The Pearl River County Board of Supervisors approved applying for a state grant to have repairs done at the county courthouse, hopefully alleviating some of the concerns county employees and residents have had about the building.
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History has an updated grant that the supervisors have asked Support Staff Specialist for Poplarville schools Louise Smith to look into after she brought it to their attention in a previous meeting.
County Administrator Adrain Lumpkin said the grant originally would have required the county to match the grant dollar for dollar, but the requirements have changed so that the county would have to match only 20 percent of the grant.
“It has changed from the information I was provided a couple of years ago,” Lumpkin said. “So we are going to go for the grant.”
The maximum the current grant can provide for repairs to the aging building is $875,000, Lumpkin said. The board authorized Smith to complete the grant, Lumpkin said. The board will then ask the board president sign the grant and have it submitted, he said.
In other business the board:
— Approved an invoice for Huey Stockstill on debris clean up to be paid when funds are available.
— Approved travel.
— Approved releasing insurance rebate funds to volunteer fire departments.
— Authorized the board president to sign a letter in support of the Pearl River County Utility Authority Master Plan.
— Approved homestead tax exemption reductions.
— Acknowledged tax sale publication in the Picayune Item and Poplarville Democrat.
— Acknowledged the holding of public notice of tax objections and acknowledged tax objections.
— Approved personnel changes in the Sheriff’s Department.
The next meeting is at 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 11, in the county court house.