Much on BOS End-Of-Month Agenda

Courtsey of WRBE, "Your Hometown Radio"
A long agenda filled the end-of-the-month George County Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday, which began with an independent consultant, Randy Jorgenson offering to accompany the Supervisors to the state capitol in Jackson to meet with officials with the Mississippi Development Authority.
The Supervisors has submitted an application for a $150,000 HUD Grant for a Land Use Study, which is the first step in future improvements for the county; but the application has not been considered by the MDA, who will decide the distribution of $5 to $10 Million in HUD grants.
Jorgenson said the HUD grants were still available and George County's application was a very small amount in comparison to surrounding communities. He told the board that he could not understand why such a small amount was not even being considered, when even neighboring cities were submitting applications for much larger amounts.
The supervisors thanked Jorgenson for taking time out of his busy schedule to attend the meeting and said they would get back with him in the next few days on his offer to help.
The meeting continued with a public hearing to close Fore Loop as a public road, with no objections. County Attorney Robert Shepard submitted a resolution on the road closing to be recorded with the board minutes and included suggestions on how to “post” the closed road.
Several other road, land and subdivision issues were addressed, including the signing of a lease contract for the pipeline to be placed on county-owned land.
Sandra Bowling told the board that three of the five homes being built with the 2006 Home Grant Program were completed with the remaining two, more than 50% complete.
George County High School Principal Paul Wallace and Athletic Director Al Jones asked the supervisors about doing the dirt work in preparation for the new soccer field. Board President Kelly Wright said the supervisors would set a time within the week to meet at the site.
Superintendent of Education Donnie Howell told the supervisors that the school district would like to place a resource officer at the high school and one at the middle school and was requesting that the county and city help with some of the expensive. Howell said he was asking the county to assist with the officer at the high school and was on the agenda to make the same request of the city for the officer at the middle school at their April 3 meeting of the Lucedale Board of Aldermen.
Howell said the school system would pay for all training and schooling expensives, and was asking the county to assist with 30% of the salary plus a vehicle for the high school officer.
Supervisors Kelly Wright and Henry Cochran express their interest to help the schools in this matter but could not commit until they could set a work session and reviewed the county's budget.
County Engineer Bob Diamond requested the Supervisors write a letter to the Jackson County Board of Supervisors, requesting any surplus in bridge materials they may could give to George County for bridge repairs. Diamond seem to believe the materials could be obtained and would help with several bridge repairs throughout the county.
The supervisors approved requests made by Emergency Management Coordinator Lorraine Howell to host another First Responders class and also to arrange the training for volunteer firemen to be certified to use the “Jaws of Life” units recently donated to the county. Howell also requested $1,559 as the county's part of a 5% match grant from FEMA for communication equipment and turn-out gear for Salem Volunteer Fire Department.
Board President Kelly Wright signed a contract for District 4 Supervisor Larry Havard to receive a $650,000 MDOT Historic Transportation Enhancement Grant for Merrill Bridge and George County Economic Development Development Director Sue Wright give the board a brief summary on planning the upcoming Official Opening of the Industry Park on April 17th. Wright said Northrop Grumman, Chevron and other neighboring companies have expressed an interest in participating in opening day. The Supervisors plan to set a workshop with Wright to finalize the opening day plans.