During the first Pearl River County Board of Supervisors meeting of the year, County Engineer Les Dungan said his primary goal would be to address ongoing issues with county bridges.

Dungan said work on Nellie Burks Road is nearing completion. Only one more right of way acquisition is needed before he can ask the Board for permission to advertise for bids.

Dungan said he was recently contacted by representatives of the State of Mississippi seeking updates regarding the status of Ridge Road. Dungan said work on that road began ten years ago due to a need to provide improved access to Picayune’s Municipal airport.

Dungan said that so far environmental assessments and design work has already been completed utilizing Federal and State grant funds received in February 2007. The next step would be to obtain right of ways and additional funding to complete the project.

The Board asked Dungan to present a detail briefing at the next meeting complete with maps to update them on the current stage of the project. The Board also approved a motion to issue subpoenas requesting the presence of Jeff Smith, Richard Crawford and Frank Egger to be present at that next meeting so they can hear the updates.

In other matters, the Board unanimously agreed on the one building option pertaining to a new courthouse in Poplarville in order to consolidate the numerous buildings the county occupies. County Administrator Adrain Lumpkin said that between all of the county’s various offices, seven buildings are being used. The Board also approved a motion to seek funds from the Legislature to pay for the construction of the new building.

In other business the Board:

— Approved Malik Lucas of the Sheriff’s Department to travel to Gulfport to attend the Basic Law Enforcement Class from Jan. 7 to March 23.

— Approved Circuit Clerk Nance Fitzpatrick Stokes to travel to the statewide conference in Jackson from January 10 -12.

The Board went into executive session to discuss possible litigation but no action was taken after they returned to open session.

The next Board meeting will be on Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 9 a.m.