Tupelo council approves grants, MOUs and appointments; schedules code reviews for March work sessions
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Summary
At its Feb. 17 meeting, the Tupelo City Council approved ordinances and routine business including grant applications (including a $212,000 cybersecurity grant described as having no match), MOUs with law-enforcement partners, appointments to local boards and several procurement actions; several building- and fire-code items were moved to March work sessions.
The Tupelo City Council on Feb. 17 approved a package of routine ordinances, grant applications, memoranda of understanding and appointments while advancing several building- and fire-code items to upcoming work sessions.
Presiding official (Speaker 1) opened the meeting and led the council through the action and routine agendas. The council adopted an ordinance amending Code of Ordinances chapter 23.5 on solid-waste collection, addressing contract holders, permitting fees and penalties. Speaker 4 moved the measure and it was seconded and approved by voice vote.
Council members approved several grant submissions. The presiding official described a Mississippi Office of Homeland Security state and local cybersecurity grant for $212,000 that requires no local match; the council authorized staff to submit that application. The body also authorized submission of certified local government grant applications related to Spain House and to Spring Hill Missionary Baptist Church; the transcript records the motions as approved but the specific award amounts for the Spain House application were unclear in the spoken record.
The council accepted memoranda of understanding formalizing cooperation between the Tupelo Police Department and two partners: the Mississippi Attorney General's Human Trafficking Task Force and the United States Capitol Police. The MOU with the Attorney General was described as formalizing multi-jurisdictional investigative and prosecutorial cooperation. Both MOUs were approved by voice vote.
On procurement and public-works matters, the council approved a sole-source purchase from Ideal Blasting; accepted a summary change order on the Colley Road curb-and-gutter project that the city said produced an approximate $101,000 savings due to reduced base material needs; and awarded a six-month hot-mix supply contract for February with no price increase reported. The council also declared replaced substation breakers surplus to be sold as scrap.
Appointments and governance actions included the appointment of Peggy Garduno to the Tupelo Coliseum Commission (the transcript cites nine years of hospitality experience and her role as general manager at the Hilton Garden Inn) and the reappointment of Vance Phillips to the Northeast Mississippi Regional Water Supply District Board of Commissioners (noted as his third term). The council approved amendment 16 to an industrial power contract, updating the name on a Cooper Tire and Rubber Company contract to Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.
Several committee and board minutes were approved as routine business, and the council moved a study-item ordinance establishing Phase 8 priorities up on the agenda to be discussed at a Feb. 24 work session. The council also moved discussion of adopting the 2024 ICC building code series and the 2024 International Fire Code (with appendices and NFPA 101 life-safety provisions) to a March 2 work session.
The meeting closed after council members agreed there was a need for executive session; the council adjourned by voice vote.
Votes at a glance
- Ordinance amending Code of Ordinances chapter 23.5 (solid waste): approved (motion moved by Speaker 4, seconded; voice vote). - Approval of Feb. 3 minutes: approved (moved by Speaker 2; voice vote). - Bill payments (acknowledged as paid by Nettie, Bentley and Travis): approved. - Renaissance Bank depository agreement: approved (moved by Speaker 2; voice vote). - Ratification of Cadence Bank depository agreement (presiding official recused): approved. - Certified local government grant submission (Spain House): approved (amount unclear in transcript). - Mississippi Office of Homeland Security cybersecurity grant ($212,000, no match): approved. - Certified local government grant submission (Spring Hill Missionary Baptist Church): approved. - Court clerk training certificate and municipal fine schedule: approved. - MOU: Mississippi Attorney General Human Trafficking Task Force: approved. - MOU: United States Capitol Police: approved. - Sole-source purchase from Ideal Blasting: approved. - Approval of major thoroughfare committee minutes (multiple dates): approved. - Summary change order, Colley Road curb and gutter: approved (city reported $101,000 savings). - Six-month hot-mix supply contract: approved (no price increase reported). - CVV board minutes approvals: approved. - Appointment: Peggy Garduno to Tupelo Coliseum Commission: approved. - Appointment: Vance Phillips to Northeast Mississippi Regional Water Supply District Board: approved. - Amendment 16 to Cooper Tire contract (name change to Goodyear): approved. - Surplus substation breakers: approved.
What matters
- The $212,000 cybersecurity grant (described by the presiding official as having no match) is the largest single-dollar item discussed and could fund technology or security upgrades if awarded. - The human-trafficking MOU and the Capitol Police MOU formalize interagency cooperation on investigations and prosecutions, which the council characterized as strengthening investigative capacity. - Building- and fire-code adoptions were not decided but were placed on March 2 work sessions; those items could affect local permitting and construction standards.
Representative quotes
"This is a $212,000 grant with no match," Presiding official (Speaker 1) said when summarizing the cybersecurity application.
"We got our air burner up and going today," Speaker 5 said, noting the city's brush-burning capability was operational and inviting others to tour it with staff.
Next steps
The council will discuss Phase 8 priorities at a Feb. 24 work session and consider the 2024 ICC building code and 2024 International Fire Code at a March 2 work session. Several actions approved at the Feb. 17 meeting will proceed to implementation by the responsible city departments.