County approves purchase of tag reader

The Marshall County Board of Supervisors approved purchase of a tag reader system for use by the Sheriff’s Department, at the December 1 meeting.

Flock Safety was the sole bidder, offering to sell the system for one year’s use at $47,758. A recurring cost of $40,000 every year thereafter will be required.

District 1 supervisor Goston Glover made the motion to buy the system and District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker seconded. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the board.

Shanette Folsom, of Folsom Drive, appeared before the board again asking for the county to take property for a right-of-way by imminent domain, a point discussed in previous meetings.

The residents on the short drive off Highway 7 near Waterford, have been seeking to their road paved since former District 5 supervisor Ronnie Joe Bennett was in office, without success, due to the need for right-of-way to pave the road.

Ronnie O’Neil Bennett, who ran for his dad’s seat, said he has had second thoughts about imminent domain.

“I found out I was going to break the law,” he said. “I enjoy my freedom and I’m not going to jail for no one. I am not going to take another’s land.

“I know you knew this was a gravel drive when you put your mobile home there. I’m not going to do it because it is a driveway.”

Folsom said the history behind the drive was everyone agreed, because of an accident, a 911 address was needed. A petition was signed to name Folsom Drive for 911, so the county could take the road over. She said everyone on the drive agreed to give up 10 feet for the drive to be paved.

“Everyone down there agreed to give up...,” Walker asked.

“No,” said board attorney Amanda Whaley Smith.

“They owned their land...

People who own land...,” Walker continued.

“I was trying to figure out a way to help, but I can’t by law,” Bennett said.

`You want us to take people’s land?” Walker asked.

County Road and Bridge manager Mario Jeffries said the county engineer came out and the road couldn’t be widened north because two people didn’t want to sign the petition.

“We tried,” he said.

“In the beginning there was no road. It was just dirt,” Folsom said. “We did everything. We paid for the gravel.”

“You knew when you built, you would have a long drive,” Bennett said. “This is a private driveway. They have to maintain their own road.

“We were waiting on signatures. I’m not a thief. I”m not going to take another person’s land.”

“They purchased that land, or inherited that land,” Smith said of the owners of the property to the north of the drive. “The paper we signed, over 20 feet, is null and void, right?” Folsom asked. “The only ones who didn’t sign were people who owned the land.”

“The document everyone signed was a quit claim deed, to build the road. The county can deed it back,” Smith said.

“We want ours deeded back,” Folsom said.

“That will not be a problem,” Smith said.

In other business, the board of supervisors:

• approved a request by Chancery Clerk Nicole Phelps to spread on the minutes that Justice Court Judge Cathy Brittenum completed 12.75 hours and received a certificate of completion in October.

• accepted the 2025 land rolls.

• presented $659,883 in claims for the supervisors to approve.

• approved a motion to send EMS coordinator Jason Motz to a workshop in Tennessee.

• approved purchase of a 1,000 gallon pumper for $653,479 and $29,970 in air packs to be used for the Battery Plant. The purchase is free to the county and will be paid for by state funds tied to the Battery Plant agreement.

• went into executive session to discuss two items of potential litigation.