Aldermen are expected to approve a resolution today asking state lawmakers to help fund upcoming Starkville Police Department renovations.
The Starkville Board of Aldermen learned last week renovations of the historic building could cost about $1.5 million more than the $3 million in bonds it set aside for the project. To help meet its budget and prevent losing significant building improvements, Starkville will ask lawmakers for $2 million from the state’s Community Heritage Preservation Fund.
If approved, today’s resolution would be the first step toward securing the additional funds. A bill would later be introduced in the Legislature and sent to committee for debate.
“Our conversations (with area representatives) have been good so far, but I don’t want to put odds on getting an appropriation bill passed since the process can be rather unpredictable,” said Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman.
A timetable for the bill’s filing is not yet clear, and Wiseman said he was unsure which area lawmaker would pen the legislation.
Aldermen are scheduled to hear an update on the design process from architect Gary Shafer today.
Previously, Shafer debuted two options that would each renovate 65 percent – about 18,330 square feet – of the former city hall.
Coming in at an estimated $3 million, the cheapest plan would not provide numerous exterior fixes, renovate the former youth court area and provide space for evidence storage. The more expensive option, a projected $4.2 million plan, would provide a secured parking area, new roof, sally port and make improvements to the building’s exterior.
Comparatively, a master plan that would renovate the entire 27,110-square-foot structure, bring it up to code and provide for the department’s future growth would cost the city almost $5.4 million.
At the last board meeting, Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins urged his fellow representatives not to take shortcuts in solving the decades-long problem of finding SPD a permanent home.
Perkins, who usually opposes any major city spending, said the two cheaper options were not satisfactory and challenged the board to either fully fund the $5.4 million master plan, continue exploring a purchase option for Cadence Bank’s Main Street property or acquire a different parcel and build a new police station from the ground up.
Documents included in the Tuesday’s e-packet contain breakout costs for the $5.4 million master plan.
Aldermen could use that information and decide upon a formal renovation plan today.
Amended AMS contract up for discussion
Aldermen will also hear a presentation by its delinquent court fines and assessment collector, the Texas-based American Municipal Services, and could amend its working deal with the entity, Tuesday’s agenda states.
Few details are known about the pending amendment as the city clerk’s office said it was not in possession of any proposed deal or related documents. Other elected officials said they were unaware of the specifics that could emerge from the Ward 2 Alderman Lisa Wynn-authorized agenda item.
Wynn previously asked court administrators to study its outsourcing after Starkville Municipal Court officials presented a report on its 2015 caseload.
In 2010, Starkville entered into a contract with AMS for collecting unpaid court fines and assessments.
Under the agreement, SMC would refer uncollected fines and assessments to AMS, and the company would “use their best efforts” – tracking down defendants, mailing letters and placing phone calls – to secure the money.
In return, the defendant’s fine would increase by 25 percent, and that amount would go to AMS. The company, the contract states, would cover all expenses in the collection process, including labor, postage, telephone costs and skip tracing.
Board to broach RFP for sanitation collections
Aldermen could also begin a process privatizing the core functions of the Starkville Sanitation and Environmental Services Department
Another Wynn-authorized agenda item asks the board to consider executing a request for proposals process for outsourcing the city’s garbage collection and recycling services.
Discussions on outsourcing occurred last year before aldermen increased residential rates and small business collection fees, and implemented the first monthly participation charges for recycling.
Ward 5 Alderman Scott Maynard, who chairs the city’s budget committee, said last year the city should execute a general outsourcing feasibility study as the board approached how to increase revenues, but no major initiatives were brought to the table.
August’s rate adjustment increased monthly residential services by 75 cents, while small business collection fees increased by $5.
The $2 monthly recycling fee was the first of its kind, as the city previously did not charge for those services. The board also increased how often recycling is collected by instituting a once-a-week schedule.
The city’s policy of providing free residential garbage bag distributions went unchanged even though Maynard and other aldermen suggested a voucher program.
When aldermen approved the increases in August, Maynard said the adjustment should net the city an additional $171,300 per year.
Additional funding was needed to fund equipment replacements.
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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