Meridian Rotarians were given a behind-the-scenes look at two ongoing projects in the Queen City and received a word of warning about holding leadership accountable Monday as longtime city official Tim Miller spoke at the Rotary Club’s weekly meeting.

 

Miller, who retired as Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Meridian in 2022, spent more than four decades serving the city in various positions. Beginning his career in 1982 at Meridian Fire Department, Miller spent time as Meridian’s Fire Chief, Homeland Security Director and CAO, among other roles.

 

Now retired, Miller said he is lending his expertise to a local company called Community Vision Group, which is working to build a community of net-zero homes, the first such development in this area. The development will make use of new technologies such as solar power roofing shingles and power walls developed by Tesla with the goal of each home generating enough energy to power itself, he said.

 

The development, which has been named The Verandas, will consist of 20-25 homes built from three different designs, he said.

 

The homes will be located in a gated community off of 10th Avenue, Miller said, bringing residents security and convenience with the latest smart home technologies.

 

Alley Project

 

Miller said he is also involved with a project aimed at renovating a downtown alleyway into an events space and pedestrian walkway. The alley, which is located between Weidmann’s Restaurant and the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation offices, is squalid with standing water from a lack of drainage and trash. It currently serves as a home for dumpsters from nearby businesses and restaurants.

 

Meridian Main Street, which is leading the project, was able to secure approximately $400,000 from state and federal sources, Miller said, which will be used to beautify the space, add lighting and seating and whatever else is deemed necessary. Before that can happen, however, the City of Meridian must take care of its part of the project, upgrading and relocating utilities underneath the alleyway asphalt.

 

“Those monies can be spent above the ground,” he said.

 

Assistant Public Works Director Mike Van Zandt last week said the city’s portion of the project will include relocating utilities, upgrading water and sewer lines with larger lines capable of carrying additional capacity and adding underground drainage infrastructure to capture and remove rain and stormwater from the alley. The City Council in 2024 appropriated $800,000 to fund the work.

 

Miller said there is still some uncertainty about what exactly the city’s Public Works crews will find when they dug up the alleyway, but those involved with the project are confident the $1.2 million in total funding for the work will be enough to see it through.

 

Investing Wisely

 

Dallas-based Compass Datacenters announced last month it plans to build eight high-tech data centers in Meridian over the next eight years, investing a total of $10 billion into the local community. The announcement was praised by local and state officials as one of the largest investments in state history.

 

Miller on Wednesday said the investment is expected to bring substantial new tax revenue to city, county and school budgets, and he encouraged Rotarians to hold their public officials accountable in spending those funds wisely. Throughout his career in government, he said “found” money tends to get spent on wishlist items such as vehicles and equipment, but long term planning is needed to set the area up for success.

 

With municipal elections scheduled for later this year, Miller said voters need to ask candidates about their plans for the anticipated windfall. Public officials need to be making “40 year decisions,” he said, not “four year decisions.”

 

“You only get one opportunity to get it right,” he said.