The Simpson County board of Supervisors held their first meeting of the new fiscal year on October 2. County Engineer Buddy Wolverton updated the board on the status on state-aid and LSBP projects.
The county will be receiving $753,822 back from McQueen Structural Engineering for the 2022 Simpson County Resurfacing Project. The project is now considered complete, and Wolverton presented the board with the final invoice. McQueen paid approximately $30,000 in liquidated damages and deductions.
Wolverton said, “We were watching the contractor and we only paid for what he used. We kept him tight on the quantities and they are pretty good on staying within what we want. So that’s what we have coming back to the board.”
Projects on Star-Braxton Road and Shorter Road are nearing completion and will require a final inspection soon.
A bridge replacement on Dry Creek Road will be readvertised at the beginning of the next calendar year. Supervisor Mitchell Chatman said the county has been trying to get the project done since 2020 and deemed the bridge as a hazard. Wolverton said it will be the first project out the gate in 2024. Plans for a bridge replacement on Peacock Road have been mailed to State Aid and the board approved utility agreements to finish the acquisition of right of ways so the project can begin.
The bridge project on Saratoga Sharon Road is over ninety percent complete and the contractor is beginning work on the approaches. The installation of new guard rails on Old River Road is being advertised and bids will be opened on November 6.
Chancery Clerk Tim Gray was approved to cancel outstanding checks older than a year and to close out accounts for previous clerk Tommy Joe Harvey. Tax Assessor Jamie Brewer presented surrendered tags for September and her insolvencies for personal, property, and mobile home taxes. Sheriff Paul Mullins was approved to hire two new staff members for the jail and a dispatcher for fulltime positions.
Charlie Welch gave an update on the courthouse project. He said the next thing to be installed will be storm windows and following that will be the blinds. He explained the new trustee hall is close to being completed cabinets have been installed in the kitchen area.
County Administrator Rhuel Dickinson asked the board to consider participating in the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. Welch said the program is a mechanism to get employees training on phishing and other cyber attacks that often come through emails. The board brought up a recent example of these attacks citing the cyber attack on Hinds County computer system in September. Dickinson said most of the attacks are from people letting cyber criminals into the network, and the biggest threat is checking personal emails on the network. Training will help identify other possible threats to the network. The board approved the survey to express interest in the program.
Chatman said since the start of the new fiscal year he wants to evaluate employees for attendance and job performance.
Road Manager Ben Warren presented his monthly report. Warren said the crew will need a new engine in a Dodge truck. The new engine will be $10,844 on the lowest quote from T&T. The board approved the lowest quote to replace the engine.
Board Attorney Danny Welch presented the board with the final exemption orders for Vestra, Real Pure, and Howard Industries before the board motioned to recess the meeting until October 16.
