Supervisors hear plan for collecting past due fines 

A proposed method for collecting delinquent fines levied by Union County Justice Court Judges was the top item on the agenda of the Board of Supervisors Monday.

Debra Sivira, of American Municipal Services, had offered her company’s services to Union County Justice Court, and  Justice Court Clerk Larissa Edward directed Sivira to the Union County Board of Supervisors, which has the authority to make decisions in such matters.

Sivira’s presentation essentially told the board that American Municipal Services is a specialized  collection agency, which tries to collects past-due fines that the courts are not able to collect on their own. Justice Courts are constrained by Mississippi statutes from the kind of aggressive pursuit of bad debts which can be undertaken by private collection agencies. Sivira said her company would add a 25% surcharge to the fine owed, and that  money would compensate American Municipal for its services when past-due fines are collected.

The board deferred any action on Sivira’s proposal until it could discuss it with Judge Bruno Garrison and Judge Chris Childers of the Justice Court.

The supervisors approved seven employment recommendations by Sheriff Jimmy Edwards for his office including:

Derek Scott and Christopher Swords employed full-time as a Sheriff’s Deputies.

Avery Adair employed full-time as a Lieutenant in the Sheriff’s Department.

Gary Gray and Steven Prewitt,employed full-time as Sergeants in the Sheriff’s Department.

Brett Wicker employed full-time in the Sheriff’s Department as an Investigator.

Steve Garrison employed full-time by the Sheriff as School Resource Officer.

Wesley Bell of Three Rivers Planning and Development District asked the board to approve payments owed on the Emerald plant project to Three Rivers for administrative services, to ESI for engineering work, and to Ganger for construction work at the plant site.

The Board of Supervisors approved its minutes and claims docket for February.

The board accepted and approved a quote for culverts.

The meeting was recessed until 10 a.m. on Monday, March 14th.