We're live at the June board meeting of the Tupelo Redevelopment Agency. We're inside the board room at the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association.

The meeting is slated to get started at 4:30 p.m.

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Disclaimer: I'm typing as people are talking. There may be typos. People also have a tendency to talk at the same time, so I can't always hear everything.

And, I'm not typing every word. Think of this more as the highlights of the meeting.

Something doesn't make sense? Corrections? Have questions?  Ask.

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Chairman John Oxford calls the meeting to order at 4:40.

Reed Hillen is on speakerphone to make a quorum. Light attendance today. But board is joined by new marketing associate for downtown & Fairpark: Jessica Reed. She's been hired for Daphene Hendricks' previous job.

Bills:

• Mitchell, McNutt and Sams (general) $92.19

• Community Development Foundation (hotel & entertainment project analysis) $ 2,750

• Ten Oaks Consulting (monthly maintenance 5/27/-6/11/12) $ 2,677.54

• Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association (reimbursement for Ten Oaks Consulting 3/26/-4/29/12 and 4/30-5/23/21) $10,265.00

• Swimming Pools of Tupelo (parts for fountain at Fairpark) $837.32 (fountain was messed up by a wedding)

• Upbeat Site Furnishings (umbrella replacements for Fairpark) $  2,237.76

• Mid-South Nursery (30 hanging baskets planted) $  3,500

• Trugreen (early spring application) $400

• Tupelo Water and Light (Fairpark) $34.42

• Tupelo Water and Light (Corner Troy/West City Hall) $2.16

• Tupelo Water and Light (Fairpark parking lot lights) $169.24

• Tupelo Water and Light (water meter set) $350.00

• Jasmine Walker (refund for deposit on Fairpark rental) $200.00

All bills approved by members.

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Purchase reqs via Debbie Brangenberg, city liaison for TRA:

• Tupelo Engraving: All of memorial plaques have rusted out. These were on all the trees and benches. $840 will cover the cost of replacing them with better material.

• We like to have a backup motor for the fountain in case something happens. We have one now but it's old and it keeps throwing the breaker. We'd like to buy a new one. We had the unfortunate situation with the bird seed that was thrown at a wedding and burned up the motor. We've changed our policy completely.

Purchase reqs approved.

Executive session on potential land sale. Meeting closed at 4:46 p.m.

Returned to regular session at 4:57 p.m. No decision was made.

Hillen had to hang up so there's no quorum, which means the board can't make any binding votes.

Oxford:

We have a lot of projects going on it Fairpark. We have 2 statues, playground, bathrooms, etc. We're running out green space. Next meeting we should talk about a moratorium on building.

Brangenberg:

We just need to slow down on accepting gifts. It's too good of a space.

Guy Mitchell (board attorney):

What if we said that we aren't accepting any more permanent structures until we figure out about the restrooms?

Oxford:

That Elvis statue is going to be the most photographed thing in Tupelo in 10 years. Just wait. Everything we've done has enhanced Fairpark. But we have to make sure that all these individual projects don't take away from the overall picture.

Oxford:

Have y'all announced your numbers yet from Elvis Fest?

Brangenberg (exec director of Main Street too):

Prelim numbers for attendance: 11,000 for the weekend for all events. Tops reunion anniversary numbers.

Tripp Muldrow (consultant Main St hired last year) was here yesterday. He's working with us this summer. He's going to be working with Jessica about new marketing materials for Fairpark.

Meeting adjourned at 5:03 p.m.