WALTHALL — The Webster County Board of Supervisors met in closed session last week to discuss economic development.
Supervisors voted to go into executive session regarding economic development during a recessed meeting on May 31. Chad Winter, president of the Webster County Economic Development District, and a guest remained in the boardroom with supervisors.
The board came back into open session 30 minutes later with no action taken. Responding to an inquiry from the Progress-Times, Winter identified his guest as a representative of an industrial prospect.
When Winter last met with supervisors on May 16, he reported that an industrial prospect had made a site visit to Eupora Industrial Park.
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Updated Hospital
Policy for Inmates
Stephanie Galloway, director of clinical quality at North Mississippi Medical Center-Eupora, informed supervisors and Sheriff David Gore of an updated policy in its security management plan. She said the updated policy has been approved by the legal department, Webster Health Services board of trustees and medical staff, and is intended to protect hospital staff as well as anyone in custody who is being treated there.
The updated policy, in general, requires law enforcement agencies to contact certain hospital administrators before an inmate who is brought in for treatment can be released. Galloway said this applies to the city as well.
When Paul Crowley, vice president of the board, asked Gore about complying with the policy, he said, “I’m good with it.”
However, the sheriff did tell the board afterwards, “If it’s going to cost the county a pile of money and they (an inmate) don’t have insurance, I’m not going to let the county be stuck with a giant hospital bill.”
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Flora Logging
Jeremy Flora of Flora Logging appeared before the Board of Supervisors to complain about the longer route his drivers were having to take in District 3.
Flora asserted that log truck drivers are supposed to be routed out to the best and safest State Aid road. However, he said District 3 Supervisor Randy Rico was routing his drivers 20 miles out of the way through Alva.
During an exchange with Rico that grew heated, Flora said the longer route for his drivers was exacerbated by the high cost of diesel fuel. Rico said he gave that route because of log trucks leaving mud in the road, which Flora said was removed. The discussion concluded with Rico telling him to fill out a permit for the route he preferred, which Flora did.
County Engineer Karl Grubb also addressed the board about the Local System Bridge Program.
