The Pearl River County Board of Supervisors is moving forward with development of a county courthouse annex.

During Monday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, Troy Johnston from Butler Snow law firm spoke with the Board about the need to advertise for bids for two resolutions.

The first resolution Johnston asked the Board’s approval on concerned engaging Butler Snow law firm and government consultants to draw up the bond issue to pay for the expansion of the courthouse.

In reference to the second resolution, Johnston asked the Board to begin the process to issue the bond.

Johnston said his firm recommends the Board set the bond’s cap at $12 million even though previous estimates put the project at about $9 million.

“The final amount will be determined based on the final project estimate and whether there is any need for capitalized interest,” Johnston said.

The resolution, if implemented, would act to inform the public that the county is considering issuing general obligation bonds, backed by the county, to construct the courthouse annex.

This bond resolution will go through the Mississippi Development Bank to make it easier to structure bond payments, Johnston said.

In order to move forward with the bond, the Board is required to publish that information four times in the Item. Once that’s done, the public will have an opportunity to petition the bond before the deadline of May 7, this year.

The Board approved a motion to establish the resolutions and a motion to engage Butler Snow law firm. The bond issuance process is now in motion.

The next Board meeting is scheduled for April 18 at 9 a.m. in the courthouse on Julia Street in Poplarville.