by Hunter Dawkins
Following a unanimously approved auto accident claim to the Harrison County Board of Supervisors (BOS) Monday morning, a discussion about the Intraplex Park area of the Bernard Bayou Industrial District in Gulfport consumed a good portion of the meeting.
In the freshly constructed new facility at the Harrison County Courthouse in Gulfport, the county development commission Executive Director, Bill Lavers stepped forward to explain the City of Gulfport request to the BOS about the pavement plan for the Intraplex Park and their lack of revenue.
District 3 Supervisor and President of the Harrison County BOS; Dr. Marlin Ladner, expressed to Lavers of not believing Gulfport had no money, but his experience demonstrated the city having limited resources. “This goes back to annexation,” stated Dr. Ladner. “We (BOS) are not gonna assume total responsibility.” Lavers went on to mention a difficult relationship with finding an agreement from Gulfport.
“Can you de-annex?” said District 2 Supervisor Angel Kibler Middleton in posing a question to Harrison County Board Attorney Tim Holleman. “The City of Gulfport can’t provide evidence that they’ve put money in any roads.”
After the deliberation concluded with no action taken, two derelict properties were reviewed from the request by the Harrison County Zoning Administrator to take immediate action for a public health and safety concern. The first property was the property of Stuart and Pamela Waltman in the north county section of Pass Christian, which has been talked about since after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 for the need to clean the property.
One complaint was issued to the BOS from a neighbor about the property and photos were distributed of the property from the roads. Waltman came forward to disclose health problems and other medical concerns of why the location was chain-linked and their was a lack of cleanup.
Once Ladner told Waltman of the frustration of the community and the county employees attempt to communicate, the BOS voted to give Waltman 30 days before the county employees will go review a sincere cleanup. If not, according to Ladner, the cost of cleanup from the county will be assessed to Waltman through property taxes. The same rule was adopted for the next property of John L. Godwin of East Wortham Road in Gulfport.
In other action by the Harrison County BOS, an order authorizing Dr. Ladner to execute the Cooperative Agreement with the Mississippi Development of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) for the Solid Waste Assistance Grant SW1188 in the amount of $25,086 for the Household Hazardous Waste site was unanimously approved.
An interesting executed agreement between the Harrison County Republican Executive Committee and county Election Commission to conduct the 2019 Republican Primary and Run-Off Elections was unanimously passed by the BOS.
Finally, the Harrison County BOS unanimously approved the estimated budget for site work to be performed by the county road department at the emergency communications building, the Interlocal Governmental Cooperation Agreement between the city of Pass Christian and county for the replacement of Clark Avenue Bridge, and approving another classification of 16th Section Lease Agreement between the Pass Christian School District and Harrison County for 3.4 acres.
The Long Beach Water Management District had two $1200 checks authorized to Valbridge Property Advisors for Canal 1 Appraisals, a $6777.89 check to Covington Civil & Environmental, LLC for Work Authorization of No. 14 Canal 2/3 Maintenance Project, another $21,933.39 check to ACAD, LLC for the final pay application of No.2 Canal 2/3 Maintenance Project/28th Street to Turkey Creek in Gulfport, and the final $6678.85 check to Dukes, Dukes, Keating & Faneca, PA for retainer fees.
Additionally, three board members of the Long Beach Water Management District were paid for their attendance of the March 21 meeting.
Harrison County Sheriff Troy Peterson reported 808 total individuals under housing in the county jail facility along with 57 federal inmates. The sheriff spoke of two separate events in other states during the annual spring break in a few weeks, indicating a potential drop in foot traffic, but the same preparation.
District 5 Supervisor and Vice President of the BOS; Connie Rocko, was absent at this meeting.
