Monday during the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors meeting, County Engineer Les Dungan spoke about the ongoing road and bridge projects meant to enhance motorists’ safety.

The county is currently working with personnel from the Mississippi Department of Transportation to increase safety at intersections across the county, where a high number of accidents occur, Dungan said.

A four-way stop was installed at the intersection of Anchor Lake and Lumpkin Road in June after the county conducted a study that showed stop signs were necessary in the high traffic area. Other safety features that could be added to those intersections include extra signage and reflectors, Dungan said.

He also spoke about the bridge replacement project on Gumpond Beall Road in Lumberton. Dungan expects the road to be open to traffic later this week and the project completed by the end of next week with the necessary paving and signage.

Also, two bid openings are scheduled later in the month for the overlay and paving of three roads that include Sycamore, John Amacker and Anchor Lake Road, and for the renovation project at Liberty Road’s water park. Plans for the water park include installing a walking trail, a primitive camping area, a parking area, picnic tables and barbecue grills, Dungan said.

“On the federal level, our transportation bill has passed and it’s the first bill we’ve had in quite some time,” Dungan said.

The bill will allow the county to use money for the planned federal projects. Dungan hopes to use some of it to repair four bridges on the north end of Spring Hill Road.

Also at the meeting, Emergency Management Director and Fire Services Coordinator Danny Manley showed the board the mile markers that are being placed along the Pearl River to guide boaters.

“We will put them where people can see them. These markers will serve as a reference point,” Manley said.

Later, District II Supervisor Malcolm Perry mentioned that some departments within the county were over budget according to the county administrator’s monthly report for November.

“I looked at the report and I saw there are several departments over budget,” Perry said. “I would encourage everybody to stay in their budget; some are as much as 5 percent over. It was said that they were over because of the payrolls the first month, but some of the percentages didn’t go down this month. If we don’t hold them to a budget, we’re wasting all that time doing budgets.”

The board approved the monthly report and plan to ensure departments stick to their budgets this fiscal year.

In other news:

—The board approved a request from the Nicholson Volunteer Fire Department to borrow $100,000 to help the station purchase a used 2004 Class A Pumper.

—The board approved the publication of the annual Pearl River County Magazine.

—The board approved fuel and water supply in case of a disaster for the Pearl River County Hospital and Nursing Home.

—The board approved travel for the coroner and deputies to attend a winter conference in Jackson on Jan. 13 and Jan. 14.

—The board reappointed Albert Lee as the county’s fire marshal for 2016.

—The board approved travel for the tax assessor to attend the section 42 housing meeting in Jackson on Dec. 8.

—The board approved travel for employees with the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department to attend a child passenger safety certification in Biloxi from Feb. 17 to 19 and another event at Belton, Missouri from Dec. 13 to 17.

—The board approved travel for employees of the youth court to attend the NACM conference in Mobile, Alabama from Feb. 14 to 16.

The next board meeting will be Dec. 22 at 9 a.m. inside the court facilities in Poplarville.