County roads are facing “tons of potholes,” county road manager Mike Mitchell told supervisors on Monday, and recent heavy rains are not only causing them, but also preventing county work crews from repairing them.

Mitchell told supervisors they should expect calls from residents about the pothole proliferation because of recent heavy rains, and that crews will probably have to work some overtime to get caught up on repairing them when the weather clears.

Board president and District 1 Supervisor Anthony Hales asked Mitchell if there is a better way to repair the potholes so they won’t “wash out” so much, and Mitchell told Hales that there is a product that can be used to make repairs last longer but added, “It is very expensive. I mean some-kinda expensive.”

Supervisor Sandy Kane Smith said the state filled two potholes on I-59 but two days later they were “blown out again.”

“With this kind of rain that we have had,” said Mitchell, “day and night, nothing is going to remain in the holes. We are losing ground during this rain.”

Mitchell said he had placed three crews on the project of filling and fixing potholes.

Mitchell also said that the potholes are not in just one area either, that they are spread evenly throughout the county. “That shows that we have been having some heavy rain all over the area,” he told supervisors.

Supervisors also heard an extensive road report and update by consulting engineer Les Dungan.

Dungan asked the board for authorization to advertise for bids on preventive maintenance on a bridge on West Union Road and another on Holden Road, both over the Hobolochitto Creek.

Dungan said the county will advertise for bids on the project to be opened at the Jan. 25 supervisors’ meeting. He said the maintenance will be conducted under a state aid project and will be done to the steel portion of the bridges. Supervisors approved the request.

Supervisors also said they would set aside time for a demonstration of what is called an “asphalt zipper,” a device used to strengthen paving operations so that they will last longer. Dungan said that it had been used on state aid projects and he believed the “concept was valid.”

Mitchell termed it a “neat toy.” Supervisors wanted to see the piece of equipment so they will schedule a demonstration. The cheapest model is $90,000, said Mitchell.

In other matters, supervisors:

— Entered an agreement with Paul Amacker of Southern Financial Systems, a collection agency, to collect delinquent fines in the Justice Court system.

— Accepted a $234,441 reimbursement from FEMA.

— Acknowledged letters of approval from the Attorney General’s office on agreements for holding Jackson and Hancock County prisoners at the Pearl River County jail. Besides those two counties, the county jail also holds local county prisoners and prisoners from Picayune and Poplarville. The prison population now is close to 400. The county is reimbursed for holding the prisoners.

— Recessed to the Monday, Dec. 28, meeting at 9 a.m.