Jail to get more fencing
The Marshall County jail is set to get some additional security fencing that will take in more of the property in front and behind the jail.
TLSL Inc. of Walnut was awarded the contract to install the fence at $96,227, at a recent bid opening by the Marshall County Board of Supervisors. Other bidders included Columbus Fence at a bid of $99,712; Jefcoat Fence at $112,044; and Delta Specialty Contractors at $131,522.
County consultant Gary Anderson and Rep. John Faulkner reported on bills at the Legislature.
Anderson said the entire county delegation worked to try to get Local and Private Bills and Bond Bills requested by the county authorized.
The Legislature approved a $41 million bill for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History this year. The appropriation may be spread over two or three years, Anderson said.
More money will be available through the Mississippi Development Authority for economic development projects, he said.
The Housing Development Task Force, set up to come up with ways to increase the county’s tax base, has been working on a marketing strategy. Northcentral EPA has agreed to help finance some of the studies, he said.
Two marketing agencies have also been located.
A financial counseling program for prospective Mississippi Home program participants is envisioned and will be hosted by banks and realtors.
“We will be encouraging development as well as building homes,” Anderson said. “We will also go to industries to see if their employees are interested in homes here.”
Supervisor Charles Terry said seminars could help educate citizens on how it may be as easy to get a house as a mobile home. One person thought it would tie them down to a long-term obligation, he said, as compared to the relative ease of getting in and out of a mobile home mortgage.
Anderson said the task force will appeal to citizens to get financial counseling and build up some savings first to get into a new home. And it is important for citizens to get good credit counseling and take steps to want to clean up their credit record, he said.
“When it comes back to overall marketing strategy, there may be some potential for developers who may want to be involved,” he said.
Supervisor George Zinn III said credit counseling and financing are important. But $60,000 may be easier for the person borrowing to get a loan for a mobile home as opposed to a house loan.
Zinn tried several times to get an answer on a Marianna Road improvement project he has submitted and whether it was included in the state bond bill. And if it was cut, he wanted to know if it will be possible to bring it back up later.
Anderson said he does not know if that specific project made it into the bond bill.
Terry revisited the home construction industry discussion.
“We don’t have houses already built like in DeSoto County,” he said. “So we have to have incentives for developers to build (spec houses).”
Anderson said people have to trust their prospective banker or lender to get the right information they need in order to consider buying a home in Marshall County.
The person can sit with their banker and the banker can help the person get a credit report and improve their credit, he said.