A gas bill sparked a discussion on the feasibility of continuing to operate the Yazoo City Community Complex from city leaders this week.
The Yazoo City Community Complex is housed at the former junior high school, located off of Canal Street. One side of the former school building is used to house the local Boys and Girls Club. However, the other space, including an auditorium and other classroom space, fall under the Yazoo City Community Complex. The complex and the Boys and Girls Club are two separate entities.
During the Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting, an Atmos Energy bill for $1,038.68 for the community complex had one city leader questioning the economic feasibility of operating the facility.
“Are we generating any money from the community complex,” asked Alderwoman Elizabeth Thomas.
Mayor David Starling admitted that the center does not generate “a lot.”
“If someone has a funeral there…” Starling said. “You all are community members like me so you know most of the money is coming in if there is a funeral there.”
Along with operational costs, the community complex expense also includes the salary of Johnny Staples, who is contracted through the city to direct the complex for a $12,000 annual salary at $1,000 a month.
The complex is technically not open to the public but rather is privately rented out for funerals or other events, including health fairs and meetings.
“I tell you what we can do,” Starling continued. “We can get the gas cut off over there. I truly don’t believe anybody is in there, but a remedy would be to cut the gas off, and we wouldn’t have this issue.”
“But if you cut it off, then you can’t use it for a funeral,” Thomas replied. “I am just asking if we are generating enough money to justify it.”
Starling said he could not speak as to what drove the Atmos gas bill higher.
“I can’t tell you why Atmos is saying the bill is this,” Starling said. “But if it is going to continue to create a disturbance here about what Atmos is charging us…this is a conversation that I just don’t want to continue to take time in these meetings.”
Starling then asked the city council if the city needed to continue to operate the community complex.
“That is the question,” he said. “It is going to take a lot of money. That building is in bad shape. No, it is not going to generate any money. We may have one or two funerals there after three months. I would rather come together and come to some kind of agreement. We can close it down if it’s going to continue to have us put on display here in the public about it.”
“I didn’t know this was a display,” Thomas replied. “In other words, you don’t want me to ask about the docket?”
“That is fine asking about the docket,” Starling said. “But I don’t know about Atmos and their bill. And we can fix that. I want you to ask all the questions you want to about anything.”
No action was taken concerning the future of the community complex, and the city council moved to with discussing the claims docket.
