By Russell Hood

The Webster Progress-Times

WALTHALL - The Board of Supervisors has hired Jimmy McLemore as Webster County's 911 director.

Supervisors voted Oct. 30 to accept the recommendation of the 911 Advisory Committee to do so after advertising the full-time position. McLemore had been serving as interim 911 director since the September resignation of Terry McCain.

The director's primary duties are to supervise and maintain the 911 Center, along with dispatching, setting E-911 house and business numbers, writing reports, keeping records and writing specifications for 911 equipment.

In related action on Nov. 2, the board voted to transfer Christine Denley from the position of dispatcher at the sheriff's office to that of a 911 dispatcher effective immediately. McLemore appeared before the board later regarding her transfer.

Also on that date, the board voted to pay Duncan Veterinary Clinic upon presentation of an appropriate bill for care of the Sheriff's Department's drug dog in 2008. Upon the recommendation of Sheriff Phillip Smith, the board voted to promote Amy Hart from part-time to full-time dispatcher effective immediately.

Supervisors voted to hire Casey Henderson as an auxiliary deputy on a volunteer basis only with no pay and no fringe benefits effective immediately. He will only be paid when serving as a dispatcher, which he already does part time. Charles McClellan (District 5) voted nay.

Smith, along with deputies Andy McCants and Jeremy Kilgore, discussed auxiliary deputies with the board on Oct. 19.

Wayne Blaylock of UniFirst uniform company made a presentation to the board on Nov. 2.

The supervisors approved additional motions Oct 30 to:

¥ spread upon the minutes an order of the state Tax Commission as to the final approval of the assessment rolls.

¥ transfer the amount in the reappraisal compliance mill to the general fund, having received the certification from the state Tax Commission allowing the county to do so.

¥to sign an application for a $7,414 grant from the state Department of Environmental Quality to clean illegal dumps in the county.

¥ to enter into an interlocal agreement with the village of Walthall for the county to collect taxes for the village and charge a 5 percent commission.

On Oct. 19, the board accepted a low quote from BancorpSouth Equipment Finance for financing a new pickup for District 5 and adopted a related lease-purchase resolution. Supervisors meet again at 8:30 a.m. Monday.