Canton Board of Aldermen tackle infrastructure and grants

Special to The Canton News 

The Canton Mayor and Board of Aldermen convened Tuesday, February 17, at City Hall to address a dense agenda ranging from major infrastructure awards to significant federal grant acceptances. Following an invocation by Lawrence Dixon, the meeting opened with public comments from Kevin Strauss regarding GOGOV citizen notifications, along with remarks from Hurstine Watts, Nancy Pate, and Stan Beasley.

The Board moved through a series of financial and operational approvals, including the adoption of previous meeting minutes, payroll dockets and a claims docket. The Board recommended awarding the Adeline and Johnson Street Drainage Improvements Project to R&C Services, LLC for $202,847.50, identifying them as the lowest bidder. Additionally, the City moved to finalize a $69,060 payment to Tann, Brown, & Russ for the 2020 Audit and authorized a $34,500 bathroom remodel at Fire Station #3 by GW Group, LLC.

Regulatory and environmental matters also took center stage. The Board considered a resolution for a site plan for a Dollar General Store on North Liberty Street and an application from First Baptist Church for a special exception to install ground signs. Members further reviewed financial assurance drafts for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) concerning the city landfill and ratified an ordinance for twice-a-week garbage pickup, set to take effect May 1, 2026.

The city is also poised for significant redevelopment, with the Board considering the acceptance of a $2,200,000 U.S. Department of HUD grant for the Joe Pritchard Homes project. 

Other business included the selection of bidders for side loaders via a reverse auction and the Batchelor Creek/Crisco Ditch project, as well as the approval of a Police Department Amnesty Program scheduled for March 2026.

The meeting concluded with a consent agenda covering travel authorizations for City personnel and a transition into executive session. The private session was slated to cover one matter regarding supervision and finance, six personnel matters within the Police Department, three transactions involving land, and four strategy sessions regarding prospective or current litigation.