[11/27/01]City officials say they are preparing to make major changes in two departments that could change the way residents and visitors see the city.

During a lengthy executive session Monday, the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen discussed changes to the inspection and landscape departments. Mayor Laurence Leyens said the changes could eventually include replacing those department heads.

“I’m just not happy with the productivity in those departments,” Leyens said.

Leyens handed down a directive to the inspection department shortly after he took office in July to begin clearing buildings that are not in compliance with city ordinances. Although the number of properties being submitted to the city board for action has been steady, Leyens has complained that the process is too slow.

In Monday’s meeting, the board approved two contracts for the demolition of 11 structures, but Leyens said there are many other buildings throughout Vicksburg that should be coming down.

“I’m just trying to redevelop that department and set higher standards,” he said.

The inspection department currently has four inspectors responsible for issuing building permits, safety inspections and inspecting structures not in compliance with city codes and having them removed. One of those inspectors is being transferred to the land-use department but will be replaced.

Charles James, the head of the inspection department since last year, said the department is as productive as the law will allow.

“Unless (the legal department) can come up with a way to speed things up, then legally there’s nothing we can do,” James said.

He said additional inspectors and an administrative assistant to help research land titles could allow the inspectors to handle more properties but legal requirements would still keep the process slow.

Mississippi law requires the building inspector to notify property owners of code violations and allow the owner 30 to 120 days to make repairs. If repairs are not made in that time, the city can take corrective action that can include demolishing structures.

Before the city can tear down a building, public notice must be given and the work has to go through the legal bid process, which takes an additional 30 days.

Leyens said he has asked James to come back to the board within two weeks with a plan to reorganize the department.

Separately, Leyens said the landscape department has been moved from under the public works division to the planning division. He said he hopes it will increase productivity in the department.

“I’m not even sure we need a landscape architect,” Leyens said. “What we need is someone who can put trees in the ground.”

Jeff Richardson, the city landscape architect since 1994, said he talked to Leyens Monday afternoon about moving the landscape department, but that he does not expect the change will have any effect on productivity.

“I don’t feel that I have enough information right now,” Richardson said when asked how a move would change the department.

Since taking office in July, the current city administration has replaced the chief of police and fired the head of the personnel department. Paul Rogers, the former city clerk, was brought back on full-time status as the city’s strategic planner,

All other department and division heads have remained.

In other matters the board:

Presented a certificate of recognition to David Brown, foreman of the parks and recreation maintenance crew, for his work with the city.

Approved a contract not to exceed $500 for Ollie DeLoach, a storyteller, who will perform at the Vicksburg Senior Center at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 7. The program will be open to the public.

Continued an agreement with the Vicksburg National Military Park for the loan of a cannon and carriage on display on Monroe Street at Clay.

Declared a truck, desk, calculator and printer as surplus property to be sold at auction Dec. 8 in Hattiesburg.

Accepted the lost or stolen property report of items missing from the Kings Center and parks and recreation department. The items reported missing include a $300 video cassette recorder, a $2,500 tool box and two string trimmers that cost $500 each.

Approved adding an employee from the sewer department to the employee driving list.

Approved the claims docket

During executive session, upheld eight-hour suspensions for two firefighters and interviewed a candidate for the head of the human resources department.

The city board was scheduled to meet again this morning. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be at 10 a.m. Monday at City Hall Annex.