by Hunter Dawkins
Shortly after moving the board agenda to the front of the items, the Harrison County Board of Supervisors (BOS) unanimously approved three orders concurring resolutions that the Harrison County Development Commission would be:
- authorizing the expenditure of just over $280,000 to perform dredge work at the situation basin in the Bernard Bayou industrial district
- approving the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) about the purchase & sale agreement, and the special warranty deed of property owned by the county located in the North Harrison County Industrial Complex
- approving the purchase & sale agreement with SAAD Development Corp regarding a property owned by the county in the Bernard Bayou industrial district
Once these were accepted, the BOS President Angel Kibler-Middleton recognized October as the Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Kibler-Middleton gave a few guests to address the board and presented a certificate.
Following this proclamation, the BOS heard an auto damage claim from a county resident, which the Board sent to the meeting next week in Biloxi due to the lack of evidence.
Sheriff Troy Peterson addressed the order placed on the agenda involving the funds received from the State Department of Finance and Administration. According to Peterson and a few officials from the State Legislature, Harrison County Law Enforcement would be receiving an amount of $800,000 directed from the legislature in the recent special session. These funds were divided from the Gulf Coast obtaining 75% of the total BP Funds, which were signed into law by Governor Phil Bryant on September 5. This disbursement was divided into $111 million dollars that went to numerous projects across the state.
As placed on the Board agenda, this order would authorize the MOU for building a Harrison County Law Enforcement Training Academy, which the money was given for. Sheriff Peterson answered several questions including sound proof in the training center, where he responded that there would be a “decimal system put into place,” but continuing “this would become a regional training facility.”
Although a few supervisors questioned the location, Peterson stated that change could be made. “This would be Phase I completed and more questions down the line would be beneficial for the next phase,” said Peterson. After the deliberation closed, the board unanimously approved.
In other actions, the BOS President Kibler-Middleton discussed State approved electronic bidding service providers but decided to push this to the next meeting to gather information about reverse auction software. There was dialogue about the potential of this becoming a bid way, but the BOS decided to not continue the conversation.
The Supervisors unanimously acknowledged the receipt of delinquent personal property taxes for 2017 from the tax collector’s office and on the file from Harrison County Chancery Clerk, John McAdams.
Finally, three payments were approved by the BOS to:
- approve application No. 6, $2562.05 to MillerCo for Generator Preventive Maintenance Contract
- Patrick Martino, PLS Inc, $3350 for Topographic Survey prior to dredging within Young’s Bayou Tideland Project (to determine the amount of material removed)
- Covington Civil & Environmental, LLC, $4750 for permitting services to Young’s Bayou Tidelands Project
Supervisor District 5 Connie Rocko raised questions about this dredge project followed by Kibler-Middleton asking “why now?” County Engineer Daniel R. Boudreaux, Jr. answered that it takes roughly 2 years before the dredge project can go into effect and that Tidelands funds don’t come soon very often.
District 3 Supervisor Marlin Ladner was absent and the next meeting is set for next Monday at the Biloxi Courthouse at 9am.
