Itta Bena Alderman Mildred Miller during Tuesday’s board meeting demanded a lie detector test for city public works employees to determine who damaged the city’s truck.
A photo of the damaged truck and a report from Public Works Director Ronald Starks was handed out to board members.
The truck was apparently driven by an employee after it had received serious damage and, according to the report, a front wheel came off.
Miller expressed concern that an employee could have been injured and told the board that workers said they didn’t know what happened to the truck. She suggested a lie detector test might reveal the culprit.
Board Attorney Willie Perkins advised against a lie detector test, saying it would be expensive and ineffective.
“You need to be asking, ‘Who’s the supervisor? And was he trained properly?’ That’s the board’s responsibility,” Perkins said.
A motion was made and affirmed to ask Starks for a detailed report explaining what happened to the truck and recommending disciplinary action for whoever caused it. Mayor J.D. Brasel said he would pass the board’s request to Starks.
Ollie Seals of the Blue Lake Water Association, a customer of the city of Itta Bena, appeared before the board to address concern over whether the Blue Lake community’s water is being adequately paid for.
“We pay $1,300 per month,” Seals told the board.
Seals said it had been suggested that Blue Lake should be paying more for its water, as much as $5,000 to $6,000 per month, but “we only bring in $3,500 in revenue.”
The association formerly had 250 members, she said, but had dwindled to about 90.
The $1,300 amount represents $500 in arrears and $800 for water usage.
Perkins consulted a water purchase contract drawn up following a 2014 Board of Aldermen meeting in which a new contract was presented to the association, then never signed. Seals said she didn’t sign the contract because the association could not afford its terms.
Brasel asked how a set water usage fee of $800 could be maintained when there apparently is no reporting of how much water is used per month.
That question and others remained unanswered, and the board tabled the matter until it can review current usage and the amount of arrears Blue Lake still owes the city of Itta Bena.
In other city business:
nThe board approved paying registration and expenses to send Police Chief James Stonewall to a law enforcement workshop in Biloxi, June 26-29.
The board also approved sending its new court clerk, Bertha Grimes, to a workshop in Biloxi, June 24-26.
nItta Bena resident Mildred Neal, an elderly woman, stood before the board and said she had seen “the largest snake I’ve ever seen in my life,” coming out of the weeds of a property adjoining hers on Birch Street. Neal said the property and others surrounding hers are abandoned and unkept and need to be condemned.
Stonewall said he is aware of kids “staying in there,” referring to an abandoned property at 303 Birch St. Aldermen agreed to contact inspector Victor Stokes and ask him to check out the properties in question.
nLisa Stockstill Harris appeared before the board to complain about what she characterized as shabby treatment by the city clerk, Edna Beverly. Harris said she was trying to determine how much she owed the city on her utility bill, but her name change from Stockstill to Harris apparently had not been registered with the municipality. She claimed Beverly was rude to her and demeaned her before hanging up on her.
Beverly said she did not recollect the exchange and gave an explanation for the confusion surrounding the bill.
Brasel concluded the discussion.
“Employees of Itta Bena work for the citizens,” he said. “Whatever y’all (citizens) need to know, they need to figure out how to give it to you. That’s their job. They work for you.”
•Contact Kathryn Eastburn at 581-7235 or keastburn@gwcommonwealth.com.
