Webster County supervisors have signed off on three projects planned through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Emergency Watershed Protection Program.
The projects are on Hatcher Road (District 4), Hood Bottom Road (District 1) and Roberts Road (District 2). Kyle Grubb of Willis Engineering met with the Webster County Board of Supervisors about the projects June 4.
The board voted to apply for federal assistance on the three roads. A grant has been applied for and funded, and the agreement is to provide the work by providing an in-kind match, according to the motion. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service will reimburse 75 percent of the total project cost, including labor and equipment.
Grubb said the work will involve placing riprap to project the roads and culverts where they are washing out.
Additionally on June 4, Scott Dean, supervisor of the ambulance service at North Mississippi Medical Center-Eupora, briefly addressed the board about any needs and offered to provide CPR classes.
Also last week, the board approved motions to:
• allow Tax Assessor-Collector Barbara Gore to attend an associational conference and continuing education July 8-12 in Biloxi. Supervisors also ordered the clerk to issue a special check to Golden Nugget Biloxi to prepay her expenses.
• sell a lowboy trailer and a 1980 GMC 7000 truck belonging to District 4 Road.
• go upon Paul Young’s property in District 1 to fill an abandoned well.
The board recessed until June 5 to open semiannual bids for goods and services.
May 21
On May 21, minutes reflect that Lara Bowman of The Enterprise addressed the board about grants for Webster County concerning the industrial park.
The supervisors also went into executive session to discuss personnel with no action taken, records show.
The board received proposals for engineering services for work related to the implementation of the FY 2018 Appalachian Regional Commission project. This includes the sewer system at the new courthouse, according to previous discussions.
Only two proposals were received, which were from Cook Allen PLLC and Willis Engineering. The board voted to take the proposals under advisement pending the clarification of the environmental assessment.
Shareka Macon-Jefferson and Tommie Vance of Community Counseling Services appeared before the board to discuss May being Mental Health Awareness Month. They gave a year in review on the county level as well as CCS as an organization, and thanked the board for the county’s continued support.
Other motions approved May 21 included these, according to the minutes:
• to hire these summer workers: Preston Perkins, Klayton Johnson and Cameron Chase Townsend in District 1, and Tanner A. Brown and Parker Blaylock in District 2.
• to accept the quote of Bank of Kilmichael of 3.15 percent to finance the lease-purchase of a multidistrict 2816 Mack Truck in the amount of $76,549.61. It was the lower of two quotes received.
• to advertise for a security package at the new courthouse. Bids will be opened Monday.
• to hire William Carson Gilliland as a part-time dispatcher with E-911 and remove Brandon Chaille as part-time E-911 dispatcher, all effective May 21.
• to transfer $8,000 from District 2 Bridge to District 4 Bridge to purchase a tanker to replace a bridge in District 2.
• for District 2 to go onto the property of Billy Taylor at 755 County Home Road to fill an abandoned well.
• to accept the FY 2019 funding for Webster County in the amount of $14,348.55 for the Emergency Performance Grant from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.
• to purchase a used 416 Caterpillar backhoe for District 5 by obtaining quotes. The board made a finding of fact that a percentage of the usage of the backhoe will be for maintenance of bridges (60 percent) and the maintenance of roads (40 percent). Therefore 60 percent of the cost will be paid from District 5 Bridge and 40 percent will be paid from District 5 Road.
• to increase the salary of District 4 road employee Marcus Williams by $500 effective May 1.
May 31
On May 31, the board voted to allow Justice Court judges Rebecca Ellison and Jerry Jones to attend an associational convention July 22-26 in Biloxi.
Supervisors also voted to allow Deputy Dillion Cates to attend a Basic Field Training Officer Course May 31-June 1 in Tupelo.
The board stated for the record that the Mississippi Association of Supervisors County Employee Scholarship Committee had selected the recipients for the 2018 MAS Employee Scholarship. Webster County was eligible for two $500 scholarships based on its participation in the MAS-endorsed insurance programs.
The recipients for Webster County are Nadia Robinson, sponsored by county employee Wanda Robinson, and Georgia Roberts-McGinnis, sponsored by county employee Sidney Gwin McMullen.
