Olive Branch aldermen Tuesday night were unable to override a veto from Mayor Ken Adams the mayor made on a vote taken back in December.
On Dec. 17, aldermen voted in favor of a request from Meridian Properties to decrease the size of the townhomes planned for The Preserves at Cedar Bluff development.
The board voted for the request on a 4-2 vote but Adams overturned the decision on a mayoral veto, an action that Alderman Dale Dickerson protested and asked for the override vote at the board’s meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 21, citing a number of reasons.
Dickerson referred back to the initial request for a lot size of 2,000 square feet for townhomes instead of apartments. The developer last month came back asking to be able to reduce the plot size to 1,800 square feet and the board approved that action.
However, Adams offered his veto and before the vote Tuesday offered some reasons why.
The Mayor said the Preserves at Cedar Bluff was the first development for townhomes in the city’s history and “before any are built the developer requested to downsize the homes they received approval for,” Adams said. “Allowing any developer to receive a reduction of square footage for homes they were previously approved for without having completed construction of any at the original approved size is a bad precedent for our City to establish.”
The mayor also said adjacent homes in the five subdivisions (the closest being only 1150 feet from the townhouses) to the west of the development are 3,000 to 5,000 square foot homes and to allow the requested 1,800 square foot townhomes lacks consideration and is grossly unfair to those existing residents.”
To override the veto Dickerson would need his vote and those of four other aldermen for a five-member majority. However, the final vote went 5-2 against the override with Dickerson and Alderman Gil Earhart voting in favor of the override.
In other action, aldermen accepted a bid for traffic signals at the intersection of College and Craft roads. Lewis Electric won the bid for the project at a cost of $165,345. City Engineers Andy Swims said it would take an eight-month timeframe for the signals to be installed. He added the plan is to have the signals in place in time for school to begin next August.
Southaven highlights
Southaven aldermen agreed to use funds from MCWI, (Mississippi’s Municipality and County Water Infrastructure) Grant program for two Projects:
• Summerwood Drainage Project Phase 1 to design the necessary widening for the Johns Creek box culvert, near Stateline Rd and Getwell Rd. Reducing the flood plain level is expected to provide relief from erosion to those yards that back up to Johns Creek.
• A Utilities improvement project for designing, bidding and construction engineering an elevated storage tank that will be needed in the next few years.
Work authorization request was approved to initiate design and advertise for resurfacing and rebuilding the Field of Dreams at Snowden Grove Park.
Hernando highlights
Hernando aldermen heard end of year updates from Parks and Recreation Director Jared Barkley and Public Works Director Lee Germany. A residential request to reduce the speed limit on Memphis Street from 25 miles per hour to 15 miles per hour between Commerce Street and Robinson Road was approved. Residents had requested the change and police chief Shane Ellis agreed at Tuesday’s meeting that the speed limit should be reduced.
Board members also approved an emergency water main repair at Robertson Gin road from Cleveland Construction Inc. at a cost of $28,564,00. The board also presented Miles McMath, owner of The Parish Oyster Bar & Restaurant a Community Service Award for his work helping Hernando Meals on Wheels serve those in need with a delicious meal.
Community Service Award presented to Myles McMath of The Parish Oyster Bar & Restaurant for work helping Hernando Meals and Wheels (City of Hernando/Facebook)
Horn Lake highlights
Horn Lake Police Chief Nikki Pullen presented Officers Winters and Mabry Life Saving Awards at Tuesday’s meeting for their heroic efforts during flooding that occurred on the night of Dec. 28.
Both officers were blocking the flooded roads at Highway 51 and Goodman Road when a vehicle was swept from the roadway on Highway 51 into a drainage ditch and pulled through the culvert by the moving water. The officers, without hesitation, ran to the vehicle being swept away and helped one occupant to safety, then pulled the second occupant from the rushing water.
Life Saving Award winners Horn Lake police officers Mabry and Winters (Horn Lake Police Department/Facebook)
There was also discussion about speed bumps and other traffic “calming” devices, such as stop signs, on certain streets. Alderman Michael Guice presented a policy plan that could be set in place for residents to petition for speed humps or devices along their neighborhood street. Seventy-five percent of the residents would have to ask the city for them, followed by traffic counts on the segment before approval. There were questions about how they would be funded, however, so no action was taken, as city attorney Billy Campbell reviews the policy ahead of a final vote.
