Review of March 6, 2012 Board Meeting

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There were several people that wanted me to blog about various issues they were having with the City of Lumberton and I told them I would do so if they addressed the board during citizens comments. Well, the board meeting opened with citizens comments and no comments were made. The board opened proposals for administrator fo the 2012 CDBG Grant for the water system and proposals for the engineer for the 2012 CDBG Grant for the water system. Both set of proposals will be taken under advisement. Afterwards, Bobby Gibson finally informed the citizens of the reason why Mayor Holder was not in attendance. Agusta Callaway of Big Pictures Wellness addressed the board about a fitness/health awarness program she would like to help implement in the City of Lumberton. She also stated that she would like to help organize fitness programs with the area churches. The department heads gave their reports. Stephanie Mullings, City Clerk stated that a large portion of the tax money has come in and she informed the board that spending should be necessity only. She also noted that the budget needs to be amended again. Chief Hobson stated that there were several tickets involving seatbelt violations, children in cars without proper restraints, suspened licenses and there was an arrest for an assualt on a police officer. Fire Chief Walters stated that people were adhering to the fire permits, and reported that there were 10 fire calls, 16 medical calls and they assisted with 5 wrecks. Ben Barrett stated that all was well in the Public Works Department and his new hire is working well with the group. There was no report from the library, but it was noted that a new assistant, Ashley Fortenberry of Oak Grove, will start work at the Lumberton library this month. The city clerk was autorized to attend the MS Municipal Clerks and Collectors Association training classes March 28-30, 2012 in Hattiesburg and the City of Lumberton will pay the travel costs. The board voted to pay Mayor Holder's dues for the Pine Belt Mayor Association. The board also voted to pay the city clerk's registration fees, hotel fees and travel for the MML Meeting in Gulfport, MS on June 24-27, 2012. The baord was presented with the proposals for the completion of the CDBG Katrina Go-Zone Grant Project. There was an order to request the MS Rural Water Association to come and conduct a water system rate study for the City of Lumberton despite the fact that the study was conducted earlier that morning and the finding were also presented earlier that morning. As a result, the water rates for the City of Lumberton will be raised another .75/gallon after the public hearing on April 5, 2012. The board went into executive session. Foots Davis spoke with the board regarding a personnel issue and one police officer was terminated and another was moved from part-time to a full-time position. The meeting was adjourned at 8:11 p.m. This concludes this month's review. Until next time, "Govern Yourselves Accordingly."

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 7, 2012 at 9:58 AM

    Did I read the post correctly? At one point you said the clerk said that spending should be for necessity only and then they vote to send her to two training classes. Didn't she already get certified? When are the other clerks going to get trained?

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  2. AnonymousMarch 7, 2012 at 10:00 AM

    When are you guys going to give up. They're not going to hire Lumberton people for the library. But I think they said this girl actually has a degree in library sciences and is pursuing her master's. Why didn't you include that in the post.

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    Replies
    1. The Lumberton InformerMarch 7, 2012 at 10:09 AM

      I believe the only job you'll never get is the one you never apply for. It's great that they actually hired a person that has a degree in library sciences. I don't know what living in a good neighborhood has to do with the hiring process, maybe it's code for something. It is what it is.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousMarch 7, 2012 at 10:02 AM

    More training and we still can't get three people to walk or drive one block to deposit a check. Why does it take my checks so long to clear the bank?

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  4. AnonymousMarch 7, 2012 at 10:02 AM

    Who was the police they fired?

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    Replies
    1. The Lumberton InformerMarch 7, 2012 at 11:54 AM

      I think his name is Jacob Matthews. It's amazing that one, white business owner can go into executive session and the board bows to his reqest and fire an officer. How many months have we made complaints about other officers and they're still on duty? What are they going to do about all those traffic violations he issued?

      Delete
    2. The Lumberton InformerMarch 7, 2012 at 1:06 PM

      I stand corrected. More than one person filed a complaint against this officer and they did it the right way, by filing an official complaint. Kudos to the person(s) that are willing to stand up against injustice.

      Delete
    3. AnonymousMarch 7, 2012 at 1:10 PM

      Isn't that the officer I saw you talking with earlier this week? I thought you liked him and was this the one that ran Lenny off the road?

      Delete
    4. The Lumberton InformerMarch 7, 2012 at 1:30 PM

      I don't know b/c the officer did not have his name on his uniform. Am I not allowed to talk with police officers now? I'm not the police of the police. I didn't have any problems with the officer but that did not mean that other's didn't have a problem with that officer. As far as Lenny was concerned, I don't know what happened. Several people told me what happened and they said they would discuss it at the board meeting, but they were no-shows. If an officer is doing what's right, I don't have a problem with them, but when they're scouring the law books looking for laws that haven't been enforced since 1971, then I have a problem with them. But it's good to see that there are people coming forth and filing complaints when they feel they're being unfairly targeted. It's time out for people standing on the corner and complaining about it instead of putting it in writing and being about it.

      Delete
  5. AnonymousMarch 7, 2012 at 11:08 AM

    Amber worked at the library for several years and is from Lumberton. But what has being from Lumberton got to do with being qualified for a job? I just want to be helped by someone who knows what they are doing and who cares.

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  6. AnonymousMarch 7, 2012 at 2:29 PM

    Way to go Foots, there are some of us in Lumberton that are proud of you for standing up to Hobson and his little 20 year old puck Mathis. Why was he even hired here. You have to be 21 in the state of Ms. to be a police officer or even carry a gun.

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    Replies
    1. AnonymousMarch 7, 2012 at 2:54 PM

      It was not about staning up to Hobson, it was about money being taken from him and his business. If they hadn't started doing roatations for the tow-truck calls, Foots would have never said a word about the police officer.

      Delete
  7. AnonymousMarch 7, 2012 at 4:53 PM

    well foots must be only one not afraid of hobson or anyone telling not to say anything about the the bad ass cheif and things they do thats not right stop whinning and go to board meeting and talk to the board like foots did it could do some good

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousMarch 8, 2012 at 12:45 PM

    I see it's a different picture when a white man went. If a black man goes nothing is done. I'm glad Foots did it though.

    ReplyDelete

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