There’s a lot going on in the small town of Big Creek. Recently the town moved in to its new city hall, acquired a new fire truck and a new police car.By JOEL McNEECE
There’s a lot going on in the small town of Big Creek. Recently the town moved in to its new city hall, acquired a new fire truck and a new police car.
The town is hosting an open house Saturday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. to allow visitors to see the three new purchases.
The City Hall was previously located in the old Community Building on top of the hill above Main Street for at least the last 30 years. It had recently become “too unsafe” to rent to the community and the town began its search for a new facility.
The answer came last summer after the unfortunate closing of the Methodist Church on Main Street. The town was able to purchase the building from the Methodist Conference on July 1 for $500.“I would like to thank the members of the Big Creek United Methodist Church and the Mississippi Methodist Conference for the chance to obtain this property and make use of it for the town and the surrounding community,” Big Creek Mayor Dwight DeVall said. “I really think it is going to be a good thing for Big Creek, because we always had people wanting to use the old community center. We rented it for $25 up until about the first of 2007 and then it got unsafe to use. So we closed it down and had it thrown down and the fire department burned it and the county cleaned up the property.”
The new facility offers more space and a better location, right in the corner of the four-way stop in “downtown Big Creek.”
“As a community we have a lot to be thankful for – the new city hall/community center, local law enforcement, fire department, and most of all our friends and neighbors,” Mayor DeVall said.
The fire and police departments have also been included in the upgrades.
A 1989 Ford “Quick Attack/Rescue Truck” was purchased from Deep South Fire Equipment for $20,000. The truck is equipped for fire fighting with 300 gallons of water storage, a 2.5 inch outlet for tanker truck connection, a 1,000 GPM diesel pump, and EMR/Rescue response equipment.
“This is really going to make a big difference for us,” Fire Chief Bobby Harrison said. “It’s not a new truck, but it’s new to us and just the kind of equipment we were needing for many of the fires and emergency situations we have to respond to.”
The police department upgrade came in the form of a 1999 Ford Crown Vic, given to the town by the City of Southaven. The car is a fully equipped K-9 Unit, which was a needed addition for Big Creek Chief David Poynor who is a K-9 officer with his own dog.
Both the car and truck will be on hand for public viewing at Saturday’s open house at the new city hall. Among the first displays in the new city hall was a 45-star American flag found in an old desk at the old community building before it was torn down.
The 45-star American flag was the official U.S. flag between 1896 and 1908. Harrison said they didn’t know the origin of the flag in the desk. That building had once served as the Big Creek school lunch room on the first floor and the home economist class on the second floor.
Mayor DeVall said the town does plan to rent the new community center for public functions. The rental price has been set at $50 to help maintain the facility. For more information on renting the building contact Katie DeVall at 662-628-6882.
Other activities at the open house will include entertainment by Bobby Hood and Sheryl Fleming. Refreshments will also be served. The public is invited.
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