Two city residents addressed the Eupora Board of Aldermen on Nov. 1 about water issues.
Curtis Ford of 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Jean Shepard of 44 W. Clark appeared before the board at its regular monthly meeting. Their concerns and questions stemmed from a water leak that occurred last month.
According to an Oct. 15 post on the City of Eupora Facebook page, some customers may have experienced a brief loss or reduction in water because of a main line leak on its water system.
"As a result, you could have dingy or discolored water, but we are currently conducting an unscheduled but necessary flushing to try to eliminate the problem in a timely manner," the post reads.
Ford and Shepard had questions about the process of flushing water lines, notification of residents after a water leak, the testing of water and assuring that water is safe to drink after a leak. Ford had a jar of discolored water with him and said his was still not drinkable. He also said he had trouble tracking down information about why his water was discolored before learning about the leak, and asked why water customers didn't receive "robocalls" about it.
"I'm concerned about those things," Ford said. "Let's try to improve on what we're doing."
Additionally, Shepherd said the water coming out of the street near her home during the leak sometimes smelled like sewage.
"It's frightening," she said.
Mayor Blake McMullan told Ford and Shepard their points were valid, and that notification of water customers during such events was a problem that the city was looking into. He also said the water was found to be safe to drink according to tests taken before and after the leak.
Alderman-at-Large Jerry Gary said, "Water samples are sent to the state Health Department every month and we get a report back, and it's tested on major leaks."
When Ford asked if his water bill could be reduced for having to flush his lines as directed because of his dirty water, Gary said the city could not give water away but could adjust his sewer bill for the extra water used if requested.
Water Superintendent Joel Williamson said the break occurred in a 14-inch line coming from the main well. Regarding the dirt and food-grade oil film seen in household water afterwards, he said, "We're working on that (with installation of submersible pumps)," adding that the water would start clearing up.
Williamson said flushing of water lines is spaced out around the city. He also gave out his phone number and said residents could contact him anytime about water issues.
Board Adopts
Mass Notification
In a related matter later in the meeting, the board voted to adopt the IRIS communication platform for mass notification to water customers and for other issues by text message, email or phone.
The service will be provided by TechRadium of Missouri City, Texas, which submitted a quote for unlimited use of IRIS for 95 cents per user per year ($2,090 total for 2,200 users). This item had been tabled from Oct. 19 to obtain additional information.
Other Business
The board approved a motion to cancel electrical service at the city-owned lot on Highway 9 South at Government Avenue (former Garan property).
Gary, who made the motion, said a vendor had plugged into the city's electrical box there but that it was illegal for the city to give away electricity. He said the city could not regulate the use of electricity there and that if a vendor needed electricity they could use a small generator.
McMullan discussed a complaint from a resident of Gifford Street who was having allergy problems from ragweed that had grown up at nearby Toby Brantley Park. Street Supervisor Will Gary said the city could not mow the property because it has so many stumps from a previous timber cutting that it would damage a rotary mower. He said it needed to be leveled with a dozer.
The board took no action, but Junior Shaw (Ward 1) said he would speak with District 1 Supervisor Eudy Morris about doing the work. On June 30, the board approved Morris to use county equipment to clean up at the park.
Also on Nov. 1, the Board of Aldermen:
• voted to allow use of the former Garan parking lot for staging of a march to The Cross of Christ and related activities on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 17. This was requested by community activist James Townsend, who is involved with the Concerned Citizens of Eupora.
• voted to prorate Old Walthall Farms' annual farm lease at Industrial Park by the appropriate percentage going forward to reflect the 7 acres it can no longer use.
Billy Tabb, who owns Old Walthall Farms, can no longer use that section of the 170 acres he has been leasing because of restrictions placed on a cultural resources boundary. The boundary was placed there in the summer of 2020 in conjunction with Industrial Park-West improvements. Alderman Gary said the area in question could not be disturbed because Native American artifacts had been found there.
Tabb, who is Ward 2 aldermen, did not attend the meeting. The matter had been tabled from Oct. 4, when Tabb was present but recused himself for that item.
• voted to allow the Police Department to trade in a 2008 Crown Victoria instead of a 2010 Ford F-150 for a new truck on back order.
• authorized the mayor to complete and sign the Municipal Compliance Questionnaire.
• approved a motion regarding $400,000 directly appropriated bond funds from 2021 Senate Bill 2971 for the city to make street improvements.
The motion authorized the mayor's signature on the funding grant agreement for the Eupora Road Fund, authorized a letter requesting the funds and authorized the city clerk to open a special bank account upon receipt of the funds.
The board approved related motions July 19 authorizing an updated contact list for the Department of Finance and Administration to include the mayor, board attorney and city clerk; approving the application for the funds; approving a resolution requesting the DFA to declare the necessity to issue the bonds and authorizing the mayor to sign a letter to DFA requesting the funds.
• authorized renewal of employee health insurance through BlueCross BlueShield of Mississippi, which reflects a $12.45 monthly increase per employee (cost to the city).
• tabled possible approval of the installation of digital time clocks at the police, street and water departments, and at City Hall.
• approved a request from Police Chief Lawrence Caradine for all police officers to be paid every 14 days (Panama schedule), dependent upon installation of the aforementioned digital time clocks. His request had been tabled from Oct. 19.
• accepted a $2,500 check from Hometown Publishing from Police Department calendar ad sales. The proceeds will be applied to the uniform budget.
• approved two Police Department promotions with pay increases: Bradley Frost from corporal to sergeant and Tyler Bierdeman from corporal to senior corporal.
• authorized Water Department employee Michael Potts to attend another water certification class.
• approved the claims docket.
Only enough of the board members were present Nov. 1 to constitute a bare quorum. Aldermen Gary and Shaw were present in the Community Center, where the meeting was held, and Robert Gibbs (Ward 4) participated via phone.
Adyn Haley of the Mayor's Youth Council led in the opening prayer and Pledge of Allegiance at the November board meeting.
