The Webster County Board of Supervisors has been asked to provide additional funding for The Enterprise.
Executive Director Lara Bowman appeared before the board March 2 to request a $10,000 increase in funding for the economic development organization that serves Webster and Choctaw counties.
Webster County currently budgets $50,000 a year for the organization and Bowman requested an increase to $60,000. One reason Bowman said she was asking for additional funding is that she expects to see a decrease in private dollars this year.
Board President Pat Cummings told her, “It’s going to have to be considered during budget time because it’s not in the budget now.”
He said board Attorney Buchanan Meek Jr. would review the budget to see if it could be amended to provide any additional funding. Meek was out of town and unable to attend the meeting.
Referring to the over $1 million received so far from government and local matching grants for development of the Eupora Industrial Park, Bowman said, “We’re showing a return and we’re being very mindful of the money you’ve given us.”
InvestPrep
Also in regard to The Enterprise, the board on Feb. 24 authorized Cummings to sign a letter in support of the city of Eupora’s application to the Tennessee Valley Authority InvestPrep Program on behalf of the county. The Eupora Board of Aldermen voted in December to allow Bowman to submit the application on behalf of the city to obtain TVA funding for improvements to the Eupora Industrial Park.
The letter of support states Atmos Energy serves the park with natural gas, and that the county is committed to serving the park and future tenants.
“The city of Eupora has taken an aggressive approach in obtaining federal and state funding to install water and sewer lines and an industrial access road into the park,” the letter adds. “Once these improvements along with grading of the property and aesthetic improvements are made to the entrance, the Eupora Industrial Park will become marketable to industrial prospects considering North Mississippi. There is a need for more shovel-ready sites in our service area. We look forward to competing alongside the city of Eupora for new industrial customers.”
Janitorial Bids
Additionally on March 2, the board opened sealed bids for contract janitorial services. Janitorial bids were originally received Dec. 4, but were rejected and the board voted to rebid.
At a recessed meeting on Feb. 6, the board had directed the clerk to advertise for bids for janitorial services for the courthouse, County Office Building (Justice Court) and Department of Human Services building. All bids were to be made as per price to each building for providing janitorial services, including supplies, from March 2-Dec. 7.
Bids were received March 6 from Shaw Janitorial, Johnson Janitorial Service and LaVon Manuel, who has been the temporary custodian at the courthouse since July.
They bid these monthly totals for the three buildings: Manuel, $3,150; Shaw Janitorial, $2,650; and Johnson Janitorial, $1,340. The board took the bids under advisement.
Upon the request of Sheriff David Gore, the board voted to hire Brandon Chaille as a full-time deputy. He is resigning as an officer with the Eupora Police Department effective March 15.
The county board recessed until 8:30 a.m. Monday.
Other Meetings
Minutes of other meetings show the board handled these matters on the respective dates:
Feb. 18
On Feb. 18, the board voted to:
• appoint Tim Roberson as deputy Emergency Management Agency director effective that day, at no extra compensation. Richard Love resigned from the position in December.
Paul Crowley (District 4), who is Roberson’s brother-in-law, recused himself. Roberson is also a deputy sheriff and administrative assistant at the Sheriff’s Department.
• appoint Roberson as applicant agent for public assistance for a federal disaster declaration (flood damage). Crowley also recused himself on that vote.
• adopt the Webster County Fire Department Automatic Dispatching and Procedures.
• accept the donation from Mississippi State University of three 22.-caliber rifles to be placed on the county’s inventory. The rifles are to be used for the 4-H Shooting Sports program.
• authorize the MSU Extension Service to initiate the process to employ an individual in Webster County as office as office associate and that the board will provide $4,860 in support for the position. Debbie Bagwell resigned from the position last month.
• authorize ION Business Concepts & Payment Systems to be the preferred electronic payment provider.
• appoint Antowine Hearvey as assistant receiving clerk effective that day to replace Jeff Peacock; both are District 1 road hands. Crowley recused himself.
• accept the bid of Randy Tabb for District 4 tires and wheels for $455 and his bid of $350 for District 4’s 1994 F-150, and to reject all other bids.
• hire P.J. Johnston as a District 3 road hand effective immediately.
• make an interfund loan of $20,000 from District 3 Bridge Fund to District 1 Road Fund to be repaid by the end of the fiscal year.
• accept a $532,939 bid from Ste-Bil Grading for an Emergency Road and Bridge Repair Project (box bridge and approaches) on Lollars Grove Road. Its bid was the lowest of five received.
Planner George Crawford of the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District presided over a public hearing to take input into applying for a $50,000 Community Facilities grant from USDA Rural Development for the purchase of two new vehicles for the Sheriff’s Department.
The board then voted to pass a resolution to authorize the GTPDD to prepare and submit a grant application for the purchase of the vehicles. Crowley also recused himself on that vote.
Feb. 24
On Feb. 24, the board voted to:
• approve the hiring of Lucas Smith, Tony Howard and Andy McCants as part-time deputies effective immediately.
• accept a quote from the Bank of Kilmichael for the lease-purchase of new pickups for districts 1, 2, 4 and 5, and rejected quotes from BancorpSouth Equipment Finance. Bank of Kilmichael’s quote was 2.28% interest for four years. The board had directed the clerk on Feb. 18 to obtain quotes for the best rates for the lease-purchase of the pickups.
Karen Jackson Pogue, sales consultant with Affordable Employee Benefits, appeared before the board to discuss open enrollment and rates for the upcoming year’s health insurance.
Feb. 28
On Feb. 28, the board adopted an order setting forth the State Aid System projects from Jan. 1, 2020-Dec. 31, 2023, giving priority to a Local System Bridge Project in the southwest part on the county in District 3 (box culvert and approaches).
