Veteran educator Lula Starling will serve another five-year term on the Yazoo City School Board.
Starling was elected to another term Monday by a 2-1 vote with Mayor Diane Delaware and Ward 4 Alderman Dr. Jack Varner voting in favor and Ward 1 Alderman Ron Johnson voting against.
Johnson had nominated Sir Johnathan Rucker.
Ward 4 Alderman Aubry Brent Jr. and Ward 3 Alderman Rev. Gregory Robertson did not participate in the vote because their wives are employed in the district.
Starling’s new term begins in March and lasts five years.
In other business during the Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting Monday:
n City Attorney Sarah O’Reilly-Evans served her last day Monday.
Her daughter, Lilli Evans Bass, will serve as the new city attorney. Evans Bass has served as Yazoo City’s municipal judge since 2014.
A resident of Jackson, Evans Bass is a managing partner in the Brown, Bass & Jeter law firm and has been a member of the Mississippi BAR since 2008.
City leaders had many kind words for O’Reilly-Evans’ service to the city.
n Resident Linda Cowan Harris complained that her vehicle was recently broken into on her property on Lamar Avenue, and her home was burglarized Monday.
“Why do we only have one detective covering all the crime in the city,” Harris asked.
n Walmart officials invited city leaders to the store’s grand opening in Yazoo City on March 15 at 8 a.m.
n Delaware said the city is working to establish an inventory asset management system.
She said that because there was no system in place when she took office, the city doesn’t have titles to much of the equipment it owns. Delaware said that means when the city wants to sell a piece of used equipment the city clerk has to spend a significant amount of time tracking down a title that should have already have been on file.
“The city clerk is trying to keep up and make up at the same time,” Delaware said.
n Public Works Director Walter Williams said that he is prepared to sell 11 surplus vehicles this month through an online auction service.
Delaware said that she did not believe Williams would be able to auction the vehicles so quickly because she had spoken to a representative from the auction company who said his contract has expired with the city and he isn’t willing to work without a contract. Delaware said establishing a new contract would take time because it must be reviewed by the city’s attorney.
Williams said he has been speaking with the same person, and that issue has never been discussed. He said the company simply needs a letter from the board approving the online auction.
O’Reilly Evans suggested renewing the auction company’s prior contract for a year.
n The board observed a moment of silence for KK Hill, the director of the Triangle Cultural Center who recently died.
“We can never fill his shoes, and he will always be remembered,” Delaware said.
