Board of Supervisors tackle a full agenda

The Board of Supervisors met for their first April meeting at 9 a.m. on Monday at the Oktibbeha County Courthouse.

The meeting began with discussing the public hearing about the amended Garan redevelopment plan. The only change the TIFF plan include are the increase in the the amount of bonds to be issued because the City of Starkville is increasing the money they’re putting in by about 53 thousand a year. Nothing would change on the county level, but because the county is involved, the Board of Supervisors must approve the amendment so everyone is on the same page.

Next on the agenda, the Board officially recognized 9-1-1 tele-communicator operators as first responders. The 9-1-1 operators provide emergency instruction until professional help arrives, help those who are mentally ill and struggling with suicidal tendencies, and assess situations based on only what they can hear. They must report everything to those responding on scene to prepare for the situations they are walking into.

Supervisor Bricklee Miller thanked 9-1-1 operators for their work and called for a round of applause.

“We have a motion made by Supervisor Miller, seconded by Supervisor Howard to sign a resolution honoring our first responders and telecommunicators

for the work they do and dedicated service they provide for our citizens of Oktibbeha County,” Board President and District 5 Supervisor Joe Williams said. “We recognize the hard work 9-1-1 telecommunicators do as first responders.”

There is a resolution on a national

scale to recognize these important workers as first responders, and it is called the “9-1-1 Saves Act.”

The Road Manager, Fred Baggett gave the report on the roads throughout the county and Supervisor Miller asked about Big Creek Road flooding recently to see if there was a cross-drain that needs to be cleaned out. Preparing for grass cutting season has been a difficult endeavor because the roads are usually cleaned for mowers by trustees

from the county jail and other groups.

However, these groups have been unable to congregate safely due to the pandemic, and some are just now able to get together to help clean the grassy areas on the sides of the roads. Not to mention the rain Starkville has seen recently has made mowing nearly impossible.

The next Board of Supervisors meeting will be April 19 at the Oktibbeha County Courthouse.