Supervisors look at precinct changes: For the Pearlhaven, Brignal, Rogers Circle polls

Published 11:11 am Wednesday, February 19, 2014

THE DAILY LEADER / JUSTIN VICORY / District Five Supervisor Dudley Nations (from left) confers with District Two Supervisor Jimmy Diamond and Ryan Holmes of Dungan Engineering Tuesday.

THE DAILY LEADER / JUSTIN VICORY / District Five Supervisor Dudley Nations (from left) confers with District Two Supervisor Jimmy Diamond and Ryan Holmes of Dungan Engineering Tuesday.

The board of supervisors voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve a resolution that included three separate voting precinct matters, among them a proposal to relocate Precinct 17, or the Pearlhaven precinct.

Due to redistricting changes, Pearlhaven is no longer in District Two and the precinct polling place cannot be located at the District Two County Unit Barn. Bairfield proposed the precinct, which is now in District One, be relocated to the GED Center at the corner of Sawmill and Industrial Park Road, pending approval from Copiah-Lincoln Community College. The land is owned by Lincoln County.

Currently, the old Brignal Store is used as the Brignal precinct, or precinct 22. Bairfield proposed a new building similar to those for the Caseyville and Vaughn precincts in District Five.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

A new facility would eliminate the hardships associated with the current location, including the lack of air units in the store, he said, noting portable air units would need to be transported to the store for the June elections.

Bairfield recommended the board consider the use of Beulah Chapel Church as the Rogers Circle voting precinct, or precinct 28. He said this has already been approved by Pastor Charles Caston.

Bairfield cited a number of problems with using the current Roger’s Circle precinct, such as weak floors, leaking roof, falling ceilings and no restrooms. The use of Beulah Chapel Church would eliminate these issues, Bairfield said.

Repair work and other appropriations accounted for two other requests from Bairfield.

In other discussion at the meeting, Dungan Engineering representative Ryan Holmes said funding for county bridge and road repair work could hit a snag down the road as necessary maintenance continues to mount while funding stagnates.

In an effort to prioritize funding, Holmes suggested the board first approve projects considered to be mandatory such as specific road and bridge work.

Some county roads are beyond mere improvements such as resealing or repatching work, said Holmes.

“It’s just a fact we have to deal with. Some bridges in your districts are in extreme need of repair. Some roads were built so long ago that the only possible repair would be to repair the entire road … from the subgrade up,” Holmes told the board.

The subgrade is the native material underneath a constructed road or pavement.

Stretches of Dunn Ratcliff Road are in particular need of this kind of repair, noted Holmes.

In the interest of pursuing such improvements, other functions normally allocated for in the budget, such as the microseal and striping of roads, could take a hit, Holmes noted.

The board will continue making road improvements, however, the current stream of money for such projects could lessen significantly, District Four Supervisor Eddie Brown agreed.

“The money doesn’t go far. We need to come up with a game plan and figure out how best to spend money,” Holmes said.

Holmes suggested the board and Dungan Engineering confer on upcoming road and bridge priorities, and consider how to budget for them.

In other news, Chancery Clerk Tillmon Bishop noted a new date for the Forestry Association’s awards banquet, which was re-scheduled due to weather conditions during the hard freeze. Now, the banquet will take place at 6:30 p.m. March 11 in the Lincoln Civic Center.

In other announcements, there also will also be a retirement reception for Kenny Goza, celebrating 40 years of service with Entergy, from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Entergy building on Highway 51.