County administrator resigns

Larry Hall, county administrator for the last 28 years, turned in his resignation at the start of the July 6 board of supervisors meeting.

Hall said he will work on until the end of the year to assist in the transition.

In his letter of resignation, Hall expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve Marshall County as administrator and road manager.

“It has been one of my life’s greatest journeys,” he wrote.

Hall said helping manage the revenues and stewarding the county with integrity have always been his aim.

He said he has been reluctant to resign earlier because of his commitment to work with the county to achieve its goals.

“With our Workforce Development Center recently completed, I can say with conviction that we are better positioned than ever to move into a brighter future for all Marshall Countians,” he said. “Thank you for the honor of serving alongside you. As I transition from working with you to becoming a constituent, you can count on my continued unwavering support of Marshall County.”

Bridge grants

County engineer Larry Britt advised the board of supervisors a second round of Emergency Road and Bridge fund money will be open for submissions to the Mississippi Department of Transportation July 1 to August 1.

He reviewed the list of bridge improvements the county already has waiting. They include two bridges on Marianna Road; the Tippah River Bridge (already approved); the “Goat Bridge” on Waterford Bethlehem Road; a bridge on Concord Road funded with Local System Bridge Program dollars); a bridge on Taska Road funded with State Aid Program money; and Tyro Road bridge south of Highway 4 on Chulahoma Road.

Britt said the second round of ERBR funding works like the first round. The board approved a motion to authorize Britt to put together an application.

The bridge at I-269 and Wingo Road will be closed for deck work starting July 19, Britt said. It will be closed for two weeks.

“The county has a project on Wingo Road, so we will tell contractors to sit tight,” he said.

In more bridge discussions, Britt said TIGER grants and BUILD grants are used to work on bridges. Two bridges on Blackwater Road, in District 4, are getting out of their banks and into the road during heavy rains.

The road would have to be raised to make the bridges high enough to not flood. Flooding is due to silting in the creek.

Britt said putting up matching dollars would enhance the chance of getting chosen for bridge repair during this round.

District 4 supervisor George Zinn III said the creek needs to be dredged for miles to stop old logs from floating up in the road after heavy rains.

“It stays under water,” he said. “It could save the county money and there is no match. The question is, is the county prepared to put money in it? I think the county ought to put money in it.”

Britt again said the program is very competitive and putting in matching dollars makes the county more competitive in its application. He asked how much the board would put up as a match.

He said support letters from first responders would help since no ambulance would be able to get through during flooding.

“It’s a nine-mile problem,” he said. “I will write it with or without a match.” District 5 supervisor Ronnie Joe Bennett said the Tippah River Road is under water for a mile after a rain.

Britt said the money would not have to be spent until the end of the year and he does not think the program wants in-kind match money.

“The new administration (Biden’s) has taken the TIGER grant and made changes,” he said.

Zinn asked what a reasonable match would be.

Britt said the elevation of the bridge would have to be raised to prevent flooding at Blackwater. So it would likely cost $3.5 million and suitable match would be five percent or about $200,000

Bennett said the bridges would have to be elevated as much as eight feet.

“It would be hard to do for $3.5 million,” he said.

“If you get a $6 million bridge for $200,000 that’s good,” said Zinn.

The board approved the application and authority to offer up to $250,000 as a match.

Britt said if awarded, the grant would not be available until October so matching dollars would not be required until late this year or early 2022.

“It’s very competitive, but the president wants to put more money in infrastructure,” Britt said. “You never know.”

Bennett said Blackwater Road crosses into Lafayette County a short distance from these bridges.

“I got one bridge closed and another nine in Marshall County; that’s my reason,” he said. “I got two roads the water gets over the road every time it rains.”

With that remark, Zinn made a motion to press forward on the Blackwater Road project without a match.

District 1 supervisor Charles Terry said county roads need the bridge work and should be considered high priority.

A discussion followed about flooding in the Town of Byhalia due to industrial construction that sheds water into people’s back yards.

Taylor said towns in the county should have to submit projects through the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority so construction would fall under the county flood plain ordinances.

“I’m against the way people are treated,” Taylor said. “Who regulates how stuff needs to be fixed? If they enjoy the same perks (meaning tax incentives) as any other industry, they should deal with flooding problems. That company is not doing anything they are supposed to do. The problem is people’s back yards (are flooding). We’re all in this together with IDA. It is giving us a black eye. You wouldn’t want it in your back yard.”

Britt said IDA cannot work with the town’s industry without being asked to and Byhalia has not asked.

He said covenants could be applied and the construction itself could be watched over.

“It’s in their city limits,” Taylor said. “They (the residents) need help.”