The Lincoln County Board of Supervisorsheard a busy agenda of county business Monday, with two surpriseappearances by incoming supervisors.

    Jimmy Diamond, the supervisor-elect for District Two, and C. E.”Eddie” Brown, the supervisor-elect for District Four, showed up toget abreast of current county matters.

    “We’re just here to see what’s going on right now,” Diamond said ofhis and Brown’s presence at the public meeting. “We’ll be coming tothe other ones, too.”

    Brown previously served as District Four supervisor from 1988-92.The two supervisors-elect start their terms in January.

    With the new faces in the boardroom background, the currentsupervisors proceeded to hear from county engineers Jeff Dungan andRyan Holmes as the two presented new county road maps.

    “A few months ago, y’all tasked us with updating the road map,”Holmes said. “All the corrections have been made, and we’d like youto action to adopt this as the new road registry.”

    Holmes explained the new map is split up into each of the fivecounty districts and includes every road, gravel and paved, in thecounty.

    The engineers updated the board on several road projects, includingthe countywide striping project, which they said was substantiallycomplete. Pending a final inspection to be scheduled, the projectis done and successful, Dungan said.

    In county legal business, the board heard from Keith Smith of LegalShield, a company that offers county employees personal legalassistance.

    Smith identified identity theft as a growing legal problem peoplehave that is “more relevant now than ever.”

    “Identity theft is the Federal Trade Commission’s number one crimein the past 10 years,” Smith said. “And 52 percent of identitythefts occur in the workplace.”

    Smith explained the benefit of Legal Shield services comes from avictim’s ability to stay and focus on their jobs while the companyhandles their legal affairs for a low cost with an agent who standsin their place.

    “You can keep employees on the job who can be clear-minded andstress-free,” he said.

    County Administrator David Fields referenced county employeesseveral years ago who signed up for Legal Shield’s prepaid legalservices.

    “About six or seven years ago, a few signed up for it and droppedit within the next year,” he said.

    Smith retorted that times have changed since then, particularlywith identity theft protection. He maintained Legal Shield’sservices are beneficial to a legal matter that is “not an if, butwhen it will happen.”

    The board thanked Smith for attending and suggested he return atthe beginning of the year when new supervisors are in place.

    In other county business, the supervisors approved the spending of$7,012.16 on tractor maintenance in District Five and $12,709.28for vehicle maintenance in District Four.

    The board also approved travel and lodging matters for severalconferences. Four election commissioners will attend a conferenceat the Golden Moon Casino Jan. 25-27 as part of their certificationtraining. Newly elected supervisors will attend a supervisororientation conference in Jackson Dec. 13-14. And Chancery ClerkTillmon Bishop will attend a Chancery Clerks Association conferencein Hattiesburg Nov. 14-16 on legal management.

    The board approved the county holiday season as well. Thanksgivingholidays will be Nov. 24-25, Christmas holidays will be Friday,Dec. 23 and Monday Dec. 26, and New Years holidays will be Friday,Dec. 30 and Monday Jan. 2.