County's construction at peak

With construction projects lined up for medic stations, buildings readied for better office space, and old projects like the courthouse needing attention, the Marshall County Board of Supervisors considered hiring another carpentry crew.

Buildings and Grounds supervisor Simpson Stroupe reported on the floor sinking in the courthouse. The floor has been bearing a lot of weight from filing cabinets.

He said inspection under the floor showed that the brick and mortar support had weakened because of softening of the mortar which is putting stress on the floor joists.

District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker said a temporary pier could be put in place while working on the joists.

Stroupe said there was not much room to work in the crawl space under the floor. Fowler Engineering, a structural engineering firm out of Hernando, has discussed new beams, he said.

Next up was District 1 supervisor Charles Terry discussing the Medic Station planned for his district and a possible sketch of the design.

District 4 supervisor George Zinn III suggested that the layout used for Medic Station #4 at Chulahoma could be used.

Stroupe said county engineer Larry Britt could help get plans drawn up for Medic Station #1 to be located behind the old jail.

Terry then asked about the preparation of a kitchen in the new jail where inmate meals can be prepared.

Stroupe said it will be about a month before the kitchen will be ready in the new jail.

“I think we need to be in line to cook sooner rather than later,” District 3 supervisor Keith Taylor said.

Terry warned of putting too many jobs in line that might overwhelm the county’s ability to execute projects.

“Fair warning,” Terry said. “You may want to sub out. You don’t want to overload your wagon. Talking about a job and getting out there and doing the job is a different thing.”

Stroupe said Jeter will come in and get the kitchen at the jail ready.

Taylor recommended the county hire another crew because of all the work to be done.

“Jessie Hughes and a guy working for Randy Mercer for years ... get these guys in here seeing the groundwork of what we’re doing,” Taylor said. “Get them in here and get started. Determine the pay. We need to get a crew in here. I think we will need two more (carpenters). I want to get it started.”

Board attorney Amanda Whaley Smith recommended that the motion not be brought forward until the name of the man, who worked for Mercer, who Taylor wants to hire, is known.

Currently, there is maintenance work and carpentry work at the Marshall County Library, the old former Medicaid building, the old jail, the old zoning office and at the health department.

Terry said there is work that needs to be done at the Red Banks Fire Department and at Youth Court.

Stroupe said Youth Court referee Sarah Liddy has some ideas about what she wants.

“I was going to get dimensions of the building and draw up what they said they wanted,” Stroupe said. “I will try to fit what I can in there (the Reynolds Funeral Home Building).”

Stroupe said he wanted the board to decide what needs to be done first.

Terry said work needed at the Red Banks Fire Department dealt with a water leak under the building and the septic system that was clogged.

“We need to have the building in some shape,” Terry said.

Zoning administrator David Johnson brought forward an old matter of two cleanup cases that have been given extra time for owners to get into compliance.

In the case of the Julia Green Estate where an heir is living in a fifth-wheel RV, Terry said people would be homeless if they were required to get out of a camper trailer. He said the trailer would be moved by the county at the owner’s expense.

mith recommended giving the landowner additional time to remove the old camper the ladies were living in off the property.

Justin Hall, executive director of the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority, was asked about holding job fairs for people living in the county.

Terry said people are complaining about not getting jobs.

“The jobs are here. It’s up to the individual,” he said.

Hall said job fairs can easily be arranged at the Workforce Training Center.

He said people living out of county are commuting to Marshall County for jobs in the industrial north area of the county.

Terry said buses can be arranged to help employees get to work through Northeast Mississippi Community Services in Holly Springs.

Hall said community services has two buses and industry is asking if the buses can pick up people living in Holly Springs, Byhalia, and Chickasaw Trails and start signing up riders.

“There is a shortage of drivers for school buses,” Hall said. “We have opportunities.”

Taylor said Steve Gaines with community services is good about helping people get wheelchair ramps and air conditioning in the summer for everybody who lives in Marshall County.

“Any citizen in Marshall County. They have Meals on Wheels,” Taylor said.

Hall said the mini-vans help people get to doctor’s appointments and to the grocery store.