Olive Branch aldermen consider polling location changes

As voting in the 2024 general election was wrapping up the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 5, Olive Branch aldermen were hearing public comments on a proposal to move some of the municipal polling places to be used for city elections in 2025. Another part of the proposal is minor addition of property adjusting Ward 5.  

“The key motivator was to get out of the fire stations’ parking lots,” Mayor Ken Adams said.  “There is simply not enough parking at the fire stations for traffic in and out. The men and women of the fire service are trying to do their job. We were fortunate to have a couple of churches partner with us.”

One new proposed polling location is St. Paul’s Missionary Baptist Church for Ward 2 and another proposal is for Compel Church on Davidson Road for Ward 1. 

Two people came and spoke to the board about the new Ward 2 location. Theresa Gillespie Isom and James Woodard both supported the proposed move to St. Paul’s.  

New voter registration cards will be sent to registered, once final approval is made, to reflect the city ward and a voter’s polling location. 

No action was taken as the proposal needs to have two public hearings and Tuesday, Nov. 5 was the first one. A final vote is expected to take place at the Nov. 19 board meeting.  

DeSoto County News previewed the plan prior to the Nov. 5 meeting.

Tuesday’s consideration included a minor change of area for Ward 5, one that involved no homes and residents. A Chancery Judge had been petitioned and approved the annexation of the land into the city and that meant the Ward 5 map had to be adjusted to include the newly-annexed property.  

Adams also provided his monthly Mayor’s Awards to public works employees Cole Fesmire, Justin Rose, Don Buford, Nick Bryan, Zach Lewis, Curtis Aldridge, Marcus Walls, Eddie Bibbs and William Brown for their response to a major water line break of a 16-inch main that took place in September.  

HERNANDO BOARD OF ALDERMEN

A Planning and Zoning item to consider a convenience store at the corner of McIngvale and Pleasant Hill roads was tabled to the Nov. 19 meeting, despite protests of many in the boardroom who came to voice their opposition to the plan. 

Mayor Chip Johnson said the action to table was done as a courtesy when someone is working on a project, noting that developers are working on a better product which is why the move to table the item was requested.  

Board attorney Steven Pittman added that a planning item needs a super majority of five votes to pass. Pittman said the policy of the city has been to have all aldermen present to approve a planning issue, and since Alderman “Doc” Harris was attending the meeting remotely by phone and Alderman Andrew Miller was not there the proposal could not be voted on that night.  

Opponents charge the location of the convenience store would be a hazard at an already dangerous intersection, especially with the proposed location being near the Hernando High School campus under construction. A similar business is located a short distance away on Pleasant Hill.

SOUTHAVEN BOARD OF ALDERMEN

An affiliation agreement between the Southaven Fire Department and the DeSoto County Career and Technology Center West was approved. This agreement allows students who want to pursue a career with the Southaven Fire Department to obtain clinical and practical experience in the program.  

A Conditional Use Permit for a hair braiding establishment on Millbranch Road was approved and an application to rezone just over 13 acres on Goodman Road between Greenbrook and Flower Creek to PUD (Planned Urban Development) was approved. The property approved for the rezoning would allow for 30 residential lots and a dog park. 

HORN LAKE BOARD OF ALDERMEN

The Nov. 5 meeting was live streamed on the city’s YouTube channel.