By Myra Bean

Crowder Mayor Tommie Dorris and the Board of Aldermen gathered Thursday night for their regular monthly meeting.

Police Chief Harris reported the drug problem is on the rise in Crowder. He said there are a couple of houses on the Quitman County side cooking methamphetamines though police does not have proof yet.

The police and the U.S. Marshals were on the trail of three escapees Friday, March 1. Two were caught and one remains at-large, Harris said. Harris said lots of people have guns that are not supposed to have them and they are shooting at each other.

•Mike Hankins gave the fire department, and the water/inmate report.

The department wants to tear down an old building and put in a portable building. Hankins said they are having a hard time working with the shed in poor condition. He reported thefts of tools and other items.

The three quotes for the buildings are $24,697, $28,000 and $31,626. The final bid is for a completed structure Under the other two bids, work would have to be done to make the building usable like adding bathrooms and wiring.

•The rains last week caused flooding in the city limits. Alderman Joe Cole said the ditches were not stopped up. “The water just had nowhere to go,” he said. The water was covering some of the culverts that go to the river.

•The school property is under review. The board is waiting for an official asbestos report. Board attorney William Sanders said not to accept anything without written proof. A letter was sent to clean up the property and keep the grass cut. There is no money in the budget for the city to clean the property, according to Sanders.

•The board was asked to revisit its decision from the February meeting and overturn the motion to not attend the Mississippi Municipal League conference in the summer. After some heated words, the motion died for lack of a second.

•Dorris reported Crowder passed over by Dollar General because there are not enough housetops for the company’s specifications.

Dorris went to MDOT to measure traffic which would be another  measurement Dollar General will accept. Some areas measured were Highway 322 – 36,000 vehicles; Highway 322 to 35 – 2,200; Humphreys Ave. – 580; Corbin Ave. – 2,740; and Tallahatchie Street – 110.

•Last month, the town voted on a red, white and blue sign. Dorris asked for design ideas from the board and members of the public present at the meeting.

•Jimmy Elmore owns property where a city easement goes through it. It cuts his property in half so one half is not considered in the homestead property. Sanders will look into getting measurements, he said. The board voted to declare it surplus property of no value.