Winston Co Supervisors Contend with Long Agenda on Monday

 The Winston County Supervisors met on Monday morning and dealt with multiple issues in addition to typical county business. Here are the  highlights:

• Heard from Jimmy Kemp of Kemp & Associates concerning several highway  & bridge issues including the closure of the road from the north end of Sims Road to Hwy 25 for a period of 3-4 months for road work. The closure should begin sometime within the next two weeks.
• Warden Tim Palmer of the Winston County Correctional Facility (WCCF) presented several personnel issues to the Board and included an overtime report. The report indicated that WCCF had incurred 8565 hours of overtime at a cost of approximately $138,000 in the last calendar year.  Security & gender reqirements often dictated overtime needs. Board President Larry Duran questioned whether it wouldn't simply be less expensive to hire more personnel rather than pay overtime. Palmer indicated that he was looking at a plan to hire 2 additional security personnel for night shifts which should cut overtime costs. He did indicate that there was no way to completely eliminate overtime.
• Gerald Mills from Economic Development brought several issues before the Board including:  the Teeters lease and the Rural Impact Grant to repair the roof at the facility. The lease has been signed but must be sent to Teeters for further signature before the grant can be pursued further. A ribbon cutting is planned for March 30 to recognize the lease and the additional jobs brought by the company.  ** Informed the Board that MDOT representatives would be looking at the highway project through the Refuge areas (Bluff Lake area) later this month to determine if it qualifies as part of the "Scenic Byways" program. This program  helps protect the area from commercialization, advertising signs, etc. and promotes the area for tourist activity.  ** Mills also discussed the agenda for the ECO/DEVO trip to Washington, D.C. Included are the completion of highway projects,  a visit to ARC to consider funding for a rural health clinic to be located in Noxapater and a review of rail issues. Supervisor Parkes requested that the group also look into the funding issue related to the re-signage requirement for all county roads by 2015. The U.S. Department of Transportation issued the requirement but provided no means to fund the project. Projects indicate that every sign will have to be replaced, every 5 years at a cost of roughly $150/sign. ** Mills also indicated that new contracts with POLO could likely create 15-20 new jobs at the facility by this summer.
• Appoved school bus turnarounds in District 1 and District 5.
• Heard from several parties concerning personnel issues and the governing body of Dean Park.  Supervisors indicated that once Commissioners of the park are appointed, the day to day operation of the park was the responsibility of that commission. They did however agree to talk to Dean Park Commission members and request that any personnel issues be dealt with by the full commission. The Park's commission is attempting to replace Lawrence Estes as the caretaker of the facility and several members of the public expressed concern citing Estes' background in law enforcement as an asset to reduce problems at the facility.
• Approved an array of repairs to the DHS building.
• Approved a one year tax exemption for Grayson Blu, LLC.
• Heard from Norris Thompson concerning a residence built through  GTPD funding that was actually built on the wrong property. Thompson indicated that  the house was built several years ago and tax mapping indicates that it was actualy built on his property. The Board determined that it could not intervene and that it was a legal civil issue between the parties. Thompson was informed that a tax map would not be sufficient to indicate ownership and that a survey would likely be required.
• Dealt with several department head issues, purchases and contracts.
• The Board went into executive session to meet with MEMA officials concerning requirements and issues for a new EMS director for the county upon the retirement of current director, Clarence Kelly.

The next Board meeting is scheduled for 9 am on March 19.

The above is not the full agenda of the meeting but covers those items that do not necesarily represent normal business operations or are of significant public interest. The full agenda is available in the Chancery Clerk's Office. The approved minutes of any meeting are available after approval in the next scheduled meeting.

William McCully