The Webster Progress-Times

WALTHALL - The Webster County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider adoption of the 2008-09 budget on Friday.

The board conducted a budget hearing Aug. 18 at the Courthouse. The published notice of the budget hearing and proposed tax increase called for a proposed increase of 2.2. percent in ad valorem tax revenue to $5.46 million, 5.68 percent in the certified tax rate to 107.74 mills and 6.9 percent in the expenditure budget (other than school purposes) to $6.04 million.

During the hearing and in the boardroom earlier, board attorney Buchanan Meek Jr. explained that the millage rate is going up so much because the assessed value of a mill has gone down considerably. He said the assessed value of autos had fallen and that forestry acreage is going to be valued at a lower rate. Chancery Clerk Russ Turner noted that the overall tax increase will be 5 to 8 percent for Webster Countians who are "fully hit."

The increase will not pay for all budget needs, said Meek, who went through the proposed budget with about 20 people in the courtroom.

Christy Shaw Steadman of Mathiston and her mother asked a number of questions and made various comments during the two-hour hearing. They targeted Tax Assessor-Collector Barbara Gore in particular, whose budget included funding to hire a bookkeeper for her office.

When Steadman questioned the need to hire a bookkeeper, Gore said she now does that job herself. She also said she has two fewer people working in her office than the previous administration and no part-time help.

Gore also responded to comments that Steadman made in a Letter to the Editor in the Aug.14 Progress-Times about the proposed tax hike. Steadman wrote that the Board of Supervisors should "refrain from repainting, remodeling and rearranging the tax assessor's office again."

Gore stood during the hearing and said she paid for remodeling her office in the fall of 2005 to make it more customer-friendly and that jail trustees did the work after hours.

"The county did not pay one dime," she said.

Gore also told Steadman and her mother she would take out the budget line item for a bookkeeper "if it'll make you happy."

Johnny Clanton questioned why the county buys food for jail inmates at retail prices instead of wholesale. Meek said supervisors had examined this issue over the years and always found it to be cheaper to buy food for the jail from local grocers.

However, Clanton, who is retired from the food distribution business, recommended that the board compare the cost of purchasing retail to buying from wholesale distributors. He recommended that the board get quotes from three wholesale distributors, which Charles McClellan (District 5) said he'd be willing to do.

A wholesale food vendor did meet with supervisors just a few weeks before the budget hearing. The board provided him with a sample weekly grocery list and was awaiting price quotes.

McClellan said, "We try to do business inside the county," noting that the county alternates between grocery stores when it makes food purchases for the jail. Board Vice President Mart Salley said, "We've got to look out for the interest of the county. ... It's not always the best price."

Before concluding the hearing, Meek said, "Supervisors don't have near as much leeway in (budgeting for) most areas as some people think."

Supervisors did not adopt the budget that day after returning to the boardroom nor on the next day when they met again. On Aug. 19, Gore confirmed to the board that she wanted to cut out the bookkeeper's position for her office.

The board made plans to adopt the budget with that change only when it recessed until this Friday at 8:30 a.m. According to the discussion, this will cut one-fourth mill from the general fund, or about $13,000.

Aug. 4

On Aug. 4, Billy Joe McCuiston appeared before the Board of Supervisors concerning the appraisal value of his home; his objection to the assessed value was taken under advisement for later action.

Bubba Comer with Bulldog Sand and Gravel of Columbus met with supervisors regarding his previous bid to supply gravel to the county for 12 months. The county board had previously accepted the bid of BACCO Materials, also of Columbus, as its primary gravel supplier with Bulldog as an alternate when annual material and supply bids were opened.

According to the discussion, Bulldog's bid was not accepted as the primary source because supervisors believed at the time that the company was unreliable in supplying gravel and that the gravel was often "muddy." They accepted BACCO'S as the best bid even though Bulldog's was lower, which is allowed if a higher bid is deemed to be the best and the reason to do so is documented.

However, Comer asserted that the company does not have muddy gravel and may only rarely have problems supplying gravel. He said the board should have checked out those concerns before acting, and pointed out that his gravel pit is closer and $45 a load less than BACCO's.

Questions arose as to whether or not the board could amend its minutes to accept Bulldog's bid as a primary source along with the bid of BACCO. No action was taken and Comer said he planned to check with the state auditor's office regarding this.

After meeting with Ricky Watson of Qwick Collect Recoveries, supervisors voted to pay him $2,782.92 for services rendered in the collection of past-due solid waste bills through the end of his contract, which was April 30.

The board voted to hire county prosecuting attorney Jan Butler to handle all drug forfeitures of seized properties on behalf of the county.

The board authorized and directed Salley and Turner to sign contracts with the Mississippi Development Authority on an additional loan of $250,000 to Front Line Apparel Group. Turner was also authorized to sign a request for cash on the Front Line loan and administrative costs for the Golden Triangle Planning and Development, totaling $244,000.

Also on Aug. 4, the board voted to:

€ hire John Andrew McCants Jr. as a full-time sheriff's deputy. The motion stipulated that he work with a certified officer until he receives certification from the state of Mississippi; he is currently certified in Florida only.

€ approve homestead exemption disallowances as presented by the state Tax Commission without amendment.

€ renew a an agreement with Data Systems Inc. for software support for one year as spread upon the minutes.

€ accept the resignation of former sheriff Reuben McCluskey from the E911 Steering Committee. McClellan, his son-in-law, abstained.

Aug. 18

Dewyatt Winter, a former part-time sheriff's deputy, addressed the board Aug. 18 concerning certification and other issues at the Sheriff's Department. Sheriff Phillip Smith was not at the meeting because he was in Pearl attending the state Law Enforcement Officers Training Academy but Jail Administrator Charles Clark was present.

After Winter voiced his concerns, McClellan asked Clark if documentation for all certified deputies included original certification papers with gold seals. Clark said he was not sure but would check with Smith later that week when he was back in town.

Clark also distributed a letter to each board member from Smith in which the sheriff wrote, "It has been brought to my attention that a revised budget was submitted to the Board of Supervisors by the county attorney. I ask the board to disregard this budget and to consider the original budget that was submitted on July 7. The revised budget was created and submitted without any knowledge or input from myself or my staff. Once again, I ask the board to accept the original budget that was submitted by the sheriff's department on July 7. I feel this budget adequately reflects the sheriff department's needs in order to effectively serve and protect Webster County's citizens."

Meek pointed out to the supervisors that "We all worked on it together" after Smith presented his proposed budget to them. According to the discussion, the board cut one deputy's position from his proposed budget, which called for funding four deputies.

Mark Bailey with L.S. & Associates insurance consultants of Southaven made a presentation about long-term care insurance for county employees; the board took his information under advisement.

At the request of District Planner George Crawford, the board voted to pay $150,000 to the state Transportation Department from grant funds for the lighting of the 82&9 intersection in Eupora.

Aug. 19

In the recessed meeting on Aug. 19, the board authorized Meek to hire an appropriate defense attorney in a Circuit Court civil case and report his action at the next meeting.

Tammy Bolton, who filed the suit against the Sheriff's Department, city of Eupora and Police Department, is seeking damages stemming from the death of her teen-age son, Orlando Brooks, who collapsed while playing basketball in Eupora in December 2006. Bolton alleges the defendants were negligent in sending emergency workers in a timely manner for Brooks, who died at the local hospital after friends took him there.

Additionally, the county board voted to:

€ elect McClellan to preside at meetings in the absence of the president and vice president.

€ bill the city of Eupora for half the costs of acquisition of the Garan building and grounds, which the city and county now equally own.

€ disburse fire rebate money to all nine volunteer fire departments less the amount to pay liability/casualty insurance.

€ transfer a 2008 F250 Ford truck from Homeland Security inventory to the sheriff's inventory.

€ extend the deadline for Watkins Ward and Stafford to complete the county audit to Sept. 30.

€ amend the Circuit Court budget to allow the circuit clerk to buy a new computer for court purposes.