A McComb resident who granted the city an easement for the relocation of sewer lines but did not anticipate the destruction of several trees was unanimously granted $2,000 compensation by McComb’s city board Tuesday.
The situation — which also included a court battle a few years ago — boils down to a pair of manholes Baertown resident Alberta Landrew did not expect to appear on her property.
Mayor Zach Patterson, who returned Tuesday after missing Monday’s work session and a special called meeting Thursday that failed to occur for lack of presiding officers, said he’d asked City Administrator Jim Storer and Selectman Robert Earl Smith to meet with Landrew to understand the case and report back to the board.
“The easement was obtained for a sewer line problem and not manhole problems,” Storer said of his research into the background.
“She had no knowledge that her trees would be cut down,” Smith said.
“When I visited with her, we never discussed any amount whatsoever,” Patterson added. “In the middle of her tears she said to me … ‘Mayor, money does not matter, it’s just a matter that I think I was tricked into signing these documents.’ … I sent these two gentlemen (Storer and Smith) out to take another look to make sure that we are being fair.”
Selectman Wade Lamb asked about legal proceedings.
“Did the city go to court over this already?” he asked. “It’s already been settled?”
“It was settled in favor of the city,” Storer replied.
Storer said the $2,000 figure came in recognition of the fine handed down in many municipalities should a citizen destroy a city-owned tree of aesthetic value.
“We regret and would like to avoid at all cost taking any of our citizens to court over a matter this small and this trivial,” said Patterson, before calling the vote.
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Patterson’s return Tuesday was greeted with vocal support from portions of a packed board room that spilled into extra seats provided in the outside hallway.
Patterson’s greeting when he entered the board room was loudly echoed back to him, with some supporters applauding and local resident Patsy Ruth Butler crying “Thank you, Jesus!”
“I’m sorry if you read the paper,” Patterson told the audience. “They’ve been keeping me busy. … I want to start off before we jump into the agenda tonight. I want to make sure that we recognize and welcome the new interim city attorney for the City of McComb, Ms. Angela Taylor Miller.”
“Amen!” said Butler.
Patterson then opened the meeting.
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The board also approved a lease agreement with Pitney Bowes Inc. to provide equipment for the city’s updated water billing program. The five-year contract is for $595 per month, for a utility bill folding and insertion method for the SafeChoice Accounting Program. The city can cancel its approval within 30 days.
The board tabled two other matters for further discussion. After comments from David Mitchell of Mississippi South Liability Group regarding city liability coverage, the board tabled the possibility of switching coverage to ask their current carrier whether they could beat Mitchell’s offer.
And after discussion by architect Steve Cox about services performed at the McComb Sports Park, the city tabled the matter to allow Miller to research what the city properly owes.
Tuesday’s agenda did not include three items from the attempted special called meeting last Thursday. The agenda items for that meeting included the suspension of former city attorney John H. “Bubber” White, the suspension of city attorney Rachel Michel and the employment status of Storer. None was discussed in regular session Tuesday.
The board did enter executive session to discuss “personnel matters related to the city attorney” and “potential legal matters.”
After a 47-minute session, Patterson returned to state that no action had been taken and that the board had delayed a hearing on Michel so that attorneys could discuss objections to procedure.
In other action, the board:
• Paid city bills for early November for $723,581, with two exceptions. Selectman Lamb objected to “city raises not approved by the board” and Storer’s salary. Lamb and two other selectmen have argued that Storer is not the city administrator because of a disputed Sept. 23 executive session vote, and have questioned whether raises included in the city budget were properly authorized.
• Approved meeting minutes from a regular board meeting Nov. 12, the historical preservation commission’s meeting of Oct. 9 and the special called meeting of Nov. 20, along with a letter of exception from Lamb expressing the same objections to previous bills.
• Appointed Lisa Cameron, Annette McCray, James Rayborn, Pat Randall and James Andrews to the Board of Adjustments. Such a body has been inactive in the city for several years, and the board has debated — and is still awaiting the city attorney’s advice on — its role, since the appeal of a Summit Street zoning recommendation last month.
• Hired the Mississippi Heritage Trust as consultant to complete a grant for the city to revise design review guidelines for the historic district at a cost of $3,500.
• Recognized Toney L. Lang for 10 years of service in the Cemetery/Parks Division of McComb’s Department of Public Works.
• Hired Marcus Overton as a police officer.
• Accepted capital improvements monthly billing for $15,876.
The city also approved cleaning of the following properties, if not already resolved with the zoning and inspections department.
• New Zion Baptist Church, 461 Holmes St.
• Harry Bowie Jr., White Street and Railroad Boulevard.
• Avatar, 616 Bendat St.
• Charles Smith, 304 N. Magnolia St.
• Thomas Brown, 1120 26th St.
• Tyrone Taylor, 317 W. Michigan Ave..
• James L. Hubbard, 719 Argyle St.
• Brian Tracey, 218 S. Cherry St.
• Allen and Judith Bass, 1021 Avenue E.
• Glenn Hughes estate, 307 S. Chestnut St.
• Kim Moshler, 311 W. Michigan Ave.
• Nehi Circle Inc., 208 11th St.
• Albert Eason, 1114 Venable St.
• Arther Jackson, 822 Avenue C.
• William Carroll, 1001 Old Highway 24.
• Henry and Lynn Bateaste, 513 Northwest Ave.
• Maude Craft, 514 Cameron St.
• Joe McGehee estate, 627 Myrtle St.and have questioned whether raises included in the city budget were properly authorized.
• Approved meeting minutes from a regular board meeting Nov. 12, the historical preservation commission’s meeting of Oct. 9 and the special called meeting of Nov. 20, along with a letter of exception from Lamb expressing the same objections to previous bills.
• Appointed Lisa Cameron, Annette McCray, James Rayborn, Pat Randall and James Andrews to the Board of Adjustments. Such a body has been inactive in the city for several years, and the board has debated — and is still awaiting the city attorney’s advice on — its role, since the appeal of a Summit Street zoning recommendation last month.
• Hired the Mississippi Heritage Trust as consultant to complete a grant for the city to revise design review guidelines for the historic district at a cost of $3,500.
• Recognized Toney L. Lang for 10 years of service in the Cemetery/Parks Division of McComb’s Department of Public Works.
• Hired Marcus Overton as a police officer.
• Accepted capital improvements monthly billing for $15,876.
The city also approved cleaning of the following properties, if not already resolved with the zoning and inspections department.
• New Zion Baptist Church, 461 Holmes St.
• Harry Bowie Jr., White St. and Railroad Blvd.
• Avatar, 616 Bendat St.
• Charles Smith, 304 N. Magnolia St.
• Thomas Brown, 1120 26th St.
• Tyrone Taylor, 317 W. Michigan Ave..
• James L. Hubbard, 719 Argyle St.
• Brian Tracey, 218 S. Cherry St.
• Allen and Judith Bass, 1021 Ave. E.
• Glenn Hughes estate, 307 S. Chestnut St.
• Kim Moshler, 311 W. Michigan Ave.
• Nehi Circle Inc., 208 11th St.
• Albert Eason, 1114 Venable St.
• Arther Jackson, 822 Ave. C.
• William Carroll, 1001 Old Highway 24.
• Henry and Lynn Bateaste, 513 Northwest Ave.
• Maude Craft, 514 Cameron St.
• Joe McGehee estate, 627 Myrtle St.
