The Greenwood City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to allow Leflore County to add to the planned Emmett Till statue at Rail Spike Park.
A 60-foot-by-60-foot square of concrete and cobblestone, paid for by the county, will complement the Till statue, which is expected to be completed and installed later this year.
Leflore County District 2 Supervisor Reginald Moore requested the addition at the council’s meeting two weeks ago. He said the expected foot traffic near the statue would eventually tear up the grass around it.
Till, a 14-year-old Black boy from Chicago, was killed while visiting family in Money in 1955. He was accused of whistling at a white woman while visiting a grocery store. The two men who killed him were found innocent by an all-white jury but later admitted what they had done.
The location will be called “Emmett Till Square at Rail Spike Park.”
Also Tuesday:
- The council voted unanimously to affiliate formally with Keep Mississippi Beautiful. The city has partnered with the county to combat Leflore County’s littering problem.
Beth Stevens, executive director of the Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce, told the council that being an affiliate will open up opportunities for grants and resources. She said the chamber will be responsible for maintaining records and reports that are required of affiliates.
An index has been completed, with the county divided into sections, to evaluate the severity of the county’s littering problem and where the trouble spots are.
Stevens also said education “is a huge component” of the success of the program, and plans call for giving presentations to children in schools as well as adults.
- Allan Hammons requested a donation of $2,500 for the Greenwood Air Show, scheduled for June 4 at Greenwood-Leflore Airport.
He said that it costs about $55,000 to put on the show, and admission is free to visitors, who have to pay only a $10 parking fee.
“We have to do something to recover some of the out-of-pocket costs to make it happen,” he said.
Mayor Carolyn McAdams said a resolution for the donation will be prepared for the next council meeting.
- John Ray, an event organizer from Birmingham, Alabama, asked that the city provide police officers to work security for the Downhome Blues Festival scheduled for June at Florewood Park.
Council President Ronnie Stevenson said he was not opposed but advised Ray that a police officer shortage is requiring officers to work a great deal of overtime. He said Ray will need to meet with Police Chief Terrence Craft to see if Craft can afford to have officers outside the city for the festival.
- The council unanimously approved selling five acres of land in the industrial park to KT&T Express LLC at $3,000 per acre. The company wants to purchase the land for truck and trailer parking.
The resolution was tabled at the last meeting two weeks ago at the request of Ward 4’s Charles McCoy, who said he was concerned about trucks tearing up residential roads. McCoy said that his concerns had been addressed and he had no opposition to the sale.
- Recognized the city’s municipal clerks and presented them fruit baskets from Greenwood Market Place. The clerks recognized were City Clerk Linda Osbourne; Deputy Clerks Vicki Lott, Cheryl Williams, Barbara Bradley and Betty Ware; and Clerk of the Council Minnie Roby.
- Entered executive session to discuss economic prospects with Angela Curry, executive director of the Greenwood-Leflore Industrial Board and Greenwood-Leflore-Carroll Economic Development Foundation. No action was taken.
- Contact Kevin Edwards at 662-581-7233 or kedwards@gwcommonwealth.com.
