In a packed meeting room, the Louisville Board of Aldermen discussed a myriad of city business to open the year.

Jake's Recycling:

A revisit to issues

The board heard from concerned citizens on problems with Jake's Recycling on Railroad Avenue. The citizens noted concerns over the health hazard of the scarp yard, the blight it placed on the neighborhood, the poor fencing, and the safety risk it posed to all citizens in the area. Several citizens commented that the placement of Jake's Recycling fencing endangered lives and vehicles entering the roadway. The citizens requested a written response on how the city planned to address the concerns.

Alderman Eugene Crosby voiced his support of the citizen's concerns, "I appreciate you coming out and I understand the anguish over this problem."

City Attorney Taylor Tucker noted the city was in litigation with Jake's Recycling over the fencing and other issues. He recommended the board discuss the matter in executive session. The executive session resulted in the board voting to place a three-way stop sign at the intersection of Vance and Railroad due to the obstruction caused by Jake's Recycling Fencing and to have Tucker draft a written response to the concerned citizens on the full matter.

Seeking a healthier Louisville and Winston County

Dr. Dewitt Crawford of Louisville and Lucedale Mayor Dr. Dayton White, a Winston County native, along with representatives of the Mississippi Municipal League appealed to the city leaders to setup a committee to help address health issues in the community.

After hearing from Dr. White on the need to better educate citizens on health issues such as seatbelt usage, no smoking, exercise, and better eating habits, the board appointed Dr. Crawford to head up the planned committee and begin moving the idea forward.

Dr. Crawford of the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians said the city's backing encouraged him and they would begin working toward healthier citizens.

City earns Academy Park grant

The City of Louisville in cooperation with local citizens in the Academy Park area recently was awarded a $100,000 Community Self-Help grant from the Mississippi Development Authority.

The grant will be used to make improvements to Academy Park. Local citizens must invest 30 percent sweat equity into the community project to earn the grant funds. The MDA Self-Help program involves the use of a community's own resources to solve problems for less cost. Self-Help is a collective effort of people working together to create or improve a service or facility that they will use in common, and which is not exclusively owned by any one person or household.

The program also requires projects must benefit a minimum of 51 percent low and-moderate income persons. Volunteers spent the last several months collecting data in the Academy Park neighborhoods to provide the information to MDA that this requirement did fit the area.

MDA approved the $100,000 grant to the city on December 15 and has given the city 120 days to complete environmental requirements and paperwork on the project before initiating the funding.

The city in conjunction with Patsy Patterson of Golden Triangle Planning Development is preparing environmental work.

"Through this application for funding, the city of Louisville has demonstrated local commitment in addressing the community development needs of Mississippi. I commend you for this initiative," stated Governor Haley Barbour in the grant award letter.

Sales tax collections for city in 2008

show slight decline over 2007

Like most of the state the City of Louisville showed a slight decline in sales tax collections in 2008.

Louisville City Clerk Babs Fulton provided a yearly detail of the collections to the board at its recent meeting. For the year, Louisville collected $1583,615.58 compared to the 2007 collections of $1,596,739.64. The slight decline for the year reflected several months in which declines occurred and few that showed marked increases.

May of 2008 posted the best collections and marked increase in the year at $160,708 compared to $141,844 of 2007. April of 2008 showed the steepest decline pulling in $101,944 compared to $125,894.31 in 2007. Sales tax collections reflect the sales two months prior to the collections for example December's collections reflect October's sales. (See chart).

In other business, the board:

¥ Approved the Planning and Zoning's recommendation for a variance to locate Agape Church at 244 South Street.

¥ Postponed an appointment to the Louisville Housing Authority after Willie Dean Miller's appointment to an unexpired term ended on Jan. 1, 2009. Miller was nominated to the position but her reappointment failed in a 2-3 vote. The lack of reappointment inspired discussions among some board members on how the appointment process has been handled in prior instances. Crosby noted that the board had made two other appointments without any consideration of other office seekers and he wondered why this instance was different. Taylor noted Miller would serve until the board designated a new appointee.

¥ Heard from Ken McMullan who requested funding on behalf of the Boys and Girls Club of Winston County. Alderwoman Judy McLeod noted that the club was one of the best things in Winston County. The board tabled the matter until a review of the budget and set a decision for the next board meeting on Jan. 20.

¥ Crosby complimented the Louisville Fire Department Firefighters for their hard work in fighting the Mt. Moriah Fire.

¥ Approved repair of landfill dozer.

¥ Approved receipt of $209.48 from Fred's Dollar Store for Fire Department.