The Anderson Report
County consultant Gary Anderson reported to the Marshall County Board of Supervisors on legislative funding for county projects.
Funding for preliminary engineering work on the Potts Camp and Byhalia railroad overpasses and for improvements in Red Banks Road (HB 1714 and HB 1715) have stalled in the legislature, he said.
The request for $2 million for these requests have died but may be wrapped into a special season called by the governor before the end of the fiscal year June 30.
He said the special session will take up HB1, supported by the governor, to eliminate the state income tax.
The state had a $500 million surplus up for grabs as the the state waits to see what the federal government does in changing the federal income tax legislation, he said.
“In a nutshell, they have set a special session,” Anderson said.
Local and Private bills for the Blackwater Road bridge raise project and for food pantries passed.
He said funding for the Mississippi Department of Health was expected to be reduced. And there is also concern of a possible cut of $137 million from the state department of education budget.
“Some members of the legislature say we are on our way to a recession,” Anderson said.
Tariffs on imports increased (effective April 9 at noon) and the U.S. Stock market has has fallen, which will impact us financially, he said.
Anderson held out hope that some of the $500 million surplus will be given to the counties.
District 5 supervisor Ronnie O'Neil Bennett said the $300,000 allocation for the Blackwater Road bridge project is still on.
The appropriation was approved in the 2024 legislative session and is still on the books, Anderson said.
County administrator Tim Powell said representatives Bill Kinkade and John Faulkner have said they will be present at the next board meeting, and he anticipates Marshall County's budget requests for appropriations for roads will be brought up in the special session.
“It's last year's money we are asking to reallocate,” District 1 supervisor Charles Terry said.
Powell said those requests can possibly be included in another bill.
In other matters, the board authorized a contract with Mills and Mills Architects be approved for the construction of Medic Station No. 1, to be built on property behind the old jail.
Board attorney Amanda Whaley Smith said she negotiated the rates with Mills and Mills and reviewed the proposed contract.
Simpson Stroupe, with buildings and grounds, asked for approval to have a fence put up around the Emergency Management building next to zoning and that the roof on the property, damaged by fire, be replaced to stop leaks. The board approved replacing the roof to get the building in the dry.
An air conditioning unit at the county administration office and at the Extension Office need to be replaced, Stroupe said, because repairing the old ones is costing too much money. The board authorized Stroupe to get quotes and to accept the quotes from the lowest bidder and install the units. County administrator Tim Powell said hot weather is making it very difficult to work in the county administrator's building without air.
Belen Manjarrez, deputy tax assessor, reported the tax office had completed about 500 applications for homestead exemption April 1. She reported on items that were tabled at the last meeting and asked for motions.
Powell said the telephone system in the tax offices will be replaced once the ceiling has been dropped. The current ceiling will not support the phone lines and fixtures that are to be installed to improve phone service, he said.
Zoning administrator David Johnson presented two properties for cleanup orders to the board.
A property at 11 Sandridge Drive in Warsaw East Farm subdivision has multiple unlicensed, inoperable vehicles and scrap he recommended be removed. And a property at 770 Gardner Road has household trash and multiple inoperable vehicles and engine parts that need removal.
The board approved cleanup orders on those properties.