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Florence mayor and board unanimously approve vendor payments, hire officer and set planning contract
Summary
At its Aug. 19 meeting, the Florence mayor and board unanimously approved three Maintenance Systems invoices totaling $29,367.38, authorized a $40,000 CMPDD contract to update the city's comprehensive plan (city share not to exceed $12,000), set a Sept. 16 public hearing for a Mid-South Meter variance, and approved the hiring of a full-time police officer.
The City of Florence mayor and board met Aug. 19 and unanimously approved a slate of routine and administrative actions, including vendor payments, a planning contract and personnel moves.
The meeting opened with Mayor Trey Gunn announcing a quorum; Alderman John Banks gave the invocation. The board voted to pay three invoices from Maintenance Systems, Inc.: $13,618.95 for exploratory digging and a 4" insertion valve; $8,281.27 for backflow-preventer modifications; and $7,467.16 for excavation and assistance with 6" and 12" insertion valves (totaling $29,367.38). Each payment was moved and seconded and carried unanimously.
The board approved a contract with the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District (CMPDD) to develop a new comprehensive plan at a total cost of $40,000, with CMPDD grant funds covering $28,000 and the city's share not to exceed $12,000. Alderman Brian Grantham moved the contract authorization, which passed unanimously.
Community Development Director Joel Sims requested and received approval to set a public hearing on a variance request by Mid-South Meter & Regulator (owner Terry Goude) for Sept. 16, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. The board also authorized the city to send Sims to the Building Officials Association of Mississippi winter conference (Dec. 3-5, 2025) and to pay a $250 registration fee and related costs as allowed by state law.
On recommendation of City Engineer Tim Parker, the board authorized Mayor Gunn to send a letter to the Mississippi Department of Transportation asking MDOT to release contractor AJ Construction, Inc. from maintenance responsibilities, and separately authorized the mayor to sign current and future reimbursement forms to MDOT.
The board approved routine business items including the mid-month claims docket and the minutes of Aug. 5, 2025, and authorized Mayor Gunn and Alderman Brian Grantham to attend the Municipal League Board of Directors meeting in Tupelo on Sept. 19, 2025.
A personnel matter in the police department prompted a unanimous vote to enter executive session at 6:45 p.m. In executive session, on the recommendation of Police Chief Burns the board voted to hire Dewan Stapleton as a full-time police officer at $21.06 per hour, effective Aug. 20, 2025, pending successful background and drug and alcohol testing; the board recorded five ayes. The board returned to regular session at 6:50 p.m.
In recognition of the retirement of Officer John Denton, and citing Mississippi Code Section 45-9-191, the board unanimously set a $1.00 value on a city-issued Glock 17 (serial # BHBU266) formerly assigned to Denton and approved the sale of the firearm to him for $1.00.
With no further business, Mayor Gunn adjourned the meeting at 6:55 p.m.
Meeting documents posted with the agenda and notices show additional items scheduled for a prior work session and routine reporting from city departments. A separate resolution adopting a 2026 tax levy (31.2 mills) is recorded in the meeting packet and was adopted at the city's Sept. 2, 2025 meeting, not at the Aug. 19 meeting.
