ELLISVILLE - The Ellisville Board of Aldermen voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve some personnel matters for the city’s police department among other items. Ellisville Mayor Lynn Buckhaults and the Board of Aldermen handled several items during this week’s meeting.

With little discussion, the board agreed to approve Ellisville Police Chief Bruce Russell’s recommendation to approve the resignation of Officer Troy Lewis effective on October 21st.

“I hate to lose him,” Russell said. “He’s a seven-year veteran officer who will be starting with the Jones County Sheriff’s Department.”

Russell said Lewis is expected to begin his new job this weekend.

In September, the board approved two resignations of officers in the department, which left the

department with three personnel slots open, with one of them being a person on administrative leave. Then, the board approved the hiring of Jordan Reed as a full-time certified police officer to fill one of those positions.

This week, the board agreed to hire two new officers, Officer Joseph Savage and Derek Fowler. The board agreed to hire the officers as uncertified officers on a six-month probation period at $28,533 annually. Russell said one of the new officers has some part-time experience and was currently in the part-time academy, which will be a plus to the department.

In a separate matter, the board agreed to pay Walters Construction $20,278 for work on the downtown water main exploration and for putting in the new vales and killing an old line.

Also, the board agreed to pay Walters Construction $5,600 for storm drainage repair in downtown. The board also approved a reimbursement of $15,135.19 to the Laurel-Jones County Library for some repair and maintenance from water damage.

Also, the board continued to handle a property matter during the public hearing portion of this week’s meeting.

In September, city officials conducted a hearing for Calvin Trudeau at 413 Camp Street.

During the board’s meeting on Sept. 1st, a resident complained about the conditions at the resident on Camp Street. City officials said they were investigating the matter.

On Tuesday, the board discussed the situation further. Mayor Buckhaults said Trudeau has agreed to get public water and utilities.

In other business, the board agreed to approve a bid from Chris Tree Service to cut down a dead pine tree in Dubose Cemetery that was struck by lightning at a cost of $700, which was the lowest bid received.

The board also approved accepting a donation to the police department of $286.63 and calendar rebate funds of $2,816.25 for the police department. Following the approval of those items, the board authorized the amendment of the police department’s budget to reflect the donation and the calendar funds.

The board also approved a credit allowance on 2019 business personal property taxes

insolvent/delinquent of approximately $11,000; agreed to allow the city’s water/sewer department head Chris Langley to attend the 2020 Mississippi Damage Prevention Summit on November 4-6 at IP Casino and Resort.

With little discussion, the board agreed to approve a water adjustment to the water bill for Jacqueline Rogers due to a water leak.

Mayor Buckhaults said the policy allows the city to handle these matters uniformly.

“Some rural water associations don’t adjust and some do,” the mayor said. “State law dictates we can’t give away water.”

Based on the formula proposed, city officials said the property owner would be given some relief but the city cannot take on the full amount because the city has already incurred some cost involving water production and treatment. Buckhaults said according to an Attorney General’s opinion, “anytime you adjust a water bill it has to come before the board.”

Officials said under the policy, only one adjustment is allowed per account in a five year period.