The Rev. Jerry Wilson attended his first meeting of the LincolnCounty Board of Supervisors representing district one Monday.

It was an exciting day, Wilson said. He was sworn in as the newsupervisor before attending the meeting.

“It was great,” he said. “I’m enjoying it. I’m ready to be avoice for the people in district one.”

Wilson said he would continue to work out of the existingdistrict one county barn until a new one could be completed next tothe East Lincoln Volunteer Fire Department.

The year’s first meeting also saw a change of the guard in theboard’s leadership positions. District Two Supervisor Bobby J.Watts replaced District 3 Supervisor Nolan Earl Williamson as theboard president.

“I’m excited about it, and I wish to do my job well and servethe community as best I can,” Watts said. “I feel honored.”

He said after the meeting that the view was quite different whensitting at the head of the table.

“It is different. You have to sign a lot more important papers,”he joked.

District Five Supervisor Gary Walker was chosen as the board’svice president.

The board also rehired all of its employees. Only one rehireprovoked any comment among the board members.

District Four Supervisor W.D. “Doug” Moak objected to rehiringCounty Engineer Carl Ray Furr.

“I would suggest the current engineer and his associatescomplete the jobs they are working on and that we consider someoneelse for any new projects,” Moak said.

Moak’s motion died for a lack of a second and Furr wasreinstated as the county engineer on a 4-1 vote. Moak voted againstFurr.

In other matters, Sheriff Wiley Calcote, who took office thismonth, made two requests of the board.

He asked for their approval to purchase three new cars at thestate contract price of around $18,000. The vehicles would bepurchased from seized drug funds and would not cost the countyanything, he said.

The board approved the request.

Supervisors also approved the sheriff’s request to seek K-9training for Carlos, a dog purchased by the department last yearbut never trained.

“In order to keep this dog, we need to get it certified,”Calcote said.

Carlos will attend a 12-week course at a K-9 training facilityin Jackson to learn patrol and drug identification techniques.

Capt. Dustin Bairfield said the course will cost $3,000, butwould also be funded from seized drug funds.

Jason Cole has been assigned as Carlos’ handler, and he willalso have to attend the course. Once Carlos has completed thecourse and been certified, Bairfield said, the county will have twocertified K-9 teams.

Supervisors also heard a report from Board Attorney Bob Allenthat an audit of the sheriff’s office completed Dec. 31 found nodiscrepancies.

“No reportable findings were noted. Everything matched,” hesaid.

The audit was conducted on the last day former Sheriff LynnBoyte held office before passing it over to Calcote. Both sheriffssigned off on the results.

In construction matters, Furr told the board the latestinstallment of State Aid funding had arrived and requested theytransfer the money to complete two ongoing projects.

“This gives you enough to finish the road work on MontgomeryChurch Road,” Furr said. “I think all we’re lacking on that projectis a right-of-way.”

Approximately $180,000 was approved to complete thatproject.

More than $330,000 from State Aid funds was approved to completework on the Bogue Chitto bridge.

“This takes care of all the old State Aid projects we wereholding up on until we could get the State Aid funds,” Furrsaid.