Road department employees designated first responders

County Road Department employees will be designated as first responders under a request the Board of Supervisors will make to the state Legislature in January.

Road Manager Eddie Posey, in cooperation with the Mississippi Road Manager’s Association, presented a resolution asking supervisors to ask the Legislature to designate county Road Department employees as first responders in addition to primary emergency services personnel. 

As Posey explained, Road Department personnel often provide immediate responses to various emergencies and disasters.

“Regardless if it is a tornado, a tree down, or flooding, county Road Department employees respond to work to clear the hazard, assist emergency services personnel, or get the road passable,” he said. “Our employees respond all hours of the day or night to ensure that county roadways are safe for the traveling public.”

Supervisors unanimously approved the resolution to be presented to the Mississippi Legislature during the upcoming session.

Additionally, Philadelphia Transit made a presentation to the board requesting local and private legislation that would allow the supervisors to donate an amount each fiscal year of up to $10,000 in support of the public transportation service.

The county is currently authorized to donate $5,000 in support for providing the needed transportation services throughout the community.

In the last fiscal year, Philadelphia Transit provided transportation for over 14,800 Neshoba County residents, PT officials told supervisors.

The board will consider the resolution to be drafted at their next meeting for submission to the Legislature.

In other action, supervisors voted to:

• Approve insurance settlement for the McCoy vs. Rush/Sheriff’s Department/Neshoba County claim in the amount of $475,000 where 13-year-old Cullen McCoy was seriously injured when a convicted felon being pursued by law enforcement ran through the family home at the end of Poplar Avenue in January 2022;

• Approve acquisition of two Dodge Durango SUVs for the Sheriff’s Department using ARPA funds totaling $79,000 via state contract and vehicle equipment for same using insurance proceeds from a totaled SUV;

• Approve to advertise for cell phone bids for deputies. Any expense over $5,000 and under $75,000 requires the county to obtain two quotes for services and expenses. Over $75,000 requires the county to advertise for competitive bids;

• Approve Sheriff Eric Clark to be designated Secondary Signatory Official for the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety DUI grant;

• Approve paying Neshoba General $57,483 for the October Inmate Feeding Bill;

• Approve discontinuing the countywide Burn Ban effective midnight on Nov. 21;

• Approve closure of Road 1137 beyond 0.6 miles as petitioned;

• Approve permit request for MaxxSouth Broadband to run fiber optic cable along County Road 773;

• Approve the appointment of Jack Foster as Deputy Coroner effective Dec. 1 and approve travel request for Foster and Coroner-elect Myron Williams to attend a certification conference in Jackson from Dec. 11-15;

• Approve course fee and travel request for Heather Talbert, Olivia Talbert, Andrea Slaton, and Jerry Davidson to attend Suicide Prevention Class from Nov. 29-30 at Richland Training Academy for 9-1-1 continuing certification;

• Approve travel for supervisors to attend the MAS Mid-Winter conference at the Sheraton Refuge Hotel from Jan. 23-25;

• Approve CPC Philadelphia’s request to use the courthouse grounds for the Sanctity of Live Event on Jan. 21 from 2-3 p.m.