Burnside gets precinct back

Voters in the Burnside community will return to their original polling place at Burnside Park for future elections.

The Burnside Auditorium served as the community’s voting precinct for years but was relocated to the Neshoba County Coliseum in 2019 due to the building being in disrepair. 

After numerous requests from Burnside poll workers and residents, the Board of Supervisors, during their regular meeting on Monday, approved moving the precinct back to the newly renovated Burnside Auditorium.

“Since the renovated facility meets all requirements for a voting precinct, the Board is pleased to make the change and move the precinct back to its original location,” said County Administrator Jeff Mayo.

At the same meeting, supervisors opened bids from three engineering and architectural firms—Davis Purdy Architects PLLC, JH&H Architects, and Allen & Hoshall—for the new $312,000 restroom project at Burnside. The proposals will be evaluated by a committee based on specific scoring criteria.

Officials said the committee will negotiate a price for the project’s scope of work with the highest-ranked firm and present a recommendation at the next Board meeting. If an agreement cannot be reached, negotiations will proceed with the second-ranked firm.

Supervisors also officially approved relocating the Pearl River precinct from the Pearl River Gym to the Pearl River COVID Emergency Response Facility on Industrial Road. 

The change was necessary due to ongoing maintenance at the recreation gym, which was unavailable for the 2024 general election in November.

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians constructed CERF buildings in all nine Tribal communities two years ago after obtaining COVID-related recovery funds.

In other business, supervisors voted to:

• Approve a garnishment of $1,044 to be paid by Colton Lewis to the U.S. Department of Treasury;

• Accept two notices of attachments from the Department of Revenue of $353 to be paid by Brittney Lewis and $50 to be paid by Shundrell Clemons;

• Approved hiring mechanic William Cole with the Road Department at $20 an hour, effective Nov. 25;

• Approved paying MS Chancery Clerk’s Association Dues for 2025 for $1,500;

• Approved a Neshoba County school bus turnaround at 10105 Road 418;

• Approved a letter of support for Philadelphia Transit to seek a grant from the MS Department of Transportation;

• Approved a resolution to endorse and support the Vision Neshoba Master Plan. 

• Approved paying Leflore County Juvenile Detention Center $5,662 for juvenile housing in 2022;

• Approved paying the National Association of Counties dues for 2025 for $582;

• Approved re-appointing Dale Joyner to the Neshoba County General Hospital and Nursing Home Board of Trustees for District 1. Joyner’s term will begin on Jan. 1, 2025, and expire on Dec. 31, 2029;

• Approved re-appointing David Byars to the East Central Community College Board of Trustees for District 3. Byars’ term will begin on Jan. 1, 2025, and expire on Dec. 31, 2029.