update the video system at the jail to include audio with the video.
• Renewed a $6,324 accident insurance policy with the Maksin Group of Camden, N.J., for participants at the McComb Recreation Department until July 6, 2014.
• Received a $54,000 grant through the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security.
• Allowed Alarm Protection Mississippi of North Salt Lake, Utah, to distribute literature about residential security systems door-to-door for 30 days, beginning today.
• Approved Rawlings’ travel to the Governors Health Care Economic Development Summit at the Jackson Convention Complex in August.
• Hired firefighters Trenton Boggs, DeNarius Martin, Joshua Shores and Corey Parks on a probationary basis.
• Rezoned the area between West Michigan Avenue, Delaware Avenue, Fifth Street and Broadway Street North to a Central Business District, which is the same zoning classification as downtown McComb.
• Approved a $1,181 reimbursement to Martha Lampe of McComb for an overpayment for water services since October 2010.
• Changed the budget work session to 5:30 p.m. Monday at city hall.
