County leaders discuss mental health agency

The Franklin County Board of Supervisors heard an update from attorney Bill Halford regarding the Southwest Mississippi Mental Health Complex Region 11 on Monday, Feb. 6.

Last March, Bill Rosamond, state coordinator for mental health accessibility, addressed the boards of supervisors from nine counties serviced by Region 11 with information showing that the operation was not providing adequate mental health services in addition to the outreach being in financial crisis.

Additionally, he gave supervisors a 30-day deadline to address those issues and come up with a plan to provide adequate mental health services in the affected counties.

Upon hearing about the issues with Region 11, leaders from Franklin, Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Jefferson, Lawrence, Pike and Wilkinson counties came together several times throughout the remainder of the year to discuss the situation and develop a plan of action.

Last May, the counties hired Chuck Lambert to conduct an independent financial audit of the books at Region 11 with the nine counties splitting that cost.

Lambert also developed a tentative plan for the nine counties.

Halford told the board in September that county leaders had done everything they could do on their end and had “dropped it back in Bill Rosamond’s lap.”

During this process, county leaders have stayed in close contact with Rosamond, and Halford said the state coordinator commended them at a meeting held on Jan. 30 for their diligence in undertaking the matter and the way officials have worked together to come up with a solution.

Four of the counties — Adams, Claiborne, Jefferson and Wilkninson – were of the mindset to form their own region, if possible, but learned in January that creating a new region wasn’t an option.

“People from — I think — every county (in the region) met last Monday in the Adams County board room about Region 11,” Halford told the panel.

“Bill Rosamond was there and every county had somebody there, pretty much. He finally got a report from every county, or right at it. He let everyone know they were not going to approve a new region for them over there, so we’re going to be in the same one.

“(Rosamond) has listened to all our thoughts and concerns, and he said he had never seen such diligence as far as us working together to get something done. But basically, the situation is that he’s listened to everybody about what needs to be done, and he’s drawing something up for us to all look at and approve. So, right now, there’s nothing for us to do.

“He did say there was a better presence in the schools and like now. The operation is running better, but the financials are still in the red. The thought (for the future) is to get all your board members (for Region 11) to be the chancery clerks of each county instead of appointing board members from anywhere else around.”

Chancery Clerk Jill Jordan Gilbert was in agreement with the idea of having those officer holders appointed as representatives to the Region 11 board.

“We know what’s going on, because we do all the commitments and all that kind of stuff,” she added.

Another topic broached at the meeting involved Bill Lofton Road. District 4 Supervisor Pat Larkin said the side of the road washed out by the box culvert during a heavy rain event four or five weeks ago.

County engineer Mike McKenzie said he drove by and looked at that portion of the road before coming to the board meeting Monday morning.

“I think it’s bad enough that we’re going to have to do something about it on the upstream end,” he said.

“It’s really bad, I mean if we wait too much longer it’s going to be a real problem.”

The county already plans to use some of the allotted funding from the Office of State Aid Road Construction to fix the portion of the road in question, but McKenzie said it would be prudent to put a temporary fix in place.

“To fix it the way we want to fix it, we’ve got to move the channel over and get it back lined up with the box (culvert), and I really don’t want y’all to have to pay for that ... I would rather State Aid do that,” he continued.

“We also need to go on the downstream end and fix that. I think we need to do a temporary patch right there (where it washed out) with some rip rap to keep the road from falling off, and then let the State Aid plans work their route through, then come in and do the final fix, which will involve moving that creek upstream.”

“If we have another 8- to 10-inch rain, it’s going to be bad.” Larkin stated.
“If we do it’s going to wash out the road, I mean — literally — it will take out half the road,” McKenzie agreed, going on to say he would get quotes on placing rip rap to temporarily ward off problems until something more substantial can be done.

In other business during Monday’s meeting, the board considered these items:

• Held a public hearing regarding the abandonment of Rattlesnake Lane.

No objections were raised and Halford read a resolution declaring the county-maintained road to no longer be a part of the local road registry.

• Approved qualifying statements of interest for Faye Enzman and Hilda Peeler, who are seeking re-election as election commissioners.

The statements were previously approved by the Circuit Clerk’s office.

• Approved payment to Walter Beesley in the amount of $206.33 for collecting $549.30 in Justice Court fines in January.

• Approved paying for the following bonds: $175 for a $50,000 one-year bond on Deputy Sheriff Dustin Vanderslice; $892.50 for a $100,000 two-year bond on District 1 Supervisor Ronald Hunt; $350 for a $100,000 one-year bond on District 3 Supervisor Mike “Dirt” Hunt; $175 for a $50,000 one-year bond on shop receiving clerk Mary Russell; $175 for a $50,000 one-year bond on Deputy Circuit Clerk Hannah Duncan; and $175 for a $50,000 one-year bond on Deputy Justice Court Clerk Quaneshia Robertson.

• Authorized claims to The Franklin Advocate for printed legal advertising.

The board’s next regular business session will be held at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 21 due to the Presidents Day holiday observance on Monday, Feb. 20.