The Lincoln County School Board voted Monday to delay theeviction of a Sixteenth Section leaseholder.

The lease was terminated in March 2000 and the board began theeviction process in July 2001, said Stan Long, Sixteenth Sectionland manager.

Terry Smith, the tenant, lives and runs his business on fiveacres of Sixteenth Section land located in the Brookhaven SeparateSchool District, Long said.

Smith came before the board Monday night and requested asix-month extension on his eviction proceedings so he could repaythe $1,600 he owes in back rent. The $1,600 also includes a fullyear’s advance rent.

He promised to catch up in the next six months and said he wouldnot fight the eviction and would leave of his own accord if hecould not meet the new deadline.

Smith said he was a taxidermist and his season was juststarting.

“This is my busy time of year,” he said. “I don’t have an excusefor not paying the lease. I just mismanaged my money. I know I canget it paid in six months.”

Smith, who moved onto the land in 1992, said he could startpaying the board about $400 per month beginning next week if theyapproved the extension.

Initially, Board Vice President Jerry Coon said the board couldnot do anything Monday because they wanted to review the case andthey would notify him a day or two of their decision.

“This is an old case and we want to make sure we know all thedetails,” Coon said.

After Smith left, however, Long asked the board to go intoexecutive session to discuss litigation matters surrounding thecase.

When the board emerged from executive session, they voted toextend Smith’s lease provided he agreed to certain provisions beingadded. The board added provisions that Smith must clean up theproperty, pass a health inspection and have a lien on the propertyremoved.

In other matters, the board passed a resolution allowing them tobegin construction work, such as site preparation, on items passedin the September $3.8 million bond issue election.

The resolution allows the district to use money in the districtmaintenance and other funds to pay the initial costs of the projectand reimburse those funds once the bonds are sold.

The resolution was necessary for the board to begin constructionin December as planned, according to District Secretary ReginaEast. East represented Superintendent Perry Miller during the boardmeeting because Miller was attending a business meeting inJackson.

The bonds are expected to be sold in January or February and thedistrict’s money would be refunded then, East said.