The Holly Springs Board of Aldermen approved motions to hire a number of people in the utility department, a Human Resources director, firemen and some laborers, at the July 5 meeting.

It ended, at least partly, the long stalemate between the mayor and board on the hiring process.

Pat Dawson, was appointed as director of HR at an annual salary of $50,000, after some discussion.

Ward 2 alderman Andre Jones asked Dawson how she feels about the hiring process.

Dawson said new prospects must have verifiable work experiences and skills for the job they are expected to perform.

“I don’t want to low-ball pay,” she said. “Pay them commensurate with their skills at rates (comparable) in the area.”

The board voted unanimously to appoint Dawson.

• Jason McDoniel as apprentice lineman at $16.69 an hour.

McDoniel qualified for a higher entry level salary because he has a commercial drivers license and has trained at Mississippi Delta Community College.

Ward 3 alderman Colter Teel asked if McDoniel completed apprentice lineman at Delta and would he have to get certificates. Mayor Sharon Gipson said McDoniel will take classes to obtain his certificates contingent on passing a drug screen within the first 30 days of employment.

Teel asked the mayor if a CDL is something the utility department has used to raise the entry pay or is it something the utility will do going forward.

Gipson said the pay is based on a CDL and completion of classes.

“So this is done retroactively?” Teel asked.

“We are just starting this now with correcting what we could with the process in building and grounds, and streets,” Gipson said. “Nothing is in place for upward movement.

“How did we come up with this $16.69?” Jones asked.

Alderman Bernita Fountain and Teel voted to hire McDoniel and Jones and alderman Dexter Shipp opposed the measure. Gipson broke the tie.

“We encourage our young people to go to school and get a trade,” Fountain said. “If a person goes to college and gets a trade they should make a little bit more because they got an education.”

“I agree 100 percent with you,” Teel said. “You are not starting on the same level. Mr. Warren, what is he starting out as?”

HSUD general manager Donald Warren said McDoniel will start out as an apprentice lineman climbing poles.

“Those who do not have that training will be trained as groundsmen before going to poles,” Warren said.

• Dustin Johnson was brought up for a position as apprentice lineman at $16.19. Fountain offered a motion to hire Johnson, but got no second so her motion died.

• William S. Huddleston was approved as groundsman at $15.50 an hour by unanimous vote of the board.

• Timothy Ford was up for appointment as apprentice lineman at a rate of $16.69 an hour. Teel made a motion and Fountain seconded. The vote was 2-2 with Jones and Shipp opposing the measure. Gipson broke the tie. Ford holds a CDL.

• Sharon Stephenson was up for a transfer to customer service supervisor at HSUD at a base salary of $42,473. The board unanimously approved her transfer.

“Are you looking forward to it?” asked Teel.

“I would give 110 percent,” she said.

• Cedric Kimmons was up for hire as apprentice lineman at $16.19 an hour. Kimmons said he has been climbing and cutting trees for 20 years.

Fountain made a motion and Teel seconded to hire Kimmons. Jones and Shipp voted no. Gipson broke the tie.

• James Williams was up for appointment as full-time fireman at $15.50 an hour. He received unanimous approval for the job.

• Shamar Woods was unanimously appointed to part-time fireman at $12 an hour.

• Jaren King was unanimously approved for a part-time fireman position at $12 an hour.

• Eyvonne Jordan Tucker was unanimously approved as part-time fireman at $12 an hour.

• Clarence Edward Hollowell was appointed as general laborer in the street department at $15.50 an hour. The vote was 3-1 with Jones voting nay.

A number of positions were not acted upon because they were recommended to work in the Concrete and Drainage divisions, two divisions the board of aldermen do not think were established by approval of the board of aldermen or were not in the budget. A total of six positions, three in each division, were held by Gipson.

Fountain asked the mayor for an explanation.

“It’s just a clarification for the division,” Gipson said. “I did not list specific positions for employees. I asked Perry (attorney John Perry) did we need to amend the budget or do it this way.”

Fountain asked if supervisors were already established for the divisions - are they new positions or were they not spelled out.

Gipson said she heard concerns “on the campaign trail.”

“We had a lot of drainage (problems) that were old,” she said.

The drainage division was set to prevent flooding, she said.

Shipp asked how many people were working in concrete and drainage.

Shipp made a motion to amend the utility department positions to reflect three positions open for general laborers in concrete at $15.50 an hour. His motion failed for lack of a second.

A similar motion was ask for three positions for general laborers in drainage. No motion was offered.

Six motions on the agenda for general laborers in concrete and drainage were held because positions were not approved by the board of aldermen.

Further discussion of issues brought up by aldermen followed.

Jones said he wants to talk about budget hearings and when the process is to begin.

Gipson said the dates would be set next meeting.

Jones asked for work sessions to review ordinances during the budgeting process.

Teel asked Warren and George Humphreys if the Holly Springs Utility Department had sufficient inventories, including transformers.

Warren said HSUD has ordered transformers as well as poles. Receiving transformers can take from 2.5 to 3 years when ordered, he said. Poles are also ordered and coming in.

“We are in good shape, but transformers we are having to get from other areas like New Albany,” Warren said.

Gipson said some places they have tried to get transformers from have said they cannot give a delivery date.

“We had a lot of damage in the county,” she said. “Lots of poles are very old and trees are damaged. We always prefer more.”

“Are your work orders getting caught up?” Teel asked. “Do we need subcontractors to come in and try to get caught up?”

Teel cited a pole being supported by another pole at the corner of Cedar Drive and Peyton Road.

Warren said he thinks that is a phone pole that is tied to an HSUD pole for support.

“They are behind as well,” Gipson said, referring to the phone companies. “Their poles are just as old as ours.”

Shipp said some residents in Red Banks are having their electricity go off daily, such as on Liles Road.

“It is also affecting Mt. Pleasant,” said Teel.

Gipson said the issue in that area is three-phase lines.

Teel asked if there is any way to give residents notice when there is a plan to work on these areas.

“Engineers are trying to see what’s causing it,” Gipson said. “On repairs, we are trying to notify people on Facebook, text message and Robo calls.”

Shipp asked about progress on the cast-iron replacement project in the gas department.

Gipson said engineer Larry Britt has been looking for grants to help fund it.

Shipp asked about potholes being filled with white rock.

Gipson said white rock is usually applied when filling potholes in the water and gas departments (when the hole in the street is refilled after a repair).

She said the street department supervisor is repairing sidewalks on Randolph Street and Spring Hollow.

Teel asked if a contract has been signed to house inmates at the county jail as the board of aldermen had ordered.

Gipson said both she and attorney Perry have to sign the agreement which also includes medical care of inmates and the per diem costs.

Shipp asked about progress on getting the amphitheater (pavilion) approved for use.

Gipson said IMS Engineers has a written report coming

Other measures taken at the meeting included:

• approval of purchase of at Toro Titan Max zero turn at $6,300, from Tractor Supply.

• authorization of a settlement claim of $22,000 with National Fire & Marine Insurance for the loss of a 2012 Dodge Charger SRT. The claim was for an old police car that was totaled during the previous administration.

• approved July 1, 2023, as the city’s day to celebrate July 4th in the city.

• apporved activation of an MDOT sidewalk grant.

• saw a mayor’s request to authorize HSUD employee positions to reflect three positions of general laborers in the Drainage and three in the Concrete divisions fail for lack of motions.

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