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Florence board approves street and utility work, multi‑year fire department pact and hires police officer
Summary
The City of Florence on Oct. 21, 2025 approved multiple public‑works contracts and a contract change order on the Eagle Post Road project, authorized a four‑year agreement with the Florence Volunteer Fire Department, approved budget and licensing items, and—after an executive session—hired a new full‑time police officer pending background and drug testing.
The City of Florence board on Oct. 21 approved a series of infrastructure and personnel actions, including a $78,928.62 increase to a sanitary‑sewer contract, multiple smaller public‑works contracts, authorization of close‑out documents for an Eagle Post Road overlay project, and a multi‑year agreement with the Florence Volunteer Fire Department.
Mayor Trey Gunn opened the meeting and confirmed a quorum. The board unanimously approved sending Police Chief Brad Burns to the Winter Educational Conference in Oxford, Miss., Dec. 9–12, 2025, with the city to pay the $375 registration fee and allowable costs. The board also approved sending four staff members to Sigma Chemical Spill Response training in Pearl, Miss., on Nov. 6, 2025, at $135 per person.
The meeting’s most substantial fiscal action was approval of MCWI Contract Change Order #4, which City Engineer Tim Parker presented as an increase of $78,928.62 to the Hwy. 49 Eagle Post Road Sanitary Sewer Additions — Phase II contract. The board voted to approve the change order by unanimous motion.
Several smaller public‑works contracts were awarded following recommendations from Street Director David Myers and department staff. The board approved AJ Construction, Inc.’s low quote of $7,700 for a 6‑inch asphalt base repair at Church and Main Street; Precision Spray Foam of Mississippi’s $6,825 quote to insulate the public‑works shop; and Apex Electric LLC’s $7,129.32 quote to install a spider‑box electrical system on Earl Clark Street. Each award was described in the record as the lowest of multiple quotes and was approved unanimously.
On legal and administrative matters, the board authorized Mayor Trey Gunn to sign close‑out documents for the STP—Eagle Post Road overlay project and approved an agreement between the City of Florence and the Florence Volunteer Fire Department covering Oct. 1, 2025–Sept. 30, 2029, after a motion from City Attorney Bobby Lingold and supporting motions. City Clerk Linda Wigley presented and the board approved Budget Amendment #3‑Final for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2025, and the list of business privilege licenses issued during that fiscal year. The board also approved the mid‑month claims docket and the minutes of Oct. 7, 2025.
The board briefly entered executive session to consider a police‑department personnel matter. While in executive session, Chief Brad Burns recommended hiring Alexis Gooden as a full‑time police officer at $21.06 per hour, effective Oct. 29, 2025, pending a successful background check and drug and alcohol testing. The motion to hire carried with Aldermen John Banks, Mason Herrin, Kyle Martin and Brent Sistrunk recorded as voting Aye; Alderman Brian Grantham was recorded as absent. The board reconvened and Mayor Gunn adjourned the meeting at 7:56 p.m.
Votes at a glance (as recorded in the meeting minutes): • Send Chief Brad Burns to Winter Educational Conference (registration $375): motion by Alderman John Banks, seconded by Alderman Kyle Martin — carried unanimously. • AJ Construction, Inc. — asphalt base repair, $7,700 (lowest of three quotes): motion by Alderman John Banks, seconded by Alderman Kyle Martin — carried unanimously. • Precision Spray Foam of Mississippi — spray foam for public‑works shop, $6,825 (lowest of two quotes): motion by Alderman Brent Sistrunk, seconded by Alderman Kyle Martin — carried unanimously. • Apex Electric LLC — spider‑box electrical system on Earl Clark Street, $7,129.32 (lowest of two quotes): motion by Alderman John Banks, seconded by Alderman Kyle Martin — carried unanimously. • Mississippi Building Officials' Association membership dues, $175: motion by Alderman Mason Herrin, seconded by Alderman Brent Sistrunk — carried unanimously. • Authorize mayor to sign close‑out documents for STP—Eagle Post Road overlay: motion by Alderman Mason Herrin (returned to meeting) — carried unanimously. • MCWI Contract Change Order #4 (Hwy. 49 Eagle Post Road Sanitary Sewer Additions — Phase II): increase of $78,928.62; motion by Alderman John Banks, seconded by Alderman Kyle Martin — carried unanimously. • Agreement between City of Florence and Florence Volunteer Fire Department (Oct. 1, 2025–Sept. 30, 2029): motion by Alderman Brent Sistrunk, seconded by Alderman Kyle Martin — carried unanimously. • Budget Amendment #3‑Final FYE 09/30/2025 and list of privilege licenses issued during FYE 09/30/2025: motions by City Clerk Linda Wigley and aldermen — carried unanimously. • Send Mark Hester, Brad Burns, David Myers and Tyler Hayes to Sigma Chemical Spill Response training (Nov. 6, 2025), $135 registration each: motion by Alderman John Banks, seconded by Alderman Brent Sistrunk — carried unanimously. • Mid‑month claims docket and minutes of Oct. 7, 2025: carried unanimously. • Executive session to discuss police personnel; hire of Alexis Gooden as full‑time police officer at $21.06/hr pending checks: motion carried with Aldermen John Banks, Mason Herrin, Kyle Martin and Brent Sistrunk voting Aye and Alderman Brian Grantham absent.
The board did not record any dissenting votes in the minutes for the listed items. The meeting record shows all listed motions carried by unanimous vote when the motion language and mover/second are provided in the minutes. The board adjourned at 7:56 p.m.
