The Webster Progress-Times

WALTHALL - Webster County supervisors discussed 911 matters during their first monthly meeting on Aug. 6.

The board authorized Eugene Doss, county Emergency Management Agency director, to screen applications for 911 dispatchers and get back with the board before they are interviewed. Doss also presented supervisors with copies of proposed standard operating guidelines for dispatchers and asked for their input after reviewing them.

In addition, he gave an update on work at the Emergency Operations Center at The Wood Institute, where 911 operations will be located. While Doss was present, the board completed work on the 911 budget, which was set at $233,174.

In other business last week, the Board of Supervisors also voted to close the Help America Vote Act compliance fund and transfer all remaining funds to the general fund. A related public hearing is set for 10 a.m. Sept. 4. The HAVA fund was used to buy electronic voting machines.

Supervisors voted to exempt the property of Faith Christian Center (4 acres) for tax year 2008 and subsequent years.

Additionally, the board voted to pay $806.45 to Murphy Drugs & Gifts for the medication of Joyce R. McLean, who is a prisoner in the county jail. The check was issued on Aug. 2 in an emergency situation and it could not wait for the regular accounts, according to the discussion.

Minutes show that the board voted during meetings on these dates to:

July 9

€ hire Macon Mapping to provide work on the county property tax maps for 2007 and pay the company $13,200 for its services.

July 10

€ allow District 5 employees and equipment to fill an abandoned well on the property of Cecil Simmons once the proper paperwork was obtained.

July 16

€ hire Joseph McKinney as a road employee for District 1 effective July 16.

€ hire Tim Lamb as a part-time employee for District 2 effective July 16.

€ accept the recommendation of the State Tax Commission on all homestead allowances except one, which was rejected because a divorce preceded the application of the wife/ex-wife for a different homestead.

€ accept the adjustments to the 2007 homestead roll as submitted by the tax assessor-collector.

€ pass a final resolution as submitted by Hawkeye Glove for a tax exemption, which has been approved by the Tax Commission.

€ pay for the consoles and all the 911 equipment from the Homeland Security equipment fund in the amount of $74,942 and to amend the budget accordingly. Some of this has already been paid from the emergency responder (911) fund.

July 31

€ fill an abandoned well on Freddy McCrory's property in District 3.

€ accept the bid of Bacco Materials on all sand and gravel products, and take Parker Sand and Gravel as an alternate. Double S Inc's bid for all products and services was also accepted.

€ set an audit exit conference with Watkins, Ward and Stafford for 10 a.m. Monday. Also that day, the board will have a budget hearing at 11 a.m. in the courtroom.