ANNUAL REPORT 2017 Meridianms.Org We Are Finding Our Cadence As a City, Marching to the Same Beat, and MOVING FORWARD AS a COMMUNITY

ANNUAL REPORT 2017 meridianms.org We are finding our cadence as a city, marching to the same beat, and MOVING FORWARD AS A COMMUNITY. TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAYOR’S LETTER 04

CITY COUNCIL 05

POLICE 11

FIRE 13

PUBLIC SAFETY & TRAINING 15

FINANCE & RECORDS 17

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 21

PUBLIC WORKS 23

PARKS & RECREATION 25

CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report 2

To the PEOPLE OF MERIDIAN

The City of Meridian, like most cities across the country, has many challenges relating to poverty, aging infrastructure, and competition with online retail, but our opportunities are endless. We have been working diligently to improve the quality of life in our community by increasing our number of officers for public safety, working with numerous agencies for employment opportunities, and focusing on projects that will bring jobs and open the doors to the creative economy.

In 2017, the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience began to rise up on the corner of 22nd Avenue and Front Street, John Tampa and Ascent Hospitality crossed the final hurdles with the U.S. Department of the Interior to begin transforming the Threefoot Building into a hotel, and work began to improve our entranceway and streetscape on 22nd Avenue and the interstate.

We are finding our cadence as a city, marching to the same beat, and moving forward as a community. Partnerships are becoming stronger, businesses are uniting, and our school systems and institutions of higher learning are collaborating now more than ever.

The year 2018 will be a year of challenge and opportunity. We will be focusing on enhancing livability by fixing our sidewalks around downtown and along our main thoroughfares while continuing to make huge strides with our LED lighting initiative. We are focusing heavily on developing our creative economy by building on the strength of our art community and utilizing our local culture as an economic development tool while celebrating our history, architecture, and location. We will continue to seek outside investment, building on the strides made by Bill Hannah and the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation in industrial recruitment. The City of Meridian is poised for growth and the great things to come beyond the horizon.

We look forward to an exciting year, filled with hope and optimism because of the City of Meridian’s greatest resource, our people.

Percy Bland, III Mayor of Meridian

CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report 4 CITY COUNCIL George Thomas Ward 1

New development included the openings of two new restaurants located on North Hills Street. Domino’s Pizza opened a newly designed store featuring an open-concept pizza theater or local residents, and Smoothie King offers smoothies with a purpose by providing healthy products for customers. Other big expansions in the area included the openings of an insurance company, a Western and tack store, and a fudge and gift shop. Paving and bridge improvements continued in Ward 1, along with improved LED lighting along Highway 39 North.

CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report 6 Tyrone Johnson Ward 2

The official opening of the Velma Young Community Center was celebrated with city and county officials coming together. The $2 million facility will host a variety of classes and programs as well as community events. New development in Ward 2 includes the grand opening of the Walmart Neighborhood Market on Highway 39. The construction of the new Tru by Hilton hotel highlights the need for hotel rooms for those visiting the Meridian area. Councilman Johnson also brought the community together with cemetery cleanup events and charity basketball games and programs.

7 CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report Fannie Johnson Ward 3

Last year brought newly paved streets and improved lighting to citizens in Ward 3. Meridian Community College celebrated the reopening of a $6.2 million Workforce Development Center, located on Highway 19 North. This state-of-the-art training center will be a showcase to prospective industry. Councilwoman Johnson supported many initiatives by engaging the community to get involved in education, mentoring, and local events. In December, the Highland Park swimming pool was renamed the Barbara A. Henson Aquatic Center in honor of Henson and her service to the citizens of Meridian.

CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report 8 Kim Houston Ward 4

2017 was another great year for Ward 4 in that we were able to complete adding playground equipment to James Chaney Park. We also hosted several community meetings to keep Ward 4 residents informed and to address community concerns. New lighting was added to the Southside. Also, issues with paving and dilapidated houses were aggressively addressed. The Sarah’s Daughters Leadership Academy, sponsored by Councilwoman Houston, graduated 19 middle school girls from the program.

9 CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report Weston Lindeman Ward 5

Anticipation continues with the construction of the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience in downtown Meridian. The $49 million project is slated to open in April 2018 and will showcase Mississippi’s legacy and honor Mississippi’s worldwide legends in arts and entertainment. Work on developing the historic Threefoot Building into a Courtyard Marriot hotel began in December. The ribbon cutting of the Fifth Street improvement project promises to bring new development to the historic African American Business District with the opening of Dontea’s Seafood and BBQ and other businesses, including East Mississippi Oral & Facial Surgery, now located at 1212 24th Avenue, and a blood bank on Fourth Street.

CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report 10 POLICE CITY COUNCIL

The Meridian Police Department initiated Phase 1 of its Public Safety Camera Program by installing cameras in strategic locations in the downtown area. These cameras are monitored 24 hours a day by police personnel and will allow for the monitoring of downtown events and other activities that occur in the area. The program will be expanded in 2018 to include other areas throughout the city.

The Meridian Police Department continued its Junior Police Academy for children and also reinstituted its Citizens Police Academy

11 CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report in the fall of 2017 to allow citizens to attend a 10-week academy, which focuses on familiarizing attendees with the many facets of police work. Those include, but are not limited to, patrol, investigations, and crime-fighting strategies.

The Meridian Police Department continued to emphasize training in 2017 by exceeding all state-required training hours for its officers. Further, all officers were required to attend specialized training in de-escalation techniques and bias-free policing in an effort to improve the relationship between officers and members of the community.

CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report 12 FIRE The Meridian Fire Department is pleased to report its 2017 accomplishments. The department was truly pumped up when Engine 3 was replaced by a brand new, state-of-the-art, and dual-purpose apparatus. Firefighters will use this new, customized fire apparatus as a ladder truck and a pumper. The Meridian Fire Department is also the proud owner of a shiny new Pierce Arrow XT engine. Both of these machines help us ensure the safety of all our Meridian citizens with fast and efficient equipment.

We are also proud of our new smoke detector installation program for our high-risk populations. This program was funded by a federal grant. We have also used federal grant money to obtain updated equipment and supplies.

The department has reduced the number of overtime positions by hiring new firefighters. All of these efforts increase our overall efficiency and provide jobs of area residents.

Kudos to Firefighter Shannon Mathis, who is our newest graduate of the Smoke Diver Course for Mississippi firefighters. Mathis completed the four-day course, which is known for being the toughest class a firefighter can master.

CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report 14 PUBLIC SAFETY & TRAINING

The Training Facility has hosted a total of 189 classes in 2017, 88 of which were for City of Meridian employees only. The other courses were mostly for law enforcement-related training, including use of the five shooting ranges. Additionally, the facility has hosted two pre-academy law enforcement programs of at least six weeks to prepare Meridian’s newest officers to attend the State Law Enforcement Officer’s Training Academy.

The Public Safety Department has worked closely with other local and state agencies to respond to four

hazardous materials spills. It assisted with four major community events and, in January 2017, one ice event.

The Public Safety Department received one new grant for $75,000 from the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security to further statewide response training, especially in the area of search and rescue. The department continues to serve as the designated lead agency for the State of Mississippi for NASAR (National Association of Search And Rescue) training, having hosted three classes on-site and three off-site. The department has also used this grant funding to provide executive-level training in responding to large events at schools or community events.

The Training Facility is proud to have been a sponsor for the 2017 4-H District Shooting Competition and two Junior Police Academies for area youth.

15 CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report 16 FINANCE & RECORDS

Finance & Records had many accomplishments for 2017.

The department worked to improve the infrastructure of the city with the issuance of $20 million in general obligation bonds for the construction of the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience. These 20-year bonds are paid from a special 2 percent prepared food and beverage tax approved by Meridian residents. In addition, we identified and worked with an architect to replace the roof of the Meridian Museum of Art; the old Carnegie Library building was completed in 1913 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Finance & Records also received several commendations. The department received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for the 21st consecutive year. The City also received an unmodified opinion for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2016.

As for training, the Utility Billing and Collections divisions began cross-training employees to better serve our customers. Utility Billing issued 158,884 water, sewer, and garbage bills during the fiscal year and completed 19,357 service orders. The City Clerk and seven Deputy Clerks received Municipal Election Officials Certification Training from the Secretary of State’s Office and conducted the 2017 Municipal Elections for Mayor and City Council.

In the Business Affairs/Purchasing Division, we processed 7,436 purchase orders, 27 bids, and 2,280 business licenses. The business license payments totaled $100,493.

17 CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report 18 2017 GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENT EXPENDITURES For fiscal year ending September 30, 2017

19 CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report Revenues Licenses & Permits $3,080,000 Intergovernmental $15,665,000 Charges for Services $3,620,500 Police Fines & Forfeitures $1,000,000 Miscellaneous $575,000 Balance End of Prior Year $4,628,730 Amount Necessary to Be Raised by Tax Levy $9,841,044 Total General Fund Available Cash & Anticipated Revenues $38,410,274

Water Fund $14,719,361 Lakeview Golf Course $514,600 Concessions $33,010 Union Station $394,854 Waste Collection & Disposal $2,118,583 Meridian Public Safety & Training Facility $424,724 Arts District Parking Garage $89,100 Total Enterprise Funds $18,294,232 Debt Service Fund $5,500,000 Total Revenues for All City Funds $62,204,506

Expenditures

General Government $4,197,986 Finance & Records $3,185,465 Community Development $2,158,249 Parks & Recreation $3,198,870 Public Works $7,477,415 Police $9,573,286 Fire $7,769,003 Cash Reserve for FY17 Operations $850,000 Total General Fund Expenditures $38,410,274

CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report 20 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Two major development projects continue to strengthen Meridian’s economy and bring excitement to our vibrant downtown. Construction on the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience and the Threefoot Courtyard Marriott is expected to be the catalyst for other developments, including new restaurants and retail businesses, in our growing downtown district. Other major developments bringing economic growth to the community include a new Walmart Neighborhood Market, Newk’s Eatery, and construction of the Velma Young Community Center.

The City of Meridian’s Cultural Affairs Division is dedicated to promoting, hosting, and sponsoring cultural programs that enhance a strong sense of community. Annual events include festivals, concerts, parades, the annual 4th of July Celebration, Meridian Mardi Gras, family-friendly holiday events, and much more. Our vision for the future of our city’s cultural life serves to create a vibrant creative economy for our city.

In 2017, the Community Development Department led the initiative to improve the vitality of our community with the Mayor’s Health and Fitness program. As a result, the City of Meridian was recognized as a Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Healthy Hometown Award recipient.

21 CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report Our vision is to lead the state in creating a healthy model for residents at home and work. By promoting healthier lifestyles in our hometown, we hope to become an example for other cities and communities throughout the state of Mississippi.

Meridian’s Multi-Modal Transportation Center, Union Station, was host to 160 events, including business meetings, weddings, luncheons, and seminars. The center also serves as the multi-modal hub for transportation, including Greyhound bus lines, Amtrak, and Community Regional Transportation, which serves 16 counties and the City of Meridian.

The Code Enforcement Division served 436 Notices of Violations issued throughout the city, and issued 52 Complaints/Citations, with 43 abandoned/ dilapidated structures being condemned. In September, the cases of 13 vacant residential structures were brought to public hearing in an effort to initiate the rehabilitation of sustainable housing. The division also facilitated an auction of state- owned vacant lots, in conjunction with the office of the Mississippi Secretary of State, that resulted in the sale of 127 vacant lots.

for the year was completion of the Mississippi Department of Transportation Enhancement Grant, a pedestrian project in the African American Business District located in downtown Meridian. The Planning Division continued work with the historic preservation, tree protection, zoning, and The Building & Inspection Division completed subdivision regulations in support of the Meridian more than 4,850 inspections and issued 1,529 Planning Commission, Tree Commission, and Historic permits, including building permits with a total Preservation Commission. In 2017, 17 certificates construction value of $29,299,553.67. The division of appropriateness, eight rezonings, four street serves to protect the health, safety, and welfare of closing applications, 17 special-use permits, and 12 Meridian’s residents and ensure quality of life. This variances were issued by the division. A highlight includes the adoption of codes and ordinances.

CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report 22 PUBLIC WORKS

The City of Meridian Public Works Department accomplished three important projects in 2017.

We completed a streetscape project on Fifth Street between 25th and 26th Avenues. This project was funded by a $700,000 Mississippi Department of Transportation 80/20 grant. Also, the design and construction of 1.31 miles of sidewalk is along the south side of Old Highway 80 from 71st Place to U.S. Highway 19 will provide safe travel to students of Oakland Heights Elementary School as well as residents of two housing projects.

Secondly, we completed a $6.9 million capital improvement project at the South Wastewater Treatment Plant. This is the second part of a four-phase project under which the aeration system was upgraded, along with process pumps throughout the facility. These improvements are necessary to keep the facility fully operational and in compliance with Environmental Protection Agency regulations.

Public Works also paved 13 miles of thoroughfares and neighborhood streets as a part of our newly formed street improvement program. The department saved the citizens of Meridian over $800,000 with this in- house paving. Using 6,500 tons of asphalt, crews have poured 1,434 linear feet of sidewalk, equating to 200 cubic yards of concrete.

23 CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report 24 PARKS & RECREATION

Whether area residents want to play a game of to the community. Popular events like Touch A Truck, basketball, take a ride on the historic Dentzel Youth Cooking Classes, Highway Village Day, the Back Carousel, or participate in a moonlight run, the City to School Giveaway, James Chaney Day, Magnolia of Meridian Parks & Recreation Department has Day, and Wheelchair Basketball gave participants a something for everyone when it comes to great sense of pride. The Nickelodeon Worldwide Day of activities. Play, a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club, gave citizens a day of fun for all ages, and children enjoyed During the past year, we have promoted a variety of a holiday treat with Meet Santa at the Carousel held youth programs, adult activities, and more than 14 in December. sports programs, such as youth flag football, cheer, basketball, kickball, swimming, and baseball. Other Keeping with our Healthy Hometown theme, popular programs that focus on positive ways for Parks and Recreation along with Meridian citizens community members to spend their time include a built a playground at James Chaney Park, giving the home run derby, Easter egg hunts, and a fishing rodeo. neighborhood a new place for kids to exercise and play.

Throughout the year, many different events were A highlight of the year was the opening of the new provided in local areas where we strive to give back Velma Young Community Center, offering a future

25 CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report full of promise in the Magnolia Park area. The beautiful new facility provides a host of educational activities, community partnerships, a GED program, and exercise classes. Events held at the facility included Meridian Public School District Workshops, Magnolia Parent Meetings, the Meridian Public School District Reading Fair, the Foster Grandparents District Meeting, the Phi Beta Sigma Conference, community meetings, and expungement workshops.

The Meridian Activity Center remains a thriving hub for adults of all ages. The center features a variety of programs such as exercise classes, a ceramics studio, storytelling, quilting classes, and smocking. Retirees and other groups use the facility for meetings and special events.

In December, the historic Highland Park swimming pool was named after longtime City Councilwoman, Barbara Henson. The Barbara A. Henson Aquatic Center continues to be a place where citizens of all ages enjoy summertime fun. Henson was very instrumental in teaching and working with the youths of the Meridian Swim Team. She also contributed many hours to promoting the park and the swimming pool to the youths of the community.

CITY OF MERIDIAN 2017 Annual Report 26 Contact 601 23rd Avenue Meridian, MS 39301

Phone: 601.485.1926 Email: [email protected]