Former School Property Returns To City Ownership
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Water Valley Mayor Tommy Reynolds reported that Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) awarded a $750,000 grant to the city for work at the industrial park. The grant is in addition to over a million dollars in funding already obtained to build a new road in the city-owned industrial park. Reynolds is pictured signing the grant agreement during the August 6 city meeting.
WATER VALLEY – A property transfer years in the making was finalized last week as city officials authorized Mayor Tommy Reynolds to sign a deed returning 5.63 acres to city ownership. The property, located at the intersection of North Main Street and Lafayette Street, was the former site of the old high school. It was deeded to the Mississippi Department of Mental Health in 2003 to provide a location for construction of a new group home that never materialized.
City officials have discussed options for the property including seeking bids from developers to purchase the property with a contingency that it will be used for construction of new houses to address a shortage in Water Valley.
Reynolds credited state representatives Kevin Horan and Sam Creekmore, IV, along with Senator Ben Suber for helping navigate a house bill through the legislative process during the 2024 Session. The bill authorized the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration to transfer the property to the city.
“If you want to get land from the state, you have to pass a law,” Reynolds explained as he held up the deed that included the signatures of Governor Tate Reeves, Secretary of State Michael Watson and Executive Director of Finance and Administration Liz Welch. “I don’t know who else we could get to sign it in the State of Mississippi,” Reynolds joked.
“This belongs to the City of Water Valley and the people of Water Valley again,” Reynolds said following the vote by aldermen.
Horan also attended the city meeting and reported about the process to make the property transfer a reality. Horan also extended thanks to Senator Suber for assisting with different projects that benefit Water Valley.
“He helped us getting the city money for the electric department this year and last year,” Horan said. “We have other members of the legislature around our area who support our legislation. We have a pretty good team in this area.”
Horan also said he plans to meet with the board later this year to discuss needs before the 2025 Legislative Session convenes
“Y’all know this is home to me and I am going to do everything I can,” Horan added.
Other activity discussed in the meeting included:
• Denied a request from Water Valley Fire Chief Mark McGavock to declare a city-owned 1937 GMC fire truck as surplus property and advertise it for sale. The chief reminded aldermen that he made the same request in June, 2023, after he requested to sell it on an online government website for surplus equipment. Aldermen initially voted in favor of selling the truck, but reversed their decision citing interest from the public to help keep it running and the city retain ownership.
McGavock reminded alderman that over a year has passed and there has been no interest in someone taking the lead to restore the vintage truck for parades and other events.
McGavock proposed that the city advertise for bids locally this time, allowing locals an opportunity to purchase the truck and use it for parades.
Ward Two Alderman Freddie Folson was in favor of the selling the truck, but his motion did not receive a second.
McGavock then requested that the truck be moved from the fire department to free up space for other equipment.
• Scheduled a budget work session on August 13 at 5:15 p.m.
• Heard a complaint from Alderman Freddie Folson about a police pursuit involving four-wheelers that occurred on August 2. Folson said he received multiple calls from constituents with concerns about the chase after they observed a child riding as a passenger on one of the fleeing vehicles. Folson told
Chief Jason Mangrum that he does not think officers should pursue four-wheeler operators for minor offenses.
Water Valley Chief Jason Mangrum said officers attempted to stop the four-wheelers in the incident cited by Folson due to reckless driving.
“There were 10 to 15 four-wheelers, they came from out in the county,” Mangrum said.
The chief said the four-wheelers entered the city on County Road 100, and crossed Blackmur Drive without stopping at the stop sign. He also said the
ATV operators continued driving erratically on several different streets before the pursuit was terminated.
“In the officers’ defense, once they realized the ATVs were not going to stop they did cancel their own pursuit,” the chief said. “They handled it as they should have.”
Mangrum also said officers typically issue warnings when they stop ATVs or side-by-sides operating on public streets in the city unless the situation escalates.
