Thursday, August 16, 2007
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Thursday, August 16, 2007 |
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Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | Photo Gallery |
| County valuation reaches milestone By SUE WATSON
Marshall County has seen significant growth in real and personal property for year 2007, tax assessor Ronnie Johnson said in a summary recently presented to the board of supervisors. The overall assessed true value came to just over $1.01 billion this year, he said. The 2006 assessed true value was $946 million. The gain this year in true value assessment came to about $11 million over the 2006 figure. The number of parcels in land and buildings increased to 23,869 for year 2007 as compared with 14,893 parcels in 1983, he said. The county gains about 500 to 600 new parcels a year as land tracts continue to be subdivided. Real property assessed value was up about $8 million in 2007, personal property was up about $800,000, and automobile assessments increased by about $2 million over last year, Johnson said. IDA news Bill Renick, executive director of the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority, brought several items to the board’s attention on August 6. He said a Maryland brick company wants to either purchase or obtain a long-term lease of the Old Mississippi Brick site owned by the county. The company wants to invest in excess of $1 million in the facilities, he said. “The old brick company in Maryland is looking for assets in the South and wants to continue to make some hand-made bricks,” Renick said. Supervisors authorized Renick to discuss the deal in August with representatives from Maryland. Pallet Source in Mt. Pleasant has asked IDA to help it expand its building with a low-interest capitalization loan. The company expects to get more orders due to the arrival of Toyota to the area, Renick said. The board authorized Renick to research the loan which would serve as a lease-purchase CAP loan. Pallet Source employs between 40 and 50 now. Renick said about 85 percent of all new jobs in the county come from expansions of existing businesses. He asked the board to allocate $10,000 in the Fiscal Year 2007-2008 for the airport. Renick said the airport is appreciating in value and is an expensive piece of property, now worth over $2 million, and an asset to the county. IDA will borrow about $60,000 to rehabilitate the hangar so the airport can draw better income on the facilities. The airport commission is considering a fuel farm lease with a company, he added. Road and bridge news County engineer Larry Britt gave an update on several State Aid projects. The overlay on Marianna Road is about finished and widening on Hernando Road has begun. Strickland Road is striped and the Coldwater River Bridge is striped and open. Britt provided the 2008 bridge inspection for signature of the supervisors. The bridge south of Waterford on Old Highway 7 South will be torn out. And Britt held a preconstruction conference with contractors on the replacement of two bridges on O’Dell Road. Supervisor George Zinn III reported that the bridges on O’Dell have been closed for months but some drivers are going around the barricades. “If people use it, it’s at their own risk because the road is officially closed (at the bridges),” Britt said. Chancery clerk’s report The board authorized chancery clerk Chuck Thomas to advertise the tax rolls will be open for public inspection during August. Thomas reported the City of Holly Springs made the final payment on $50,000 it agreed to pay toward providing E-911 service. The board approved a hold-up on any issue of purchase orders except for essential business until the new budget revenues come in. Supervisors approved the claim docket totalling $1,090,242 for July 2007. Of the total, $260,815 was charged to the general fund, $750,937 was charged to the road and bridge and shop funds. County administrator’s news The board authorized the county road department to use county equipment to bury a horse. The order is standing to cover any future requests which are covered by state statutes which require a certified veterinarian to verify that the dead animal carried an infectious disease that could threaten the health and safety of the county. Cayce Fire Department news The board held a public hearing concerning establishing Cayce Fire Department’s new grading district. Assistant fire chief Harry Willis fielded questions from supervisors. He said residences within the five-mile radius of the fire station would see their homeowners’ insurance premiums drop by several hundred dollars a year once the district is approved for a better grading. After Cayce Fire Department gets its new grading, the other fire departments in the county will be encouraged to work for the same, according to Hugh Hollowell, director of the fire service. “This is a pilot project and our goal was to get the grading for one department first,” he said. “They (Cayce) can be the experts on how to advise the other departments. It’s one station at a time.” Former Cayce Fire Chief Joe Winfield and Ruth Vanlandingham, treasurer for the board of directors at Cayce Fire Department, praised the efforts of the volunteers who helped get the district’s application together. “I’m 100 percent in favor of it,” Winfield said. “We started on it several years ago.” Vanlandingham said the department had been working for years for the new rating. “We all worked together and are looking forward to this,” she said. “I’m just appreciative of that department because I feel secure and safe out there.” |
 
 
 
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