The Webster Progress-Times

WALTHALL - Supervisors have rejected a quote they accepted last month for E-911 equipment after learning it was not at state contract prices as they were told.

They had voted Jan. 16 to accept a quote totaling $65,766.70 from Panola Communications of Batesville for 911 radio equipment, including installation. Owner Joe Sanders indicated to the board that his quote was at state contract prices, meaning that the county would not have to advertise for bids.

However, Supervisor Mart Salley told fellow board members on Feb. 5 that the company did not have state contract prices for the equipment. After further discussion, he made a motion to rescind the contract that the county earlier agreed to with Panola Communications because it could not provide the equipment at state contract prices. Supervisor Charles Rivers seconded the motion and it passed 5-0. The motion also stated that the board would immediately advertise for the equipment.

As part of the same motion accepting Panola Communication's quote last month, supervisors also accepted BellSouth's quote of nearly $100,000 for the E-911 phone system, including installation and maintenance. Its quote was a state contract price and will stand, according to last week's discussion.

In other 911 matters on Feb. 5, David Bandi and Toby Sanford of the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District's GIS office told the Board of Supervisors they will be ready to mail 911 addresses after the Postal Service deals with overlapping zip code problems in Maben, Mathiston and Mantee. The two also said they are still working with BellSouth regarding a street addressing guide and linking phone numbers with addresses.

Also last week, after discussion with Bandi and Sanford, the board voted to pay $1,203 to the PDD to prepare a plan for Webster County in response to the federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. The payment will be made from the county's Katrina/FEMA fund. The plan must be in place in order for the county to receive any federal funds for disaster assistance and related matters in the future.

Cynthia Wilson of the Webster County Development Council appeared before the board to discuss the Small Municipalities Grant the county received to light the intersection of highways 8 and 82. Supervisors set a recessed meeting for 9 a.m. Feb. 23 to accept the grant and sign related documents. Wilson plans to ask District Engineer Bill Jamison of the state Transportation Department and representatives of Natchez Trace EPA to attend.

Planner George Crawford of the PDD also addressed the board. He reminded supervisors that they can be reimbursed for the cleanup of unauthorized roadside dumps through Solid Waste Assistance Grants from the state Department of Environmental Quality. He also said the county could hire someone to locate and clean up such sites with the available funds.

According to Crawford, the county has $4,445 from a previous allocation that it can spend now and will have $7,467 available in the next round of funding. No action was taken.

The board approved the lease of 16th Section land (20 acres) to Eugene Gore, which was approved by the School Board on Jan 18.

In previously unreported business, the county board handled these matters on the dates listed, according to official minutes;

JAN. 2

The board voted to close Bland Road in District 5 from all traffic at the bridge ends. This was actually a closing of the bridge, with no traffic allowed to travel the bridge because it was unsafe after being damaged by a heavy vehicle, according to Supervisor Casey Weeks.

JAN. 16

Supervisors voted to hire Ken Wicha as county fire investigator and Richard Love as deputy fire investigator, and to allow them to attend a three-day school for training at a cost of $1,400 each. They will be paid at the same rate as the previous investigator, the late Larry Box.

Additionally, the board voted to enter into the 2006 Homeland Security Agreement between Webster County and the state Department of Public Safety.

Supervisors also voted to sign a request for cash to pay attorney Buchanan Meek $5,000 for the closing of the Front Line Apparel loan at the time the funds become available.

Supervisor Larry Crowley was unable to attend the meeting because of illness.

JAN. 31

Doc Galberth of Willis Engineering addressed the board concerning the District 5 bridge on Bland Road. The board subsequently voted to hire Double S Inc. of Grenada to repair the bridge for $23,000 as an emergency contractual service. The project is not being advertised because of its emergency nature.

In related measures, supervisors voted to make an interfund loan of $10,000 from District 1 Bridge to District 5 Bridge and an interfund loan of $10,000 from District 4 Bridge to District 5 Bridge, and made necessary budget amendments.

Housing specialist Patsy Patterson of the PDD addressed the board about the HOME housing grants. Afterwards, supervisors voted to grant a contract extension to Bud Gladney to complete the three houses that are under construction from Jan. 2 for an additional 35 working days.

In other business, they voted to:

€ increase the monthly salary of Ann May from $1,450 to $1,550 effective Feb. 1 and to hire Jane Norman at a salary of $1,600 a month effective Feb. 1, and pay her from the Reappraisal Maintenance Budget.

€ approve 16th Section leases with Evelyn Gee, Ella Mae McGary and Rebecca Hodges.

€ sign a proclamation declaring February as Career and Technical Education Month.

The Courthouse and other county offices will be closed Monday in observance of President's Day, and the board meets again Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.