The unanimous support enjoyed by Lincoln County supervisors intheir decision to evict the state wildlife department from acounty-owned building fell apart Monday when one board member askedhis peers to reconsider, although the panel once again tabled thematter.

District Two Supervisor Bobby Watts urged the board to reverseits January decision not to renew the Mississippi Department ofWildlife, Fisheries and Parks’ lease on a county-owned officebuilding at 304 South Second St. Watts became the first countyleader to back down from what has proven to be a course of actionunpopular with the public.

Despite Watts’ reversal, board president the Rev. Jerry Wilsontook the matter “under advisement” for the second consecutivemeeting. Wilson said a “study” being done on the building wouldneed to be completed before a decision is made.

“When we get those numbers together and those figures together,we’ll come back,” said Wilson, who did not elaborate. “So we’lltake it under advisement.”

Wilson, who is also a candidate for Brookhaven mayor, laterrefused to comment on the situation involving MDWF&P – despitean earlier pledge to do so. Following the May 18 board meeting,Wilson disputed a report saying he would not speak until after theJune 2 city election, arguing his comment was that he would notspeak until the June 1 board meeting.

Instead of forcing MDWF&P out of the building and assigningthe space to the growing Lincoln County Tax Assessor’s Office,Watts suggested the building be renovated and expanded for use byboth agencies.

Watts said the building has plenty of room for both agencies,including exterior space that can be enclosed. More space will beavailable once the Lincoln County Jail’s kitchen moves across theparking lot into the sheriff’s department, he said.

“It’s like grandma’s kitchen – plenty for everybody and nobodygoes away hungry,” Watts said. “I’ve studied the building and Ithink it would be the best thing for Lincoln County, the game andfish commission and the tax office. I’ve been earnest about this,prayed about this and I am for Game and Fish staying in LincolnCounty.”

Watts’ reversal of will brings him into alignment with more than1,000 signers of a recent petition calling on supervisors to recanttheir decision. Public sentiment against supervisors’ decision hasgrown since MDWF&P announced it would move its District Fiveheadquarters to Percy Quin State Park in McComb, a move that wouldresult in thousands of dollars in business done by wildlife agentsand their customers gone from the local economy.

Brookhaven Monument Company owner and petition author Dave Pacedid not attend Monday’s meeting to present the final tally ofsignatures, however.

“The citizens done (the petition) on their own, and that tellsyou they don’t want (MDWF&P) to leave,” Watts said after themeeting. “Besides that, I don’t want them to leave. They’re neededhere. I can’t get (the board) to come to a vote.”

During Monday’s meeting, District Four Supervisor Doug Moakdefended the board’s decision to allow MDWF&P’s lease toexpire, saying the decision was not made in haste.

“The decision was made in February (January), and now there’s abig crisis,” he said. “I would like to have seen the wildlifecommission make a little more concessions to Brookhaven. I think ifthey wanted to stay in Brookhaven, they could.”

While supervisors take MDWF&P under advisement, the clock isticking. Though the department is not scheduled to move to PercyQuin until after September, money spent on renovating offices therewould likely result in a commitment to leaving Brookhaven.MDWF&P Spokesman Jim Walker said the plan to move to Percy Quinremains in effect.

“If we receive something from that board of supervisors we willconsider it,” Walker said when asked if his department would remainin Brookhaven if supervisors reversed themselves. “We have our sitepicked out but we haven’t started renovating yet. If there’s anyaction from the board, we will await that decision.”

Monday’s meeting was a place for other firsts as well.

Supervisors received the first public showing of support fortheir decision to allow MDWF&P’s lease to expire from one oftheir own – Lincoln County Multi-Purpose Commission member PatMcCullough. McCullough worked the boardroom like a courtroom,building a case that Brookhaven has no real need for a MDWF&Pdistrict office.

“They’re about as useful as buying a steer and putting it in thepasture as a herd animal – they’re there, but they ain’t gonnaproduce nothing,” he said.

Supporters of MDWF&P attended the meeting as well. Formerstate Rep. Dr. Jim Barnett told supervisors the city would loseprestige by ousting the wildlife department.

“So many towns are searching, trying to get state agencies intheir communities, and here we are trying to get rid of one,” hesaid.