WALTHALL — The Golden Triangle Planning and Development District presented an update on Webster County projects to advisory members on July 6. The agency's Webster County Advisory Committee meeting was conducted in the small courtroom at the Courthouse. Committee members Curtis Ford of Eupora (District 1) and Debbie Knight of Bellefontaine (District 2) were present along with county supervisors. Chancery Clerk Russ Turner was reappointed to another four-year term on the GTPDD board and to another one-year position as committee chairman, both by acclamation. The minutes of the 2019 meeting were presented and approved. Executive Director Rudy Johnson then updated advisory members on local projects for FY2020, including pending, active and completed grant applications. (see accompanying chart). Questions and comments were addressed. Board cancels carnival contract The Board of Supervisors’ first Monday meeting in the boardroom included brief discussion of the annual carnival normally held on the county-owned grass lot on Highway 9 in Eupora. According to the discussion, the county received a letter from Mississippi Delta Shows LLC asking the board not to cancel its contract for this year’s carnival because of the COVID-19 outbreak. The board voted last August to contract with the company for this year’s carnival. Although Delta Shows said necessary health precautions would be taken, supervisors expressed concerns about having the carnival and the inability to enforce social distancing. They voted to inform Delta Shows that the carnival which was scheduled for July 16-18 would not be held because of the coronavirus pandemic. Also on July 6, Lara Bowman of The Enterprise addressed the board briefly about economic development. Deputy Emergency Management Agency Director Tim Roberson gave an update on flood disaster mitigation. Other Business In other business, the board approved motions to: • hire Jacob Edwards of Eupora as a full-time deputy sheriff. • enter into a county membership contract with the North Mississippi EMS Authority for Fiscal Year 2020-21 and agree to pay the sum of $7,587. Board members will be David Brand, Roger Miller, Barry Rushing and Scott Dean. • accept the 2019 state ad valorem tax homestead chargebacks for all those who were charged back because of failure to comply with state income tax law and to reject those chargebacks proposed by the state for all other reasons. • apply to the Mississippi Department of Revenue to extend the July 1 deadline for the acceptance of the 2020 tax roll by the Board of Supervisors. • accept a bid from Doss Electric LLC to provide labor, equipment and materials to install a propane-powered backup power system at the Savannah Lake communications site, including cost of the generator. The cost is $4,800. Randy Rico (District 3) was unable to attend because of a doctor’s appointment. The board recessed until July 7 to begin budget sessions. June 30 On June 30, minutes show the board approved motions to: • repay the interfund loan from all five bridge funds to Volunteer Fire Levy. Volunteer Fire Levy will repay to the bridge funds the amount of $2,880 each for a total payment of $14,400. This payment will repay said interfund loan in full. • spread a copy of the grand jury report dated June 15 on the minutes. • authorize the president and clerk to sign various 2019 audit documents. • enter into executive to discuss personnel with Constable Jeff McMinn. No action was taken. In business not previously reported from other June meetings, the board voted June 15 to hire Mack Gill as a part-time road hand for District 4, effective immediately. On June 1, the board voted to allow District 4 employees and equipment to go onto the property of Van Johnson to clear stumps and debris from the roadside and remove dirt from the embankment as the roadway will be safer and easier to maintain.
