Supervisors Make Appointments As New Term Starts

Supervisors Make Appointments As New Term Starts

By David Howell

Editor

COFFEEVILLE – Yalobusha supervisors started the new year and new term Monday, making multiple appointments for various county positions.  First on the agenda was the selection of a new board president and District 1 Cayce Washington was  selected to lead the board, following a motion by District 5 Supervisor Gaylon Gray. 

Next District 4 Supervisor Timothy Booker was elected as vice-president following a second motion by Gray. Both votes were unanimous for the new leaders.

After approving the minutes from two December meetings, the group – four new supervisors – Washing-ton, District 2 Supervisor Kenneth Rogers, Gray and Booker; and incumbent District 3 Supervisor Lee McMinn – made additional appointments for various positions starting with the board attorney.

Washington recommended rehiring John Crow, citing that other supervisors had expressed similar sentiment prior to Monday’s meeting. Prior to another unanimous vote, Crow explained that the hiring would actually be for his firm, Crow Martin, LLC, a change made several years earlier after he started drawing state retirement.

“This will be the law firm, I draw my retirement so the firm has to do it, which the law allows,” Crow explained. He also said the board attorney is hired annually and not every four years, unlike the other appointments made Monday. 

“We are proud to keep you on, Mr. Crow,” Washington said following the vote.

“I am going to advise you what the code says about your authority. I am not going to tell you how to vote,” Crow explained, adding that he doesn’t take sides on issues. Crow also explained his rate of pay would be the same as a supervisor, just under $35,000 annually, plus $140 per hour for work outside the normal scope of his duties which could include right-of-way work on state-aid bridge projects, litigation or some other matters.

Next on the agenda was the employment of county engineer and flood plain manager, and Karl Grubb was rehired to fill the positions in another unanimous vote. Grubb, who is employed by Willis Engineering, has served as the county’s engineer since 2012.

Next was the purchasing clerk, and supervisors opted to retain Bonnie Hill in this position. Hill was hired in late 2015, following the resignation of long-time purchasing clerk Janet Caulder, who stepped down after she was elected as District 1 Justice Court Judge. Hill’s pay will remain $2,650 per month.

Following the vote for Hill’s employment, supervisors accepted the recommendation from Hill to keep Melissa Ayers as assistant purchasing clerk. Also noted at the meeting was Ayers would continue to juggle duties as assistant purchasing clerk and deputy justice court clerk at a rate of $12 per hour.

Next supervisors employed Chancery Clerk Amy McMinn as inventory clerk, a job that comes with a supplement of $9,000 annually.  McMinn told supervisors she has served as inventory clerk since taking office, and the previous chancery clerk also fulfilled the role.

The list of rehires continued with the decision to retain Donna Massey as receiving clerk and garbage clerk at a rate of $2,100 per month. Frank Hyde’s employment also continued for the multiple roles he performs in the county – EMA Director and 911 coordinator, fire coordinator and fire marshal. Hyde’s salary will remain $3433.33 monthly.

Next on the agenda was the appointment of Steve Cummings to serve as a member of the Northwest Community College (NWCC) Board members for a five-year term. Cummings was initially selected as one of the county’s two appointees last year, filling the remaining months in the term of Mary Alice Moorman following her death.

Arcola Hughes was then appointed as a director for the Mississippi Skuna Valley Rails To Trails Recreational District for a four-year term. Hughes was also initially appointed last year to fill the remaining portion of a term vacated by Gaylon Gray. Yalobusha County shares ownership with Calhoun County for the 21-mile abandoned railroad corridor that stretches from Coffeeville to Bruce. 

Other business conducted at Monday’s meeting included:

• Took bids for the sale of the county’s voting machines under advisement. ES&S agreed to pay $7,500 for the current  machines as part of an agreement for the county to purchase new voting machines from the company at a cost of $74,100, plus other fees. The bid was taken under advisement as county officials work out the transition from the current machines to the new machines. Circuit Clerk Daryl Burney reported he will not use the new voting machines until after the March primary election scheduled March 8.

• Approved the travel request for Justice Court Clerk Carol Wilbourn and deputy clerk Melissa Ayers to attend the Justice Court Winter Conference in Olive Branch. Wilbourn also received board approval to close the justice court office Feb. 18 and 19 while they are attending the conference.  After discussion, Washington recommended the office closure be advertised to alert the citizens of the county.

• Hired Mack Dudley and Russell Calder to work in District 4. Both men will earn $2,100 per month. Calder formerly worked in District 5.

• Hired Eric Riley to work in District 2 at a rate of $2,050 per month.

• Acknowledged a report from the Mississippi Depart-ment of Environment Quality on the county’s rubbish landfill by spreading it on the board minutes. The report indicated the landfill had no environmental issues.

• Made homestead corrections for Gloria Robbins and James M. Colson, III. Tax Assessor/Collector Linda Shuffield reported both had turned 65 before Jan. 1, 2015, but had failed to update their information. A similar correction was made for reason of disability for the following people – James B. Pierce, Lee Wichelins, Benny R. Fulwood, Jodie Burks, Dorothy Jenkins, Charles Ivy, Jannette E. Martin and Joseph W. Pullen.

• Authorized Bill McMinn to attend the Solid Waste Enforcement Officer’s training in Flowood on Feb. 18.

• Authorized newly elected Justice Court Judge Janet Caulder to use an office in the Coffeeville Courthouse that is currently used for storage for the tax assessor’s office.

• Entered executive session to discuss a personnel matter.