Supervisors OK revised agreement on inmates

The Franklin County Board of Supervisors approved a revised interlocal agreement on Monday, Aug. 15 with Amite County to house those taken into custody locally by law enforcement with a limited number of contractual changes.

Board attorney Bill Halford told the panel that the initial cooperative measure between the two counties was entered into in 2012 and had not been changed in the past decade — until the issue was brought up recently by Amite County supervisors.

“They decided they wanted to update it since it had been in place for so long and they emailed me with a new agreement that I received late in the day on Monday, Aug. 1 after our last meeting had adjourned,” Halford said.

In his legal review of the paperwork, Halford said the document is fairly similar to the earlier agreement between the counties — with three key changes:

• The per diem cost of housing Franklin County inmates in Amite County will increase from the existing $25 rate to $35.

• Amite County retains the right to refuse to house Franklin County inmates for cause — including those with mental issues, which Halford characterized as standard in such agreements.

• The contract will be in effect for the initial term of one year, as of July 1, 2022, and shall renew annually on an automatic basis unless terminated by one of the two parties.

“The initial contract we had with Amite County stated that the agreement was in effect for two years and would continue thereafter on an annual basis unless terminated by either party on a 90-day notice,” Halford said. “The bottom line, whether it is one year or two years, is the agreement keeps on going unless one or both of the counties want to end it.”

He went on to note the new interlocal agreement will ultimately have to be reviewed and approved by the Mississippi Attorney General’s office before it can take effect.

“I’m not sure exactly how long that will take, but, once the paperwork is executed, I will send it and we’ll see what happens,” Halford continued. “Once that happens, it will also be sent to the Secretary of State.”

He added the existing agreement would remain in place until all legal hurdles pertaining to the new measure were ironed out and in accordance with state statutes.

Before a vote on the matter was taken, Halford said he had spent a great deal of time going through the measure line by line to make certain it would be agreeable to Franklin County’s leadership.

Supervisors then voted by a 4-0 margin to authorize Board President Jimmie “Bodi” Bass, Chancery Clerk Jill Jordan Gilbert and Franklin County Sheriff Tom Tindle to sign the agreement.

District 1 Supervisor Ronald Hunt was not present for Monday’s meeting and did not vote on the matter.

In other action, the Franklin County Board of Supervisors took up the following business during this week’s session:

• At the request of county engineer Mike McKenzie, the panel rejected bids — which came in much higher than anticipated — from July 29 for bridge repairs on Clear Springs Road. McKenzie said he is looking at alternatives, which will hopefully be less costly, for the repairs.

• Approved the reappointment of Patti Stroud Monroe to the Franklin County Public Library’s board of trustees.

• Authorized payment of fees to WGK Engineers — the county’s engineering firm of record — for infrastructure work related to two State Aid road projects, including $15,269.02 for Burt Jordan Road and $13,399.07 for Gloster Road.

• Voted to accept monthly software agreements with Delta Computer Services for fiscal year 2023 totaling $230 for Solid Waste; $80 for payroll direct deposit; $585 for accounting, payroll and purchasing; $595 for the Tax Assessor-Collector; $470 for the Tax Assessor-Collector’s motor vehicle settlement interface; and $180 for Tax Assessor-Collector accounting.

• Transferred a portable radio and .38 pistol from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department inventory to Constable Dwayne Whetstone’s account.

• Approved the payment of professional membership dues for Franklin County Extension Service Agent Keith Whitehead in the amount of $100.

• Authorized the payment of $3,804.29 to Belinda Stewart Architects for work on courthouse improvements, which Gilbert said could potentially begin by the end of the year. The renovations are being paid for through a grant from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

• Voted to pay any outstanding claims for work on the county’s recent redistricting efforts following the 2020 Census by Griffith Law Firm and Mozingo Quarles PLLC.

• Heard from Gilbert that the United States Forest Service is seeking public comments on changing the operating hours for the Okhissa Lake Recreation Area to 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily once the lake reopens after renovations — possibly in March, 2023.

• Authorized the payment of $44.80 to The Franklin Advocate for a legal notice that was published pertaining to the county’s planned purchase of new voting machines and associated equipment.

• Approved the purchase of SCBA — self-contained breathing apparatus — equipment for the county fire department totaling $6,800.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Supervisors will be held at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 6 at the courthouse in Meadville.