Rental Policy Is Updated At Multi-purpose Building
By David Howell
Editor
WATER VALLEY – Yalobusha supervisors approved an updated renters’ policy for the county-owned Multi-purpose Building at Monday’s board meeting.
The move came after County Extension Director Steve Cummings advised county officials that the regulations governing the rental of the county-owned Multi-purpose Building needed to be “tightened.”
“There have been some birthday parties that have been more than birthday parties,” Cummings told supervisors during an April 19 meeting.
The revised policy requires the renter to pay a deposit and leave a copy of their driver’s license with building personnel, in an attempt to have the facility properly cleaned following any event.
The renter is also held responsible for the actions of all persons who attend the event for which the facility is rented. Rental fees were also increased for use of the facility.
Following approval of the revised rental policy, supervisors also discussed fees for use of camper hookups soon to be installed at the Multi-purpose Building.
Installing camper hook-ups have been a lingering topic at board meetings after horse rigs and campers attending horse shows at the facility were using electricity from the county.
This resulted in expensive electricity bills, prompting supervisors to install hookups allowing a daily fee to be charged to users.
Purchasing clerk Janet Caulder told supervisors that work would soon be underway to install seven hookups at the facility using inmate labor.
“Are we making money when we rent them?” District Three Supervisor M.H. “Butch” Surrette asked?
“That’s our hope,” Caulder reported. She also told supervisors the hookups could be used during other activities in the county.
Other business discussed at the June 7 meeting included:
• Discussed options to repair the portion of the geothermal heating and cooling unit that serves the third floor, southern portion of the Water Valley Courthouse. This area encompasses three offices including the judge’s chambers.
Caulder presented two options to repair the geothermal unit, one for $8,890 or a second option for $10,820.
“I think we are feeling the effects of the lowest and best bid when purchasing units for the courthouse,” Chancery Clerk Amy McMinn explained, referring to the state purchasing law. She said the unit has been problematic.
“Be cheaper to put a window unit in there,” District One Supervisor Tommy Vaughn said.
“Yea, that is what I am for. Then you would not have to fool with geothermal,” Surrette agreed. “Put one in there, a big one.”
“The last time we had a window unit sticking out of the courthouse, I got some comments about it,” McMinn told supervisors.
“You get some comments about (spending) $8,000,” Vaughn said.
“We may go with the window unit temporarily, We got a lot invested here for sticking a window unit in,” District Five Supervisor Frank “Bubba” Tillman added.
Supervisors agreed to assess the situation before making a final decision.
• Granted a request to reimburse money from a prepaid garbage bill for Nell Cox. She requested the reimbursement after moving out of the county.
• Approved an application from Patrick Davis to exceed the posted weight limit on County Road 215 while logging in District 1.
• Approved the claims.
• Approved a travel request for Linda Shuffield to attend the Mississippi Assessor/Collector Confer-ence for three nights in July. The conference will be held at the Hollywood Casino at Bay St. Louis.
• Approved travel ex-penses for Daryl Burney to attend Circuit Clerk Convention for three days in July. The convention will be held at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi.
• Received an update from George Rowland, director of the USDA Natural Resources and Conservation Service. Rowland serves as coordinator for the 10-county North Central Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D).
Rowland explained the duties of his department and also informed supervisors that they needed to appoint a board member to the 10-county council.
• Voted to enter executive session twice, once early in the meeting to receive an update on several industrial prospects with Yalobusha County Economic Development Director Bob Tyler, and at the end of the meeting to discuss the bridge project on County Road 131 on Turkey Creek.
