The Webster Progress-Times

WALTHALL - Supervisor Mart Salley has submitted his resignation and his wife will fill his unexpired term until a special election next year.

Salley announced he was resigning his position as supervisor of Webster County District 2 in a letter dated Monday, when the Board of Supervisors acted upon it at its second monthly meeting.

Salley, who has cancer, stated in the letter that he was resigning his position "with my deepest regret" because of declining health problems.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed the years that I have served as supervisor and will greatly miss serving the citizens of Webster County," his letter said.

During Monday's meeting, the three-member board present voted to go into executive session to discuss a personnel matter upon a motion of Vice President Charles McClellan, who was presiding. The supervisors stayed in closed session about 15 minutes.

Once in open session, the board voted 3-0 to accept Salley's resignation effective Oct. 31 and to appoint Ruthie McCain Salley, his wife, to fill his unexpired term until a special election set for Nov. 3, 2009.

Robert Hitt (District 1) made the motion to do so and Charles Rivers (District 3) seconded it. Board President Larry Crowley (District 4) is recovering in Nashville, Tenn., after receiving a bone marrow transplant for leukemia.

Supervisor Salley has been in office since January 2004; he was re-elected last year to a second term that expires in December 2011.

Other Business

In other business Monday, the board voted to:

€ pay Kevin Null, who is Choctaw County prosecuting attorney, to prosecute the Mark Jones case in Webster County Justice Court and pay him according to his billed statement.

Webster County Prosecutor Jan Butler has recused himself from the case; no hearing date had been set as of Tuesday. Jones, 47, is a county constable charged with simple assault and domestic violence in connection with an incident that occurred in July.

€ authorize the vice president to sign a letter from Aubrey Holder of Watkins Ward and Stafford agreeing to the terms of extra services provided by the accounting firm.

€ finalize the hiring of Penny Doss as deputy Emergency Management Agency director, and Jimmy McLemore, Reuben McCluskey and Barry Rushing as damage assessment team members without compensation. They have submitted a statement agreeing that they expect no compensation and all their services are voluntary.

€ extend the contract on one remaining HOME project to Dec. 28 pending approval of the Mississippi Development Authority.

€ allow Hitt and McClellan to attend the Mississippi Association of Supervisors' fall education workshop Oct. 20-22 in Vicksburg.

€ approve a 16th Section lease already approved by the School Board for Reginald and Larry O'Briant.

€ maintain the driveway of Gail H. Gibson on Pepper Road as a school bus turnaround for the remainder of the school year; this has already been approved by the School Board.

No objections were heard during a public hearing about the development of the county's hazard mitigation plan by the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District. The board recessed until 8:30 a.m. Oct. 31.