Magnolia employees won’t be getting a holiday in April like those in most other municipalities and counties will.
The last Monday in April is observed as Confederate Memorial Day under state law, though local governments may, and often do, give a holiday on Good Friday instead.
Magnolia aldermen — four of whom are Black — and Mayor Tammy Witherspoon were in favor Tuesday of ignoring Confederate Memorial Day on April 25, but Alderwoman Becky Magee balked at replacing the observance with a holiday on Good Friday, April 15.
Board attorney Barbara Blackmon said Magee suggested the change during last week’s work session, but Magee said that was Witherspoon’s idea.
No one on the board insisted on awarding the Good Friday holiday, so the board unanimously voted not to observe Confederate Memorial Day without providing another holiday in its place. Town Hall will be open and employees will go to work on both April 15 and April 25.
In other business, the board:
• Approved submitting the paperwork for a state loan to make road repairs related to storm damage.
• Received an unqualified opinion on its 2012-2020 audit. CPA Angeia Herzog said there were procedural findings on the audit, most of which are common to small towns like Magnolia, and which do not affect Magnolia’s good financial standing.
• Approved a fireworks permit and a car show for the 16th anniversary celebration of La Mariposa Café downtown on May 14.
• Approved a community prayer walk on Saturday, April 30.
• Enacted Waste Management’s new pickup rate of $12,95 per unit.
• Proclaimed Dec. 1 as Edgar Lewis Day in town on a 4-0 vote. Magee recused herself, saying Lewis had been her pastor.
• Approved paying municipal prosecutor Bradford Blackmon $50 per hour for handling appeals from town court to county court.
• Approved a contract with former deputy town clerk Sevetrius Dillon to perform tasks from home as needed for $40 per hour. Dillon, also McComb’s former comptroller, resigned for health reasons in February.
• Noted town receipts of $160,735.27 and court fines of $3,967, and paid bills totaling $245,878.
• Approved water and sewer bill adjustments of $16,362 and refunds of $191.
