Lamar County supervisors consider firefighter program

The Lamar County Board of Supervisors is concerned about having money available to fund a volunteer firefighter reward system based on training and experience designed to recruit and retain personnel.

Ed Holohan of Penflex addressed board members Monday morning during a meeting at the William J. “Pete” Gamble III Chancery Courthouse in Purvis. Representing the Length of Service Award Program, he compared the program to a 401(k) plan where the firefighters would benefit from the amount that is allocated.

“Funds made available are put into an account, and the individual volunteer under a point system earns credits for taking training courses, responding to calls and things like that,” he said. “For the volunteer that earns enough points, he or she gets credit for that year. That means he or she gets a share of the contribution for that year.”

After seven years of service, the volunteer is vested in the system. At 60 years old, the account is paid out to the volunteer.

Lamar County Fire Coordinator George Stevens said the program is successful.

“I know the plan works,” he said. “All this is tried and true.”

However, District 5 Supervisor Dale Lucus said he was concerned about having enough money for the allocation.

“I think we should take it under advisement,” he said. “I worry about how this will affect the budget. … I think something needs to be accounted for. I just think it’s three months too early to be thinking about this; we should consider this during budget time.”

District 4 Supervisor Phillip Carlisle made a motion to approve the program, which was second by Byrd. However, Byrd later withdrew his second and the motion died. A second motion to take the matter under advisement passed.

In other action Monday, the Board of Supervisors:

• Issued a proclamation honoring Morgan Anderson of Purvis, Miss Jr. Teen Mississippi United States.
• Issued a proclamation Honoring National Police Week.
• Heard from John Monroe, District Director Lamar County Conservation District, who introduced the Lamar County NRCS representative, Porshe Jackson.
• Approved the April 19, 2018 Board Minutes.
• Family Medical Leave Request for Jonathan Bolar, South Road to begin May 3, 2018.
• Approved the Culvert Report.
• Approved the Form 2 Report.
• ordered publication of proceedings.
• Approved the April 2018 End of the Month Docket.
• Approved paying the May 2018 Claims Docket as submitted in accordance with Miss Code
• Approved paying the May 2018 monthly civil and criminal claims for constables as submitted.
• received and entered clerk’s report of receipts and expenditures from the preceding calendar month.
• received and entered sheriff’s report of expenditures incurred during the preceding calendar month.
• received and entered tax assessor/collector’s report of expenditures incurred during the preceding calendar month.
• Approved advertising county resources for $1,000 for sponsorship of SumraIl Development Foundation to be paid from D5 Parks and Recreation.
• Approved paying the lawful expenses of Tommy Jones and Jerry Shelby to attend the Mississippi Damage Prevention Summit, Nov. 6-9, 2018 in Biloxi.
• Approval paying for George Stevens, Fire Coordinator, to pay the Comcast bill amount of $506.32 for Beaver Lake Fire Department and then to be reimbursed from Fund 113-252.
• Approved a finding to approve Drug Testing Program Management as a sole source provider of drug testing kits for Drug Court for FY 2018. Circuit Court Order attached.
• Approved accepting the donation of one Police Service Dog from K-9 Evolutions, LLC. The donation has a value of $10,000.
• Approved paying lawful expenses of Sheriff Danny Rigel to attend the Summer Sheriff’s Conference in Biloxi, MS June 4 thru 8, 2018.
• Approved paying lawful expenses of Correctional Officers Nancy Dykes and Austin Miller to attend Correctional Officers Certification School in Laurel May 7-25.
• Approved paying lawful expenses of Investigators Lance Emfinger and Jack Rayner to attend the Polygraph Examiner Seminar in Biloxi July 9-11.
• Approval for Sheriff Danny Rigel to sign the Advert Group, USA Agreement.
• Approved paying the lawful expenses for Johnny Elliot to attend the National Volunteer Fire Council Training Summit June 1-2 in Concord, N.C.
• Approved paying lawful expenses for George Stevens to attend the National Volunteer Fire Council fall Conference in Bismarck ND Sept. 19-21.
• Approved Interlocal Agreement with The University of Southern Mississippi.
• Approved the asset deletion list and disposed of.
• Approved changes in Assessments as submitted by the Tax Collector/Assessor.
• Approved changes in Homestead as submitted by the Tax Collector/Assessor.
• Approval to surrender old vehicle tags as submitted by the Tax Collector/Assessor.
• Approved rescinding a previous Board Order, item M3 on the Jan. 18, 2018 agenda, updating the zoning map to change PPIN 530 to RE/Residential Estate.
• Approved releasing the Letter of Credit, No. LOC312, for Peoples Bank for $20,000 in accordance with the agreement between Lamar County Board of Supervisors and Peoples Bank.
• Approved a conditional use in order to place a manufactured home on property located at 6 K. Smith Road.
• changed the Land Use Classification from Residential Estate to Restricted Commercial.
• changed the Zoning of the property from RE/Residential Estate to C-l/Restricted Commercial. The property is located at 1157 Carter Circle in Supervisor’s District 1.
• changed the Land Use Classification from Light Manufacturing/Warehousing to Major Thoroughfares Commercial. The property is located at 2059 Oak Grove Road in Supervisor’s District 1.
• changed the Zoning of the property from I-1/Light Industrial to C-3/Highway Commercial. The property is located at 2059 Oak Grove Road in Supervisor’s District 1.
• changed the Zoning of the property from C-3/Highway Commercial to I-1/Light Industrial. The property is located off Power Lane in District 4.
• changed the Zoning from C-3/Highway Commercial to I-1/Light Industrial. The properties are located off Power Lane and U.S. Highway 98 in District 4.
• Approved setting the speed limit at 25 mph in Heatherwood Subdivision per recommendation of the Road Manager.
• Approved extending a listing public road named Horace Jenkins Road in District 2 by 1,450 feet.
• Approved purchasing an additional new tandem axle dump truck from Burroughs Companies for $134,450. The Board received and entered the bid to purchase one or more new dump trucks on Jan. 18.
• Approved $250 sponsorship for Morgan Anderson, Miss Jr. Teen Mississippi United States.
• Approved advertising county resources for $2,500 for sponsorship of Relay For Life.
• Approved advertising county resources for $100 for sponsorship of the Forrest-Lamar Chapter Pearl River Community College Golf Tournament.
• Approved that Southeast Battalion Chief Johnny Elliot has been awarded a $500.00 scholarship to offset travel expenses as well as a waiver of registration fees to attend the National Volunteer Fire Council (Training Summit June 1-2 in Concord, N.C.
• accepted an existing private road for County maintenance in District 5. The name of the road will be Dot Otis Lane.

The next meeting will be at 9 a.m. May 24 in Purvis.