Security cameras rejected in Miner

MINER - The Miner Police Department will not get new security cameras yet.

After considering the purchase of new cameras for several months, the Miner Board of Aldermen decided during its regular meeting Tuesday not to spend the city's money.

Board members suggested other law enforcement agencies will have to radio in to let Miner police know they are at the outside doors, and other visitors will go in through the lobby.

Alderman Justin Medley suggested the department put security cameras on its Homeland Security grant wish list.

In other business during Tuesday meeting:

* Board members agreed to schedule a meeting Monday with Greg Stratman of Stratman Consulting of Vienna, Mo. and the city's police and fire department chiefs before reaching a decision on sending the chiefs to a grant writing school.

Stratman was hired by the city in June to conduct a feasibility study for a convention center but has also offered to write grants for the city.

Benny Thurston, fire division chief, said there are grant writing classes at fire school but this course goes into more detail on areas like writing Homeland Security grants.

The deadline to register at only $200 per person is Jan. 15, Thurston said.

* Board members approved a cost of living increase of 3.2 percent for all city employees. The raise does not include elected officials.

* An updated flood plain ordinance was approved. The update was required by the State Emergency Management Agency and the ordinance is now more detailed, according to Blake Pearson, city attorney. The ordinance had not been updated since 1984, Pearson said.

* The purchase of a new desk console from G & D Communications in Sikeston for dispatching which will hold the police department's new radio equipment was approved.

The approved bid of $1,724.25 includes a larger, more user-friendly console which will hold all the equipment and "gooseneck" microphones that the company's lower bid of $1,384.61 did not include, although labor was the same on both bids.

A donation of $500 from Wal-Mart, however, will offset the cost to make the city's actual cost lower than the lower bid, noted Alderman Medley.