The Union City Council heard from Pamela Edwards, director of Mississippi Tobacco Free Coalition of Lauderdale and Newton County, about a $100,000 grant for making Union a smoke free city during the council’s regular meeting last Tuesday.
To qualify for the grant through Blue Cross Blue Shield businesses would have to designate a smoking area and write laws against smoking in open areas at public events, Edwards said. The law would be enforced with citations and jail time for repeated infractions.
Union would be a good candidate for the grant because BCBS recently award a $400,000 grant to the Union Public School District for the building of a new playground at the elementary school, which is currently under construction, Edward said.
“You guys would be the perfect model because what they try to do is try to keep building within communities where they have already awarded money,” Edwards said. “This year because the school has made such progress, now is the time to strike in order to make a difference for the community.”
Meridian, Newton, Philadelphia, Scooba, Forest, and Morton are cities in the surrounding area that are smoke free and have received BCBS grants for becoming smoke free. Meridian used grant monies for the building of the Children’s Museum while Tupelo used the funding to create walkable streets, sidewalks, and bike lanes to encourage walking and healthier living, she added.
With questions about the language of citations and grant writing, the board delayed any action on the matter and requested Edwards to return to the council next month after providing sample citations and other information to the board and city attorney.
In other business the board:
- adopted the District 6 Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan.
- adopted the annual Municipal Compliance Questionnaire.
- accepted Precision Communication bid for 11 radios, chargers and equipment in the amount of $19,059.48. The purchase was made for the Union Fire Department from a $40,000 Homeland Security grant.
- discussed installation of a culvert with assistance from the county to relieve flash flooding at the police department
- discussed placing a ‘Patrons Only’ sign at the library because students from the high school are parking there to avoid driver’s license and proof of insurance required by the school and some parents are picking up children there instead of in the pick-up line. Police Chief Billy Pat Walker said the signs would provide the city “a leg to stand on” with regard to enforcing the policy.
- approved a motion for the advertisement of bids on the MDEQ/SRF wastewater improvement project
- acceptance of Red Oak Construction’s bid for the killing of galvanized water lines and tapping into new lines starting on Old Jackson Road.
- discussion of requiring privilege permits for food trucks at the beginning of the new year. Alderman Robert Blount said he had received a complaint about the trucks taking away business from established restaurants currently operating in the town.
- discussed the installation of stop signs in the Caroline street area.
- approved a motion to advertise for a director of the summer athletics programs.
- discussed a starting a fall athletic program.
- discussed installation of a speed breaker on Martin Luther King Drive.
