Progress continues on Walmart in Yazoo City and the behind-schedule Willie Morris Parkway.
City Engineer Wayne Morrison told the Mayor and Board of Aldermen Monday that contractors began installing underground utilities at the future Walmart site last Tuesday. Morrison said that about 7,000 more yards of dirt will be hauled to the site.
“Things are going well, and we’ve had perfect weather for construction,” he said.
Morrison said that January 10 is the deadline for the construction to be completed, and there are financial incentives for the contractor to finish the job early.
“Stocking the store is about a two month process,” Morrison said. “An April or March opening date is expected.”
Construction on the parkway also continues.
The landscaping irrigation system is now being installed and plants are being planted.
When these and some other projects are complete the road will be cleaned and striped.
Mayor Diane Delaware said that she has asked Walmart officials to provide some job training to help Yazoo City residents get jobs at the store when it opens.
In other business during the Monday Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting:
* Ward 1 Alderman Ron Johnson said that if the city doesn’t get garbage collection problems corrected they may have a modern day Boston Tea Party on their hands.
“That was about taxation without representation, and this is taxation without services,” Johnson said.
* Ward 4 Alderman Aubry Brent Jr. said he recently had resident visit his home asking him to intervene after her son was arrested by the Yazoo City Police Department, and his car was towed.
Brent said that the issue was that she wanted to drive the car home because she couldn’t afford the towing fee, but the officers would not allow it. Brent said he told her that he cannot get involved in police business, but that he did want to address the issue because he thought her concern was legitimate.
Police Chief Jeff Curtis said he would review the incident and the department’s policy.
* During a discussion about making board appointments, Brent said that the city should make an effort to keep boards racially diverse. Brent said that he would like to see Edna Rogers serve another term on the Public Service Commission Board. He added that there are no white members on the Yazoo City School Board, but if there is a bond issue all properties will be taxed.
* A public hearing will be held on August 8 to seek feedback on the proposed honorary designation of Davis Street in the Brickyard Hill community as Magnolia Tatum Street.
The proposal would not actually change the name of the street, but memorial signs would be erected.
* A resident complained to the board that she purchased a piece of property without receiving any notice that the city had assessed fees for cleaning up the property that were included on the tax bill.
Delaware said that the city is looking for a way to resolve the problem.
* The board approved the purchase of a truck for cemetery sexton Prentiss Young for $21,289. The truck will be paid for from the cemetery’s perpetual care fund.
* The board accepted $11,394 from Travelers Insurance Company for damage to a dump truck bed and $1,399.94 for damage to a 2015 Ford Explorer used by the police department.
* The board authorized Delaware and Kaneilia Williams to attend the Southeast Brownfields Conference for new grantees on Oct. 15-19 in Jacksonville, Fla.
* The board authorized Public Works Director Walter Williams and Bennie Warrington to attend Class 1 Rubbish Site Operator Certification Training in Jackson on Aug. 3-4.
* The board agreed to proceed with a grant for $15,726 for an alcohol program and $10,000 for an occupant protection program from the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety.
