Youth Court moves in on Market Street
After close to a year, the renovation of the old Reynolds Funeral Home on South Market Street is complete.
The sheriff and county employees moved Youth Court office materials from the old jail into the facility Wednesday November 19.
All restoration work was done with county forces led by supervisor Simpson Stroupe and a construction crew of about six.
The work has been stop and go as the crews had to take care of emergencies such as a sewer backup at the library and work to stop leaks and wicking of rainwater into the courthouse. The group has also renovated the old Medicaid building on J.M. Ash Drive for the zoning office and 911.
Currently, county labor is working to prepare the site for the construction of Medic Station # 1 off Eddie Lee Smith Drive behind the old jail.
The group has also re-painted the windows on the north wall of the Courthouse.
Stroupe said the state was onsite Wednesday, November 19, hooking up the computer terminals to Youth Court.
Gravel is being laid at the Medic Station site so contractors can get in to the drive. A wiring problem with an exhaust fan at the new jail was waiting for a certified technician.
Cathy Hannah, e-911 coordinator, requested the county renew a contract for a UPS battery backup. The supplier offered a 5-year contract for $42,000, or $9,200 a year.
“You got to have a battery backup,” said county administrator Tim Powell.
The board of supervisors approved a motion to enter a 5year contract at the November 17 meeting of the board.
During the supervisors’ report, District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker said that county work to put fill material on Hudsonville Road for the City of Holly Springs has been marred by people on ATVs and pickups doing donuts.
The county road department is taking actions to improve security at the site. Walker said he wants people who see such actions to report the description of vehicles and tags to the sheriff’s department.
Chancery clerk Nicole Phelps said the county has received a letter requesting installation of a new historic marker on the courthouse lawn in recognition of nine black elected officials in the 19th century. The marker will be installed by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History in mid-December of 2026.
Phelps asked to spread on the minutes that justice court judge Mae Garrison completed the required 12.5 hours of judicial college coursework.
The claims docket of $743,600 was approved by the board of supervisors.
Powell reported a request to apply for an extension of the solid waste grant for an additional $2,685. The grant is used to pay a portion of the salary of Robert Burke who operates the county landfill site off I-22 at the West Holly Springs exit.
The board discussed cleaning up the pauper’s cemetery in Holly Springs which is closed because of lack of space. The board is preparing to install a new pauper’s cemetery in Byhalia. A body was exhumed recently after a family from Mexico came to claim its relative.
Supervisors Goston Glover an Ronnie O’Neil Bennett said they would like the county to provide small granite headstones of about 12 inches by 20 inches for the paupers graves. The funeral homes provide small metal plates for a fee of about $250, Powell said. But they are easily destroyed or come up missing or dislocated.
Board attorney Amanda Whaley Smith said the plates can be larger and etched with pauper’s name and dates.
“They need to be identified,” Bennett said.
Sheriff Kenny Dickerson said he will send an inmate crew to clean the graves which are overgrown.
Powell said the new pauper’s cemetery in Byhalia is to be located behind the Byhalia Cemetery on land owned by the county.
Simpson Stroupe said the old cemetery in Holly Springs had large trees growing up in the cemetery among the older graves.
Powell said if the county cleans the old cemetery it then can maintain it.
Bennett said graves could be located using ground penetrating radar.
“A plaque and name would be good,” Bennett said. “It’s going to be there forever.” The board passed a motion to get plates etched with the pauper’s names and place them on the plots.
Sheriff Kenny Dickerson said the annual employee Christmas dinner of fried fish will be served at the Armory December 23. Employees are off for Christmas vacation December 25 and 26.
County road manager Mario Jeffries said insurance has paid $64,438 for the dump truck that was totaled a month ago. The insurance company offered to sell the truck back to the county to be used for parts for $3,600.
The county will apply for a title transfer and keep the truck.
Jeffries said he had quotes for striping from traffic light to traffic light on Wingo Road. The low quote of $16,500 from Riverside was approved by the board of supervisors.