Aldermen approve redistricting

A public hearing was held last Tuesday to review and approve the city's new redistricting plan.

The city engaged East Central Planning and Development District (ECPDD) to help with the redistricting process, which occurs every 10 years to ensure that wards maintain equal population distribution, with a target percent deviation of about 10 percent.

Based on the 2020 Census, Philadelphia's population is 7,118, and the current wards showed a deviation of over 11 percent.

Following several work sessions last year in collaboration with ECPDD, the city developed a plan to adjust an area around Neshoba General assigning it to Ward 3.

This adjustment reduces the city's percent deviation to 7.47 percent, which complies with the redistricting guidelines. 

“The only changes made were in the nursing home and hospital area,” said Mayor James A. Young. “No individual addresses in that area are affected.”

During the meeting, the floor was open for public comments, and no public comments were made. Aldermen then voted unanimously to approve the city's redistricting plan.

In other business, aldermen voted to:

• Approve a motion to approve the airport master proposal contingent on a fee within 10 percent on Independent Fee Assessment and grant awards. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to obtain an Independent Fee Assessment on the airport master proposal plan. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to apply for fiscal year 2024 Master Plan Proposal Project as presented by Allen Engineering. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to approve the resolution for the Community Development Block Grant for the annex building improvements. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to place a 3-way stop at Crockett Ave and Breazeale Street. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to give Jonathan Ladd with the Street Department a $1 per hour probation raise effective May 8. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to accept a low bid from Blue Collar for stump grinding at DeWeese Park for $2,250. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to approve a parking variance for the Walmart parking lot. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to purchase a portable 12x24 building from Star-Mor Portable Buildings for the Sanitation Department that contains an electrical panel not contained in any other bid. As a result, after adding the electrical panel Star-Mor was the lowest and best bid of $11,238. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to hire Kendrick McCarty as summer part-time help with the Cemetery Department at $9 per hour pending drug screen. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to accept the retirement of Larry McKinney from the Cemetery Department effective June 30. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to accept the resignation of Decurtis Davis from the Police Department effective April 22. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to hire Brandon Fireplace with the Police Department as a sergeant at $19.77 per hour effective May 8. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to hire Cory Shields with the Police Department as a sergeant at $19.01 per hour effective May 8. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to allow Jessie Hamilton to travel to Biloxi for training on June 18 and for the city to pay for registration and travel. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to accept the resignation of Lauren Gully from the Police Department effective May 6. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to replenish Police Department petty cash of $200. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to close Jefferson Street from Holland Avenue. to State Avenue. from noon until 6 p.m. on May 11 for a funeral gathering. The motion was approved unanimously. 

• Approve a motion to allow the mayor to execute a non-binding resolution to apply for a LWCF (Land and Water Conservation Fund) grant for the Westside pool project. The vote was as follows: Justin Clearman, Aye; James Tatum, Aye; Shaun Seales, Aye; James Waltman, Aye, Jim Fulton, Nay. The motion passed.