At Thursday’s Greenville City Council budget session, City Attorney Andy Alexander expressed his concerns about a motion that was adopted during the July 16 meeting to allocate funds to the county.
During that previous meeting, the city had voted to provide additional funds to the city housing inspector for the services he provided at no expense to the county. Because the county does not currently have a housing inspector, those duties have been placed on the city’s housing inspector.
Alexander said his concern was whether or not the city has legal authority to make a donation to the county.
“I touched bases with a special assistant attorney general, who does most of the Attorney General’s opinions that deal with the city of Greenville. Unfortunately, I was correct. We do not have the power to donate to the county,” Alexander said.
Alexander explained the city is allowed to make inspections for the county, however it can’t be done for free. There must be a charge to the county for the inspections the city completes for them.
Alexander requested to have a motion made to authorize him, with City Clerk Amelia Wicks’ assistance, to figure out how to charge the county and ensure no one can make a straight-face claim that the city is donating money to the county.
“We are thankful for the county for all the help they have given us, in particularly recently,” Alexander said, referring to the county’s assistance to many city street repairs.
Alexander said he would draw up the agreement in a manner that would make as it non burdensome as he can to all parties, but he can only do so under an inter-local agreement under the Mississippi Law, including the county and the city.
“Amelia and I can get the specific provisions, but that’s a big percentage of what I need as far as with the council to set up an agreement of that nature,” Alexander continued.
Councilman Al Brock made the motion to approve Alexander’s request, and Councilwoman Lois Hawkins second it.
“Andy and I talked and the motion that was made at the city council meeting was to allow this city housing inspector to help the county out under state law and asked for a donation. We can’t just donate that to them at that time so we have to have an agreement that he has to prepare that says that they are going to pay him a reasonable amount for the services provided,” said Mayor Errick Simmons.
Brock recommended the city invoice the county and they, in turn, pay the city for the services.
“The Board of Supervisors has been very helpful. The difference between what they have done for us and what we were trying to do for them is that there is a specific state of statute that authorizes the county to fix on streets and areas that are within the city because they are also in the county so that’s why they were able to do that for us for this particular statue,” Alexander said.
“This means that the inspector can do it, we just have to wait on the approval of the courts,” Simmons said.
Alexander said that the process may slow them down as far as getting the houses inspected but hopefully they can get the courts to do it an expedited time.
