The Winston County Board of Supervisors met July 19 in regular session meeting and covered a lengthy agenda.
After the call to order and prayer, the board received an update from Winston County Librarian Beth Edwards on the post pandemic library and increased patronage at the library.
Edwards noted the library had a COVID-19 cleaning plan in place for the library and the use of the library was building back with about 2200 visitors per month. She noted her and the staff had been busy with the summer library reading program as well as with the online and book drop-offs.
Joshua Haidet, executive director of the Mid-MS Regional Library system presented the board with the funding request for the Winston County Library.
Library’s budget request for the 2020-21 fiscal year seeks an additional about $5,000 increase or about 3 percent in funding to provide materials and a possible pay raise for staff. Employees have not received any raises since 2019.
“The material budget for The Winston Library is 5th in the system yet they are number 2 in materials bring checked out,” noted Haidet. ”This library gets some of the best community support.”
The library receives funding from the county, the city of Louisville municipal budget and from fundraising as well as from the Mid-Mississippi Regional library system.
The board tabled for review.
Roads and bridges
County Engineer Jimmy Kemp presented to the board to issue a request to MDOT for Emergency Bridge and other funds to help with bridge repair and help with resealing of roads next summer.
The board approved the resolution which read:
Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is soliciting projects for the Emergency Road and Bridge Repair Fund (ERBRF) Program for emergency repairs to public roads and bridges in the State, and the Winston County Board of Supervisors desires to submit an application for the funds required for pavement rehabilitation of approximately 34 miles of major Winston County roads, which were constructed and paved initially using State and Federal funds, and these paved County Roads in Winston County were selected for patching, leveling with asphaltic hot mix (AHM), resealing with stone, restriping, and the replacement of all caution and regulatory signs in considerable measure for the safety of the traveling public, and , this project has been designed following the guidelines and specifications promulgated by the Office of State Aid Road Construction (OSARC), and this pavement rehabilitation project for approximately 34 miles of major Winston County roads is “shovel ready” and the Winston County Board of Supervisors acknowledges that, if this ERBRF project is awarded, grant funds will not exceed the amount requested in the application or eligible project cost, whichever is less.
The request is for over $700,000 in funds for a bridge and about $700,000 in resealing and other road repair funds.
At present pricing, it will take roughly $72,000 a mile to reseal the roads.
In other road matters, Buddy King noted that the county had been approved to receive FEMA funds for the Winter storm damage for about $80,000 with $45,000 of that covering road damages that must be GPS and photography documented the repairs.
"Getting money from FEMA is a long process with lots of documentation," King said. He added that there is a lot of information that the agency requires.
In other business, the supervisors:
• Acknowledged receipt of the 2021 public utility roll as certified by Department of Revenue.
• Approved to pay operating expenses in the amount of $1,363.10 for Judge Kiley Kirk
• Approved to pay expenses in the amount of $187.60 for court reporter Lindsey Williams
• Acknowledged certificate of compliance (according to §25-35-127 miss. Code ann.) for tax assessor for remittance of tax rolls for 2021 from Department of Revenue; tax assessor eligible to receive salary for July and subsequent months
• Approved 16th section public school trust lands residential lease agreement between lessor, Louisville municipal school district and lessee, Marcus Coburn
• Approved 16th section public school trust lands residential lease agreement between lessor, Louisville municipal school district and lessee, Kimberly Moore
• Approved demand check in the amount of $1,829.19 to MASIT MAS insurance trust for policy changes submitted April 1-June 30, 2021.
• Approved demand check in the amount of $32,942.00 to Renasant Insurance for policy renewal 4/25/2021-4/25/2022.
• Acknowledged and approved FEMA public assistance alternative procedures for permanent work pilot program .
• Acknowledged and approved 2nd quarter report to the dept of finance and administration, Nanih Waiya Volunteer Fire department brush truck which should be received in 3 to 4 weeks.
• Acknowledged receipt of administrative order appointing temporary additional court reporter for Judge Kiley Kirk
• Approved payroll claims docket ending March 31, 2020 due to oversight in the minutes.
• Approved cash in bank report ending June 30, 2021
• Approved minutes of July 5, 2021 meeting.
The board adjourned the meeting until Monday, August 2, 2021.
