Supervisors amend debris removal contracts once again (4-6-2026)
Seated left to right:
- Chandler Rogers – Board attorney
- Terry Johnson – County Administrator
- Annette Hickey – Chancery Clerk
- C. J. Bright -3rd District Supervisor
- Steve Watson – 5th District Supervisor
- Chad Coffey – 2nd District Supervisor
- Sam Taylor – 1st District Supervisor
- Randy Owen – 4th District Supervisor
You can view the agenda here (page 1 and page 2) and watch a 40 minute video of meeting below, courtesy of our videographer Kim Davis.
Private property cleanup
(Timestamp 1:55) – The first item addressed was a petition to clean up the private property of Mr. Billy W. Cornett. Board attorney Chandler Rogers explained that owners of property adjoining Mr. Cornett’s had submitted this request. The property is located in Supervisor Randy Owen’s district. Mr. Owen explained that there was no one living on the property, but there is a mobile home in poor condition, several defunct vehicles and appliances scattered around. Mr. Rogers explained that in cases where a property is in such a state and poses hazards to neighboring properties, the county may clean it up. The county will have to advertise in the local paper and give notice to the landowner. The cost of the cleanup will then be assessed to the landowner. The board voted to begin the process.
New doors for Chancery Building
(Timestamp 4:00 – 8:05) Agenda items 1c-1h were approved. (8:10) The board then discussed quotes for work on the outside doors of the Chancery Building. These doors must meet certain requirements including compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. One quote was from Southern Industries Glass in Oxford for $12,775 and the second was from Wright Glass & Aluminum in New Albany for $15,299. The board accepted the lower quote from Southern Industries.
Board amends storm debris removal agreements
(Timestamp 9:20) The board discussed raising the caps on emergency agreements with Looks Great and Debris Tech. Looks Great was contracted on an emergency basis to clean up debris and after the ice storm earlier this year. Debris Tech monitors the cleanup to comply with FEMA requirements for later reimbursement.
Looks Great currently has a $10 million cap and County Administrator Terry Johnson said they currently had invoices for $6,509,825. Emergency Management Director Kurt Clayton said that as of the Friday before the meeting, Looks Great had performed over $9 million worth of work.
Clayton and Johnson said that a new contract will be in effect as of April 20 (based on proposals later addressed in this meeting). However, the crews will soon start work on cleanup on state highways which will be expensive. The board agreed to raise the cap for Looks Great’s services to $15 million.
(Timestamp 13:15) The board then discussed increasing the cap for emergency debris removal monitoring services with Debris Tech. The existing cap on the contract with Debris Tech was $1.5 million. The board approved raising the cap to $2 million. There will also be a new contract to take over these services (effective April 20).
Consideration of new contract proposals for debris clean-up had to be postponed.
Hwy 30 West Water association
The board approved resolutions and letters to apply for a community development block grant for the Hwy 30 West Water Association. As part of that project, the board also approved letters to the Muskogee, Coushatta, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Alabama-Coushatta tribes notifying them of the project. The federal government requires assessment of the project area to determine whether there will be any impact to sites of cultural significance to Native tribes.
Other business
Circuit Court, County Engineer, Emergency Management and Inventory Clerk items were swiftly approved. The board postponed discussion of quotes for purchasing trailers for the Road Department, taken under advisement at the previous meeting. (Timestamp 25:40) 36 inch by 30 foot culverts $2956.20 from G&O Supply and the second quote was for $3028.50. The second quote was for 30 inch culverts from G&O Supply for $2473 and the second quote from $2534. The board accepted the G&O bids for both purchases. The board also approved continuing a contract with ChemPro for $30,815.
(Timestamp 30:33) Sheriff Jimmy Edwards explained that K-9 Deputy Caesar had developed a tumor and needed to be put to sleep. Edwards said Caesar was one of the best K-9 Deputies he’d ever had.
(Timestamp 35:25) The board examined two quotes for the purchase of two drones for the Sheriff’s office. The first quote was for $20,532 and the second was for $20,688. The lower bid was accepted.
Other items on the agenda were swiftly approved before the board adjourned to executive session. The board will reconvene Monday, April 20, 2026.
