County to donate spot to cemetery

The mayor of the Town of Byhalia, Don Hollingsworth, presented a map of the cemetery in Byhalia, which he said is filling up. He asked the board of supervisors to donate a 3.2-acre tract to the Byhalia Cemetery.

“It is growing and filling up,” the mayor said.

District 3 supervisor Keith Taylor brought up a project, a bypass road around the school on Highway 309 North, that he said the county is wanting to get approved.

Two bypass roads are being sought to keep motorists from getting stuck at the railroad tracks in Byhalia and Potts Camp.

Taylor said consultant Gary Anderson, and representative John Faulkner and senator Neil Whaley are arranging a meeting in Washington, D.C., with Congressmen to try and locate federal funds to build the bypasses.

Hollingsworth said the town has asked for a new post office, because the lobby is too small. He said 19 trains a day, some double deckers, go through the town. And in the future he expects triple deckers to travel the Burlington Northern Santa Fe. “The more you look at it,

the more you see it is needed,” Hollingsworth said, with the state funding projects in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park.

He said the state will not want to put more into large projects in the area so federal funding for the railroad bypasses is needed.

Justin Hall, executive director of the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority, asked for some Freeport warehouse exemptions for a small property at ASICS and for T.K. Elevators. He said the tax exemptions at ASICS have rolled off and the warehouse is paying full taxes except for this small additional property it has added.

County engineer Larry Britt opened bids on construction of the extension of Del Stover Road to Highway 72.

The following bids were opened:

• White Construction Associates, total bid $2,828,732.

• Phillips Construction, total bid $3,516,165.

• Excavators Inc., total bid $2,618,894.

• Yancey Brothers Construction, total bid $2,344,465.

Britt said the engineers estimate was $2,166,970.

He expressed concern that the three-year-old DIP grant project may not have enough money to pay for the project.

Hall said the county has a right-of-way match in the DIP grant based on the number of jobs created from industry.

After inspection of the bids, the board approved the award of the project to Yancey Brothers Construction, the low bidder.

In supervisor reports, District 1 supervisor Charles Terry requested a board order to post speed limit signs on Red Banks Road south of the bridge down to Humphrey Road. The board approved posting speed limit signs of 35 MPH.

Terry also appointed Wonso Hayes as his board of trustee to the Marshall County Library.

Zinn asked to dedicate a portion of Red Banks Road to Poncho Pannel, a former county employee.

Zinn then read out a long list of buildings the county is working on and asked the grounds work be put back under the supervision of county road manager Mario Jeffries.

The buildings that are being renovated or to be built include: the old Reynolds Funeral Home; Medic Station #1 to be built; Red Banks Fire Department; the sheriff’s department kitchen; the tax office at the Byhalia Substation on 309 N; Community Services building; the coroner’s office; the voting precincts in Hudsonville and at Early Grove precinct at Clear Creek Road; and the kitchen plumbing at the Tax Collectors Office.

“That’s a whole lot for one individual (Simpson Stroupe) to do,” Zinn said.

He made a motion to put the grass cutting and custodial work back under the supervision of Road and Bridge. The motion passed 3- 2 with District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker and Taylor opposing the measure.

Zinn asked for a report on the plans for a ball facility at the Marshall County Fairgrounds and recommended that Bobby Sims be put over the Parks and Recreation Department when it is formed.

He said the plans need to be looked over as the board creates the new fiscal year budget.

Taylor said he and Supervisor Ronnie O’Neil Bennett and Walker attended a meeting of the Fairground Board of Directors. He wants the minutes to be presented before the board of supervisors as to the best place to locate the athletic fields.

Zinn said the board has already a set of drawings put together by the county engineer.

Taylor said the Fairgrounds board just wants to give its input.

“They can just suggest,” said Walker.

Taylor said there are 200 acres across the ditch from the main area already developed.

“It had already been established but if the board wants to overturn what’s in place…” Zinn said.

Taylor said the land beyond the ditch is flatter.

Zinn said the board has wasted 1.5 years and nothing has been done.

“You could take it and put it anyplace,” Walker said.

Zinn said if the facility is put behind the ditch it will not be visible from the highway.

“It needs to be visible to the public,” he said.

Terry objected that some supervisors were selected to attend the meeting and not others.

Taylor said the board president at the Fairgrounds had “reached out to me as president.“

“He was invited by Marsha (Taylor),” Bennett said.

Walker said he just went to the meeting without being invited.

“As long as we are not discussing county business, as many as who want to go can go,” Terry said.

“Correct,” said county board attorney Amanda Whaley Smith.

Zinn then asked if the county can pay people who report people who are littering on county roads.

Smith said it is not legal to do so.

“You have to go to CrimeStoppers with misdemeanors,” Smith said. “It’s always been a problem with the individual who sees littering does not want to come and testify.”

Zinn made a motion to allow people who witness littering to be paid a fee, but got no second.

Walker nominated Dustin Wilburn as his appointment to the Fairgrounds board of directors.

“Mine is Jerry Kelly,” Taylor said.

Tax assessor Barbara Balfoure asked for travel to a conference in July.

The board approved her request to purchase shirts for employees at her office.

The assessor asked the county to approve software purchase to print out property record cards at a quote of $8,080 for software and licensing. The monthly maintenance fee is $150.

Two public hearings for clean-up orders were heard. The board approved motions to order clean-up and take bids for 90 Cedar Woods Drive, Byhalia, and 3768 Hernando Road.

The board approved the claims docket of $1,760,139.

Travel was approved for the tax collector and two deputies to attend summer conference in July.

Investigator Charles Powell was approved for training and a cell phone was purchased for use with LeadsOnline.