The Mayor and Board of Aldermen for the Town of Pelahatchie convened for their regular meeting on Monday, January 6, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Town Hall.
Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance:
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Karl VanHorn, followed by the Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. Roll was called, and all aldermen were present.
Residents or Visitors’ Business:
1. Fairway Liquor Store Permit:
A representative for Fairwood Foods and Fairway Liquor Store, an associate from the Harris Law Firm, addressed the board regarding their application for a permit to open a liquor store in the Heritage District, specifically in the old NAPA Auto Parts building. They argued that current zoning ordinances do not explicitly prohibit the establishment of a liquor store in this district.
City Attorney Kimberly Banks provided legal guidance, referencing Section 1302 of the zoning code, which outlines “land uses not permitted.” She emphasized that this section makes no exceptions for liquor stores in the Heritage District.
Additionally, she referred to the zoning ordinances of 2016 and 2022 for further context.
An associate of the Harris Law Firm, representing the liquor store applicant, suggested the board reevaluate the zoning ordinances. However, after discussion, the board decided to table the matter for further review. The motion to table was made by Alderwoman Hill, seconded by Alderman Jones, and unanimously approved. The issue will be revisited at next month’s meeting.
2. Pelahatchie Petals Garden Club:
The Pelahatchie Petals, Pelahatchie’s local garden club, came before the board to request permission to beautify the town’s four-way stops and possibly add more pots along Brooks Street and throughout downtown Pelahatchie. Jearleen Holly, president of the club, recognized the members present in the audience, showing the club’s strong support and community involvement.
Dixie Thornton, GCM (Garden Clubs of Mississippi) and Natchez Trace District Director, spoke about the role garden clubs play as partners with towns to enhance community spaces. She emphasized that this is a collaboration where garden clubs bring their experience and manpower to assist towns in beautification efforts. Thornton also noted that garden clubs can apply for state and national grants to fund their projects, though the clubs themselves must take the lead in applying for these grants.
Mayor VanHorn raised a question regarding liability issues in the event of injuries during the club’s projects. Banks advised drafting a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize the partnership and address any liability concerns.
Thornton agreed.
After discussion, the board agreed to move forward with drafting the MOU. A motion to approve pending sponsorship of the MOU was made by Alderwoman Hill, seconded by Alderwoman Warren, and passed unanimously.
Additional information about the Pelahatchie Petals Garden Club and upcoming projects can be found at the Pelahatchie Public Library.
Department Discussions:
Police: Pelahatchie Police Chief James Mahaffey came before the board to request permission to utilize funds from the department’s CESE account to assist the town with covering some expenses incurred over the last few months. Chief Mahaffey explained that December saw an unusually high amount of vehicle maintenance and related expenses. These costs were due in part to incidents of serious vandalism on one of the department’s police vehicles, in addition to regular maintenance needs.
He emphasized that using CESE funds for these expenses would help alleviate some of the financial burden on the town’s budget. After a brief discussion, the board expressed their understanding of the department’s needs and agreed to consider the request further. No dollar amount was mentioned.
Alderman Jones made a motion to approve, Alderman Harvey seconded the motion, and the motion passed with all in favor.
New Business:
1. The board discussed, considered, and voted to approve the minutes from the previous regular board meeting held on December 2, 2024. Alderman Jones made the motion and Alderman Hill seconded. The motion passed with all in favor.
2. The board discussed, considered, and voted to approve the payment of the unpaid claims docket. Alderman Jones made the motion, and Alderwoman Harrell seconded. The motion passed with all in favor.
3. The board discussed, considered, and voted to approve a payment of $1,157.41 to Morgan and White Insurance as secondary coverage to Blue Cross Blue Shield. Alderman Jones made the motion, and Alderwoman Hill seconded. The motion passed with all in favor.
4. The board discussed, considered, and voted to approve a bank draft payment of $9,002.63 to Blue Cross Blue Shield. Alderman Jones made the motion, and Alderman Hill seconded. The motion passed with all in favor.
5. The board discussed, considered, and voted to approve a payment of $5,911 to EMC Insurance for property insurance. Alderman Jones made the motion, and Alderwoman Hill seconded. The motion passed with all in favor.
6. The board discussed, considered, and voted to approve and ratify the payment of payroll for December 2024, with totals as follows:
• General Fund: $108,218.76
• Enterprise Fund: $37,812.90
Alderwoman Jones made the motion, and Alderman Harrell seconded. The motion passed with all in favor.
7. The board discussed, considered, and voted to approve a new public records request form. Alderman Jones made the motion, and Alderman Harrell seconded. The motion passed with all in favor.
8. The board discussed, considered, and voted to approve renting county election equipment for the upcoming election. Alderman Jones made the motion, and Alderwoman Harrell seconded. The motion passed with all in favor.
Executive session:
The agenda made note of executive session, but there was no executive session tonight.
Discussions:
Alderman Discussions:
Alderwoman Hill inquired about the status of tornado sirens and whether the town was exploring any grants to replace the current ones, which are no longer operational.
Alderwoman Harvey raised concerns about the progress of repairing and replacing streetlights. Mayor Vanhorn responded, stating that Entergy had informed him of issues with the subcontractor responsible for the streetlights.
Additionally, Entergy has been under extra demand due to recent severe weather.
Alderman Jones thanked the town for addressing tree removal efforts recently. Mayor Vanhorn added that the town is limited in how many trees can be cut down due to the town’s easement restrictions, as they only have so many feet of easement to work within.
Mayor VanHorn addressed the tornado sirens issue, explaining that tornado sirens are primarily intended to warn individuals outdoors during storms. He recommended that residents register for the “Respond” app at www.rankincounty.org for additional weather alerts and safety updates.
Mayor VanHorn also announced that a contractor had approached the town with a proposal to build an apartment complex in Pelahatchie. The contractor currently owns the property and has requested it be rezoned. He stated that advertisements regarding the proposal will run in the local paper, and a public hearing will be held soon to gather community input.
Banks will draft the public notice for posting and encouraged residents to attend the meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 6:42 p.m.
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