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Alderman requests MSU president search open |
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Thursday, 08 May 2008 |
By KELLY DANIELS
Starkville Daily News
A Starkville official has made efforts to appeal the closed process by which the Institutions of Higher Learning operates to select a president for Mississippi State University.
Ward 4 Alderman Richard Corey, whose ward consists mostly of student residents, introduced Tuesday his drafted resolution between the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors and the Board of Aldermen requesting that the IHL Board of Trustees make the search process open to the public.
Corey asked that the matter be taken under advisement due to the absence of Ward 1 Alderman Sumner Davis III and Ward 7 Alderwoman Janette Self. Corey presented the resolution to the Board of Supervisors Monday, but no action was taken.
"I think I will make the motion to adopt this resolution contingent upon the board's approval," said Corey. "This has been talked about across the state by Sid Salter all the way down to the localists."
His resolution requests that the board should at least make a final list of candidates that they are considering or will consider for the job.
The board kept quiet during Corey's discussion.
Former MSU President Dr. Robert H. "Doc" Foglesong was not taken to the MSU campus until the day he was selected as the university's president, he said, adding that former selections were more open, allowing candidates to meet the university's faculty and students and enabling them to give feedback.
Additionally, Interim MSU President Dr. Vance Watson made an appearance at Tuesday's meeting to commend the city for positive reports given to him from parents of recently graduated students.
In other business Tuesday, the board also:
• Approved the contractual use of John Young for the purpose of plotting and determining the status of grave sites of Oddfellows Cemetery located on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive/Highway 82 and for the amount not to exceed $35 per hour for 20 hours. On April 15, City Engineer Edward Kemp requested Young's assistance.
• Authorized the advertisement for Source of Supply material bids to cover the period beginning on July 1 and ending on Dec. 31, 2008. With these bids in place, the Starkville Electric Department can purchase construction materials without having to advertise for bids on each needed purchase.
• Approved the claims docket through May 2.
• Authorized City Planner Ben Griffith to seek three graduate credit hours as part of the State Executive Development Institute program at MSU, as allowed per Section 6.108 of the Personnel Policy Manual.
• Approved a contract drafted by City Attorney Rodney Faver for All-Go Auto Parts, Inc. to provide towing services to assist the Code Enforcement Division with junked vehicle ordinance enforcement. On Oct. 2, 2007, the Board authorized staff to seek RFP for an auto salvage company to provide towing services to assist Code Enforcement activities.
• Approved a payment of $1,306.93 to Barge Waggoner Sumner and Cannon Inc. for completion for the Starkville Airport Layout Plan Update.
• Approved a payment of $9,775.80 to Hester Fence and Construction. The source of funds come form the 2007 Mississippi Department of Transportation Multi-Modal Grant.
• Approved the renewal of the TVA free copier program contract with OCE Imagistics D/B/A OCE North America Corporate Printing Division.
• Approved a payment of $24,890.85 to Sam Oswalt & Son, Inc. The source of this payment comes from the 2008 MDOT multi-modal grant.
• Approved a work change order to Sam Oswalt & Son, Inc. on the construction of an eight-unit tee hangar building project. $1,722 will be deducted from the final payment.
• Authorized the acceptance of the bid from Falcon Contracting and establishing them as the contractor for the street improvement program.
• Approved payment from the Starkville Fire Department to pay North Greenville Fitness for annual firefighter physical fitness testing at a cost of $11,909.
• Approved the pay rate for Administrative Hearing Officer Jenny Turner. Tuner will make $65 an hour, a salary that will rise to $75 an hour once she is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association.
• Authorized hiring Tyler Davis as a firefighter with an annual salary of $25,997.86.
• Approved employee evaluation forms for city employees.
• Approved the advertisement to fill the position of the Lynn Lane Outreach Coordinator.
• Approved a reimbursement grant of $10,000 as part of an agreement with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. This grant is specifically intended for seat belt enforcement efforts.
• Approved the purchase of a pipe from Pipe and Supply in the amount of $13,459.
• Approved the purchase of a right-of-way mowing tractor and accessories from State Contract in the amount of $39,497 for the water and sewer enterprise division. According to reports from Public Services Director Doug Devlin, the purchase of this tractor will increase productivity by 50 percent and reduce fuel costs by an estimated 30 percent.
• Approved a purchase of a 15-foot flex wing bush hong right of way cutter from State Contract in the amount of $14,217.
• Authorized the declaration of certain items as surplus property and the advertisement for public sale.
• Approved a change order to Rockhill Sewer Collection System Construction contract in the amount of $15,799.43.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 09 May 2008 )
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