Newly elected District II Supervisor Malcolm Perry was sworn into the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors at the board’s meeting on Monday.
Perry took his oath and joined the board for his first meeting in office after winning the runoff election against opposing candidate James Ernie Clark last week.
After an executive session was held on the matter, the members of the board approved a motion to appoint Johnny Stafford as Pearl River County Election Commissioner, said County Administrator Adrain Lumpkin. Stafford will be replacing the late Harold J. Blappert who held the position until his passing. District IV Supervisor Patrick J. Lee voted against Stafford’s appointment. District I Supervisor Anthony Hales was absent from Monday’s meeting.
Also at the meeting, County Engineer Les Dungan said that bids will be opened on Dec. 16 for the E.T. Poole bridge replacement and Richardson-Ozona Road realignment projects. The bids will be presented at the Board of Supervisors’ next meeting, set for Dec. 17.
Dungan also asked the board to consider a change order for the Movie Star building demolition project.
The contractor in charge of the demolition had difficulties lining up a vendor to reclaim concrete from the block walls and foundation, said Dungan, who added that the contract is set to expire at the end of the year. Dungan recommended that the contractor be given more time since doing so would be of no extra expense to the county. The board agreed and approved a motion to give the contractor an additional 90 days to complete the job.
District V Supervisor Sandy Kane Smith said that he has received calls about duplicate road signs throughout the county. Dungan said a subcontractor was hired to install new road signs, and that part of their contract included removing the old signs, which they have not yet done. Dungan said he called before the meeting to get an update from the contractor, and the extra signs will be removed as soon as they are able to set a date.
In other business, the board:

– Approved personnel changes in the tax office.
– Gave the Road Department permission to hire a Class B Operator.
– Approved a motion to lease new postage machines in the courthouse and a county office in Millard.
– Approved chancery clerk personnel changes.