Supervisors receive update on bridge funding; set date to discuss garbage collection
During Wednesday’s meeting of the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors, County Engineer Les Dungan expanded on the good news the county had received the day before on the approval of all four projects submitted by the county to the state for a total of approximately $3.1 million.
The funds will come from the Emergency Road and Bridge Repair Fund was created by the Mississippi Infrastructure Modernization Act (MIMA) of 2018, which was signed into law during the 2018 Special Legislative Session. It authorized issuance of up to $250 million in bonds to repair public roads and bridges in the state.
Dungan thanked the state legislators from Pearl River County for their work to bring this funding to the county
Dungan pointed out that statewide,690 projects were submitted for funding with only 160 being approved. Those approved in Pearl River County were:
[if !supportLists]· Progress ‐ Silver Run $ 1,167,500.00 for two bridges
[if !supportLists]· [endif]McNeill Steephollow Road $ 876,250.00 for the bridge that is currently utilizing two tank car culverts for support infrastructure
[if !supportLists]· [endif]McNeill McHenry Road $ 613,750.00 for a bridge on Wolf River
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Troy Dedeaux Road $ 447,625.00 for the bridge which is on a dead end road which causes a one way in / one way out for residents.
Dungan stated that the timber supported bridge problem in Pearl River County will take $8.5 million dollars to complete and he stated this award for $3.1 million will help in a great way to help solve part of the problem.
Dungan (pictured) reminded the board that the county currently has five bridges under contract for replacement in different stages. Those five are Sones Chapel Road, Oscar Smith, Anchor Lake, Nellie Burks, and Shenandoah. There is also funding in place for bridge replacement for a second bridge on Anchor Lake Road and Lakeside Road in the Anchor Lake Subdivision.
Dungan said the problem now may be finding qualified contractors with the number of bridges now funded statewide.
In other action, the board approved to appoint Pearl River Community College President Adam Breerwood to the Economic Development Council and Mark Stockstill was approved for the Pearl River County Hospital Board. The appointments were necessary due to Dr. Scott Alsobrooks, who served on both boards, will be leaving the area to accept the position of president at East Mississippi Community College.
Following up from the last board meeting, Board Vice-President and District 3 Supervisor Hudson Holliday re-opened the discussion on county-wide garbage collection. Holliday suggested it was time to have a meeting with the independent garbage haulers in the county and discuss options about how to move forward.
Holliday reiterated what he had said in the last board meeting that his intent is to find a way for the county to start the process to come up with a solution for the collection of trash and have the independent businesses currently doing the collection to be part of the solution.
Holliday stated, “The last thing that any of us want to do is hurt the working people of this county. I want to meet with them and alleviate their fears. This is a process we are starting for a comprehensive pIan to make it better for everyone.”
The supervisors setup a meeting for the afternoon of February 4th at 2:00 p.m. in the board room to brainstorm with the garbage haulers. The supervisors will hold their regular board meeting board that same day at 9:00 a.m.
