WV Aldermen Look to Appoint Members to the Historic Preservation Commission

By Talbert Toole
Lifestyles Editor
talbert.toole@hottytoddy.com

The Water Valley Board of Aldermen met Tuesday night at City Hall—located at 101 Blackmur Drive—and unanimously passed a vote to advertise for applications for the Historic Preservation Commission. Photo by Talbert Toole.

The Water Valley Board of Aldermen unanimously passed a motion Tuesday night at City Hall to advertise for applications for the Historic Preservation Commission.

In the motion, the Aldermen agreed to advertise for applicants for 15 days, beginning this week. The 15-day stint begins once the city advertises in its local newspaper, The North Mississippi Herald. 

According to the resolution that was passed Jan. 15 creating the town’s first Historic Preservation Commission, the qualifications to become a member of the commission are strict. The reading of the resolution stated it must have a minimum of five members with a maximum of nine. Those who apply for the position should have a background in either law, real estate, history, or a variation of the three.

Alderman Kagan Coughlin read a statement from Mickey Howley—director of Water Valley Main Street—who was absent from Tuesday’s meeting, and said the Mississippi Department of Archives and History is hosting a workshop May 2-3 for historic preservation commissions. If the Aldermen have appointed members to the commission by then, members may attend the workshop for training.

The Board’s decision to create a commission came after Oxford business owner Terry Warren was denied a demolition permit. Warren, who owns two buildings on Main Street in Water Valley, planned to demolish his buildings because his beer ordinance appeal was denied last year; however, the board voted 3-2 to change the ordinance, which required a meal to be served when ordering beer or light wine.

The mayor of Water Valley, Donald Gray, vetoed the vote by the Board of Aldermen to remove a sentence from the town’s Beer Ordinance that said beer could only be ordered with the “anticipation” of a meal.

The veto remained in effect after the required vote to overturn the mayor’s veto was not reached during a special Jan. 31 meeting.