By EASON FRANKLIN
The Lowndes Signal

The Mosses town council held its first work session of the 2011 fiscal year on Oct. 26 to discuss council concerns.

The city council discussed the reformation of the police department and touched on Hayneville Police Chief Kelvin Mitchell’s help with responding to calls and patrolling Central High School.

“It is good to have that in place now that the Lowndes County Sheriff’s deputies have limited resources to be able to patrol the Mosses community,” said Mayor Walter Hill.

An interviewing committee will convene within the next couple of weeks to review applicants for the positions of police chief and additional officers, Hill said.

“The person who will be recommended will come on board as acting chief until the permanent status is established following an evaluation,” said Hill.

Hill addresed a pending contractual obligation by the town of Mosses that included inmates transfers to Wilcox County.

There has been an increase of inmate housing costs over the past three years. The cost of housing inmates at the Lowndes County Detention Facility was $1.75, but has increased to $5 currently and includes housing and meals.

“Housing inmates at the Wilcox County jail is much less than having to house them here under the current rate,” said Hill.

Wilcox has already agreed to assist the town of Mosses if the town is unable to continue housing inmates at the LCDF, Hill said.

The council also discussed the town’s public nuisance ordinance, the current fines implemented and possible changes to its policy.

When a problem has been brought to the mayor’s or council’s attention as a public nuisance, the town will send a letter letting the person responsible know they have a certain period of time to respond to request to remove the nuisance.

If there is no compliance, a second letter will be sent out. If the nuisance remains after the second letter, the town can take up the responsibility of cleaning the area or demolishing the nuisance altogether.

Anyone currently convicted and held liable by the Lowndes County Court can be held to a maximum jail time of six months and a fine of up to $500. Violators are currently given 90 days to correct public nuisance problems.