Winston Co. Supervisors Hear Request for Assistance with Community Garden

The Winston County Board of Supervisors met on January 7, 2013 for their first meeting of the New Year. By unanimous vote, the Board reelected District 3 supervisor Mike Peterson as Board President and District 2 supervisor Luke Parks as Board Vice President. The board also voted to retain attorney Hugh Hathorn as County Council.

A new year brings several procedural requirements that were dealt with as well. The board must issue an order to rehire County personnel and to renew existing contracts. After receiving a list of county employees and pay schedules, the board elected to go into executive session to discuss these issues.

The board dealt with the following issues as well:

• ·         Approved County holidays to be the same as the official state holidays as declared by the governor.
• ·         Reviewed and approved four subcontracts on road project jobs in the County. These included erosion control, striping, hot mix, and cement and soil preparation. Jimmy Kemp of Kemp and Associates also briefed the board on the Beth Eden Rd. Bridge project and the Yellow Creek project.
• ·         Phyllis Benson of Golden Triangle Planning a$106,887 for the roof repair project of the Teeter’s facility. After reviewed the board approved. Funds will come from grant funding and an established maintenance fund. 
• ·         County agent Mike Skipper of the MSU extension service asked the board for funds to assist in the development of a raised bed garden on county property. Skipper indicated that the obesity rate in Winston County was 35% and the diabetes rate was 13%. He indicated that a raised bed garden located on a piece of land owned by the County near the cannery or vegetable office property could be used to develop 25 raised beds. These beds would be used for teaching and demonstration purposes and that as many as 14 horticulturists would work in the area on spring summer and fall gardens. He indicated that volunteers with FoodCorp were currently working with the school system to improve nutrition in the schools and to teach gardening. Skipper requested $5000 from the board and the use of the land. He indicated that additional funds from private resources were forthcoming and that the project would be as a teaching tool and possibly help those in the community develop small commercial operations. The supervisors indicated that they were not sure where the money would come from and that they needed time to think about the project and possibly formulate more questions. They agreed to make a decision at the next board meeting.
• ·         The board approved several purchase orders and costs for court reporter expenses as well as approve a per diem costs for upgrades to software in the Chancery Clerk’s office.
• ·         Sheriff Jason Pugh asked for approval to hire to personnel to replace personnel who are no longer with the department. The board approved the hiring of Keith Alexander and Jesse Roberson to fill the positions of David Edwards and Margie Bell.
• ·         Pugh also asked for permission to transfer funds in the amount of $9000 from a wireless communication fund to pay for the purchase and installation of new radios for his department. Transfer was approved.
• ·         Emergency management director Buddy King asked for board approval for the Shiloh Fire Department to use funds from the County contract to make a payment on an existing fire truck. Due to the structure of the payment, board approval was required even though the funds were available.

After a short recess the board entered into executive session to discuss the personnel hiring issues. The board’s next meeting will be on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 due to the Martin Luther King holiday.