Only choice left is to maintain
The state and its counties are facing insufficient monies to keep up with road and bridge work, with little money for new roads, bridges or surfaces, according to county engineer Larry Britt.
He said the county is required by the state to inspect bridges not on state maintained roads and highways, but there is insufficient funds to repair all bridges, much less build new ones.
“The counties say they don’t have money to fix them so the state orders closings,” he said. “States are in the same shape. If the state does not comply, they face closings.”
Supervisor Ronnie Joe Bennett expressed dismay, saying one congressman said there are 12 bridge closings in his county.
“It will take people twice as long to go around and put some weight limits to 4,000 pounds a car,” he said.
Tippah River Bridge pilings need to be replaced but the cost of steel is too steep, Britt said. So he is recommending the county cut out the rotten spots and go in and replace the cutouts with creosote posts.
“It takes all our money for maintenance. You are right, they are doing it (the state is closing bridges),” Britt said.
There are some sections of North Red Banks Road the state missed, Britt said. If the state will not fund the section south of the railroad track at Red Banks and at Yarbrough Loop, the county will go in and take care of all of it. Yarbrough Loop is not eligible for State Aid money, Larry Hall said.
Supervisors discussed flooding at Carriage Manor and Surrey Loop in the subdivision. Four inches of rain in one hour caused flooding that almost went over Highway 309 North, Hall said.
Supervisor Keith Taylor said not enough retention ponds were built to hold back water that sheds during hard rains and floods certain yards in the subdivision. He recommended zoning not approve any more building permits in the subdivision until the flooding problem is addressed. More retention ponds would help, he said.
The problem has been ongoing for several years, he said. Some pipes under driveways were too small to carry the water out.
Supervisors approved Taylor’s motion to hold permits until the subdivision developer takes the appropriate action to stop flooding.
Insurance
Bob Carrington brought in a quote for property, public and general liability, auto liability and physical damage, and cyber coverage. The quote, under insurance purchased through the Mississippi Association of Supervisors contract, came in at $203,729 annually, a savings of $2,800 over last year’s premium, he said.
About 53 counties out of the 82 in the state are insured under the MAS Insurance Trust, he said.
The trust provides property and casualty self-insurance to counties to lower costs of insurance.
Four or five counties on the coast have been separated out of the list to be treated separately because of the frequent losses due to storms.
Household waste contract
Bobby Ladley with Waste Connections visited the board of supervisors to thank them for their business and express a desire to renew or extend the contract. The contract expires June 30.
Ladley said he expects no increase in fees – and Waste Connections put all new trucks in the county last year.
Supervisor Charles Terry asked if elderly or disabled could get door pickup for those who cannot get out to the road.
Ladley said the county helps document there is no one able, living in the house, to take the garbage to the road, then they get back-door service.
Larry Hall said the complaints about household garbage collection service is down to nil.
When someone calls to say their garbage was missed, someone comes out the same day to pick it up, if they call the county (administrator’s office), Ken Jones said.
County attorney Kent Smith said the Request for Proposals will be sent out early so companies can bid on the contract.
IDA
Justin Hall, executive director of the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority, reported deals may be closed soon on two prospects wanting to locate businesses in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park.
He said airport runway overlay will begin as soon as weather permits and the runway will be closed for four days to do the overlay. The asphalt will have to cure.
An unexplainable problem with the electrical system that operates the runway lights has not yet been solved. Sometimes the runway lights are on and at other times it is dark, Hall said.
The board of supervisors approved an ACT Workforce Community designation application. Supervisors agreed to send a letter authorizing the county to participate.
The designation will go a long way in helping attract new industry to the county and to Holly Springs, he said.