County works strategies for bypass paving


Thursday, August 7, 2008
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County works strategies for bypass paving

By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer

The Marshall County Board of Supervisors met with consultant Gary Anderson Monday to work out a strategy for drawing down the $500,000 in bond money the Legislature approved last session for Phase II of the North Holly Springs bypass.

Anderson said some bonds will be taken to market at the end of September in an anticipated $250 million bond sale. The $500,000 bond allocated for work on the bypass road in the bill is small change compared to the size of the sale, but very important to Marshall County and Holly Springs.

County road manager Larry Hall and supervisors have been keeping an eye on the road bed and on and off ramps and something needs to be done to stop the erosion of the soil, they said. Anderson asked the board for a letter and resolution requesting the money to be allocated to State Aid by the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration. He said Hall, engineer Larry Britt, and attorney Kent Smith should fashion a resolution to hand to Brooks Miller, engineer at State Aid.

“Ultimately, the Department of Finance and Administration will look at it to make sure what is done is to the satisfaction of State Aid,” Anderson said. “Miller has already requested $15 million for LSBP funds. We have to interface with Brooks Miller who is in charge of figuring out how to spend this money.”

Hall and supervisors discussed how to spend the money to stabilize the road and road banks.

The county could put down soil cement that would stop erosion in its tracks, but when the actual paving takes place it would require additional steps and expense than if the road was paved straight away, he said.

Hall suggested the road be stabilized, then fenced off to prevent any unauthorized traffic. More grass could be seeded to stop erosion on the banks, he said.

Supervisors discussed other road matters and expect to open bids on a project on St. Paul Road August 18 and bids to replace two bridges on Old Highway 7 South near the Highway 310 intersection.

The bridges were inspected by an engineer with State Aid last week, who ordered the road be officially closed to traffic until September 15.

“He does not want barricades; he wants a fence,” Hall said.

Del Stover, interim director of Marshall County IDA, presented a report on recent activities.

“It’s been a fairly busy month,” he said.

A new tenant is going into one of the Gurley buildings and Temputech has secured financing. The company makes sensors and monitors for grain elevators positioned up and down the Mississippi River.

“It’s high tech and will add over 10 jobs,” Stover said.

IDA continues to get inquiries regarding the use of the GEM building in Byhalia. Stover said the building will be inspected and brought up to code and some repairs are in order.

A furniture rehabilitation business is locating in Chickasaw Trails Industrial Park on Quality Drive. The business is expected to start construction this month, Stover said.

IDA is working with several large prospects who are considering the Byhalia area for a location, he said.

One other project was discussed in executive session.

The next meeting of the board of supervisors in Monday, August 11. at 9 a.m. in the county boardroom.

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