The top two officers on the Winston County Board of Supervisors have been reelected to their positions for the next four years.
Luke Parkes of District 2 will continue as president and Burr Warner of District 1 will continue as vice president. They were reelected by acclamation during the board’s first meeting of the 2020 term on Jan. 6. The other supervisors are Marion Jordan (District 3), Ralph Goss (District 4) and Charlie Wilkes (District 5). Wilkes is serving first term on the board.
Parkes thanked his fellow board members for the vote of confidence in returning him as board chairman.
“Each one of us (members of the board) has voice in what we say and do,” said Parkes. “We aim to be transparent with all through our minutes and open meetings.”
He added, “We look forward to a New Year and always striving to do our best for Winston County.”
Parkes noted that the county has a tight budget and that all the supervisors do their best to keep the roads repaired and the county running while keeping taxes low. He added that in his 15 years in office the cost of materials has increased greatly while they had keep the taxes as low as possible.
He asked the citizens to talk to their representatives at the state level about funding and request everyone’s patience as they move forward with plans to always improving the county.
The board voted to rehire Hugh Hathorn as board attorney. The board also voted to rehire the firm of Kemp Engineering of Noxapater as county engineer. The board approved all the bonds for all newly elected and appointed officials as well.
Betheden Fire District
The Supervisors approved a public hearing and to advertise for a public hearing for input on expanding the Betheden Fire Protection Grading District.
The public hearing on the expansion of the previously incorporated Betheden Fire Protection Grading District is set for Monday, February 3, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. in the meeting room of the Winston County Board of Supervisors located on the first floor of the Winston County Courthouse in Louisville.
If at the public hearing, the Board of Supervisors finds that the public convenience and necessity require the expansion of the previously created and incorporated Betheden Fire Protection Grading District to enable the Mississippi State Rating Bureau to grade the expanded district according to its fire insurance grading schedule, then the Board of Supervisors shall adopt a resolution making the aforesaid findings and declaring its intention to expand the district on a date to be specified in such resolution. At the public hearing the Board of Supervisors shall determine whether or not there is public protest to the formation of the district.
Bridge projects underway
County engineer Jimmy Kemp gave an update on bridge projects underway in the county.
Kemp received the approval of the board to give a notice of proceed to the contractor on Zion Ridge Road Bridge. Kemp updated the supervisor’s on the Russell Road Bridge project with a monthly recap and estimate on the work. He also gave an update on the Highpoint Weir Road Bridge project. Kemp also notified the board of the immediate closing of the Youngs Road bridge. Kemp estimated the cost to replace the bridge would be around $1.3 million and the county would start applying for state and federal funds to help with replacing the bridge in the future.
The next meeting of the Winston County Board of Supervisors is January 21.
