A group of residents neighboring the National Guard Armory on Mesopotamia Street in Eutaw came to last night’s City Council meeting to complain about loud and late parties at the City owned facility.
The weekend before last, there was a shooting in the early morning hours in the Armory parking lot, where one person was killed and several others wounded, including off-duty Sheriff’s Deputy, LaJeffrey Carpenter, who also serves as a Eutaw City Councilman, District 2. A motorcycle club affiliated with the Sin City Deciples sponsored the party.
Ms. Shauna Stephens who lives across the street from the Armory complained that there have been parties at the National Guard Armory that played loud music and people were screaming. “These parties need to end at a reasonable time, no later than Midnight. My mother told me nothing good happens at a party after Midnight.”
Stephens continued, “We had to call the police, after 2:15 AM, the night of the shooting. They could have shot in our house or shot in our yard. We came to this Council meeting to say that this should not happen again!” Marilyn Court, another Eutaw residents, who lives three blocks from the Armory, said, “the parties are too loud. We can hear them at my house.”
Mayor Raymond Steele answered and said that the City was taking the residents concerns and suggestions under consideration and that the shooting incident had damaged the reputation of Eutaw as a relatively calm and crime-free place to live.
In other comments, the Mayor reported that the water improvement project is nearing completion. The new water tank has been cleaned and treated with chlorine by the contractors and approved for use by ADEM. Some electrical connections between the well and the tank are all that remain to complete before the tank goes into full service as part of the improved city water system. The electrical pole in the street by the Courthouse will also be moved.

The Mayor indicated that the contractor was also updating the software for the electronically read water meters, which have been installed around the city. “You will receive a minimum bill for December this week and the next bill you receive will be a bill for January generated by the new automated water meter system. If you have questions or concerns about your water bill, come to City Hall to discuss your bill. We are going to have to work out any kinks and problems with the new digital system,” said Mayor Steele.
In other actions at the January 9 and 23, Eutaw City Council meetings, the Council:
* approved hiring of a part-time person to assist with office work and answering the phones at City Hall;
* approved fire coverage designation for houses on Highway 43, south of city limits but in the city’s fire district;
* approved travel for the Chief of Police to attend a training conference in Montgomery, February 24 to March 1, 2018;
* approved payment of bills and invoices for the month of January;
* approved use of the National Guard Armory for the Stillman Alumni Association on 2-9-2018, and the National Wild Turkey Association for 2-23-2018, with permission for alcoholic beverages;
* approved resolution for designation of portions of Highway 14, coming into the city as the Thomas E. Gilmore Memorial Highway;
* heard complaints from Councilwoman Sheila H. Smith about the disposal of a used refrigerator, left as trash on Boligee Street.
* heard from former Councilman David Spencer on his complaint of “fraud in the last city election”;
*discussed the need for a budget for the City to control and evaluate city expenditures;
* offered prayers and words of support for the full recuperation of Councilman LaJeffrey Carpenter, who was injured in the Armory parking area.