Medic Station #1 general contractor discussed · Tax assessor/collector salaries discussed
The Marshall County Board of Supervisors is planning to hire a general contractor to build Medic Station #1, but wants to have some of the work done by county employees to save money.
The matter was discussed at the Nov. 2 meeting of the Board of Supervisors.
Simpson Stroupe, who oversees building projects, said one prospective contractor he spoke with wants to hire his own people to do all the work.
Some work such as plumbing and framing was going to be done in-house as was pouring the footings for the slab.
Now, Stroupe said the frame and footings need to be done by a licensed contractor. The footings and slab have to be inspected as it is built.
Once the building is in the dry, licensed plumbers and electricians will be used to finish it out.
Stroupe said the electrical, plumbing, framing and slab could be bid out and the county can come back in and do the interior work to save money.
David Johnson, zoning administrator, said the general contractor would build the weight bearing structures.
“We can come in and do the interior and all electrical work will be done by a general contractor,” said District 1 supervisor Charles Terry.
Johnson said the work would have to be done with the total understanding of the general contractor on what would be done.
“He would not be responsible for anything we do,” said District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker.
Terry asked why the station wouldn’t be built with concrete blocks or a wood frame.
Johnson said the medic station would probably be framed with red iron. T he fire station requires interior walls.
Stroupe said six inch walls would be built in the interior.
The prospective contractor wants to do all the work with their own crew, build the whole thing, Stroupe said.
Terry said the county wanted to save some money as was done at Chulahoma Medic Station #4.
Stroupe suggested the entire structure be bid out first to see what the total price would be or try to work with the general contractor.
“What’s to hurt to get a turn-key price?” asked District 5 supervisor Ronnie O’Neil Bennett.
“It will be our building but their liability,” Stroupe said.
“Get a turn-key price on it and then negotiate down if we decide to do some of it inhouse,” Terry said, making a motion.
The motion passed by unanimous vote of the board.
Next under consideration was the addition of a basketball goal behind the Chulahoma Community Center.
“We don’t have to do it now,” said Zinn.
Stroupe said he has a goal ordered.
The ball court will be built in good weather next year.
Tax Assessor’s report Tax assessor Barbara Belfoure reported to the board on a recent audit of real property by the Mississippi Department of Revenue. The county received 5.5 points out of a possible 25 point threshold, meaning the county passed its audit. She said there are 936 personal property parcels on the roll and the county is required to review 25 percent at a time.
“With that audit of the real and personal property rolls, the county passed both audits,” she said.
Belfoure asked if the tax assessor’s salary was reviewed. She said the salary is due an increase when the total county valuation reaches a threshold of $500 million.
Terry said an offer was made to the assessor and collector but was not accepted.
Belfoure said her question was about retroactive pay going back to the first of the year because the assessor and collector did not know at the time they took office what their salary would be and the threshold to move up a level in salary.
Terry said he thought that the increase in salaries should have started from the day it was discovered there was a threshold, not for retroactive pay.
“I have no issue paying from the time it was discovered moving forward,” he said.
Chancery clerk Nicole Phelps said she suggested the start date be Oct. 1 for the salary increase.
Zinn made a motion for the salary increase to take effect Oct. 1 and there be no retroactive pay.
The motion passed by unanimous approval of the board.