At their February 15 recessed meeting the Pontotoc Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to co-sponsor the purchase and erection of a Country Music Trail marker honoring the late Pontotoc native songwriter Jimmy Weatherly.
Pontotoc Aldermen approved a $4,500 matching payment to help the Mississippi Blues Foundation purchase the $9,000 trail marker which will be erected at the Pontotoc Community House to honor Weatherly, who died February 3, 2021, at his home in Brentwood TN.
Weatherly’s songwriting career spanned more than 55 years and earned him induction into the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2006 and into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in New York City in 2014. Also in 2014 he received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Music from the state of Mississippi.
Weatherly wrote the #1 song classics “Neither One of Us,” “Midnight Train to Georgia” and “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me”, performed by Grammy winners Gladys Knight & the Pips.
In 1974 Weatherly was honored as ASCAP’s Country Songwriter of the Year. “A Lady Like You” was a #1 hit for country music superstar Glen Campbell and country artist Bryan White had a #1 hit with Weatherly’s “Someone Else’s Star.”
Officials said they are hoping to unveil the marker in April at the Pontotoc Community House where Weatherly performed countless times during his high school days at Pontotoc High School.
In another new business matter, aldermen heard public comments from new Pontotoc resident Scott Walker, who voiced his full support for Mississippi’s newly passed medical marijuana law.
Walker said he currently maintains homes in Pontotoc and Oklahoma, where he obtained a medical marijuana card in May 2021.
Walker identified himself as a Desert Storm veteran, realtor, pastor and recovering alcoholic. He said the medical marijuana business is thriving in Oklahoma and he encouraged aldermen to help the city of Pontotoc capitalize on the new opportunity.
“I’m here to encourage you to not mess up this opportunity,” Walker said. “ You can opt out but you can’ stop it. It’ll be here in three years.”
“It’s my understanding that the board has already decided to rally against it,” Walker told aldermen. “But I hope not because it’s important to get in on the front end.”
Walker said allowing the growing, processing and sale of marijuana in Pontotoc would add thousands of dollars of new sales tax revenues to the city.
Pontotoc Mayor Bob Peeples thanked Walker for offering his opinions on the new law, but denied his assertion that aldermen had already addressed the issue.
“I know you’ve put on social media that the board has already discussed and made up their mind on this complex issue, but that’s not true,” Peeples said. “Tonight’s the first night we’ve met since Governor Reeves signed the new law. The board has not discussed or voted on the option of opting out of the medical marijuana business in Pontotoc. The board will address this issue within the next 90 days.”
According to the new legislation, the Mississippi State Department of Health will be responsible for implementing and overseeing most of the program.
Under the new law, counties and municipalities have 90 days to opt out of allowing medical marijuana dispensaries, processing facilities and growing facilities from operating within their boundaries. If a county or municipality votes opt out of the program, citizens will be allowed to collect signatures and petition their local officials to to opt back into the program.
The law allows for patients with one or more of over 20 different debilitating conditions to qualify to receive medical marijuana. Those conditions include cancer, Parkinson’s, glaucoma and Crohn’s disease.
Other new motions approved at the February 15 meeting included:
-giving the Pontotoc County Historical Society the approved annual funding of $10,000 from tourism;
-awarding Premier Printing (4-1 vote, Alderwoman Jimma Smith voted no) the lowest and best bid to supply uniforms for the park and recreation seasons;
-set an April 15 public hearing to consider Zelda Ford’s request for a conditional use to locate at manufactured home at 156 Highway 41 South;
-the sale by 4-0 vote (Alderman Joe DiDionna abstained) to sale surplus 2015 Dodge Charger to the town of Algoma for $3,000;
-approve $491 to the Chamber of Commerce for maintenance done at the Pontotoc Community House on air-conditioned;
Aldermen also agreed to continue discussion of park and rec concession stands for 2022 season with two ladies who operated the concession stands last year.
Mayor Peeples also told aldermen that the final wording of the proposed rubbish and debris ordinance is almost complete and a public hearing to consider the new ordinance will be set at the March meeting.
The approved consent agenda included only one item: for Casey Collums to travel to Amory, MS, Feb. 20, 2022, for district baseball meeting. Mileage reimbursement.
