Winston County Journal

In Tuesday night's meeting of the Louisville Board Aldermen, the board was set to move forward with the application for gaining a Community Development Block Grant that could benefit the city and help Taylor Machine Works develop an equipment testing facility. According to the agenda for the Sept. 16 meeting, the board was ready to adopt a resolution of authorization for the grant application, funded through the Mississippi Development Authority's Mississippi Rural Impact Program. This $300,000 grant would allow the city to make a loan to Taylor Machine Works for the construction of an equipment testing facility. In the meantime, the city would take out a $200,000 loan to build a public parking lot in downtown Louisville and use the funds repaid by Taylor Machine Works as repayment funding.

Due to press times and deadlines, the meeting will be covered in full in the Sept. 24 edition of The Winston County Journal.

Also on the agenda for the Sept. 16 meeting:

€ advertising a public meeting, to be held at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23 at City Hall, to discuss a grant for Ivy Park,

€ approving administrative contract with Sample and Associates for $3,000,

€ discussing insurance for city employees,

€ investigate authority to sign agreements with TVA/ARC for a water treatment improvement project estimated to cost $380,383, (see next week's edition for grant story.)

€ holding a hearing on an unclean property located on Jones Street, owned by Hilute Hudson, Vincent and Angela Hudson and Osler Hudson, and

The board approached the possibility of the Taylor Machine Works - Community Development Block Grant in its Sept. 2 meeting. Joel O'Briant, economic development director of the Winston County Economic Development District, appeared before the board to discuss assisting the Main Street Program in gaining parking space in downtown Louisville. The board agreed to the discussion, and on Sept. 15 Giles Ward, alderman-at-large, Mayor Louis Taunton and O'Briant met with Lex Taylor, president of the Taylor Group, to discuss the proposal. The board was to approve application for the grant in the Sept. 16 meeting.

The Sept. 2 meeting saw the board adopt the budget for fiscal year 2004, after first rescinding it due to questions about the fees paid to the city by the Louisville Municipal School District for collecting school taxes within the city. The questions arose from the school district's paying the city only $32,000, or 2.5 percent of the total taxes collected, to collect taxes, while the county receives five percent for collecting school taxes. After discussion, the resolution was renewed and passed, with the board adopting the budget.

The board also adopted the tax levy of 13.3 mils for the City of Louisville, the same millage as levied last year; adopted the tax levy of 39.26 mils for the Louisville Municipal School District, a .31 mil increase over last year, as set by the school board; and adopted the tax levy of 52.56 mils total for the city and school as shown on the "Resolution Fixing Levy for Taxes."

Faced with a 27 percent increase in rates for health insurance coverage of city employees, the board heard Officer Charlie Black present options for lower-cost insurance. The board moved to continue this discussion in its Sept. 16 meeting.

In addition, the Board of Aldermen discussed the applications the city has received for the position of court clerk. The board decided to hold this issue for review and guidance until all board members had been able to review the applications. The board also made a motion to invite Judge David T. Wilson Jr., Mayor Louis Taunton, city attorney Taylor Tucker and Louisville Police Chief Lawrence Estes to interview the candidates for the position, once candidates are approved by the board

The board also heard a petition for use permitted on appeal by Angarea Haynes and Pearlie Ruth Anderson to open a video room with pool tables at 306 W. Main St., formerly Harrington's Mini Mart. The board had previously denied this petition, and set a hearing for the appeal at the board's Oct. 7 meeting.

In other business, the board:

€ ordered the publication of the final certified tax levy by Sept. 30,

€ authorized a three percent salary increase for all city employees except the Board of Aldermen and Mayor,

€ adopted an agreement with the Louisville Municipal School District to collect school taxes from property owners in the city for a $32,000 fee,

€ adopted an agreement with the county to collect school taxes outside the city limits,

€ adopted an agreement with the county to collect mobile home taxes outside city limits,

€ ordered the publication of the budget statements and public availability of the budget,

€ approved the docket of claims for August bills totaling $116,000, and

€ discussed and rejected bids on a 1977 American LaFrance Fire Truck.

The Louisville Board of Alderman will next meet at 6 p.m. Oct. 7.