Community
Obits
Editorial & Columnists
Society
Sports
Education
Classified Ads
Calendar of Events
Features
Newsbriefs
Legals
Archives

By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer

The eternal flame at the Veterans Memorial in Holly Springs will be restored after 11 years of being inoperable.

Chancery Clerk Chuck Thomas recommended the board of supervisors repair and relight the flame on behalf of retired servicemen and those now in the military service.

The cost to keep the flame alive year around will be about $800, according to supervisor Ronnie Joe Bennett, a veteran, who said he left a buddy in Vietnam.

Supervisors discussed lighting the flame for special occasions but Bennett urged for a motion to keep it alive year around.

“It would be good for special days, but the group fought night and day,” he said. “They could see it when they drive by, even if it’s at midnight.”

Supervisor Willie Flemon, who made the motion to repair the burner, said the board should gather for a ceremony when the flame is lit. The motion passed unanimously following a second by Bennett.

Supervisors also heard reports from the various departments in their Monday meeting, including an engineer’s report from Larry Britt.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation State Aid Program recommended the county scuttle the bids on the Holly Springs bypass at Highway 4 and revise the plans and rebid the project. The board of supervisors passed motions authorizing redrafting the project for new bids.

Britt said insufficient funds to cover the original project as bid made it necessary to reduce the scope of this bid to grade, drain and bridge work and put the project back out to bid. Overlay bidding will be postponed for a year or more until MDOT has funds for paving, he said. The low bidder on the overall project was nearly a million dollars over engineering estimates and money set aside for completion of the road from Highway 311 to Highway 178 at the west exit of Holly Springs.

The board approved renewal of the law enforcement liability insurance policy with US Risk of Dallas, the low bidder at $51,231. Bob Carrington, with Greer and White Insurance, recommended renewing with US Risk and said $4,600 in premium will be saved over last years cost. The deductible per claim remains the same, he said.

In other business, the board:

• voted to purchase right-of-way on Strickland Road.
• approved a phase 3 expansion of Moore Plantation after receiving a bond payment from developer Warren Callicutt.
• authorized maintenance of school bus turnarounds.
• approved a quote for a homeland security cyber assessment audit.
• authorized a request for phone code assignments for workers from the department of human services.
• opened bids for a pothole patcher.
• heard an offer from Lester Thomas to voluntarily assist with animal control.
• authorized advertising for a lot cleanup order on Holiday Road and voted to postpone enforcement of a lot cleanup order on Lyles Road.
• held a public hearing for comment on proposed changes in the county’s zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations. A report on the hearing will run in next week’s issue of The South Reporter.

Report News: (662) 252-4261 or south@dixie-net.com
Questions, comments, corrections: south@dixie-net.com
©2004, The South Reporter, All Rights Reserved.
No part of this site may be reproduced in any way without permission.
The South Reporter is a member of the Mississippi Press Association.

Web Site managed and maintained by
South Reporter webmasters Linda Jones, Kristian Jones
Web Site Design - The South Reporter

Back | Top of Page