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Funding still priority for supervisors By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer With
tighter than usual budgets the last two years, the Marshall County
Board of Supervisors continues to look for novel ways to fund
much-needed projects, including an airport runway expansion. Bill
Mobley, executive director of the Marshall County Industrial
Development Authority, said the word is out to pilots who would sign
letters saying they would use the Holly Springs Airport if the runway
was extended. He would like enough funding to extend the runway from
3,200 feet to 5,000 feet. A thriving airport helps with recruiting
industry to Marshall County, he said. “We’re asking to take it to 5,000 feet, but we will take what we can get,” he recently told the board of supervisors. Supervisors
discussed other funding concerns with consulting engineer Larry Britt.
Supervisor George Zinn III said residents on St. Paul Road are
complaining about speeding and want traffic signs put up. Britt
said a board order would allow him to request speed limit signs from
State Aid for the portion of the road listed as a state project. He
and the supervisors are looking for dollars to do extra work on Mt.
Carmel Road in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park. The subgrade was
found to be waterlogged and Britt said it would cost too much to go in
and remove and replace those weak areas. Instead, he recommended the
board apply soil cement to about 10 inches to stabilize the road bed
then add 13 inches of topping before adding another six inches of
cement topping before adding the surface layer. The project will add
about three feet to the surface, he said. Supervisors
went to the Appalachian Regional Commission recently for an additional
$150,000 to correct this problem on Mt. Carmel, a stretch of road that
will ferry traffic from two large warehouses on Wingo Road to Highway
302. Britt said paperwork needs to be pushed on
through because his contractor is getting nervous at the delay. Another
$400,000 for construction of the road comes from Mississippi
Development Authority (MDA) DIP (Developmental Infrastructure Program)
grant monies. The road will be three-laned eventually. Larry
Hall, county administrator, reported on an energy audit performed by
HSI Commercial Inc., and paid for with MDA funds. The monies for the
studies comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (federal
economic stimulus monies). The Byhalia Substation (tax collector’s and
sheriff’s offices) was the only building surveyed that needed no work,
Hall said. The courthouse was found to have window issues as well as
old boiler issues, and auditors recommended putting a lock on the
thermostat in one building. The board of supervisors passed a board order to apply to MDA for block grant dollars to save energy costs. The
board also voted to accept a $12,000 solid waste assistance grant from
the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. The dollars pay a
portion of the salary of the solid waste officer. Marshall
County received notice it qualifies for President Obama’s disaster
relief program for damages during recent thunderstorms in Mississippi. In other business, the board: • approved clearing ditches on private property in the Coldwater Bottom area. • discussed culvert washout problems and corrections caused on Roberts Chapel, Moore, Rossville, Hogan and Isom Chapel roads. •
learned interlocal agreements are in order for the Marshall /Benton WIN
Job Center. Marshall County will be the host and chancery clerk Chuck
Thomas will be the host agent. • discussed a
$136 per person increase in health insurance premium for county
employees. The 21 percent increase can be offset somewhat by raising
the deductible. The policy is up for renewal in June. •
sent regards to supervisor Willie Flemon who is home recuperating from
kidney surgery and to supervisor Keith Taylor for the separate
accidents of his daughter and his wife which took place prior to the
May 17 meeting. Flemon said his doctor is asking
him to cut back on activities for about six weeks. His operation took
place May 12 and he returned home May 16. “I’m feeling pretty good - a little sore,” Flemon said.
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