County board hears from organizations it helps fund, receives bids for road projects in all five county districts

The Union County Supervisors heard presentations from representatives of two organizations partially funded by county taxpayers and conducted routine business at its May 16^th meeting.

Ricky Ford, president of Northeast Mississippi Community College (NEMCC), made his annual brief appearance before the board. NEMCC, like most of the state’s community colleges, receives county funding through taxpayer funded scholarships. Union County taxpayers also help fund NEMCC through an annual appropriation. Ford was asked about the promised vocational education building at NEMCC’s New Albany campus. The board was told a few years ago that the building was planned by the state community college board. Ford’s response: “We’re still working on it.” He offered no specifics and no board member pressed him on the question.

Robby Parman, director of the Regional Rehab Center (RRC) in Tupelo, also gave his annual report to the board about the work RRC does in providing mental health and educational services without charging fees to a wide variety of persons. Union County makes an annual appropriation to fund the work of the RRC. Parman said RRC had provided free services to over 1,300 individuals during the past year. Parman was accompanied by Donna Treadaway, a Union County businesswoman, who is a board member of RRC. She also spoke briefly.

In other business, Amber Pickens and Pam Toler of Child Protective Services, appeared before the board to complain about a rat infestation at the Family Services Building on Highway 348 in the eastern part of New Albany. They said they regularly found rat feces throughout the building. County Board Attorney Chandler Rogers said he would speak with the building owner.

The board appointed Billye Jean Stroud to the board of the newly created Tallahatchie River Commission (TRC). State Representative Sam Creekmore IV was among the principal sponsors of the bill creating the commission that was passed during the recent session of the state legislature. The TRC is to encourage development of tourism and economically beneficial activities along the river.

The board received bids on state aid road projects. Murphy Paving Company submitted the only bids. Total amount of the bids was slightly more than three million dollars. Union County will have to match the money received from the state on the road work. The money for road work will be for paving and other improvements, with the funds being evenly distributed over the five county supervisory districts.

The board also transacted routine business, such as paying fees due to county officials and approving personnel changes.

The next meeting of the Union County Board of Supervisors will be at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 6.