By Leslie N. Dees
The Star-Herald
KOSCIUSKO —
Bacon had a Merry Christmas at home with his family after the Kosciusko Mayor and Board of Aldermen changed an ordinance to allow pot-bellied pigs in the city limits.
A visit from City of Kosciusko Animal Control officer Tony Hines brought M Street resident Keisha Wilder to come before the Kosciusko Board of Aldermen during their final December meeting.
Mayor Jimmy Cockroft said Hines had received a call about one of Wilder’s dogs and found her pot-bellied pig, Bacon, chained outside.
Showing photos of Bacon, Wilder said he was like one of her own children.
“He’s just like a dog. I carry him on a leash and take him walking. He is house trained,” Wilder said. “Pot-bellied pigs are very smart. I had to put him outside because he learned to open the refrigerator and the pantry door.”
“We went out of town for a day and he roamed in the house just like a dog,” she said. “We came home and he had eaten up all my kids snacks. There were candy and chip bags everywhere.
“That’s the only reason I put him out. He’s very protective of my girls. He’s part of our family.”
Under the current ordinance, Cockroft explained that swine and pens weren’t allowed in the city limits.
However, in the case of Bacon, this is different, he said.
Cockroft explained that the intention of the ordinance was to prevent someone from raising swine in the city limits.
The aldermen voted to change the ordinance to one pot-bellied pig per residence to to exceed 50 pounds.
Bacon, who is fully-grown, only weighs 25 pounds and was won at the fair by Wilder’s daughter over a year ago.
Wilder said he is one spoiled pig having cakes baked for him once or twice a year.
“I can’t see anyone taking care of him the way we do,” she said.
In other city business:
– Bid from Lola Cagle to purchase the old medical clinic for $7,500.
– Purchase waste water trailer from Kaufman in the amount of $11,290.
– Advertise for the Community Development Block Grant administrator and engineer.
– Appoint Cockroft, city clerk Hart Pettit and building inspector Brent Busbea to a selection committee for the CDBG packages.
–Advertise for the RSVP director.
–Payment to Windham and Lacey LLP in the amount of $2,000.
– Payment to Historic Renovations of Yazoo in the amount of $14,409.22 for work on The Strand.
–Change order on The Strand for brick work to to exceed $1,000.
–Donations from Fred’s to the Kosciusko Fire Department and the Kosciusko Police Department for $396.29 each.
–Tabled accepting gift property of three acres at Elm and Peach Tree Streets from Dr. Jimmy Bailey.
–Claims
The board went into executive session for a personnel matter.
