The Monday, Sept. 3, Board of Supervisors meeting was extensive and much was covered over the course of the meeting. After the meeting was called to order, the first major topic of discussion on the agenda was brought to the Board by Tax Assessor Tammy Inmon. Inmon presented the Board with a new mapping service which had been quoted for the county’s use. The new mapping service would be contracted with Golden Triangle Planning and Development District, Inc. out of Starkville. The new service would allow for online map viewing, data systems records, and payment of taxes online. All data for this service would be hosted on the ArcGIS Online platform at the cost of $100 per month. Data systems records with prior tax roll back ups would cost $400 per month. To set up and host the county website, the initial set up would cost $50 per hour, with an estimated work time of 8 hours. After the initial set up, hosting the website would only cost $20 per year it is in use.
The full yearly estimated cost for the mapping service, website hosting, and data systems would be roughly $6,000. While this is nearly $500 over the current contract it offers much more to customers than currently available with the county’s contract with Tri-State Consulting Services. After much deliberation, the board agreed to discontinue the contract with Tri-State on a motion made by Beat 3 Supervisor Dill Tucker and seconded by Beat 5 Supervisor Randy Browning with all in favor. Next the Board approved to contract with GIS services for approximately $1,200 a year on a motion by Beat 2 Supervisor Josh Hurst and seconded by Beat 4 Supervisor Claude Fluker with all in favor. Additionally, the Board agreed to datasystems services in the amount of $400 a month with a one time $2,500 set up fee on a motion made by Supervisor Browning and seconded by Supervisor Hurst with all in favor. The final motion on the subject was to accept website services in the amount of $20 a month made by Supervisor Hurst and seconded by Supervisor Browning with all in favor.
The next guest on the agenda was Charles Humphreys, a county resident who often attends board meetings. Humphreys spoke on a multitude of topics including the manner of which business is conducted in meetings, concerns about the county’s garbage contract with Arrow Disposal Services Inc., and concerns about Next Era Solar Energy, a solar farm company which has interest in Carroll County. Firstly, Humphreys addressed the Board on manners in which business is conducted, requesting that more information be made available in formal written statements.
Next, Humphreys addressed his concerns regarding the garbage contract with ADSI.
“I don’t really understand what’s going on there,” Humphreys spoke about the garbage contract. “I don’t know when my garbage gets picked up anymore. It’s supposed to be one day then it’s another day and another day…”
“Is the garbage contract gonna be renewed or is it gonna go out for bids?” Humphreys questioned.
“It’s gonna be going out for bids, for sure, absolutely,” Board President Jim Neill replied.
“Are this contracts’ t and c’s, terms and conditions, are they strong enough to allow the county to bring default?” Humphreys asked.
“We just brought that up Friday afternoon for the attorney to look and see what our options are,” President Neill stated. “Cause like I said I got eight calls Friday about problems. We’re trying to deal with it. We’re on the same page as you are.”
Supervisor Neill explained that the Board is assessing and getting legal advice on the options available to them to handle the situation.
Finally, Humphreys brought up the topic of New Era Solar Energy. According to Humphreys he had been informed that county officials had been in contact with the company regarding their interest in solar farming in Carroll County. Humphreys did not name specific Board members.
“Has anybody on the Board had any communication with a company called Next Era?” Humphreys asked.
Board President Neill agreed that the Board had been in contact with the company, but no decisions or business has been conducted as of yet. Humphreys expressed his strong concerns about solar farms, citing a lawsuit in Raymond among other related issues.
“You can’t let this come into the county. I will do whatever is possible to stop it,” Humphreys enthused.
“Mr. Humphreys, shouldn’t a land owner be able to do what he wants to do with his land?” Beat 4 Supervisor Claude Fluker proposed.
“Y'know there used to be a day when that answer was yes, but now if somebody came in here and said they wanted to put a toxic waste dump down there - they wanted to lease the land - would you want that done?” Humphreys replied.
“It’s still the same, y’know. I think the land owner should still be able to do anything he wants to do with his land,” Supervisor Fluker stated.
Humphreys went on to state that it should be a concern to others as to why solar companies opt for leasing land as opposed to owning the land for their farms. He speculates, based on his research, that it is due to the expectation that solar farms will be abandoned in coming years. He then noted that abandoned solar farms become hazardous waste sites due to the materials used to create the panels. He speculates the responsibility for proper disposal of the panels would fall on the county.
“Don’t do it. You have the power to stop it, just like Hinds County did - and they rolled over even when the industrial board said ‘don’t do it’, and the people said ‘don’t do it’ - they did it anyway,” Humphreys implored.
Supervisor Neill stated that the Board would look into the issue and research individually, however there was no business being conducted at the moment.
In other news the Board:
• Accepted the minutes for the Aug. 5, 9, 12, 15, and 26 meetings.
• Approved to advertise in The Conservative Sept. 5 and 12 to accept bids to repair the elevator at the Carrollton Courthouse.
• Accepted the Agreement for Engineering Services Job No. 23-1120, road and bank stabilization improvements CR 163, 143 and 238.
• Approved a low quote from Attala Water Service for Beat 2 to help pay for moving a waterline on CR 126. The Town of North Carrollton will pay for supplies required to move the line and repave the road, the Board will cover the cost of labor.
• Agreed to the Service Agreement with Tayor Generator in the amount of $3,177.
• Approved to junk and advertise CCRCF vehicles 2004 Ford F-350 White Pickup and 2004 F-350 Gray Van in The Conservative.
• Accepted Inmate Housing Agreement between Carroll County and the Town of West.
• Approved a quote from FirstNet GeoTab to place real time tracking on Sheriff’s Department vehicles in the amount of $19.75 per vehicle per month.
• Agreed to installment of Delta Electric LightSpeed Internet at the Sheriff’s Office including the payment of a $250 installation fee and $119 a month service charge for 1G Service.
• Approved to rescind the motion made at the Aug. 26 meeting to advertise for Beat 4 to purchase a wo12 or similar dump truck.
• Agreed to advertise in The Conservative for two weeks (Sept. 5 and 12) for Beat 4 go purchase 1 used dump truck 2015 year model or similar (to be paid for with USDA Grant funds).
• Approved the following claims: Willis Engineering for CR 83 Improvements in the amount of $518.42. J.J Ferguson S&G, Inc. for CR 83 Improvements in the amount of $62,564.45. Jimmy Irwin for repairing bricks at the Vaiden Courthouse due to damage caused by a vehicle accident in the amount of $1,500 (an insurance check is pending to cover damages). Willis Engineering ERBR-08(02) Bridge 18 in the amount of $48,063. Transfer $40,000 from ARPA to Fire Levy Fund to pay for the fire Equipment approved at the Aug. 26 meeting. Credit card payment in the amount of $1,365.87.
• Agreed to spread the following items: Casey Carpenter, Clerk of the Board, presented to the Boar the Comparative Budget for August 2024. CCRCF Inmate Housing Agreement Second Amendment. Engineering Estimate LSBP-08(46), Release of responsibility SAP-08(8). FEMA-4429 Reimbursement #9 in the amount of $13,511.94 (Rec. Park). FEMA-4538 Carroll County Small Projects STATE Shares Submitted food Payment in the amount of $29.864.64 with an additional 29,864.63 for 2020 flooding.
• Approved the Claims Docket for August.
• Heard concerns from Beat 5 Supervisor Randy Browning regarding possible roof damage at the Vaiden clinic causing a leak and standing water in the UMMC offices.
• Agreed to Recess until Sept. 10 in Vaiden at 9 a.m. to discuss the 2024-25 fiscal year budget.
