WINONA – Montgomery County was awarded a Small Municipality Grant for $75,000 from the Mississippi Development Authority to go toward the construction of a covered open-air arena at the Montgomery County Coliseum.
Chancery Clerk Ryan Wood announced the award at Monday’s meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors.
“It’s a great start,” Wood said of the grant.
The total cost to construct the arena is approximately $180,000, Wood said.
According to Senator Lydia Chassaniol (R-Winona), she has been working with the board of supervisors for the past few years to help further develop the coliseum to host equestrian events. Chassaniol and Wood recently visited Washington, D.C. to discuss federal funding options with Mississippi’s U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker and Congressman Benny Thompson’s staff.
Last year, the county hosted the Mississippi 4-H Northwest Horse Show, and the county has been selected to host 2020’s show. A covered arena will provide a location for participants to exercise their horses prior to the show.
Several months ago, Chassaniol came before the board of supervisors and asked permission to direct Chris Pope at North Central Planning and Development to submit a grant proposal to help fund the construction of the arena. The grant was awarded this week.
In other county business:
• The board voted to purchase five desktop computers, a scanner, and a printer in the amount of $3,690 for the Montgomery County Election Commission. Currently, the commission shares a laptop computer. The commission requested the desktop computers.
The board voted to purchase the new computers and give the laptop computer to the Montgomery County Emergency Operations center.
• The board accepted the resignation of R.J. Adair from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department.
• The board approved the purchase of a generator for the Emergency Operations Center, which is moving into the former Montgomery County School district office with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. The generator will cost $4,247 and was recommended by an electrician assisting EOC director Allan Pratt with moving to the new location.
• The board approved the attendance of Pratt and Deputy EOC Director Marilyn Knight at the Mississippi Emergency Management Conference in November.
• The board discussed the statewide burn ban currently under effect for the entire state of Mississippi. If the burn ban is violated, the one responsible could face a fine of $500.
