Hayti City Council votes to keep stop sign

With numerous items on the agenda, the Hayti City Council met in regular session at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13 at the city’s temporary city hall. Approximately two dozen residents and other interested individuals were in attendance, primarily to hear the council’s remarks on the controversial stop sign located at Cleveland and Kristina Reed streets. After 20 minutes of heated debate among meeting attendees, the Council voted 3-1 to keep the stop sign where it currently stands. The Board of Aldermen further passed a motion giving city attorney Lawrence Dorroh the green light to draw up a resolution allowing the city to place an additional stop sign at 6th and Cleveland.

Councilperson Kathy Sanders began the discussion by noting a bit of the sign’s history. “The stop sign was placed there several years ago, but I don’t know if it was placed there at the right time with the right information,” she said. She went on to ask residents if any were opposed to moving the sign to North 6th Street and Cleveland. She reasoned that as one travels from the park-school area of town toward Kristina Reed, there are not any stop signs.

One resident noted that the vast majority of residents do stop at the sign and that it should remain where it is and not be removed. Josh Tomlin and Randy Tomlin suggested the sign be kept and that another sign be added somewhere along Cleveland in order to help protect school children. At least two people in attendance adamantly accused Randy Tomlin of “chasing people down” who do not stop at the sign – allegations Tomlin denied.

Another local resident stated he felt the stop sign helped slow motorists down as they drove toward the northeast part of Cleveland, noting that speeds would increase even more if the sign were removed. Josh Tomlin said much of the current conflicts regarding the sign originates with two people who do not want to pay traffic tickets. Tomlin further argued that the stop sign provides safety for everyone, not just children. “The fact of the matter is, it’s about safety,” Tomlin further stated. “The fact of the matter is that if that sign keeps the street more safe, then we don’t need to take it down.”

With emotions running high, a dispute erupted over which kids are more important – the ones at Cleveland and Kristina Reed or the ones at the school. Perhaps recognizing that a misunderstanding had occurred, one meeting attendee attempted to clarify the matter by explaining that all the children are equally important, but that more children can be found in and around the school area than at Cleveland and Kristina Reed.

Ed Reeves of Caruthersville was also present at the meeting. He provided council members a copy of a petition circulated among Hayti residents. “There are about 180 signatures on the petition, and on the last three pages there are a couple of duplicates,” he said. “It sounds like there is a little bit of personal animosity maybe being felt by some of the folks that are in the room, and I sure understand that.” Furthermore, Reeves encouraged the Board to consider what he termed “a minor inconvenience” to obey already in-place speed limit laws. Reeves further explained that he felt the minor inconvenience of stopping at a traffic sign far outweighs the possibility of jeopardizing the safety of children and other pedestrians and motorists.

After meeting-goers were given the opportunity to speak, Councilman Gary Moore spoke. Addressing Randy Tomlin specifically, Moore said it was not Tomlin’s job to run people down who failed to stop at the sign. Moore also stated that stop signs are placed for safety reasons. “I think the sign ought to stay there, and then add one at the end of Cleveland and North 6th,” he said. Alderman Wendell Lockridge stated, “I believe in the democratic process.” After all discussion was complete, the Hayti City Council passed a motion by a vote of 3-1 to keep the stop sign at Cleveland and Kristina Reed, with councilmen Lockridge, Moore and Chris Wooten voting yes and Councilperson Sanders voting no. The Council also voted to have a new ordinance written by Hayti city attorney Lawrence Dorroh allowing the city to place a stop sign at North 6th and Cleveland. All were in favor. The ordinance will be adopted at the next council meeting.

In the next agenda item, city employees informed council members they preferred buying their own uniforms as opposed to using a uniform service. Mayor Lisa Green reminded council of the appraisal that must be done from the architect’s plans for the new City Hall building in order to secure the loan. “It’s a reimbursable expense,” she noted. The Board voted to approve the $2,500 appraisal.

In other business, Mayor Green noted that the city keeps dogs for seven to 10 days. “We are not a no-kill shelter; we can’t keep them,” she said. “We took a particular dog to the vet to be put down. They scanned the dog, and it had a chip in it.” Green said the veterinarian needed something in writing from Lawrence Dorroh which stated the city’s policy. The mayor went on to note that she does not like putting dogs down and that the city has found a place in Dyersburg currently accepting many of the city’s dogs. “I would like to stress to the town that when we take these dogs we cannot keep them, by law, indefinitely,” she said. “We have a policy regarding our dogs that we go by.”

Mayor Green then moved to a discussion of waiving the business license for the contractor in charge of demolition of the old City Hall. Council members voted to waive the business license. The Board of Aldermen also made and passed a motion to continue Hayti’s service awards at an annual expense of $763. Additionally, the council voted to approve Southern Catering for the city’s Christmas dinner and party at $17 per plate.

The council discussed the installing of a new water loop on south J Highway. It was noted by Alderman Wooten that a church and pastor have purchased a property in said region of town and have requested water service. Wooten further noted that the house is already being built and that a church and recreational center for the church could be built very soon. A price of $73,000 was submitted to the city for the installation of the water loop. Other options were discussed, but Council determined that no decision should be made at this time and that other pricing options should be sought.

Mayor Green advised aldermen that the sidewalks at the old City Hall building were demolished. She informed the Board that city crews removed the sidewalks, saving the city money. “They are doing a really good job, an excellent job,” she said. “They’re getting it done fast, and they’re careful with it. It is saving us a lot of money, a whole lot of money.”