County projects moved forward
County engineer Larry Britt updated the Marshall County Board of Supervisors on construction activity at the December 1 meeting.
A number of pay requests were approved.
Pay request #2 from Eubanks Construction Company in the amount of $303,004 was approved for sewer extensions on Phase B of Project Poppy. The work is a part of a larger project to provide sewer service to the Battery Plant, by laying pipe from the site on Highway 72 down to sewer treatment facility
Supervisors approved pay request #3 to Cleveland Construction for $257,573 for Phase 2b at the Battery Plant site. The funds will pay for piping and wet well to a ground storage tank. Construction of the elevated water storage tank should move ahead as materials are arriving for the tank, Britt said.
Townes Constructions pay request #4 for $364,361 for work on the Poppy 3A road going north on the west side of the Poppy Site was approved.
Ste Bil Grading’s pay request #1 for $152,100 for work on raising of bridges on Blackwater Road was approved.
Britt said the spans have been removed and all pilings have been poured for all encasements.
District 5 supervisor Ronnie O’Neil Bennett asked when the project will be completed.
“As weather lets us. Probably March,” said Britt.
The headwalls on Bridge #2 made of creosote boards had to be removed and replaced. He said there is money in the project to pay for it.
Supervisors approved pay request #5 for $86,076 to Ste Bil for work on North Barringer Road.
Britt discussed programming some State Aid Bridge Program money for repair of Chulahoma Bridge. He said State Aid allows counties to program it as a big box culvert bridge. The Choctaw spans that are good can be used to repair Wilkins Chapel Road bridges, he said.
Supervisors approved programming the bridge with State Aid Bridge Program money.
“Triple culvert barrel box is cheaper than a bridge,” he said.
Two bids were read for waste water treatment for Project Poppy. Eubanks Construction bid $10,715,000 and Hemphill Construction bid $9,555,050.
Justin Hall, executive director of the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority, said funds for the project are short by $3,587,550.
“We went back to ARC (Appalachian Regional Commission) and they agreed to fund it,” Hall said. “It’s important to Project Poppy. So, ARC added $2,507,585 and requires a match of $1,074,550. ARC came through and provides match on new funds.”
Hall said the approval of the award for the bidder was needed by December 1 in order to keep the quotes from timing out.
The county is trying to close out the Del Stover Road extension project. Signage worth $30,000 will finish the project and be paid out of contingencies, Hall said.
District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker said people living on Hyline Drive are calling because they can’t get in and out of their driveways. Dry dirt was laid but rain caused the dirt to sink.
“It was a mess. A bad mess,” Walker said. “They can’t get in and out.” Britt said Mills Bridge repairs were done by Mario Jeffries, road and bridge manager.
District 4 supervisor George Zinn III said the 36inch pipe, when lined becomes a 33-inch pipe.
“You are cutting down the opening but still get the same flow because of the smooth (walled) pipe,” he said.
Jeffries said Chuck White does linings locally and he will consult with him.
The replacement of “Goat Bridge” on Bethlehem Road is waiting on the Mississippi Department of Transportation to get it started, Britt said.
Board attorney Amanda Whaley Smith said her last attempt to contact MDOT about the project was November 18 and she had no response.
Hall reported that construction projects in the Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park are on schedule. Work on Coopwood Road is the last big project coming down Highway 72, he said.
“Site selection process may go into the first quarter of 2026,” Hall said. “Activity is good. We’re hanging in there. There’s a lot of construction, new buildings going up. Multiple road work getting ready.”
Bennett said it is important the airport be used to get the CEOs of prospective developers in and out of the county.
He said the county should make the airport attractive for companies to come site visit through the airport.
Hall said you cannot get a tower at the airport unless it handles commercial flights. He said the runway lights come on if the pilot is making a safe approach.