The Lincoln County Board of Supervisors andTax Collector/Assessor Nancy Jordan disagree on the replacement ofa temporary appraiser in the tax office.

    Jordan previously approached the board Sept. 6 about hiring one ofher in-house employees to pick up the duties of John Lewis, who washired from Statewide Appraisal & Title Services Inc., to doublecheck and verify personal property appraisals at businesses inLincoln County, according to the officials.

    The board postponed making a decision about the issue then.Supervisors agreed Monday to inquire if Lewis will finish out the2011 year on the county payroll.

    “We want to look at what is most cost-effective for the county,”said Doug Moak, District Four supervisor and president of theboard. “The question for us is we have employees who receive extracompensation for certifications in certain areas and trying todecide whether extra money should be paid to the them for somethingthey can already do.”

    Moak said the decision was made considering the fact that a new taxassessor will start in January, and that person can approach theboard at that time with their nomination. In the meantime, theywould like Lewis to finish out the year, being paid on amonth-to-month basis.

    Lewis’ contract is worth $25,000, according to Chancery ClerkTillmon Bishop. Jordan contends her candidate can do the job forless.

    Jordan, who is not running for re-election, said it is more costeffective and dutiful to the county to go with an in-househire.

    “She’s qualified to do the work,” Jordan said of her candidate, butdid not want to give a name. “I think we should use our own people,use everybody from Lincoln County that we can.”

    Jordan maintained her position after the meeting.

    “I’m not asking for them to give her the full salary, but onlyabout a third added to what she already gets paid,” she said later.”They’re wanting her to do both jobs for the same money, and she’snot going to want to do the extra work without compensation.”

    Jordan explained by hiring an in-house person now would betterserve the citizens in getting a proper start on personal propertyappraisals for the coming year. She added it would be cheaper thancontinuing to keep Lewis and then bidding out his job to someonenew in January.

    “We owe it to the citizens of Lincoln County to give the best jobfor the lowest amount of money,” she said.

    District Three Supervisor Nolan Williamson said it would be fair tobid out Lewis’ job when he is done.

    “John (Lewis) won it on a bid, so bid it out,” he said.

    In other county business, Ryan Holmes of Dungan Engineeringreported the countywide striping project had begun smoothly.

    “They started sweeping and trimming edges last Monday,” he said.”And painting should begin today.”

    J.C. Cheeks Contractors, Inc., of Kosciusko, won the bid for theproject at the Oct. 4 board meeting. Supervisors went with Cheeksbecause he had the lowest bid, which after fees put the total costof the project at $231,900.

    “They hope to be finished in the next two weeks depending on rainand things like that,” Holmes said Monday.

    The board also approved Monday to pay for a training conference forLincoln County Coroner Clay McMorris and two of his associates. Theconference is in Jackson and is required every year, according toBishop.

    Sheriff Steven Rushing also got approval for lodging and travelexpenses to attend the Sheriff’s Winter Conference in Natchez,something he goes to every year, according to Bishop.

    The next board meeting is Nov. 7 at 9 a.m. in the boardroom of theBrookhaven-Lincoln County Government Complex.