WALTHALL — An outdoor burn ban is now in effect in Webster County because of the potential fire danger from the dry conditions.
The Board of Supervisors voted Monday to institute the ban immediately. It prohibits any type of outdoor burning in the county while in place through Oct. 29, unless sooner lifted by the board. No fine was set.
Afterwards, board President Pat Cummings signed a Mississippi Forestry Commission form requesting issuance of the outdoor burn ban, with only the MFC exempted.
Fire Coordinator Barry Rushing consulted with state Forester Russell Bozeman via speakerphone during the meeting. Rushing told him the county was concerned about the danger posed by the dry conditions.
Bozeman said the MFC was not planning on implementing a statewide burn ban at this time, noting that the wind is not blowing that much. However, he said he was comfortable with Webster implementing a ban, as some other counties have done.
Webster County 911 reports show the Walthall Fire Department and MFC were dispatched to a forest fire Thursday night on Peppertown Road. The Tomnolen and Eupora fire departments responded to two grass fire calls during a 10-minute timeframe on U.S. 82 Friday afternoon. The grass fires, which occurred in the median and along the shoulder of the highway, were reported to have been caused by a tire blowout on a truck.
Accept Doss
Building bid
Also during Monday’s recessed meeting, the board opened two bids for the sale of the county-owned Doss Building located at 2890 E. Roane Ave. in Eupora.
The board made a finding Sept. 9 that the building, which is a Mississippi Landmark, is no longer being used for county purposes. The county purchased the building 13 years ago.
The board voted to accept the high bid of $60,000 from Old Walthall Farms LLC (Billy Tabb) and sell the building. The other bid was for $8,600. The building’s assessed value for tax purposes is $80,000, according to Cummings.
Other Business
In other business, the Board of Supervisors:
• voted to maintain a schoolbus turnaround for the remainder of the school year at 1284 MS Hwy. 404 (District 1) at the request of the Webster County School Board.
• voted to allow 911 radio operators Tiana O’Briant and Peggy Stuckey to attend a training seminar Oct. 7-10 in Robinsonville. The seminar is sponsored by the Mississippi 911 Coordinators Association.
• met in executive session about 15 minutes with Sheriff Andy McCants to discuss personnel matters. No action was taken.
• adjourned until 8:30 a.m. next Monday.
