Southaven aldermen approve routine contracts, adopt state'defined hotel tax language and authorize executive session
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Summary
The Southaven Board of Aldermen on Feb. 3 approved multiple routine contracts and resolutions, including an incident-reporting software purchase, a resolution to tax third-party short-term rental facilitators under Senate Bill 2805, engineering and fireworks contracts, and authorized an executive session to discuss personnel and claim matters.
Southaven' The Board of Aldermen on Feb. 3 approved a package of contracts and resolutions that city officials said were needed to maintain services and compliance and to advance planned projects.
City Attorney Nick Manley told the board the fire and EMS departments will replace their incident-reporting system with ImageTrend LLC software to preserve state compliance and eligibility for annual insurance rebate funds. "This contract is with ImageTrend LLC," Manley said, and he reported a one'time fee of $4,360 and a recurring cost of $27,630. The board authorized the mayor and department chief to sign the subscription agreement.
The board also approved a local resolution implementing language from Senate Bill 2805 that City Attorney Manley said expands the statutory definition of "hotel" to include third'party facilitators that arrange short'term rentals, such as online platforms. Manley described the change as bringing entities that facilitate short'term rentals into the same local tax base as traditional hotels; the mayor was authorized to sign the resolution.
Several procurement and project agreements were approved: a $7,000 professional services agreement with Canop Engineering to finalize electrical specifications and inspect work for the police department generator project; a $40,000 contract with Argo Entertainment to provide fireworks and event services for the July 4 celebration at Snowden; and administrative notice in the minutes of an IT contract with Unity for internet and phone services at the 1 Northwest Drive location (the IT contract required no board action, Manley said).
Manley said the fire department solicited uniform bids and received two offers. The low bid was $4,202 per uniform from Mid South Solutions; Emergency Equipment Professionals bid $4,295 per uniform but was recommended because it maintains local inventory and had a better service record. The board approved the recommendation to award to Emergency Equipment Professionals.
Planning Director Whitney Cook described a Nail Road beautification task order under the city's master landscaping contract (Quality Landscaping) to install medians and a streetscape design between Tullahoma and Getwell; Cook said the work "will be funded through our city notification" as stated to the board, and aldermen authorized the MPO activation to move the multi'use trail and overlay projects forward for funding and design.
On public safety policy, the board authorized Chief Skye to sign documents required for Medicaid revalidation so the city can continue EMS billing in Mississippi. The board also authorized a memorandum of understanding allowing the Southaven Police Department to participate with the Mississippi Attorney General's office on a human trafficking task force for coordination, intelligence sharing and victim referrals; roll'call voting showed one 'no' from Alderman Jerome and the motion carried.
Financial and administrative approvals included unanimous votes to approve the personnel docket, a utilities billing leak adjustment document, and the claims docket totaling $1,736,960.63. The board also adopted a tow-rotation list for the police department as presented by the city attorney.
Mayor's remarks during the meeting praised public works, police, fire and utilities staff for their response to a recent winter storm: "These people showed up and, showed out," the mayor said.
Before adjourning to executive session, aldermen voted to enter closed session to discuss claims against the police department, economic development issues, and multiple personnel matters across utilities, fire, public works and interdepartmental staffing; no action was reported before the board recessed into executive session.
Votes at a glance: approval of minutes (unanimous); ImageTrend contract (unanimous); Senate Bill 2805 resolution (unanimous); Canop Engineering $7,000 (unanimous); Argo Entertainment $40,000 (unanimous); parks variance for Snowden House (unanimous); human trafficking MOU (6 yes, 1 no); Nail Road task order (unanimous); award of uniforms to Emergency Equipment Professionals (unanimous); utilities leak adjustment (unanimous); claims docket $1,736,960.63 (unanimous); motion to enter executive session (unanimous).
The board entered executive session to discuss the listed matters; the meeting record shows no formal action taken while in executive session.
